Film Reviews
See You at the Movies! Three from 2022
General Editor Jacob Calta reviews three very different, very unique, and very entertaining films from the year thus far!
Elvis (2022) – Movie Spectacular Spectacular A La Baz Luhrmann
There are few people of the twentieth century as iconic and well-known as Elvis Presley. Still to this day young audiences keep getting introduced to him, be it via a piece of iconography, the numerous pop culture references or the continual replay-value of many of his most iconic songs like Hound Dog, Can’t Help FallingContinue reading “Elvis (2022) – Movie Spectacular Spectacular A La Baz Luhrmann”
Secret Honor (1984) – Remembering Philip Baker Hall
The year 2022 is beginning to feel reminiscent of 2016. Not just for looming political turns towards the right and therefore bad, but also for a staggering amount of beloved celebrities and artists leaving us this year, particularly in the world of movies. Since January we’ve lost the following: Peter Bogdanovich, Sidney Poitier, Monica VittiContinue reading “Secret Honor (1984) – Remembering Philip Baker Hall”
Belfast (2021), A Nostalgic & Personal Drama
Kenneth Branagh is a prolific, if not always successful, director who has a valid claim of elevating modern adaptations of Shakespeare due to his early self-directed work (alongside his theatrical career). But in recent years Branagh has been spotty at best with his directorial efforts, ranging from the solid albeit nothing special adaptation of AgathaContinue reading “Belfast (2021), A Nostalgic & Personal Drama”
Spencer (2021) – A Modern Woman Trapped in an Ancient Institution
Ever since her premature death in 1997, Princess Diana has remained one of the most beloved and iconic figures in recent history. She remains a major part of pop culture to this day, joining the ranks of Marilyn Monroe and James Dean as young deaths that captured the imagination of an entire world and theContinue reading “Spencer (2021) – A Modern Woman Trapped in an Ancient Institution”
Duck, You Sucker! (1971) – The False Facades of Heroism and Revolution
“When I was young I believed in three things: Marxism, the redemptive power of cinema and dynamite. Now I just believe in dynamite.” – Sergio Leone The great Italian director Sergio Leone was and remains one of the titans of international cinema. Despite such a meager output of only seven films (eight if one wereContinue reading “Duck, You Sucker! (1971) – The False Facades of Heroism and Revolution”
The French Dispatch (2021), A Love-Letter to Journalism
One common recurrence you see on Twitter is people being shocked to learn that Wes Anderson was born and raised in Houston, Texas. This, no doubt, is because of the very European aesthetic that he conjures in his films, while this has certainly become more pronounced with his more recent films like The Grand BudapestContinue reading “The French Dispatch (2021), A Love-Letter to Journalism”
Dear Evan Hansen (2021) – A Touch of Evil
What is truly evil, and how do we define evil as a concept? It’s a question many philosophers, psychologists, historians, leaders and people in general have tried to define for centuries with many different answers and theories raised. Art has also tried to explore this question of evil in various different forms, including films. FilmsContinue reading “Dear Evan Hansen (2021) – A Touch of Evil”
The Green Knight (2021), Truly Epic Fantasy
David Lowry extends his run as a perplexingly chimeric maker of very good films with The Green Knight, which might be one of his finest achievements yet. Based on the epic poem ‘Sir Gawain and the Green Knight’, The Green Knight follows Dev Patel as the famous Arthurian character, Sir Gawain. After being called toContinue reading “The Green Knight (2021), Truly Epic Fantasy”
The Last Duel (2021) – A Question of Honor, Chivalry, Hairpieces and Justice
After four years of silence, the iconic and insanely prolific Sir Ridley Scott has finally returned in the year of our lord 2021 with not one but two films, both historical films based on real events featuring Adam Driver: The Last Duel and House of Gucci. Of course if anyone is at all familiar withContinue reading “The Last Duel (2021) – A Question of Honor, Chivalry, Hairpieces and Justice”
The Many Saints of Newark (2021), A Tale as Old as Time
Warning: Spoilers for The Sopranos TV show ahead The Many Saints of Newark has been marketed with posters saying “Who Made Tony Soprano”, on one hand it’s a clear way to establish the connection between the new film and the classic TV series, but for many, myself included, it gives the impression that this isContinue reading “The Many Saints of Newark (2021), A Tale as Old as Time”
License to Review: No Time to Die (2021)
Upon Pierce Brosnan’s departure from the James Bond franchise in 2002 with the dismal Die Another Day, the world was in desperate need of a new iteration of the iconic British agent. But it wasn’t just the portrayal of the character that needed updating, the whole franchise needed a fresh start. The series had almostContinue reading “License to Review: No Time to Die (2021)”
Dune (2021) – A World Beyond Our Experience, Beyond Our Imagination
When it was announced that Denis Villeneuve was going to direct a new adaptation of Frank Herbert’s classic and foundational science fiction opus Dune, I remember jumping in excitement, if not physically in spirit. I couldn’t dream of a better or more perfect match between filmmaker and source material. Even if I hadn’t read theContinue reading “Dune (2021) – A World Beyond Our Experience, Beyond Our Imagination”
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (2021), a Return to British Tradition…With Music This Time!
