Year: 1967 Director: Arthur Penn Stars: Faye Dunaway (Bonnie Parker), Warren Beatty (Clyde Barrow), Michael J Pollard (C.W. Moss), Gene Hackman (Buck Barrow), Estelle Parsons (Blanche) Genre: Crime Drama / Biopic “When and how will I ever get away from this?” You can see it in Bonnie Parker's eyes, a thought rightfully divined by Clyde … Continue reading Why I Love… #36: Bonnie And Clyde
The Master, the sixth film from American director Paul Thomas Anderson, insinuates itself. It creeps in on you from the edges. It infers instead of making direct statements. It's impressionistic. Teasing. Curious. It feels unusual because it goes against the standard values of serious Hollywood film-making. It leaves open questions, values character portrait over dramatic … Continue reading Review: The Master
If you haven't heard a lot about Beasts Of The Southern Wild yet, then its possible you're going to in time. This charming, family-orientated semi-cataclysmic fantasy tale directed by Benh Zeitlin has all the hallmarks of an indie sleeper hit. Centred by a thoroughly endearing and naturalistic turn from child actor Quvenzhané Wallis, it's the kind of … Continue reading Review: Beasts Of The Southern Wild
Before you skim down to the score at the bottom of this one, be warned that you are not ready for Excision. In one sharp, calculated, grotesque fell swoop, first time feature director Richard Bates Jr. has crafted a film to make you sit up and pay attention... or run screaming for the exits. A lot of … Continue reading Review: Excision
"Directed by Ben Affleck". At one time, before the California-born actor started his endeavours behind the camera, those words would have been treated with suspicion. Sure, together with Matt Damon, Affleck had cut his teeth putting pen to paper for the movies, but this was followed by some ill-advised movie choices (Pearl Harbor, Gigli). Come … Continue reading Review: Argo
Michael Haneke's Palme d'Or winning film begins at the end. Police break into a middle-class apartment and discover the body of Anne, laid out peacefully on a bed, the net curtains gently moved by the wind from an open window. Thus, we know where we're headed as the story zips back months to introduce us … Continue reading Review: Amour
I’m quite partial to an antihero. Usually the murkier a film, book or play’s protagonist the better. I love those grey areas that place a lead player’s fortune in the balance. It’s one of the great staples of drama, inexhaustibly captivating over the years. But it’s also, as director Jacques Audiard has now quite clearly … Continue reading Review: Rust And Bone
Year: 2010 Director: Takashi Miike Stars: Kôji Yakusho (Shinzaemon Shimada), Gorô Inagaki (Lord Naritsugu), Tsuyoshi Ihara (Hirayama), Takayuki Yamada (Shinrouko), Yûsuke Iseya (Koyata Kiga) Genre: Action / Drama / Martial Arts Takashi Miike’s body of work as a director is intimidating. He is ruthlessly prolific, and as one might expect from such frequent output, consistency … Continue reading Why I Love… #35: 13 Assassins
