Saturday, December 21, 2019

First Lines: Kate Thompson - The New Policeman


J.J. Liddy and his best friend, Jimmy Dowling, often had arguments.

Martha Hunt


A day in the life, Nov 3


A day in the life, Nov 3, Regensburg by night

Auguste Abeliunaite


New Stuff: Chas Addams


Lera Abova


L'ordre et la morale (2011)


Dissidents in a French colony attack a police station and take hostages.

Straightforward, anti-imperialist war drama with a clear message; conventionally staged, but quite effective for the intended purpose.

Julia Frauche


ph: Laurie Bartley

New Stuff: Jörg Buttgereit


Lillian Van Der Veen


The Forest (2016)



A woman goes into Japan's Suicide Forest to find her twin sister, and confronts supernatural terror.

Well-made horror drama with some good nature settings and Natalie Dormer giving a credible twin performance, but it's all utterly predictable; you can see the twist ending coming by simply looking at the plot's premise. 

Julie Newmar


New Stuff: Marcus Stiglegger


Who's That Girl?


Art: Isabel Rawsthorne

Monday, December 16, 2019

Zuzana Gregorova


The Perfection (2018)


When a troubled musical prodigy seeks out the new star pupil of her former school, the encounter sends both musicians down a sinister path with shocking consequences.

Well-made, especially visually brilliant, horror drama with multiple twists; quite watchable, but gory, and maybe a bit too clever for its own good.

Camila Morrone


ph: Thomas Whiteside

New Stuff: Chas Addams


Laura Schellenberg


ph: Liz Collins

1922 (2017)


A simple yet proud farmer in the year 1922 conspires to murder his wife for financial gain, convincing his teenage son to assist, but their actions have unintended consequences.

This superb Stephen King adaptation is less a horror story, but rather a period tragedy about guilt, loyalty and human frailty; enhanced by top-notch performances and good atmospheric cinematography.

Snejana Onopka


New Stuff: Art Spiegelman


Who's That Girl?


Photographer: Alfred Statler