Author: Garry Arnot
DVD review: The Ledge
Suspense is built upon an absurd premise in survival thriller The Ledge, the latest feature from director Howard J. Ford. The plot sees friends Kelly (Brittany Ashworth) and Sophie (Anaïs Parello) embark on a mountainous adventure, endeavouring to scale a notoriously difficult cliff face. On their arrival at the base, they meet a group of four ‘bros’ on their own trip, fronted by Joshua (Ben Lamb), their arrogant ringleader. Before long, the two parties congregate for drinks and debauchery over a bonfire but when events take a very dark turn, Kelly finds herself free climbing the deadly façade to outrun the boys as they desperately try to cover their tracks after an earlier attack.
Continue reading “DVD review: The Ledge”Film review: La Civil
When a youngster is snatched by the Mexican cartel, their distraught parent goes vigilante in a desperate attempt to get them back. This is the plot of Belgian-Romanian writer and director Teodora Mihai’s crime thriller but if you’re expecting something along the lines of action flick Taken, think again.
Continue reading “Film review: La Civil”DVD review: The Batman
There have been many caped crusaders on the big screen; even within the last twenty years we’ve had Christopher Nolan’s acclaimed trilogy, Will Arnett’s satirical LEGO version, and Ben Affleck’s dour turn within DC’s shakily constructed extended universe. Despite this cinematic saturation, anticipation has been rife for the latest adaptation, directed by Matt Reeves, best known for his stellar work on the Planet of the Apes reboots. The Batman sees Robert Pattinson don the cowl, playing vigilante as the deeply disturbed Riddler (Paul Dano) begins a killing spree, leaving clues to his crimes that leads to revelations of government cover-ups and corruption in Gotham City.
Continue reading “DVD review: The Batman”Film review: Three Floors (Tre Piani)
Nanni Moretti is a prolific actor, writer, director, and producer who has been putting out regular work for the best part of his fifty years in the business. For the first time in his illustrious career, he is adapting someone else’s story for the big screen. His latest piece Three Floors is based upon the best-selling novel Three Stories by Eshkol Nevo, relocated from its Tel Aviv base in the original material to Rome for its cinema adaptation.
Continue reading “Film review: Three Floors (Tre Piani)”DVD review: Nitram
After bringing the true story of his nation’s most notorious outlaw to the big screen a couple of years ago, Aussie auteur Justin Kurzel sheds cinematic light on another deeply dark tale from down under in his latest feature. Nitram is a psychological character drama that centres around the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, a horrific mass shooting in Tasmania during which 35 people were murdered.
Continue reading “DVD review: Nitram”DVD review: Anaïs in Love
Whether getting away from their problems or sprinting towards the one they love, we regularly see young women running in indie romcoms. Following in the footsteps of Greta Gerwig in Frances Ha, Alana Haim in Licorice Pizza, and Renate Reinsve in The Worst Person in the World, Anaïs Demoustier chases her tail in this charming French twist on the genre.
Continue reading “DVD review: Anaïs in Love”DVD review: True Things
Television writer turned feature filmmaker Harry Wootliff announced herself onto the scene with acclaimed directorial debut Only You in 2018. Returning to similar subject matter with follow-up piece True Things, she picks apart another lustful, complicated fling. Based upon the novel by poet Deborah Kay Davies, the psychological thriller plot follows reckless lost soul Kate (Ruth Wilson) as she struggles to cope with the daily grind of life.
Continue reading “DVD review: True Things”Film review: Bird Atlas (Atlas Ptáku)
Writer and director Olmo Omerzu pokes fun at a crumbling family empire in his latest feature Bird Atlas, co-written with his regular collaborator Petr Pýcha. The sharp black comedy plot centres around patriarchal figure Ivo (Miroslav Donutil) who has long been at the helm of a large electronics firm. A shocking discovery within his company’s finances leads to a heart attack, so his family soon rally to show their support, including his son Martin (Martin Pechlát), first in line to inherit the business. After some investigation, all suspicions lead to Ivo’s accountant Marie (Alena Mihulová) who’s been enjoying a blossoming romance with a mysterious American soldier.
Continue reading “Film review: Bird Atlas (Atlas Ptáku)”A Violent Man Interview: Craig Fairbrass – ‘It was very visceral and quick. I’d say most of the time in life, that’s how violence is’.
On the big screen, actor Craig Fairbrass is perhaps best known for his integral part within the Rise of the Footsoldier franchise. In recent years though, he has tackled even more brutal, complex portrayals that transcend his hard man persona. I was lucky enough to chat with him about his latest film A Violent Man, a prison drama written and directed by Ross McCall…
In A Violent Man, there are long sequences where the director Ross McCall ramps up tension without any dialogue. As an actor, how do you go about contributing to the tone and atmosphere with a very minimalist script?
Well, you obviously have an overall perception of the story. I’m quite intuitive when it comes to things like that. I knew what the mood of the scenes were, I knew what we were trying to portray, and how to move the story forward but to still make it interesting. With a look, you can say 1000 lines, so it was that type of thing. I think the energy of the opening sets up Steve Mackelson as the type of man he is. He’s not a man of a lot of words. As the film moves on and things are irritating him, he has to get his point across.
Continue reading “A Violent Man Interview: Craig Fairbrass – ‘It was very visceral and quick. I’d say most of the time in life, that’s how violence is’.”
Cinema Perspective 