Dune: Part 2
4.5/5 Dune: Part 2 is a gargantuan movie, crashing louder than a sand-worm and flashing brighter than a lasgun. Its domination of the box office and our conversations is all the more impressive when one considers that it’s based on a dense novel drawing on ecological theory and early Islamic history. It is, in a…
Oscars 2024 recap
The Oscars remains one of the most talked about events of the cultural calendar, with the results generating as much water-cooler chat in the office as any major sporting event. So what did we make of the winner and losers this year?
The Iron Claw
Zac Efron’s performance had my heart in a chokehold in this gripping wrestling picture.
Napoleon
Napoleon famously said that “history is a set of lies agreed upon.” Ridley Scott certainly agrees, but he can’t even decide what story he wants to tell in his disorientating film.
Killers of the Flower Moon
That’s right, it’s another 3 hour Martin Scorsese film. This story of the murders of the Osage tribe is harrowing and powerful, but does it deserve its length?
Asteroid City
The setting of Asteroid City is perfect for Anderson’s style, and features some of his funniest dialogue in years. But the film sags from an over abundance of characters and an overly complex meta-setting.
‘Tenet’ review
A few people had told me watching Tenet was a waste of time. It was too hard to follow. It didn’t make sense. Or simply: it was boring. I don’t have a problem with films which are difficult to understand, even after repeated viewings. There’s something enjoyable in sitting back and letting a film wash…
Thin Chrome Line: RoboCop revisited
About half an hour into RoboCop, hotshot policemen Murphy has his hand blown off by a shot gun. Blood spurts into the air like a hose. The next shot removes his entire arm, before a gang of drug dealers shoot him to pieces. If you want to shock your audience by killing off your lead…
‘The Lighthouse’ Review
There’s something spooky about the sea. Writers from Homer to Hemingway have known how it drives people mad, and writer-director Robert Eggers has created a maritime psychodrama to make your skin crawl. A treasure trove of filmmaking techniques, including striking black and white cinematography and a pulsating score, help make The Lighthouse as entertaining as…
‘The Rise of Skywalker’ Review
This review contains spoilers “The Empire, your parents, the Resistance, the Sith, the Jedi… let the past die.” I was reminded of Kylo Ren’s speech to Rey in The Last Jedi whilst watching The Rise of Skywalker, as I began to wish we could do one better and put this seemingly interminable franchise to rest.…
‘Joker’ review
Maybe the death knell for Western civilisation really has been sounded, because Joker shows that meme culture has completely overtaken critical and public reaction (in case that wasn’t obvious already). The trailer suggested a film that would show us how a downtrodden comedian who lives with his mother became a criminally insane maniac, after being…
Mark It Zero 