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, which is based on the broadway musical of the same name, which in turn is based on a documentary called Jamie: Drag Queen at 16, owes a debt to some of the best British films ever released; Kes, Billy Elliot & The Full Monty. It follows the same elements of workingContinue reading “Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (2021), a Return to British Tradition…With Music This Time!”
Annette (2021), Psychological Musical Odyssey
Leos Carax returns to release his first film in nine years. His previous effort, Holy Motors, itself coming after a long absence from feature films, turned heads by veering off into the world of dense meta-ness. Both seen as a key text in metatextual cinema and also metamodern cinema, Holy Motors was ahead of aContinue reading “Annette (2021), Psychological Musical Odyssey”
Staff Picks: The Captivating Clint Eastwood
On the eve of his 40th directorial effort, Cry Macho, making its debut, we at A Fistful of Film pay tribute to a living legend, Clint Eastwood. A Western star turned filmic Renaissance man, Eastwood has become known for more than just kicking ass and taking names on the big screen. We’ve picked four ofContinue reading “Staff Picks: The Captivating Clint Eastwood”
Pig (2021), Porcine Soul Searching
The first things I knew about Pig were three things. Firstly, it is a Nic Cage movie called Pig, already seeming curio like. Secondly, the poster; a brooding Nic Cage looking like a caveman on a background of inky black evoking the revenge fuelled desperation that came with Joaquin Phoenix’s masterful performance in Lynne Ramsay’sContinue reading “Pig (2021), Porcine Soul Searching”
Cinderella (2021), Whose Idea Was This?
Who asked for this? No really, who asked for this? I genuinely can’t think of a single person who was clamouring for a redo of Cinderella. I know we’re in this glut of revisionist reimaginings of Disney classics, (although this iteration is made by Sony). We’ve had Tim Burton’s anti-animal cruelty Dumbo, we’ve had theContinue reading “Cinderella (2021), Whose Idea Was This?”
Zola (2021): Tapping Into Gen-Z
“Y’all wanna hear a story about why me & this bitch here fell out?! It’s kinda long but full of suspense”” Have you ever seen a film that feels genetically engineered to piss off the correct people? That’s only a slight appeal of dark-comedy-drama Zola, the latest offering from A24’s sometimes painfully hip stables. BasedContinue reading “Zola (2021): Tapping Into Gen-Z”
The Night House (2021), the Sleeper Hit of the Year
David Bruckner’s The Night House was a real sleeper hit for me, having first played in January 2020 at Sundance I heard nothing about this film until only a few weeks ago when I saw the trailer at the cinema. But the trailer alone was enough to entice me, so when it came out IContinue reading “The Night House (2021), the Sleeper Hit of the Year”
Censor (2021), Cutting to the Heart
Let me set the scene for you. In 1979 Margaret Thatcher is elected to office in the UK on a platform of evisceration of the power of trade unions and privatisation of the UK’s many nationalised industries. As a result industrialised areas of the UK are left victims of predatory corporate interest without recourse toContinue reading “Censor (2021), Cutting to the Heart”
Candyman (2021), A Revamped Take on a Classic
Nia DaCosta’s Candyman, and it very much is DaCosta’s film rather than producer Jordan Peele’s film despite some people trying to label it as such, is a direct sequel and spiritual successor to Bernard Rose’s 1992 film of the same name. Taking the widely acclaimed classic, that in it’s own right tackled issues of raceContinue reading “Candyman (2021), A Revamped Take on a Classic”
The Suicide Squad (2021), a Unique, Cartoonish, & Fun Comic Book Movie Unlike Any We’ve Seen Before.
Back in 2016, David Ayer’s Suicide Squad was one of my most anticipated films of the year, I remember going to see it with a group of friends in the cinema and hyping up how great it was going to be, until it started. Now I do feel somewhat sorry for David Ayer with theContinue reading “The Suicide Squad (2021), a Unique, Cartoonish, & Fun Comic Book Movie Unlike Any We’ve Seen Before.”
Closed For Storm (2021): A Piece of Modernity Trapped in Time
Jacob Calta examines a documentary surrounding a Southern theme park, a story told in an engaging debut from Jake Williams of “Bright Sun Films” fame.
