Reviews

Six friends meet via a Zoom call in order to take part in a seance, with terrifying results. Made during the Covid pandemic, this was impressively put together under difficult conditions. Some of the effects are more convincing than most mainstream movies, and a great deal of tension is built up at various points. It's just such a shame the film is so derivative, with shameless lifting from horror flicks such as Paranormal Activity and The Blair Witch Project in particular, not to mention Ghostwatch. That said, one still comes away from the movie genuinely impressed by the technical achievements on display, as well as a couple of genuine shudders.

Meandering, anachronistic and fatally overlong ode to the hedonistic climate of 1920s Hollywood. The film remorselessy rips off The Artist and Boogie Nights in its tale of starlet (Robbie) blazing her path through a hyperbolic vision of the industry during the silent period. Both stars are good as usual, but what are they doing in this movie? Doldrums set in after the 90 minute mark, but at least the set pieces look good, even if most characters look and sound like they've just dropped in from 2023. That said, if you loved Baz Lurhmann's The Great Gatsby and wondered what an X rated version would be like, this might be the film for you.

Unofficial biopic of Winsconsin serial killer Ed Gein (whose name here has been changed to Ezra Cobb) is morbid, grisly tale of a socially inept farmer who goes nuts when his domineering mother dies. While not as elegant as PSYCHO or as stylish as THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE, DERANGED is more disturbing than both, thanks to an outstanding central performance by Roberts Blossom and a genuinely repellent recreation of the private world of a psychopath. Featuring some graphic early effects work by Tom Savini, this is well worth a look.

Trio of repugnant creeps invades the home of a dignified black family and terrorise them into retaliation. Nasty, audience-manipulating melodrama features one of the most irredeemable villains in movie history, as well as non-stop barrage of racial slurs that will probably keep this permanently on the forbidden list. Well-made of its type, with a bravura performance by William Sanderson.

Cannibal shenanigans on a Greek island. Almost mind-numbingly dull exploitation movie boasts some of the ugliest cinematography in horror movie history. Last twenty minutes or so contains some fairly repellent moments but getting to them is a heck of a slog. For die-hard exploitation fans only.

Naive country bumpkin and fashion student (with a taste for Swinging London chic) moves to the capital to fulfil her dream, but ends up losing herself in some kind of nocturnal time warp. Whilst becoming obsessed with a beautiful wannabe cabaret singer, she also discovers that the 60s weren't quite as rosy as she thought. Another visual extravaganza from the ever-dynamic Wright, but whatever social comment the director is trying to make is utterly defeated by a ludicrous and confused finale. Stunning production design and performances make this worth a look.

The grand-daughter of recently-deceased ghostbuster Egon Spengler takes up the mantle when her mother inherits a derelict farmhouse filled with his ghost-catching paraphernalia. OK-sequel occasionally captures the spirit of the original film, but all too often lapses into imitation, lazily rehashing elements of the 1984 classic without really bringing anything new to the table. Shamelessly plundering Elmer Bernstein's wonderful score doesn't help either. Several original cast members appear here, but the effect is trite, in spite of some impressive CGI wizardry.

Potentially fascinating drama exploring the moral and emotional complexities of social media is gripping for about an hour, then spirals unnecessarily into a tangled web (haha) of narrative twists. Binoche is excellent as usual but pretty much has to carry the film single-handedly. Overstated music score only serves to highlight the dramatic weaknesses of the script.

Terminally downbeat character study of mentally-ill outcast (Phoenix) is so good that any Batman references ultimately come across as superfluous. Phoenix gives a tour-de-force, Oscar-winning performance and pretty much carries the film single-handedly; De Niro so-so as smarmy TV talk show host. Countless references to cynical Hollywood films of the 70s (Network, Taxi Driver and so on) but the film has a tone and style all of its own.

Cannibalism on the London underground in this repellent, dingy but imaginative horror movie, as the survivor of a cave-in preys on city commuters. Dark, funny script and an hilarious turn by Pleasance as a cynical cockney copper make this a must-see for those with strong stomachs. Claustrophobic and intense, with grubbily effective production design. Christopher Lee appears briefly as a secret service official.

Hotshot mountaineer Booth ventures onto private nature reserve owned by nutty Vietnam vet Hauer, with the intention of stealing some priceless eagle eggs. Good story is bolstered by a memorable turn by Hauer and some lovely scenery, but it's a shame that Turner is wasted in a thankless role as Hauer's love interest. Music score by Maurice Gibb of Bee Gees fame.

Unflinching account of life in a borstal (British reform school) focuses on rise to power of young thug Winstone. Tough, violent and harrowing, but plot suffers a little from somewhat hyperbolic series of brutal events; nevertheless, the film is vivid and memorable. Based on a 1977 TV film commissioned for (and then banned by) the BBC, which had many of the same cast and crew.

Grungy Vietnam vet John Rambo (Stallone) balks when bullish hick sheriff (Dennehy) tells him to get out of town, much to his regret. Two thirds of a great movie, with the manhunt section of the film marked by atmospheric locations and some great set pieces; however, the final act lapses into standard action movie fare. Still, a classic of its kind, with a memorable score by Jerry Goldsmith. Based on the novel by David Morrell, which also inspired 1982's other Vietnam-vet-goes-berserk pic, RUCKUS.