Director – Wuershan – 2023 – China – Cert. 15 – 148m **** A king’s infatuation with a beautiful woman possessed by a vixen demon threatens to bring down a terrible curse upon his kingdom – first part of epic, period, mythological adventure trilogy is out on Blu-ray and DVD from Monday, June 24th This […]
Director – Jean-Luc Godard – 1963 – France – Cert. 15 – 103m ***** Review originally published in What’s On In London when the film was reissued in 1996 – out in cinemas in a 4K remaster from Friday, 2nd June and on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, DVD & digital from Monday, 26th June 2023 Made […]
Director – Im Sang-soo – 2010 – South Korea – Cert. 18 – 110m **** The husband of a well-heeled family has an affair with the new maid, arousing the ire of his loyal housekeeper and ruthless mother – screening on Saturday, October 22nd, 17.15 at Odeon Luxe West End 2 as part of a […]
Director – Nanni Moretti – 2021 – Italy – Cert. 18 – 117m ***1/2 Various personal crises beset three families occupying the separate floors of a three storeyapartment block – out in cinemas on Friday, March 18th This drama is based around the lives of three families, the occupants of three floors of a three […]
Director – Im Sang-soo – 2003 – South Korea – Cert. – 105m *** Unsatisfactory family life in which fathers and mothers cheat on their wives and partners in search of a more fulfilling existence – screened with a director Q&A as part of a strand of films celebrating actress Youn Yuh-jung at LKFF, the […]
Director – Kim Ki-young – 1971 – South Korea – Cert. 18 – 98m ***** A married couple’s housemaid seduces the husband, ensnaring him in a love triangle from which there is no escape – 4K Restoration played at the London East Asia Film Festival (LEAFF) (European Premiere) and screens again 6.30 at the ICA […]
An introduction to the films of Korea’s late and, lamentably, largely unknown director Kim Ki‑young – originally published in Manga Max, Number 8, July 1999. Reprinted here to coincide with London East Asia Film Festival (LEAFF)’s screening of Woman of Fire (1971) on Friday, October 29th. If you missed it, the restoration screens again on Friday, […]
Director – David Lowery – 2021 – UK – Cert. 15 – 130m ***1/2 A retelling of the story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight from Arthurian mythology – out in cinemas on Friday, September 24th This immediately sets out its stall with a woman leading a horse out of a courtyard and Gawain […]
Director – Yang Ya-che – 2017 – Taiwan – Cert. 15 – 112m ***** A dysfunctional family, a property investment scam and sex and drugs meet head on in this impressive, female character-driven Taiwanese drama-thriller – exclusively in these cinemas for three days from Friday, September 4th One family, three generations of women, each with […]
Director – Kim Ki-young – 1974 – South Korea – 111m ***** Buddhist, monastic drama. Celibacy confronts carnal desire and a new senior monk must be chosen as the incumbent nears death. Free to view in the Korean Film Archive as part of Korean Film Nights Online: Trapped! The Cinema of Confinement (Friday, July 17th […]