Film

By Linda Marric Averaging around a film a year for the last two decades, Francois Ozon has proven himself to be one of most prolific filmmakers of his generation. From the brilliant 8 femmes (2002) and Swimming Pool (2003), to the highly acclaimed French Belgian farce Potiche (2010), Ozon has managed to excel himself every time by bringing something new and precious, all the while paying homage to some of his favourite European cinematic heroes. His films have managed to...

By Linda Marric After the disappointment felt by most on the release of the long awaited Alien Prequel Prometheus, waiting for the next instalment proved to be a nerve-wracking affair. Fans and aficionados of the franchise will spend weeks, months or even years picking the latest instalment apart, but luckily for the casual consumer, all you need to know is that Alien: Covenant is a true and decisive return to form by Ridley Scott. Covenant not only makes up for...

By Linda Marric They say, never work with children or animals, but in the case of A Dog’s Purpose that old adage can safely be left at the door. Initially marred by controversy relating to a now debunked animal abuse accusation during filming, the film was later exonerated by a third party investigation which found that there was no foul play. Despite suffering from bad reviews, which one suspects were mostly associated with the scandal, the film is way more...

Wyndham Hacket Pain @WyndhamHP Set predominately in London, Unlocked follows former CIA agent Alice Racine (Noomi Rapace), who is brought back into action as suspicions arise that the capital might be under threat from a biological bomb. After she is tricked into providing information to the wrong side she rushes around the city hunting those behind the bomb and trying to stop the potential attack, with both American and British secret services questioning her actions and allegiances. The setup may...

By Michael McNulty Released in 1960 and based on José Giovanni’s novel of the same name, which chronicled his involvement in a real life escape plan from Parisian prison La Santé, Le Trou was Jacques Becker’s 13th and final film. He died during the films post-production leaving his son, Jean, to finish the project. Claude Gaspard (Marc Michel), a mild mannered car salesman pending conviction for allegedly attempting to murder his wife, is introduced into a new cell occupied by...

By Linda Marric There is something rather familiar about the new Jamie Foxx vehicle Sleepless, and it isn’t just because the film has been adapted from a far superior French movie. What is familiar about it is its attempt at emulating the highly successful Fast and Furious franchise; it’s big, it’s noisy and has more guns and cars than you can shake a stick at. Yes, it is a predictable, and yes it is as hollow and as meat-headed a...

By James McAllister Richard Thorncroft (Julian Barratt) is Mindhorn… or rather he was Mindhorn, back in the 80s. Armed with a robotic eye that allowed him to “literally see truth”, Detective Bruce P. Mindhorn was the Isle of Man’s answer to Bergerac; a treasured TV sleuth with dapper looks and a seductive charm. The ladies loved him, his co-stars envied him, and audiences adored him. Fast-forward 25 years, however, and Thorncroft’s career is in a critical condition. Overcome by his...

Wyndham Hacket Pain @WyndhamHP In many ways Jane Jacobs is rather an unassuming figure. For much of her life she was dismissed as merely a house wife and had to fight to be heard at time when the gender divide was much greater than it is now. Yet despite never holding an academic position her book The Death and Life of Great American Cities still remains one of the most influential books ever written about urban areas. Apart from being...

By Michael McNulty A searing yellow sun sits in the deep oranges of the Australian sky, the dark red earth below it. Moments later we see the reflection of a man in the rear view mirror of his car as he falls in and out of sleep. The vehicle swerves off the road, into the brush and flips onto its back, before a man crawls out through an open window, unscathed. This is Foley, a “gun” sheep shearer, larrikin and...