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Category Archives: Reviews
The Spectacular Now (2013)
I like the way The Spectacular Now holds itself. It’s a coming-of-age movie that confidently tries to be more adult and sophisticated than the genre usually allows for. The two leads, Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley, glow with youthful charm and their … Continue reading
My Bloody Valentine (1981)
On the surface this is just another 80s slasher movie but the texture is quite individual. It’s set in a small mining town in Canada. Director George Mihalka shot on location, in an actual mining town (and an actual mine) and cast … Continue reading
Posted in Movies Watched In 2016, Reviews
Tagged George Mihalka, My Bloody Valentine
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Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)
Out of the four Friday the 13th movies I’ve revisited recently, The Final Chapter might be the one that has fared best. Based on my recollections, I assumed Part 2 was the best of the first batch but, actually no, this is the strongest entry so … Continue reading
Friday the 13th Part 3 (1982)
Friday the 13th Part 3 is known to most as “the one with the hockey mask”. It was also originally presented in 3D. Back in the day, this was my favourite of the original three movies, I’m not sure how I … Continue reading
Posted in Movies Watched In 2016, Reviews, Rewatch
Tagged Friday the 13th Part 3, Steve Miner
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Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)
I always have fonder memories of Friday the 13th Part 2 than I do of the original. It feels like this is where the series begins good and proper. It’s the first one to feature Jason as the killer and is also … Continue reading
Posted in Movies Watched In 2016, Reviews, Rewatch
Tagged Amy Steele, Friday the 13th Part 2, Steve Miner
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Blood Bath (1966)
Big fan of Jack Hill so jumped right into this. The funny thing about Blood Bath is how labyrinthine it’s production history is. There are at least four different cuts of this thing with completely different plots, scenes and characters. I decided … Continue reading
Posted in Arrow Films, Movies Watched In 2016, Reviews
Tagged Blood Bath, Jack Hill, Roger Corman
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Surface Pleasures: Nicolas Winding Refn’s The Neon Demon (2016)
Jesse (Elle Fanning) is an angelic 16 year old who flies to L.A. with dreams of being a catwalk star. She becomes acquainted with two models, Sarah (Abbey Lee) and Gigi (Bella Heathcote), and a makeup artist, Ruby (Jena Malone). … Continue reading
Hana-bi (1997)
I’ve seen a few odd Kitano movies here and there but this one feels like the real deal. There’s a cut early on, from the flame of a lighter to the explosion of a gunshot, that really made me sit … Continue reading
Afternoon Delight (2013)
Afternoon Delight is like a new spin on one of indie cinema’s most cliche’d character tropes: the stripper with a heart of gold. This one is written and directed by a woman, Jill Soloway. Here it’s not a man who comes … Continue reading
Posted in Movies Watched In 2016, Reviews
Tagged Afternoon Delight, Jill Soloway, Juno Temple, Kathryn Hahn
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Victoria (2015)
Victoria is something of a catch-22. On the one hand its all-in-one-shot gimmick heightens a rather generic thriller into a real-time feat of technical bravado. On the other, the film becomes frustratingly long-winded and meandering where it should be brisk and … Continue reading
Posted in Movies Watched In 2016, Reviews
Tagged Frederick Lau, Laia Costa, Sebastian Schipper, Victoria
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"This Film Should Be Played Loud" 