Tag: Thriller
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Rise of the Planet of the Apes.
Thanks to Tim Burton’s questionable take on the franchise, Rise of the Planet of the Apes was initially something to be wary of. Successfully reinventing a classic takes astute direction and vision, something Burton’s re-imagining lacked. Luckily, Rise of the Planet of the Apes is a reboot rather than a remake. This is a new story that pays great tribute to…
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In Order of Disappearance.
Set against the exquisite whiteness of Norway, In Order of Disappearance is a blood-bath of fun and fury. The white canvas doesn’t stay white for too long. Soon enough it is splattered with the vibrant red blood of many angry men. On the same night that he is awarded and recognised for his contributions to his community,…
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Devil’s Knot.
There are many obstacles standing in the way of Devil’s Knot. Making a film about true events always draws extra attention to the matter of authenticity, accuracy and sincerity. Not only does Devil’s Knot use a historically real situation as the basis of its story, but it all revolves around a murder case that, over twenty years on,…
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Joe.
Joe kills trees. He makes his living by poisoning unwanted forests in order for new, stronger pines to be planted in their place. He also employs men to do the same; men that he trusts to work hard and whom he pays fairly. Joe drinks too much and has made enemies in his home town.…
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The Anomaly.
This is Noel Clarke’s third feature film as a director. Stepping away from the grimy teen violence themes that he is associated with, The Anomaly is much more of a genre piece. Venturing into directing science fiction, Clarke brings us a futuristic thriller about one man’s attempts to figure out his dramatic change in situation, but with only nine minutes until…
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Cold in July.
Jim Mickle’s latest feature film is a slippery creature. A film that transforms into something you don’t initially expect, Cold in July deviates from its original focus and ventures down dark avenues where creepy things lurk. At the heart of all of this is Richard Dane, a hard working picture-framer, a loyal husband and a protective father. We…
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Hyena.
Opening Edinburgh’s 68th International Film Festival is Gerard Johnson’s Hyena, a film that delves into the world of police corruption, oozing with misery and gore. We are first introduced to twisted policeman Michael Logan when he, with his gang of cronies in tow, raids a nightclub. This initial sequences creates a strong sense of what Hyena is all…
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Blue Ruin.
Jeremy Saulnier’s Blue Ruin is a story about revenge; pure, aggressive and passionate revenge. The need for revenge runs deep throughout this intense drama that focusses on very little else. Revenge remains the film’s only theme and focus, because that’s all it needs. We first meet the film’s protagonist, Dwight, whilst he takes a bath – a…
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The Man Who Knew Too Much. (1956)
Alfred Hitchcock once discussed both of his versions of The Man Who Knew Too Much with François Truffaut, in a very lengthy interview that Truffaut claimed lasted for 50 hours. Hitchcock describes his first imagining of the film, from 1934, as the work of a “talented amateur” and the remake, which he himself created over two decades…
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The Man Who Knew Too Much. (1934)
Alfred Hitchcock’s earlier work is sometimes sadly overlooked. He is known by many for his American films, and too right; Rear Window, Vertigo, Psycho and Rope are just some of his exceptional later films. Still, Alfred Hitchcock was an Essex boy. He began work in silent cinema with respected films such as The Lodger. Hitchcock’s work in the 1930s remains quintessentially British. The…
Hannah McHaffie 