(UK, 2018) 16 – 29 March, DCA Those aware of Lynne Ramsay’s previous work will know the kind of anticipation a new film of hers can bring. A mixture of joy from the artistic quality of her track record and dread of the resulting mental state. 2018’s You Were Never Really Here is no different, Read More
(USA, 2017) 2 – 15 March, DCA On first viewing, Lady Bird may not strike audiences as a particularly gripping film. It doesn’t revolve around an epic adventure, or a team of superheroes attempting to save the world (for the millionth time). Nor is it a timely commentary on political corruption, or a gritty new angle on Read More
(UK, 2017) 12th – 25th January, DCA Jowly and squat in stature, Winston Churchill is one of the most recognisable British figures of the twentieth century, a status which draws extra scrutiny to those who would portray him. However, Gary Oldman’s outstanding portrayal of the Prime Minister is nothing short of a masterclass; he perfects Read More
[iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/nrXlY6gzTTM” frameborder=”0″ allow=”autoplay; encrypted-media” allowfullscreen></iframe] For Stephen Spielberg, the story of a rampant Republican government wielding its power to silence the free press was simply too prescient to reject; the urgency apparent even during Trump's notorious campaign and before his employment of "alternative facts". A believer in objective truth, Spielberg set to work Read More
[iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/WwQ-NH1rRT4″ frameborder=”0″ allow=”autoplay; encrypted-media” allowfullscreen></iframe] The first thing to mention about Sean Baker’s modern classic The Florida Project is how beautifully understated it is. At no moment does this film feel like it is shoving its contents in your face, desperate to leave a lasting impression. Instead, the performances that capture your Read More
Anyone who has seen The Lobster – which I wholeheartedly recommend you do – will have an inkling of what to expect from Yorgos Lanthimos’ latest film. That is if you can imagine the slow, ominous oddity of The Lobster cross-bred with the domestic horror of Michael Haneke’s Funny Games. It is a ghastly, grisly, Read More
[iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/Vu4UPet8Nyc” frameborder=”0″ allow=”autoplay; encrypted-media” allowfullscreen></iframe] Written and directed by one of the hottest screenwriters of the past two decades, Molly’s Game is an explosive, fast-paced drama that seeks to uncover the truth about Molly Bloom. The self-styled “Princess of Poker”, Bloom sought to gain vast sums of money by running illegal poker Read More
(Belgium, 2017) 24th – 28th September 2017, Belmont Filmhouse, Aberdeen Covering twenty-four hours in the lives of two families, barricaded in an apartment in war-torn Syria, the latest film from Belgian filmmaker Philippe Van Leeuw is an emotionally fraught affair. It opens with birdsong and the choppy-hum of helicopters and, through a crack in the Read More
(Poland / United Kingdom, 2017) 27th October – 2nd November, DCA Ever since Loving Vincent, the first entirely hand-painted feature film in history was announced, it attracted attention for its ambition from art lovers and novices alike. The first entirely hand-painted feature film in history, it is indeed a marvel to behold; it is simply Read More
(USA, 2017) Successfully capitalising on audience nostalgia is a process which Hollywood hasn’t quite perfected yet. Though recent years have seen reboots and remakes of films such as The Magnificent Seven and Robocop, seldom do these attempts at revitalising a past success recapture the hearts of those enraptured by the original. In part, this is Read More
