I knew the clothes would be terrific when I spotted Handbags by… in the opening credits. And it’s the outfits (along with the unintentionally fevered atmosphere) which stretches this film up to two stars. Small town girl turned New York secretary turned Hollywood model Anne Welles is elegant in a yellow maxi dress, a tight… Valley Of The Dolls Read More
Breaking The Limits 3.5 stars
Breaking The Limits initially has an air almost of light-heartedness, as young Jerzy (Jakub Gierszal) and his girlfriend Grasnya (Anna Próchniak) inject themselves in a squat with their friends. Looking healthy and feeling they’re in control, they joke about how statistically most Western philosophy students have tried drugs. Fast-forward two years and the couple’s heroin addictions… Breaking The Limits Read More
Burning Men 3 stars
There’s a great gag at the end of Burning Men that made me wonder if the writer thought it up then worked backwards creating a story leading up to it. And that’s partly what the film itself does, when what seems like a British horror movie turns out to be more a psychological foray into… Burning Men Read More
Ekaj 3.5 stars
The relationship between the young Ekaj (Jake Mestre) and the older Mecca (Badd Idea) is central to writer-director Cati Gonzalez’s movie. It gives warmth and structure to this story about two young gay Puerto Rican men, struggling to survive in that harshest of environments, New York City. But it’s also one that threatens to become… Ekaj Read More
Beast Of Burden 2 stars
A beast of burden is usually a mule, and that’s actually what pilot Sean Haggerty (Daniel Radcliffe) is; a mule for a violent cartel, running drugs over the Mexican border. He’s also burdened with much more though, and has got himself caught in a mesh of interlocking dangers that are gradually crushing him. Sean is… Beast Of Burden Read More
T2: Trainspotting 4 stars
“Skanky nostalgia” is how my friend affectionately described the oddly-named T2: Trainspotting, after a screening filled with fellow 40-somethings. In fact when you see it, listen out when the lights go up for the collective “ooohhh” as we oldies stretch our stiffened limbs up out of our seats. Director Danny Boyle has, though, managed to stay just the right side of that nostalgia… T2: Trainspotting Read More
The Night Before 3.5 stars
All these ghosts appearing, from Christmases Past, Present and Future. The Night Before is a New York version of A Christmas Carol but with what Chris describes as “pseudo racist fake-ass acrylic sweaters”, trying to take off his obligatory Christmas jumper when an annual Christmas Eve night out starts disintegrating into recrimination and desperation. It’s… The Night Before Read More