Category: Film
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Minority and Memory.
Spielberg’s Minority Report contains some of science fiction cinema’s most accurate depictions of future technology. The film’s realistic vision of 2054 emphasises some of the moral questions that the film decides to asks. Precrime, a company dedicated to eliminating murder and violent crime from the streets, use three gifted individuals, named pre-cogs, to predict murders and arrest…
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A Single Man.
Tom Ford’s A Single Man is swimming with emotion and heartbreak. The wonderful performances, combined with a striking depth of character, brings everything that was wonderful about Christopher Isherwood’s novel to cinema. The beautiful cinematography adds a charm to the film which is perfectly contrasted by the woe and tragedy of the story and the life of…
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Spring Breakers.
Harmony Korine’s new film has promised to divide audiences from the release of its first teaser trailer. Taking several actresses famous for their sweet, innocent work for America’s Disney Channel and mixing them in with a world of drugs, promiscuity, greed and violence, Spring Breakers creates a darker image of Spring break. It is hard to summarise the film…
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As You Wish.
Rob Reiner is one of my favourite film directors. His overall body of work boasts some real highlights of modern cinema. This is Spinal Tap remains the most intelligent and hilarious mock-umentary film ever made, with Woody Allen’s Zelig being an honourable runner-up. When Harry Met Sally re-invented the romantic comedy and emphasised the importance of a witty script and complex…
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BIFF Highlights: 2013
After a splendid few days at The National Media Museum, my time at Bradford’s 19th International Film Festival drew to a close. Having already reviewed several of the events and screenings I attended, my reflections on the festival have already begun. With so much going on at the festival it is tough to identify my…
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Cannibal Vegetarian.
Not for the faint hearted, Cannibal Vegetarian tells the story of a corrupt gynaecologist whose greed and financial determination drives him to some hideous extremes. From the opening moments of the film, our protagonist, Danko Babic, is set up as a predator and a deviant. In this almost caricature of a villain we see a racist, a misogynist,…
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Magpie.
In 2008, director Marc Price intrigued audiences and festival goers with his zombie movie Colin. Created for a staggering £40, Colin demonstrated Price’s ambition and directorial skill. Now, five years later, audiences are being exposed to Price’s follow up film, made on a slightly more substantial budget. Magpie tells the story of one man’s decision to face up to his failure as a…
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Elvis, A Gig & A Ghost: The Dodge Brothers – A Review.
As the 19th Bradford Film Festival comes to a close, it is time to reflect on certain highlights. Amongst the films, Q&As, talks and events there were certain contributions that provided those attending the festival with a sense of fun and energy. Prior to the festival, I was excited at the prospect of watching The…
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Balabanov.
Although there have been many great highlights of the Bradford Film Festival so far, there is something exciting about discovering and connecting with the work of a particular director. My best discovery during the festival has to be the work of Aleksey Balabanov. The festival have shown three of his films in the form of a…
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Hurry Up, Johnny.
I recently got round to watching ‘What’s Eating Gilbert Grape‘, a moving tale of one young man’s inner struggles with himself, the death of his father, his dysfunctional family and the pressures they put on him. Johnny Depp plays Gilbert and drives the film and its story forward. The simple tale is carried by Depp…
Hannah McHaffie 