Director – Frank Hurley – 1919, Restoration 2022 – UK – Cert. U – 81m ***** One of the earliest documentaries ever made charts British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton’s disastrous expedition to the South Pole – out in cinemas on Friday, January 28th Made over one hundred years ago, and one of the first feature […]
Director – Akira Kurosawa – 1958 – Japan – Cert. PG – 138m *** Currently streaming on BFI Player as part of the Japan programme alongside 21 other Kurosawa films together with a much wider selection of Japanese movies. Captured by soldiers, two wandering bumpkin farmers (Minoru Chiaki, Kamatari Fujiwara) are put waist deep in […]
The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring (Extended Edition) Director – Peter Jackson – 2002 (2001) – New Zealand – Cert. PG – 229m ***** (NB Extended Edition, in cinemas from Monday, July 24th 2020, 227m in cinemas due to extended frame rate = 218m version released on DVD 2004. Original theatrical […]
Director – Hwang Dong-hyuk – 2017 – South Korea – 140m **** 1/2 Korean period, winter war movie in which a besieged King, his court and his army decide whether to negotiate or fight as the enemy approaches – the opening film in the London East Asia Film Festival 2017 From its title you might assume […]
Director – Christopher Nolan – 2017 – UK – Cert. 12a – 106m ***** Review originally published in DMovies.org. On Amazon Prime from Thursday, April 1st. British filmmaker Christopher Nolan – now one of the highest-grossing film directors in history, with the Dark Knight trilogy under his belt – has created a complex and multilayered film […]
Director – Peter Jackson – 2003 – New Zealand – Cert. 12a – 201m (263m) ***** (NB Extended Edition, in cinemas from Monday, August 10th 2020, 263m in cinemas due to extended frame rate = 252m version released on DVD 2004.) This review of the 201m theatrical version was originally published in Third Way. A […]
Director – Tsui Hark – 1991 – Hong Kong – Cert. 15 – 135m ****1/2 Groundbreaking, period martial arts epic features some of the most spectacular stunt sequences ever filmed, spawned five sequels and made Jet Li a star – online in the UK as part of Focus Hong Kong 2021 Easter from Wednesday, March […]
Director – Guan Hu – 2019 – China – Cert. 15 – 149m – IMAX ****1/2 Hopelessly outnumbered Chinese soldiers take a last stand against the Japanese in a Shanghai warehouse – available to rent online in the UK & Ireland as part of the Domestic Hits strand in the Chinese Cinema Season 2021 which […]
Director – Peter Jackson – 2003 (2002) – New Zealand – Cert. 12a – 225m ***** (NB Extended Edition, in cinemas from Monday, July 27th 2020, 235m in cinemas due to extended frame rate = 225m version released on DVD 2004. Original theatrical cut: 199m) This always had the problem that it’s the second film […]
The Human Condition I: No Greater Love (Ningen No Joken: Dai 1 Hen, 人間の條件・第一・第二部) Director – Masaki Kobayashi – 1959 – Japan – Cert. 15 – 208m The Human Condition II: Road To Eternity (Ningen No Joken: Dai 2 Hen, 人間の條件・第三・第四部) Director – Masaki Kobayashi – 1959 – Japan – Cert. 15 – 181m The […]