The War Zone (1999), Yet Another underrated British Gem
Content Warning: Discussion of rape & incest in this review and within the film. I wish I had watched this film because I’d heard a lot about it, and wanted to experience a film I’d heard a tremendous amount of praise and acclaim for. Unfortunately this wasn’t the case, until I saw it while scrollingContinue reading “The War Zone (1999), Yet Another underrated British Gem”
Wrath of Man (2021) – The Good Guy (Ritchie)
Guy Ritchie for me is not so much a hit-and-miss filmmaker as he has a hit-and-miss style. His background in directing music videos and commercials has been instrumental and key to Ritchie’s entire approach to the medium of film much like other directors who got their start making videos like David Fincher, Michael Bay, SpikeContinue reading “Wrath of Man (2021) – The Good Guy (Ritchie)”
Let Them All Talk (2020), Comfort Food For Soderbergh Fans
This movie is perplexing for a variety of reasons. What is this movie? Why does it exist? What even is it? Now, these aren’t words normally said about a movie playing to the same market as Book Club but this is directed by Steven Soderbergh dammit! This is the guy who remade Solaris and didn’tContinue reading “Let Them All Talk (2020), Comfort Food For Soderbergh Fans”
Staff Picks: The Stupendous Steven Soderbergh
To tie into the release of Steven Soderbergh’s new thriller No Sudden Move, we at A Fistful of Film wanted to take a look back one of the most exciting and eclectic careers to grace our cinemas. Soderbergh won the Palme D’Or with his first film, indie drama Sex, Lies & Videotape, and after hisContinue reading “Staff Picks: The Stupendous Steven Soderbergh”
In The Earth (2021), Return of Ben Wheatley and Cinema
There was good reason to be fearful going into In The Earth and not just because it’s an icky weirdo horror movie. Ben Wheatley has been a favourite director of mine for years but seems to have been losing his way recently. My eye was first caught with his incredibly confrontational folk horror Kill ListContinue reading “In The Earth (2021), Return of Ben Wheatley and Cinema”
Illang: The Wolf Brigade (2018) – A Frustratingly Confusing Backfire from Kim Jee-woon
There are certain movies known for having notoriously complicated plots and stories that especially on first viewing are sometimes mind-numbing and are often subject to criticism from critics when they appear. I’m thinking of films like The Big Lebowski, Miami Vice and hell even the first Mission: Impossible. What these films have in common, atContinue reading “Illang: The Wolf Brigade (2018) – A Frustratingly Confusing Backfire from Kim Jee-woon”
The Amusement Park (1973), Perfect End Note For Romero
Leon Trotsky once said, “Old age is the most unexpected of all things that can happen to a man”. He was right. Well, speaking of unexpected things, this is a day I never thought would come. I’m sitting here and writing a review for a brand spanking new film by the late, great, George A.Continue reading “The Amusement Park (1973), Perfect End Note For Romero”
Nobody (2021), an Exhilerating albeit Flawed Experience
Nobody was a sleeper hit in the making from the very start. When the announcement dropped that Bob Odenkirk signed on to work with the Director of Hardcore Henry with the creator of John Wick penning the screenplay my excitement for the film was immense. It felt like it was not too long after IContinue reading “Nobody (2021), an Exhilerating albeit Flawed Experience”
Kill It and Leave This Town (2020), A Haunting Polish Gem
Birds chop up people like fish and sell them. A filmmaker sits next to his dying mother completely unable to connect. A cat in a trench coat claims to be the embodiment of all evil. These images and many others which similarly blend the same sense of abstract horror and morbid mundanity abound in KillContinue reading “Kill It and Leave This Town (2020), A Haunting Polish Gem”
Staff Picks: The Grand George A. Romero
The staff of A Fistful of Film celebrate the work of the great George A. Romero in anticipation of the premiere of his 1973 horror “The Amusement Park.”
Quality Candor Presents: Rock & Rule (1983)
Writer Jacob Calta returns with his video review series to cover an animated cult classic from the Great White North.
Spiral: From the Book of Saw (2021), a Fun Return to the Franchise
Spiral opens with a shot of fireworks bursting colour across the dark black sky. The explosions represent a celebration, not just narratively, as it’s the 4th of July weekend, but thematically. 2017’s Jigsaw was widely panned by critics and fans alike, one major bone of contention being the move away from the franchise’s focus onContinue reading “Spiral: From the Book of Saw (2021), a Fun Return to the Franchise”
Wild Mountain Thyme (2021), An Insulting Self-Parody
This movie has provoked a lot of complicating and surrounding thoughts in me. So I’m going to just lay out my table before we get into it. I promise this is all going somewhere. For a long time as a writer about film I’ve had a morbid fascination. Well I’ve had several, increasingly niche morbidContinue reading “Wild Mountain Thyme (2021), An Insulting Self-Parody”
In Search of Darkness Part II (2020): They Came Back to Finish What You’ll Never Forget…
Writer Jacob Calta enthusiastically examines the 2020 sequel to the epic horror doc “In Search of Darkness.”
