This is a film by Tom Berninger, you don’t know him, but you might know his older brother Matt who is the lead singer of indie rock band The National. Ostensibly a documentary about The National, the film is actually about Tom; his search for meaning, purpose, and his own success in the shadow of his older taller more popular brother Matt. Continue reading
film review
Miss Violence
I wonder why this film was made; it is gratuitous and vile.
Sure it is beautifully shot, but I hear Terry Richardson took a good photograph. Continue reading
Heli
Amat Escalante won the best director gong at Cannes 2013 with this his 3rd feature set in his home country of Mexico. Heli tells the story of the eponymous “hero” (played by newcomer Armando Espitia) who works in the local car factory and lives with his father, sister, wife and baby. When his sister Estela (a very young Andrea Vergara) gets embroiled in her boyfriend Beto’s (Juan Eduardo Palacios) money making scheme things go horribly wrong for the whole family. Continue reading
Before the Winter Chill
With the acting chops of Kristin Scott Thomas and Daniel Auteuil in the leads Before the Winter Chill (Avant l’hiver the more poetic French title) also has the merit of being a Philippe Claudel film. His I Loved You So Long won a BAFTA and this reunites him with his former muse Scott Thomas who plays Lucie, a housewife and grandmother who suspects her husband Paul (Auteuil) of having an affair. Continue reading
Joe
Based on a novel this is a film about a middle aged ex-con Joe (Nicolas Cage) who tries to give young kid, Gary (Tye Sheridan) a chance to escape his upbringing and choose a better path; but Joe’s personal demons are never far from the surface. Continue reading
The Policeman’s Wife
Over 3 long hours we watch the story of love going wrong. A policeman and his wife and their daughter play out the scenes of domestic violence and abuse interspersed with love and happier tender moments. Continue reading
Teenage
At just 78 minutes this film fair flies by; it sets such a glorious pace that you are whirled through the first half of the 20th century with barely time to blink before writer/director Matt Wolf grabs your hand and spins you around once more. Continue reading
Only Lovers Left Alive
If there was some way to watch this film without knowing that the main characters were vampires before you went into the cinema the first 20 minutes would have been more enjoyable (although they would have been more enjoyable if the cinema staff at the Odeon West End hadn’t kept letting latecomers into the screening…). The amount of teenage girls in the audience made me cringe but make no mistake, this is no Twilight. Continue reading
What Doesn’t Kill You
Why it has taken 5 years to reach us on DVD is a mystery as I have seen far worse offerings get distribution in a more timely fashion. This is a tale of 2 childhood friends Brian Reilly and Paulie McDougan who are more like brothers, who through difficult circumstances turn to a life of crime and grow up Goodfellas style into hoods for the local crime boss. Continue reading
Museum Hours
This is a film about how art reflects life, no hang on, it is a film about how we are affected by art, no wait, and it is a film about the kindness of strangers. To be honest this film is deliberately and delightfully open to many interpretations. Continue reading
siren lane 