Patagonia
Director Marc Evans’ multilingual film – in Welsh and Spanish, with a smattering of English and Polish – explores the connections between modern day Wales and the descendants of the Welsh émigrés who settled in Patagonia in the nineteenth century. In parallel stories, characters from both countries undertake journeys across the world, during which they explore their sense of history and belonging... Read on
Norwegian Wood
Often cited as an un-filmable classic, Haruki Murakami’s much loved bestselling novel, Norwegian Wood, is now available to buy on DVD after a director was finally found who was willing to accept the challenge and adapt this poisoned ‘paperback’ chalice. Anh Hung Tran’s film provoked predictable whispers of discontent from Murakami’s considerable fan base upon its theatrical release, but does the film fair any better now the critical dust has settled or will its purported inability to convey the book’s deeply emotional subtext condemn it to the same cinematic wastelands as other failed adaptations of celebrated literary works?... Read on
Who Can Kill A Child
Spanish horror is currently experiencing something of a golden age, with the recent international success of films such as the [REC] series and The Orphanage. The 1970s saw a similar boom period for the genre in Spain, matching the current rate of production, if not the worldwide acclaim of filmmakers such as Guillermo del Toro. From this period in Spanish cinema comes Who Can Kill A Child (no question mark according to this release’s cover), which is now available for the first time in the UK on DVD... Read on
The Kingdom: I&II - Original Broadcast Edition
No stranger to controversy, Lars von Trier has been delighting, appalling and surprising cinema goers for well over twenty years. He pioneered the Dogme 95 school of filmmaking, brought Bjork to the big screen and allowed his production company to produce hardcore porn. Mainstream success has not been easy to come by for von Trier, with even his biggest UK successes remaining largely ‘arthouse’. So it’s little wonder that his early career in Danish television has received little attention over here. But the release of a boxed set of supernatural hospital drama The Kingdom could be about to change that... Read on
La veuve de Saint-Pierre
La veuve de Saint-Pierre (The Widow Of Saint Pierre) is a period drama set on an isolated archipelago just off the Canadian cost in the days of the Second French Republic. Despite starring two of France’s most revered actors in Juliette Binoche and Daniel Auteuil, the film didn’t exactly set the world alight upon its original 2000 release. A stranger film than might be anticipated, La veuve… contains enough originality and moments of genuine inspiration to steer clear of Merchant Ivory territory and justify this re-release... Read on
Detective Dee: Mystery Of The Phantom Flame
In most cases, a film in the whodunit genre suffers second time round for obvious reasons – the outcome is no longer a riddle, no matter how unfathomable previously, while its twists and turns lack the thrill of the chase on repeat viewings. Therefore, it’s welcome relief that Director Tsui Hark (Once Upon A Time in China) has teamed up with writer Chen Kuo Fu (The Message, Double Vision) and choreographer Sammo Hung to add some much needed action to proceedings. But will the interesting premise of a detective story crossed with a historical actioner set during the Tang Dynasty bring the audience back for more?... Read on
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