The Woman in the Window (2021) – The Poor Man’s Fincher doing the Poor Man’s Hitchcock
Joe Wright is supposed to be a fine director if one goes according to some of my mutuals on Film Twitter. His films Pride and Prejudice and Atonement are frequently discussed on the tl, be it in regards to their painterly cinematography, their performances or just making people horny for hot people or whatever. AlthoughContinue reading “The Woman in the Window (2021) – The Poor Man’s Fincher doing the Poor Man’s Hitchcock”
Mortal Kombat (2021), a Valiant Attempt at a Video Game Adaptation
I am without a doubt a lifelong Mortal Kombat fan, I can’t remember when I first started playing it but I have memories of GBA fights at school, hours spent on the PS3 playing Mortal Kombat 9 or Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe, and most recently memories of playing MKX in the evenings at university.Continue reading “Mortal Kombat (2021), a Valiant Attempt at a Video Game Adaptation”
Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021), Snyder’s Superhero Epic
Looking back at my review for what I guess is now called the Whedon cut of Justice League I wrote the following: “would I personally want to see the infamous ‘Snyder Cut’? Undoubtedly […] Do I think that cut actually exists? Not in any meaningful way….” and I’ve never been happier to say that IContinue reading “Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021), Snyder’s Superhero Epic”
Cherry (2021), or was it Cherk?
It’s difficult to know where to begin when talking about Cherry. The now-heavily memed image of Tom Holland with a shaved head pointing a pistol directly at the camera seems to have been released years ago amidst mumbling and murmurs of the Russo Brothers making a film about an opioid-addicted bank robber, but it seemedContinue reading “Cherry (2021), or was it Cherk?”
Quality Candor Presents: Messiah of Evil (1973)
I am proud to announce an official partnership between my video review channel, Quality Candor, and A Fistful of Film. On a (school-willing) biweekly basis, new reviews will be posted here as they appear on YouTube. In today’s installment, I give my humble assessment of a cool slice of 70s horror found in Willard HuyckContinue reading “Quality Candor Presents: Messiah of Evil (1973)”
Bud (2021) An Emotionally Resonant Drama
We start on a closeup of a man’s pockets where a pack of cigarettes lie. The man then picks up a cigarette, lights it up and we move into a profile of the man. He’s standing outside what appears to be a big building on a cloudy day in Liverpool. He picks up his phoneContinue reading “Bud (2021) An Emotionally Resonant Drama”
Malcolm & Marie (2021), a Frustrating Quarantine Spectacle
Zendaya has always been a sort of pop culture enigma to me. I was too old to fully enjoy her stint on Shake it Up when it first aired (although I vaguely remember being aware of it), but I had definitely never heard of K.C. Undercover until recently. So when a fervor spread across theContinue reading “Malcolm & Marie (2021), a Frustrating Quarantine Spectacle”
The Prestige (2006) – A Cinematic Magic Trick
Every magic trick has three parts, says Michael Caine to the audience in the first few minutes of The Prestige. They are The Pledge, The Turn and the titular Prestige. With The Pledge, the magician introduces a regular object like say a dove. In The Turn, he does something truly extraordinary by making it disappearContinue reading “The Prestige (2006) – A Cinematic Magic Trick”
Outside the Wire (2021), a Forgettable War Film Loosely Passing as Sci-Fi
The start of the year brought much uncertainty for the film industry, with the global pandemic still raging and the announcements of long-awaited films like No Time to Die and Edgar Wright’s Last Night in Soho having been delayed once again, the cinematic landscape looked like it was gearing up for another year of streamingContinue reading “Outside the Wire (2021), a Forgettable War Film Loosely Passing as Sci-Fi”
Staff Picks: The Best of 2020
Writers David Alkhed, Amos Lamb, and Saoirse Selway put their heads together to come up with the 10 best films of 2020.
