This is the End

 

Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s writing credits speak for themselves; they’ve had their hits with stoner and teen comedies and have decided to launch their directorial career with an apocalyptic comedy that subverts their personas, plays up to their critics and includes a cast made up entirely of their friends. Sure, it’s indulgent but if you’re a fan of any of those involved, it’s a playful, entertaining and amusing way to spend a couple of hours.

 

My full review published by Starburst Magazine.

 

Before Midnight

 

Linklater delivers an intimate look at love as it matures but also explores ideas of perpetual dissatisfaction and gender.

 

My review of Before Midnight published by Cinetalk.

Monsters University

 

This fresh and funny prequel to Monsters, Inc. sees Mike and Sulley on a college campus as they try to make their way through their studies to become fully fledged Scarers. 

 

My full review published by Starburst Magazine.

Sheffield Doc Fest 2013: Jury Duty

 

Attendance this year was a particularly special experience for me as I had been asked to take part on the AWFJ jury to vote for the best documentary directed by a woman.

 

You can read more about my experience, find out who the winner is and see my top picks from the festival here.

World War Z

World War Z comes to the big screen after a troubled production that led to reshoots, extensive rewrites and an overblown budget (reported to have reached $200 million plus), all of which unfortunately reflects on the final product.

 

Full review published by Starburst Magazine.



Network Distribution British Film Collection: Konga and Handgun

Unashamedly marketed as the ‘British King Kong’ and co-written and produced by Herman Cohen, who updated its themes to include not only man’s unquenchable thirst for power over nature but also over women, Konga was one of the very first gigantic monster movies filmed in colour (in SpectaMation and shot in London, including location shooting in Croydon).

 

Full review published by New Empress.

 

 

“There’s no way to explain rape, Larry.”

Handgun (Deep in the Heart) was originally released back in 1984, it stars Karen Young, as a bright eyed woman, living away from home for the first time and discovering all about life and the Texas lifestyle.  British Director Tony Garnett tackles the rape/revenge sub-genre and explores the American Psyche from an outsider perspective. Violent repercussion is not the answer here though with Garnett choosing to use education and clever power play as a means of revenge.

 

Handgun is also showing at BFI on 22nd June 2013

Full review published by Cinetalk.

Review: Mud

 

An exploration of masculinity and love that’s entirely sincere. Jeff Nichols’ third feature exudes epic themes and masterful cinematography with shots of the Arkansas backdrop fused with elements of Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations and Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn alongside a painterly touch reminiscent of Terrence Malick. It both shines and sweats in its sparse southern setting lingering comfortably in the trepidations and excitable mood of two teenage boys’ journey of discovery.

 

Read my full review here.



Review: Star Trek Into Darkness

In 2009, J.J. Abrams rebooted the Star Trek movie franchise with a thrilling mix of emotion, humour and adventure in a parallel universe where this crew have to find their own paths. Four years later and he is taking us into daring and action-packed darkness but also remembering to leave room for these characters to grow. Exhilarating free falling, vibrant visuals, marvel and menace, spectacular set design and spiralling starships deliver an immersive high that will leave you buzzing.  

 

My full review published in Starburst Magazine here.

My apperance on The Picture Show: Evil Dead and Video Nasties

 

Or not... though I did enjoy Evil Dead as a rollercoaster remake I thought it was a pointless remake and not terrifying at all.

You can hear me talk about it on The Picture Show here alongside Sam Inglis and Michael Ewins

Review: Stoker

Keeping with his usual dark themes, South Korean director Park Chan-wook (Oldboy) makes an assured American debut with this stunning psycho thriller – a cruel, calculated coming of age story that glides elegantly through topics of sexual awakening and fractured family values. It pushes all the right buttons; paying homage to Hitchcock whilst having a distinct, chilling ambience all of its own.

Full review published on Starburst Magazine

 

Review: Spring Breakers

 

In Spring Breakers Harmony Korine captures a neon-lit universe where Britney is queen, Lil' Wayne is king and money is everything. Four college girls are led into temptation by the bright lights and promise of spring break and it’s up to them when the party stops.

 

My full review published on The Quietus.

In Search of Divine: A Retrospective

Following the European premiere of documentary I Am Divine at the London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, I look back over the career of the actor, drag queen, performer and singer for The Quietus.

 

Full article published here.

Review: Antiviral

 

Brandon Cronenberg (son of David) has written and directed an intense and disturbing debut film looking at society’s increasing obsession with celebrity. Getting to the sick heart of this cultural disease, Cronenberg has created a white walled world that delivers a claustrophobic film experience with a mesmerising central performance from Caleb Landry Jones.

