The Cat and the Canary – Blu-Ray Review
The Cat and The Canary, Elliot Nugent’s 1939 horror, has a lot more comedy in mind than its silent Paul Leni-directed 1927 original or even the stage origins of John Willard’s original play. The laughs come mostly from Bob Hope, who stars in his first leading role as Wally Campbell; a golden-hearted feather-weight with a […]
Eat – DVD Review
Jimmy Weber clearly has a bone to pick, his directorial debut (also his debut writing credit) Eat is, on many counts, a fearless shameless venture, out to upset the unsuspecting viewer. For a horror fan, it’s a rare thing to find something that genuinely curls your toes, makes your eyes water, and has you shuddering […]
Maggie – EIFF 2015
Henry Hobson’s Maggie is a welcome surprise for the zombie genre and Arnold Shwarzenegger fans alike. The debut feature from Hobson, and his scribe John Scott 3, is an intimate portrayal of living with terminal illness, centred around two great performances.
The Hallow – EIFF 2015
Corin Hardy’s debut feature The Hallow is a refreshing creature-feature feeding off the folklore of Ireland. The film follows a British conservationist (Joseph Mawle), his wife (Bojana Novakovik), and their infant child who find themselves caught up in a nightmare after moving dangerously close to an ancient forest.
Contamination – Blu-Ray Review
Banned by the BBFC in 1984 but not prosecuted, Contamination (AKA Alien Contamination AKA Toxic Spawn) is a relatively tame title on the notorious list of 72 censored films. Director Luigi Cozzi, here operating under the name Lewis Coates, is blatantly compacting successful ideas into one Sci-Fi, adventure, horror, mash-up and it just about works.
Narcopolis – EIFF 2015
Decriminalisation of drugs and what that would lead to: Justin Trefgarne’s Narcopolis is a dystopian take on a hot topic. For a debut feature this sci-fi political thriller is ridiculously ballsy in its choice of subject matter but often favours the thrill of its twisting adventure over deeper consideration of its core questions. There’s still […]
Dead Rising – EIFF 2015
Considering how saturated the zombie genre is, its difficult to craft an exceptional or even noteworthy entry. Dead Rising: Watchtower, the screen adaptation of the popular Capcom game franchise, has even more pressure since its namesake is a hugely successful part of modern zombie culture, loved by fans worldwide.
The Lesson – EIFF 2015
The Lesson, written and directed by Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchenov, has plenty of things to talk about but never seems to feel that way. The farce of desperation is never really milked to its full black comedy potential keeping the feature firmly grounded in the, sometimes dull, domain of drama.
Who Am I? – EIFF 2015
Title aside, there’s nothing long-winded about Baran bo Odar’s Who Am I – No System is Safe. From scene to scene Odar wants to entertain, to pull us in and drag us along under the wheels of an impressive and enjoyable cyber-thriller.
Society – Blu-Ray Review
Brian Yuzna, Stuart Gordon acolyte, producer of From Beyond, Re- Animator (and its sequels), all-round 80’s Indy horror maestro, delivered one of his most startling projects in his directorial debut Society. A cult classic now, Society finds its way into midnight screenings and festival line-ups every year, its continual appeal fed by the immortality of […]