Another Round (2020) – A Second Go at Life
Here in Scandinavia there is a great deal of alcohol consumption amongst teenagers and youths. And in Denmark in particular, my neighboring country, the youngsters drink the most amount of alcohol in all of Europe, most likely due to the drinking age only being 16. In Sweden it’s as high as 18 to drink butContinue reading “Another Round (2020) – A Second Go at Life”
SIGHT & SOUND: The Cinema of Walter Murch, A Master On His Craft
Writer Jacob Calta takes a look at a most intriguing documentary
Staff Picks: Festive Favourites
The Team here at A Fistful of Film wish all our readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday! We decided that to celebrate the festive season we would come together and select some of our favourite holiday classics. Ranging from the traditional classics, to the subversive Christmas horror subgenre, to family favourite comedies, andContinue reading “Staff Picks: Festive Favourites”
Wonder Woman 1984 (2020), Yet Another Misfire in the DCEU
“For me, [Wonder Woman] is a big misstep, I can only hope that Wonder Women 1984 will prove to be better.” When I wrote this for my Wonder Woman review I genuinely had faith in Patty Jenkins to deliver a better sequel given the fact that she was co-writing the screenplay and I chalked aContinue reading “Wonder Woman 1984 (2020), Yet Another Misfire in the DCEU”
Mank (2020), A Study in Cinema
David Fincher is a fascinating guy. His parent’s living next door to George Lucas helped him land his first silver screen gig doing modelling on Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi before moving up to directing music videos for the like of Madonna, with whom he was in a casual relationship briefly,Continue reading “Mank (2020), A Study in Cinema”
Staff Picks: The Masterful Martin Scorsese
Today marks the birth of one of the most influential American filmmakers in the history of Cinema, Martin Scorsese. To commemorate this occasion, we at A Fistful of Film have chosen to examine some of our favourites from his filmography; from his early breakout work, to his later modern masterpieces. Mean Streets (1973) By JacobContinue reading “Staff Picks: The Masterful Martin Scorsese”
Staff Picks: The Electrifying Ennio Morricone
Today marks the 92nd Birthday of one of the most accomplished and prolific composers in the history of film, Ennio Morricone. It was in July of this year the Italian maestro unfortunately passed, so out of respect for his life and his work, we at A Fistful of Film would like to look back atContinue reading “Staff Picks: The Electrifying Ennio Morricone”
Rebecca (2020), Is This It?
Over the course of a short but prolific career, Ben Wheatley has carved out an interesting niche for himself. Starting in online video making and sit-coms, Wheatley, despite being very adept at horror films waited until his second movie to make his break-out, cult, folk horror Kill List. His stated reason for doing this isContinue reading “Rebecca (2020), Is This It?”
Staff Picks: Deep Cuts for a Killer Holiday
This year to celebrate Halloween the team here at A Fistful of Film tasked ourselves with writing not about the go-to spooky season movies but to write about our favourite hidden gem or cult classic that we’ve been watching this year. Our range of deep cuts covers a wide range of horror films from Romero,Continue reading “Staff Picks: Deep Cuts for a Killer Holiday”
Saint Maud (2020), Isolation, Religion and Sexuality at the Sea-Side
Name a better combination than Britain and Horror….that’s right you can’t. Now I’m willing to admit that this statement carries a fair amount of bias, being a British Horror fan myself, but while many tote Japan, Italy, or America as the paragons of the genre, there’s an undeniable charm and legacy that Britain has whenContinue reading “Saint Maud (2020), Isolation, Religion and Sexuality at the Sea-Side”
License to Review #16: License to Kill (1989)
James Bond will return to cinemas this November with his twenty-fifth adventure, No Time to Die. In preparation, David Alkhed will take a look at all the previous entries in the franchise and see which ones are deserving of praise (shaken) and which ones aren’t (stirred). One of the toughest things I can imagine forContinue reading “License to Review #16: License to Kill (1989)”
License to Review #15: The Living Daylights (1987)
James Bond will return to cinemas this November with his twenty-fifth adventure, No Time to Die. In preparation, David Alkhed will take a look at all the previous entries in the franchise and see which ones are deserving of praise (shaken) and which ones aren’t (stirred). After A View to a Kill, Roger Moore finallyContinue reading “License to Review #15: The Living Daylights (1987)”
Staff Picks: The Brutal Brian De Palma
Today marks the birth of one of the leading New Hollywood Directors; Brian De Palma. With a career spanning 52 years, and creating classics in multiple genres, De Palma has cemented him as a seminal director. To commemorate this occasion, we at A Fistful of Film have chosen to examine some of our favourites outContinue reading “Staff Picks: The Brutal Brian De Palma”
I’m Thinking of Ending Things (2020), Charlie, I Love You, But You’re Bringing Me Down
