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Author Archives: Ross Birks
Payback: Straight Up (2006)
The original Payback was one of my most beloved VHS tapes in my pre-teen days and I always remember it fondly. Mel Gibson was my favourite movie star for a long time and even now I find most of his pre-controversy performances … Continue reading
Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)
Essentially Jason vs. Carrie, Friday the 13th Part VII is an important entry into the series for a few reasons. First off, the filmmakers needed to juice up the formula in order to compete with rival franchise A Nightmare on Elm Street. Simple … Continue reading
Tabu (2012)
An evocative blend of old-school movie techniques dating all the way back to the silent period. After all this is a reimagining of the Murnau’s seminal Tabu. Miguel Gomes’ rendition is like a beautiful and poetic pop song of 1960s world … Continue reading
Satan’s Blade (1984)
Aesthetically and conceptually Satan’s Blade is a piece of shit. It’s a slasher film that has 60 minutes between slashes and is full of dopey logic and amateur stylings. It makes you wonder why films like this have such devoted followings and … Continue reading
Posted in Arrow Films, Movies Watched In 2016, Reviews
Tagged Arrow Films, Arrow Video, Satan's Blade
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Chained (2012)
A nasty and uncomfortable viewing experience but intentionally so. Chained has a pair of terrific performances for such a low-rent genre flick: Vincent D’Onofrio is suitably vile as the serial rapist and murderer Bob, and Eamon Farren is equally effective as Rabbit, … Continue reading
Posted in Movies Watched In 2016, Reviews
Tagged Chained, Eamon Farren, Jennifer Chambers Lynch, Julia Ormond, Vincent D'Onofrio
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Mauvais Sang (1986)
My second Leos Carax film following Holy Motors back in 2012. It’s been a long time coming. A titan in the rarely-discussed “cinema du look” movement from France, Mauvais Sang is a spectacular film to behold. Stylistically individual with a genre sensilbiity which combines … Continue reading
Posted in Movies Watched In 2016, Reviews
Tagged Denis Lavant, Julie Delpy, Juliette Binoche, Leos Carax, Mauvais Sang
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The Character Study: Kenneth Lonergan’s Margaret (2011)
At one point in Margaret, a character screams in another character’s face: “We are not supporting characters in the fascinating story of your life!” In a film so densely populated, not just with characters, but with ideas, themes, tones and … Continue reading
Song of Summer (1968)
Hailed by Ken Russell himself as the best film he ever made, for the BBC or otherwise, Song of Summer sure arrives with raised expectations. This is the third of Russell’s BBC productions I’ve seen now and it is probably his most … Continue reading
Career Girls (1997)
A little-seen and rarely discussed minor work from Mike Leigh, Career Girls had unfortunate timing in that it was released barely twelve months after Secrets & Lies. That film launched Leigh into the international pantheon of great filmmakers while Career Girlswent mostly unnoticed. It’s … Continue reading
Posted in Movies Watched In 2016, Reviews
Tagged Career Girls, Katrin Cartlidge, Lynda Steadman, mike leigh
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Mean Creek (2004)
I’ve been wanting to se Mean Creek since it first came out twelve years ago which makes me feel very old. If I saw it back then, I would have been around the same age as most of the main characters. Now … Continue reading
Posted in Movies Watched In 2016, Reviews
Tagged Jacob Aaron Estes, Josh Peck, Mean Creek, Rory Culkin
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"This Film Should Be Played Loud" 