 

Full review published in Starburst Magazine here

 

Antiviral is out in the UK on 1st February 2013

 

Review: Zero Dark Thirty

 

Zero Dark Thirty is a breathtakingly brutal and powerful account of the hunt for Osama Bin Laden, charting the ten years it took to capture him. Director Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker) employs a race-against-time narrative focusing on the investigative team, their extreme tactics and the ramifications of a shifting political landscape during the course of their probing mission. The gaze is mainly on CIA agent Maya (Jessica Chastain) and the gender politics surrounding her career defining assignment.

Full review on Filmoria

 

Zero Dark Thirty is out in the UK today.

Alliance of Women Film Journalists

 

I'm now a member of the alliance. For more information AWFJ

American Mary Review

 

Jen and Sylvia Soska’s American Mary summons the spirit of Cronenberg’s Dead Ringers with classical music, cold instruments and red scrubs along with a dark Lynchian aesthetic. There are Asian and European horror influences too, yet astonishingly the film feels personal and unique. 

You can read my full review in New Empress Magazine.

Out on DVD and Blu-ray now.

Women in Comedy

I don’t usually write about TV (unless it’s Alex Mack…) but Lena Dunham’s double win at the Golden Globes has prompted me to talk about women in comedy.  

For Best Performance by an actress in a TV series (comedy or musical), Lena was up against Julia Louis-Dreyfuss who apart from bringing us the Elaine dance in Seinfeld 

 

now leads the cast of Veep created by Armando Iannucci and Miss Bossy Pants herself, Tina Fey, who created and stars in 30 Rock as the secret snuggie wearing, night cheese eating Liz Lemon.

Fey added the phrase “I want to go to there” to my every increasing quoting vocabulary and wrote the screenplay for one of the best teen movies ever made, Mean Girls.  Lena was also up against  Zooey Deschanel for her role in New Girl and Amy Poehler for her role as Leslie Knope in Parks and Recreation who opened the show with Tina Fey.

I’m glad Dunham won the awards and her voice is being recognised and celebrated. Even if you place no particular importance on awards ceremonies her acceptance speech at the Golden Globes lays thanks to all of the women in the category and “every woman who felt there wasn’t a space for her”.

On winning the best TV series (comedy or musical) she spoke of the cast who have shown her “the meaning of bravery and nakedness both emotional and physical” and it can only be a positive thing to have such a talented, humble woman being a massive part of not only the TV world but the filmmaking one too.

Dunham also spoke of the people who supported her and helped her find her voice and made her feel “not like a cartoon character but a person who could express emotions”. This made me think of the ever supportive LocoFilm Festival who are championing comedy. This year they have collaborated with Underwire Festival with a focus on women in comedy and will be celebrating with the event Working Women on 26th January. If you’re having trouble finding your voice this could be a positive and inspiring place to start looking for it.

Lena Dunham’s debut feature film Tiny Furniture is available to buy as part of The CriterionCollection  You can read my review here.
Further reading: An interview with Lena Dunham conducted by Miranda July www.interviewmagazine.com/film/lena-dunham-february-2013

My Top Ten Films of 2012

2012 saw John Landis’ son, Max, put his hand to writing a screenplay with co-writer and Director Josh Trank in the extremely impressive Chronicle. Dolly Parton danced in the dark with the ghost of Kris Kristofferson and threw bread-rolls at Queen Latifah in Joyful Noise. The Muppets made a victorious return to the big screen.  We were rewarded with the uplifting Damsels in Distress in Whit Stillman’s long awaited return to filmmaking and Joss Whedon achieved the admirable feat of making not only the best superhero film out this year, in Avengers Assemble, but also a love letter to horror fans in The Cabin in the Woods. They all nearly made it into my top ten (apart from Joyful Noise) but not quite.

Read my top ten at Cinetalk here.

Film Festival Round-up 2012

Once again my viewing schedule has been dominated by film festivals. I reflect on the best I’ve seen.

The last week of January, usually a blue affair, was cheered up by Loco Film Festival and their screening of The Muppets, a vibrant, victorious return with Brett McKenzie penning memorable and lovable lyrics with a hint of Hall and Oates magic. Their discovery screen showed stand-out dark comedy Black Pond featuring the excellent line “who eats a banana before going to bed?”

To read more: http://www.cinetalk.tv/post/38295466988/kats-film-festival-round-up-2012

Review: John Dies at the End

Phantasm creator Don Coscarelli returns with his first film since 2002's Bubba Ho-Tep, and it's a masterful manifestation of special effects, animation and humour, all mixed to make a slithering sickly platter of hellfire, damnation and demon-fuelled trippy aesthetics.

You can read my full review at Starburst Magazine http://www.starburstmagazine.com/reviews/latest-reviews-of-movies/3651-movie-review-john-dies-at-the-end

Released in the UK on 22nd March 2013