Charlie Kaufman has made two movies and released them in a contained, movie length package, and it’s extremely hard to talk about. Kaufman is one of those filmmakers who makes movies so hermetically sealed and deeply personal that they are functionally review proof. They are here, and they exist, and talking about them fundamentally comesContinue reading “I’m Thinking of Ending Things (2020), Charlie, I Love You, But You’re Bringing Me Down”
Staff Picks: The Devilish Dario Argento
Today marks the birth of the Master of Horror himself, the seminal Italian director; Dario Argento. To commemorate this occasion, we at A Fistful of Film have chosen to examine some of our favourites out of his filmography, from his early Giallo work to his later, more experimental, horror features. The Bird With The CrystalContinue reading “Staff Picks: The Devilish Dario Argento”
Tenet (2020), The Return of the Blockbuster
In a year with no tent-pole blockbusters to compete against it, Tenet has been on the mind of every film fan for months now. With the coronavirus delaying the release of the film, and while the news about Nolan and the Studio’s pushing for it to be released in recently reopened cinemas have caused aContinue reading “Tenet (2020), The Return of the Blockbuster”
License to Review #15: A View to a Kill (1985)
James Bond will return to cinemas this November with his twenty-fifth adventure, No Time to Die. In preparation, David Alkhed will take a look at all the previous entries in the franchise and see which ones are deserving of praise (shaken) and which ones aren’t (stirred). I’ve gone into many of the James Bond films,Continue reading “License to Review #15: A View to a Kill (1985)”
License to Review – Special Edition: Never Say Never Again (1983)
James Bond will return to cinemas this November with his twenty-fifth adventure, No Time to Die. In preparation, David Alkhed will take a look at all the previous entries in the franchise and see which ones are deserving of praise (shaken) and which ones aren’t (stirred). After Diamonds Are Forever, Sean Connery reportedly said “neverContinue reading “License to Review – Special Edition: Never Say Never Again (1983)”
Beetlejuice (1988), Happy Birthday Tim Burton!
Beetlejuice will always hold a special place in my heart; the first time I ever went to America I was on a trip to San Francisco and after a long day of constant traveling we made it to the Hotel, ordered a pizza and put on the TV only to find the film playing. IContinue reading “Beetlejuice (1988), Happy Birthday Tim Burton!”
License to Review #13: Octopussy (1983)
James Bond will return to cinemas this November with his twenty-fifth adventure, No Time to Die. In preparation, David Alkhed will take a look at all the previous entries in the franchise and see which ones are deserving of praise (shaken) and which ones aren’t (stirred). Before you embark on reading this review of Octopussy,Continue reading “License to Review #13: Octopussy (1983)”
Yes, God, Yes (2020): Disappointingly Amateur From So Much Promise
Have you ever had this feeling? A film has such a good heart and a lot of festival buzz, then it finally comes to streaming or cinemas in your country and you see it and it’s just, so disappointingly fine, verging on sub-par. It’s a horrible feeling and I had it with Yes, God, Yes,Continue reading “Yes, God, Yes (2020): Disappointingly Amateur From So Much Promise”
An American Pickle (2020): Capitalist Propaganda Masked By Buddy Comedy
There seems to be something happening in American Comedy ™ at the moment. A big problem I’ve been having with American Comedy ™ of late is that it feels like there wasn’t any actual filmmaking happening, it’s just one big homogeneous glob of improvisation. No real jokes just people all standing in a room withContinue reading “An American Pickle (2020): Capitalist Propaganda Masked By Buddy Comedy”
License to Review #12: For Your Eyes Only (1981)
James Bond will return to cinemas this November with his twenty-fifth adventure, No Time to Die. In preparation, David Alkhed will take a look at all the previous entries in the franchise and see which ones are deserving of praise (shaken) and which ones aren’t (stirred). “It filled me with wonder, because of its cinematographicContinue reading “License to Review #12: For Your Eyes Only (1981)”
Staff Picks: The Amazing Alfred Hitchcock
Today marks the birth of the Master of Suspense himself, British filmmaking legend, Alfred Hitchcock. To commemorate this occasion, we at A Fistful of Film have chosen to examine some of our favourites out of his filmography, from his early silent films to his acclaimed latter-day output. The Lodger: A Story of London Fog (1927):Continue reading “Staff Picks: The Amazing Alfred Hitchcock”
License to Review #11: Moonraker (1979)
James Bond will return to cinemas this November with his twenty-fifth adventure, No Time to Die. In preparation, David Alkhed will take a look at all the previous entries in the franchise and see which ones are deserving of praise (shaken) and which ones aren’t (stirred). Despite my enthusiastic response to The Spy Who LovedContinue reading “License to Review #11: Moonraker (1979)”
The Village (2004), an overlooked gem?
After breaking into the mainstream consciousness with The Sixth Sense and his twist that rocked the world, M. Night Shyamalan has had a rocky career. His post-Unbreakable trajectory a lot of his early 2000’s work was written off as failed attempts at returning to The Sixth Sense, and as time went on he became knownContinue reading “The Village (2004), an overlooked gem?”
