Tag Archives: Film

Disney Villains

Ever since I was a child, I found Snow White and the like pretty insipid. They just seemed to waft around waiting for things to happen, they had little to no agency. Good girls and boys were boring. I liked the villains., or the creepy ones. Cruella DeVil is a style icon, albeit one thatContinue reading “Disney Villains”

30 Years Of Baz Luhrmann’s “Star Cross’d Lovers”

As Valentine’s Day doth approacheth, I take a look at the enduring classic, as reimagined by Australian director Baz Luhrmann. I bloody HATED Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet when I first saw it at the cinema in 1996. I felt that transposing the Shakespeare classic to Venice Beach and bringing in nineties slackers in HawaiianContinue reading “30 Years Of Baz Luhrmann’s “Star Cross’d Lovers””

Vintage Film Review: Children Shouldn’t Play With Dead Things (1972)

There is a reason that some film directors are regarded as maestros of the genre, whereas others are relegated to cult status, and so by extension are their products mere cult fodder. This 1972 film sits firmly and comfortably in the latter category. With all the scares of ‘Scooby-Doo’, plus some of the wardrobe, directorContinue reading “Vintage Film Review: Children Shouldn’t Play With Dead Things (1972)”

The Lolita Problem

Kidcore; Jenna Ortega as ‘Wednesday’, ‘St Trinians’, ‘Pretty Baby’, Jodie Foster in ‘Taxi Driver ‘, a young Britney Spears, Natalie Portman’s early roles, Kawaii, groupie tales, sexy young models, schoolgirl strippers, Page 3 and of course, the book from which the fetish arose- these are all massive cultural touchstones for many fans of pop culture.Continue reading “The Lolita Problem”

*Film Review : Melania

This radical, wholly impartial new documentary from Brett Ratner and Amazon follows the thrilling upward trajectory of one Melania Knauss Trump, as she finally finds her feet on the global stage. Melania is now her own unique brand. She’s right up there with Beyonce, Madonna, Oprah and … yes, possibly, even God. Melania is everyContinue reading “*Film Review : Melania”

Catherine O’ Hara Has Gone

The versatile actor with the lovely voice has passed away at 71 and it’s such a big loss. To a whole generation she’ll forever be Kevin’s mom Kate McCallister in ‘Home Alone’, to another, Moira Rose in ‘Schitt’s Creek’, to older comedy fans she started out on Canadian TV as a sketch comedian, but forContinue reading “Catherine O’ Hara Has Gone”

Film Review: Marcel The Shell With Shoes On

Dean Fleischer Camp and Jenny Slate’s mockumentary is one of the most lovely family films I’ve ever seen. In the hands of Disney, it probably would have been a treacly exercise in trite sentimentality, but leave it to independent filmmakers to create something pithy, poignant and rather beautiful. Marcel (adorably voiced by Slate) is indeedContinue reading “Film Review: Marcel The Shell With Shoes On”

Overlooked Classics: Drugstore Cowboy (1989)

Years before ‘Trainspotting’ cemented its place in literature and film history, auteur Gus Van Sant, along with screenwriter Daniel Yost, created a brilliant film about a bunch of junkies and the rigmarole of fixing. Here, the setting is Portland and the decade, the early seventies. Matt Dillon is the lead character, Bob, putting his broodingContinue reading “Overlooked Classics: Drugstore Cowboy (1989)”

Fallen To Earth, Low But Not Down

“It’s very, very sad… Very romantic” , David Bowie explained to a bemused Russell Harty in one of their many infamous awkward chatshow exchanges, after of course the pompous host remained fixated on the aesthetics and not substance, yet again. He was of course referring to The Man Who Fall To Earth. Low, the albumContinue reading “Fallen To Earth, Low But Not Down”