A film about a long healing walk by the sea – what to see, watch, read and listen to this week: At The Conversation, we are big believers in the health benefits of being near the sea. In fact, we have a whole series dedicated to how our health is intrinsically linked with that of …
Freaky Tales: this gory 80s-inspired anthology film is all surface and no substance: Nostalgia for the 1980s has been in vogue since the release of Stranger Things in 2016. The Netflix show brought about a renaissance of interest in the popular culture of the time firmly rooted in nostalgia – video game arcades, the role-playing …
The Brutalist: an architect’s take on a film about one man’s journey to realise his visionary building: For anyone involved in architecture, it’s no surprise that a film focusing on a visionary architect and his profession demands the epic dimensions of cinematography, drama and a running time of 215 minutes, as in Brady Corbet’s The …
Mother City: a tough, passionate film about the battle for affordable housing in Cape Town: Activist Nkosikhona Swartbooi leads a protest in the documentary Mother City. Screengrab/Mother City A third of the way into Mother City there’s a scene that characterises this tough, passionate film about Cape Town and its paradoxes of beauty and hardship, …
The Beautiful Game: a film about the Homelessness World Cup that’s a testament to how football can change lives: The Beautiful Game is a film of second chances — where teams of homeless men and women from around the world find that all roads lead to Rome and everything’s to play for. Starring Bill Nighy …
Scoop: Netflix depiction of Prince Andrew interview is a welcome addition to the journalism film canon: The car crash interview with Prince Andrew was indeed a scoop for then BBC Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis. Its depiction in the new Netflix film Scoop is a reminder of the power of the one-to-one interview where, as in …
Drive-Away Dolls: overturning the bad, sad and tragic stereotypes of lesbians in film: The critics are divided: lesbian road-trip caper Drive-Away Dolls is either “furiously funny [and] helplessly horny” or “flimsy and forgettable”. No doubt for audiences the same will be true – some will love it and others will hate it. I enjoyed this …
The Zone of Interest: new Holocaust film powerfully lays bare the mechanisms of genocide: Warning: this article contains spoilers. The Zone of Interest opens by introducing viewers to a husband, wife and their family as they picnic by a river. The scene seems idyllic. Shortly after, the family drives home. Everything seems normal – but …
The Peasants: this oil-painted film of W?adys?aw Reymont’s novel is a visual masterpiece: The Peasants tells the story of a beautiful young Polish girl, Jagna (Kamila Urz?dowska), who was sold into a marriage to the richest man in the village – an older widower named Boryna (Miros?aw Baka). The price is high – six acres …
Napoleon: ignore the griping over historical details, Ridley Scott’s film is a meditation on the madness of power: While Ridley Scott’s Napoleon has been causing consternation among some historians, they are overlooking the fact that the historical record does actually support the film’s narrative in terms of one man taking power and shaping a new …
This hand-painted film is a ‘must see’ – what you should watch this week: The mark of a good film, for me, is the way I feel when it’s over. If I jump up to brush off the popcorn and pull on my coat, it’s forgettable fare. If I’m still glued to my seat as …
The Legend of Zelda film: past adaptations have gotten Link’s character wrong: The Legend of Zelda (first produced in 1986) is one of the most beloved videogames around the world, so when Nintendo announced the development of a live-action movie a couple of weeks ago, it inspired a lot of speculation (and fear) about how …
Saltburn: why you should read Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh, the book that inspired the new film: Ever since I first read Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited as a master’s students many years ago, I have been smitten. Literary trends and fashions come and go, but I still return to Brideshead every couple of years for …
A swift history of the concert film, from The Last Waltz to the Eras Tour: I felt I was missing something when I went on a Sunday night in late October to see Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour at my local independent cinema. I was: it was the audience. I can’t remember the last time …
How To Have Sex: landmark film wants to change how we talk about consent: Written and directed by Molly Manning Walker, How to Have Sex is a powerful rites-of-passage drama that follows the tale of three 16-year-old girls on a post-GCSE bender in the party resort of Malia, on the Greek island of Crete. I …
The Great Escaper: Michael Caine’s final film is Britain’s answer to Saving Private Ryan: The Great Escaper is an engaging exploration of love, loss, memory and trauma. It’s also the final film for its star, Michael Caine, as he has recently announced his retirement. The film tells the real story of Royal Navy veteran, Bernard …
What makes a film score frightening? Expert explains the techniques that build tension and make us jump: Think of the scariest film you’ve ever seen. Beyond any blood-curdling screams or pounding heartbeats, there’s sure to be another sound that sticks in your memory – the score. Perhaps that’s the shrieking strings of Psycho (1960), or …
The Exorcist at 50: a terrifying film that symbolises the decline of America’s faith and optimism: Please note this piece contains spoilers. Having made a film about priests making a film, I find myself discussing cinema with actual priests more than most. Invariably, the fathers’ favourite film is The Exorcist, in which two priests battle …