Palm Springs (2020): Finding Joy In The End Of The World
So, this is going to be a review about our current moment, or more specifically, the current moment of my peers and I. I know, I know, everyone and their mothers has written about Palm Springs & quarantine but, I want to talk about other things. So Palm Springs covers what is fast emerging asContinue reading “Palm Springs (2020): Finding Joy In The End Of The World”
Angel Heart (1987): Rest in Peace Alan Parker
The news of Alan Parker’s passing was tremendously sad for myself as a British film fan. A truly influential, and accomplished director who has been a presence in my life since my school put on a performance of Bugsy Malone and we spent many afternoons watching Parker’s fantastic 1976 debut in preparation. Since then IContinue reading “Angel Heart (1987): Rest in Peace Alan Parker”
Death Wish (1974): Fill Your Hand…Draw
Writer Jacob Calta reflects on the notorious 1974 crime thriller that further cemented Charles Bronson as an action star of the 20th century.
License to Review #10: The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
James Bond will return to cinemas this November with his twenty-fifth adventure, No Time to Die. In preparation, David Alkhed will take a look at all the previous entries in the franchise and see which ones are deserving of praise (shaken) and which ones aren’t (stirred). The Roger Moore era of Bond was the oneContinue reading “License to Review #10: The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)”
Roma (2018) – Slices of life
Let me ask you a question: have any of you who are currently reading this ever regretted missing a film in a theatre? Okay you can all put your hands down. I have missed my fair share of films in the theatre, and it’s not until I see them later, whether it’s on blu-ray orContinue reading “Roma (2018) – Slices of life”
Staff Picks: The Sensational Stanley Kubrick
Today marks the birth of one of the looming legends of the modern motion picture, American director Stanley Kubrick. To commemorate this occasion, we at A Fistful of Film have chosen to examine a fair portion of his filmography, from his early studio pictures to his acclaimed latter-day output.
License to Review #9: The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
James Bond will return to cinemas this November with his twenty-fifth adventure, No Time to Die. In preparation, David Alkhed will take a look at all the previous entries in the franchise and see which ones are deserving of praise (shaken) and which ones aren’t (stirred). There is a tendency amongst the James Bond filmsContinue reading “License to Review #9: The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)”
License to Review #8: Live and Let Die (1973)
James Bond will return to cinemas this November with his twenty-fifth adventure, No Time to Die. In preparation, David Alkhed will take a look at all the previous entries in the franchise and see which ones are deserving of praise and which ones aren’t. After the disaster that was Diamonds Are Forever, Sean ConneryContinue reading “License to Review #8: Live and Let Die (1973)”
Staff Picks: The Ingenious Ingmar Bergman
Today marks the birth of Sweden’s premier master of the motion picture, Ingmar Bergman. In honor of this occasion, we at A Fistful of Film have chosen some of our favorite films of his.
Shazam! (2019), A New Era for the DCEU
For many, myself included, Shazam! seemed like a bastion of hope for the DCEU. After the disaster of the Justice League film, the new wave of entries into the franchise helmed by fresh directors seemed to signal a changing guard. One of the films that seemed like it would accomplish this was David Sandberg’s Shazam!;Continue reading “Shazam! (2019), A New Era for the DCEU”
License to Review #7: Diamonds Are Forever (1971)
James Bond will return to cinemas this November with his twenty-fifth adventure, No Time to Die. In preparation, David Alkhed will take a look at all the previous entries in the franchise and see which ones are deserving of praise (shaken) and which ones aren’t (stirred). With On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, it looked likeContinue reading “License to Review #7: Diamonds Are Forever (1971)”
Hamilton (2020), the Broadway Spectacle Brought to your Home
It’s no secret that I love film, if you follow me on twitter or even have read any of my writing on this website it should be readily apparent how much I love film. But one of my love’s is something I don’t get to talk about often, that’s right……. I’m a theatre nerd. That’sContinue reading “Hamilton (2020), the Broadway Spectacle Brought to your Home”
License to Review #6: On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)
James Bond will return to cinemas this November with his twenty-fifth adventure, No Time to Die. In preparation, David Alkhed will take a look at all the previous entries in the franchise and see which ones are deserving of praise (shaken) and which ones aren’t (stirred). Sean Connery had quit the James Bond franchise followingContinue reading “License to Review #6: On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969)”
License to Review #5: You Only Live Twice (1967)
James Bond will return to cinemas this November with his twenty-fifth adventure, No Time to Die. In preparation, David Alkhed will take a look at all the previous entries in the franchise and see which ones are deserving of praise (shaken) and which ones aren’t (stirred). With five years and four films under his belt,Continue reading “License to Review #5: You Only Live Twice (1967)”
This Is It (2009): Here We Stand, Over A Decade Later
Writer Jacob Calta revisits the record-shattering 2009 documentary-concert film, and the man at its center, the late, great Michael Jackson.
