This British low budget mishmash of cyberpunk, horror and exploitation has become a bit of a cult classic in certain circles. The idea was apparently entirely stolen from a story called Shock! that appeared in the 80s in the comic book 2000AD, which is a bit of a shame since it takes away from one of the film’s main attributes: its originality (in spite of several commonalities with Terminator).
Nonetheless, equipped with a meagre budget of 100,000 dollars, Richard Stanley managed to create quite a dreadful, claustrophobic and apocalyptic atmosphere that effectively captured the spirit of decay, waste and techno-paranoia associated with Cyberpunk. The film also contains several musical references that many connoisseurs will enjoy.
Unfortunately, beyond the visual and musical aspects, and with the exception of a few cheap thrills and a couple of funny cheesy lines, the film has little to offer and feels quite amateurish and boring at times.

For a certain crowd only.

I am bewildered that this film actually received several positive reviews. And it is because of these reviews that I decided to watch it. Roger Ebert even called it ‘smart Science Fiction’. What is he smoking? I should know better than to trust him, but still, my curiosity was aroused. Yet, the film is clichés and inconsistencies-ridden and Charlie Sheen couldn’t look more out of place as the nerd who discovers the aliens’ secrets if he were playing a priest preaching abstinence. And of course, the Aliens walk on two legs, carry guns (hello?), resort to all types of absurd killing methods that never succeed (enough to make Dr Evil proud), and, last but not least, have decided that Man is a menace and must be eliminated through….the terraforming of earth. I guess these are nature loving aliens…

There is nothing, absolutely nothing worth anything in this film. Gratuitous, empty, silly, embarrassing violence. Pompous and annoying camera movements and angles. Exagerated and exasperating acting. Repugnant…ok i stop now.

This is what happens when you mix British social realism with Hollywood style feel good comedy. The result is entertaining, sweet, emotional at times and much less gritty than one would expect when dealing with the condition of coal miners.

Mike Hodges’ existential tale of addiction and self discovery, set in the nocturnal underground world of gambling, may seem pretentious at times, but the end result is a enthralling moody piece that doesn’t let go.

During WWI, British soldiers wounded in battle who have suffered various kinds of mental trauma in the process are sent to an Asylum in the Scottish countryside to be ‘cured’ and thus, sent back to the front. Well acted and directed, this film offers an interesting perspective on the horrors of war but also on how different minds react differently to its atrocities and implications.

This very pretentious film, based on a story by Stephen King, claims to explore the nature of evil through the relationship between a young man who is fascinated by the Holocaust and the ex SS officer he helps unmask. With the exception of Ian McKellen, who is at his usual best, the film has in fact very little to offer in terms of interesting psychological or sociological insights. Any serious attempt at investigating ‘what makes us do what we do’ is unfortunately quickly sacrificed in favor of a cheap, action-driven narrative that has the audacity to pretend that it can deal with such a serious and grave subject matter.

One of the most admirable films i have seen in quite a while. This Iranian film tells the story of two girls who, after spending their entire childhood locked inside their parents’ home, are ‘released’ into the real world by a child counselor. Allegorical, metaphorical, The Apple explores themes of growing up, parenthood, the roles of men and women in Iranian society, and really, what it means to be free and to live.

Believe it or not, i did enjoy Vanilla Sky. So to see Open your Eyes, the original Spanish film upon which the Cameron Crowe remake was based, proved quite an enjoyable experience. No Tom Cruise, no overbearing and dictative typical Cameron Crowe pop soundtrack, this original version feels truer, richer and deeper.

Nominated for 5 Academy Awards and the recipient of 3 BAFTAs as well as Cannes’ prestigious Palme D’Or in 1996, Mike Leigh’s Secrets & Lies is a wonderful tragicomic tale of a group of people trying to manage the difficulties that life has presented to them.
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What can i say? I loved it. It is pompous and arrogant in a stereotypically French manner while seemingly denouncing pompous and arrogant French cinema. This film within a film constantly draws attention to itself by putting form in the forefront, reminding us of Le Mepris or 8 1/2, but does a much better job than Shadow of the Vampire in its reliance on an old classic as a base for a modern film.

It took me a while to finally watched this one, only to be disappointed. The fun of the experiment that is this film wears out quickly and this 75 minutes music video ends up leaving you empty.

A wonderfully crafted love story between an ex-porn actress and the man who kidnaps her, this is a beautiful and solid comedy with engaging quirky characters, witty dialogs and a perfect mise-en-scene. Another Almodovar masterpiece.

Fun, sexy, witty, this often overlooked gem by Soderbergh is what entertaining cinema should always be about. Clooney and Lopez are electric together and the elevator scene is especially brilliant and memorable.

I wish i had seen Nakata’s film when it came out. Instead, i became the victim of hype and overblown expectations. Ring offers an interesting premise and quite an appealing mix of myths and supernatural ideas, all blended together in a somewhat scary film that seems remarkably appropriate for the modern age. The cinematography uses dark and bluish tones perfectly to create tension and the sparse dialogues reinforce the visual aspect of the film. However, they cannot hide a narrative and overall storyline that often feels forced and stitched up.