Bloody Muscle Body Builder in Hell
Thankfully, Bloody Muscle Body Builder in Hell is as fun as it sounds. The debut film from Japanese director Shinichi Fukazawa is an adoring love-letter to the age of V/H/S and the morals cheap direct-to-video entertainment. In it, Shinji
Train to Busan – DVD Review
Last year Yeon Sang-Ho’s animated horror Seoul Station plotted the course of a viral outbreak in South Korea with solid, but not groundbreaking, results. The hype for Sang-Ho’s debut live-action film has been unparalleled and the reviews overwhelmingly enthusiastic. Thankfully its deserved. Seok-Woo (Yoo Gong- Age of Shadows) is a self-serving businessman with little time […]
Resident Evil The Final Chapter: A Perfect End to a Perfect Romance
It’s no secret that I adore the Resident Evil films. Paul W.S. Anderson’s sprawling multi-million dollar adaptation of the classic Capcom video games has been a rollercoaster of joyous inconsistency and big-budget thrills since its inception back in 2003. Anderson’s franchise full-stop The Final Chapter elicits as buoyant a response as you might expect.
Age of Shadows – GFF 2017
Korean director Kim Jee-Woon made a name for himself in horror, with films like A Tale of Two Sisters and gruelling serial killer thriller I Saw the Devil. From there he’s made outlandish Western The Good, the Bad, and The Weird, not to mention reintroduced Schwarzenegger in US mad action caper The Last Stand. Age of Shadows is his latest film and follows the exploits of Korean rebels seeking to overthrow Japanese invaders during the 1920’s After an exhilarating opening the film launches straight into an exhilarating, freight train of espionage. Train […]
Headshot – GFF 2017
Headshot, the latest film from Indonesian exports Timo Tjanto and Kimo Stamboel, is a rip-roaring action extravaganza and the true culmination of the directors’ passion for farce, black comedy, and action. Surprisingly the so-called Mo Brothers have remained relatively low-key, even though Headshot marks their third feature film. In their native Indonesia the directors don’t fare much better, with most of their flicks never seeing the light of a cinematic release. It may prove the price […]
The Demons – GFF 2017
French Canadian film The Demons, from director Philippe Lesage, peaks behind the curtain of suburban civility for a slow but powerful discussion on childhood, sexuality, and social relationships. In it, an adolescent boy named Felix begins to encounter the adult world in subtle, but dramatic ways. Lesage is clearly an inquisitive and open-minded documentarian whose curiosity allows him to pry the deepest most private parts of life without seemingly rabidly intrusive. That’s an important […]
Yoga Hosers – EIFF 2016
If you didn’t like Tusk, then chances are you could find Kevin Smith’s latest schlocky comedy adventure Yoga Hosers an absolute irritation. Smith’s latest addition to the True North Trilogy is a direct spin-off from Tusk which harks back to Clerks, fusing his earlier structure and themes with his later, more outré genre work. This […]
Gary Numan Android in La La Land – EIFF 2016
If you’re a Gary Numan fan then look no further than Steve Read and Rob Alexander’s intimate expose Gary Numan: Android in La La Land. Numan has always been a figure of interest for the public. The synth-pop pioneer pre-dated Kraftwerk, so when he strutted out on stage, his face plastered with white greasepaint, his […]
Seat in Shadow – EIFF 2016
Accomplished sculptor and avant-garde artist Henry Coombs arrived at Edinburgh film festival this year with his psycho-drama directorial debut Seat in Shadow. It’s a studied and emotional look at artist and muse, a close-up look at alienation, and an uplifting expose of life and love through the prism of gay experience.
Karaoke Crazies – EIFF 2016
Kim Sang-Chan’s debut feature film Karaoke Crazies is a charmingly off-beat drama about a failing karaoke bar and the band of oddballs who make it their home. First off, Sang-Chan deserves credit for executing a film which boomerangs through tones so fast it will give you whiplash.