License to Review #4: Thunderball (1965)
James Bond will return to cinemas this November with his twenty-fifth adventure, No Time to Die. In preparation, David Alkhed will take a look at all the previous entries in the franchise and see which ones are deserving of praise (shaken) and which ones aren’t (stirred). Goldfinger felt like a breath of fresh air inContinue reading “License to Review #4: Thunderball (1965)”
The Good, the Bad, the Weird (2008) – A Fistful of Holy Shit
I’ve reviewed two South Korean films for this website, Memories of Murder and House of Hummingbird. One of them is a darkly comical detective mystery and the other one is a coming-of-age drama. In the review for the latter I mentioned my desire to watch additional Korean films that weren’t genre-films and I hope toContinue reading “The Good, the Bad, the Weird (2008) – A Fistful of Holy Shit”
Artemis Fowl, (2020) – The Worst Kind of Bad
I exist in two states simultaneously when talking about Artemis Fowl. First of all, there’s the me now, three days after having seen it, tasked with the herculean effort of writing about the piece of shit, and then there’s the me who, once they get started talking about the movie, has it all come floodingContinue reading “Artemis Fowl, (2020) – The Worst Kind of Bad”
License to Review #3: Goldfinger (1964)
James Bond will return to cinemas this November with his twenty-fifth adventure, No Time to Die. In preparation, David Alkhed will take a look at all the previous entries in the franchise and see which ones are deserving of praise (shaken) and which ones aren’t (stirred). When watching the early James Bond films featuring SeanContinue reading “License to Review #3: Goldfinger (1964)”
Da 5 Bloods (2020), Brutal but Beautiful
Spike Lee’s newest film has been a hot-button topic since it’s announcement. Followed by a series of absolutely gorgeous posters that added fuel to the flame of excitement for myself and many other film fans. Myself, and many others, were eagerly awaiting the 12th to finally see whether this film would rank alongside Lee’s previousContinue reading “Da 5 Bloods (2020), Brutal but Beautiful”
Jesus Shows You the Way to the Highway, (2020) – The Craziest Film of the Year, and Maybe the Best
There’s a sentiment I often hear at the moment, that there’s a certain era of filmmaking that’s past. Where you could just stumble across a masterpiece and when genuinely strange and brilliant films could get released. People basically jacking off the nostalgia of the 60s and 70s tell me this. I’m looking at you Quentin,Continue reading “Jesus Shows You the Way to the Highway, (2020) – The Craziest Film of the Year, and Maybe the Best”
Aquaman (2018), Wet and Wild
After Justice League, it seemed like the DCEU were turning over a new leaf, with underdog IP’s getting greenlit like this one and Shazam in the near future. As well as inviting James Wan to direct, with big critical and commercial successes under his belt already, even within high-profile franchises as proved by his successContinue reading “Aquaman (2018), Wet and Wild”
In Search of Darkness (2019): Epic in Scope, But Not Quite in Depth
Jacob Calta shares his thoughts on the mammoth horror documentary devoted to one of the genre’s finest decades.
Your Vice Is A Locked Room & Only I Have The Key, (1972) – Reinventing Gialli
I have seen a lot of these movies. My University dissertation was on these movies. I feel like I can speak from a place of authority on them. So if I was to say that more than almost any other Giallo I keep coming back to Your Vice Is A Locked Room & Only IContinue reading “Your Vice Is A Locked Room & Only I Have The Key, (1972) – Reinventing Gialli”
The Vast of Night (2020), Lovecraft in the Twilight Zone
Did you like The Twilight Zone when you were a child? I don’t mean the Jordan Peele reboot, I don’t mean the Forest Whittaker reboot from the 2000s, I don’t mean the 80s reboot either. I mean the classic, Rod Serling show. I’m talking sitting with your folks at 12 years old in the middleContinue reading “The Vast of Night (2020), Lovecraft in the Twilight Zone”
License to Review #2: From Russia with Love (1963)
James Bond will return to cinemas this November with his twenty-fifth adventure, No Time to Die. In preparation, David Alkhed will take a look at all the previous entries in the franchise and see which ones are deserving of praise and which ones aren’t. Following the smash success of Dr. No, a sequel was quicklyContinue reading “License to Review #2: From Russia with Love (1963)”
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A Fistful of Film 