3 days agoNapoleon: Ridley Scott’s huge film about small emperor gives diminishing returns“You cannot capture a man’s entire life in two hours. All you can hope is to leave the impression of one.” A line spoken by Herman Mankiewicz in Mank as he prepares to write Citizen Kane about the life of media magnate William Randolph Hearst. Well, you cannot capture Napoleon…Napoleon3 min readNapoleon3 min read
Nov 18It’s absolutely fine that Darren Aronofsky is making an Elon Musk movie, you fucking moronsCould this blog post have been an irate tweet (sorry Elon, ‘post’)? Probably! But I want to blog it for posterity just in case the continued decline of X (sorry Elon) results in the whole hellsite spontaneously combusting. It was announced last week that Darren Aronofsky, a filmmaker of some…Elon Musk2 min readElon Musk2 min read
Nov 10“I could be real”: What Martin Scorsese says about himself and the world with Killers of the Flower MoonMartin Scorsese has never been shy about inserting himself into his films. From Mean Streets, through Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Age of Innocence, Gangs of New York, Hugo and The Wolf of Wall Street, the celebrated director has enjoyed cameos of various sizes in several of his own works…Martin Scorsese6 min readMartin Scorsese6 min read
Nov 3My interview with Thelma Schoonmaker in fullIn the interests of posterity, here is the full transcription of my 27-minute conversation with Thelma Schoonmaker, held as part of the promotion for the BFI’s Cinema Unbound series on the creative works of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. While the interview was not policed, I was politely asked by…Thelma Schoonmaker16 min readThelma Schoonmaker16 min read
Oct 23Baltimore review: Bad title, great film about self-radicalised English IRA art thiefThe mundane but farcical realities of terror mixes with the importance and power of art in Baltimore, the latest film from husband and wife director duo Christine Molloy and Joe Lawlor, which screened in Official Competition at the BFI London Film Festival. The directors, sometimes referred to together under their…London Film Festival3 min readLondon Film Festival3 min read
Oct 16Rankings are stupid: BFI London Film Festival 2023This list is purely an excuse for me to say a few things about my week at the BFI London Film Festival and should not be accepted as any part of canon. I missed the first week of the festival, so this is a truncated list missing such big hitters…London Film Festival8 min readLondon Film Festival8 min read
Oct 14Memory review: Sex scenes are important, okay?Two people, a woman who remembers too much and a man who doesn’t remember enough, sit on a fallen tree in a park. She accuses him of sexually abusing her when they were in high school together but he doesn’t remember if he’s guilty or who she even is. This…Jessica Chastain3 min readJessica Chastain3 min read
Oct 12Smoke Sauna Sisterhood: Women cleanse their bodies and souls in incredible documentaryFire, water, steam and smoke come together in the searing documentary debut of Estonian filmmaker Anna Hints, who allows the audience to bear witness to a selection of raw anecdotes that make up the feminine experience. In Smoke Sauna Sisterhood, you are invited into a sauna in rural Estonia where…Smoke Sauna Sisterhood3 min readSmoke Sauna Sisterhood3 min read
Aug 22The Future Tense: Irishness and identity under the microscopeFilmmaking couple Joe Lawlor and Christine Molloy star as themselves in this postmodern documentary that focuses on Irishness and identity, but also looks at aging, parenthood, mental illness and memory. The Future Tense is an ambitious undertaking. A self-aware 90-minute documentary (one could categorise it as an ‘essay film’) that…The Future Tense2 min readThe Future Tense2 min read
Aug 17Criterion Collection 4K is coming to the UKSpirit Entertainment have announced a deal with the Criterion Collection to distribute region B blu-ray and 4K films in the UK. The London-based company has replaced Sony Picture Home Entertainment as the distributor of choice for the boutique physical media label. The first title to be released in the UK…Criterion Collection1 min readCriterion Collection1 min read
