Spoor (2017)

When Spoor (2017; Pokot) opens with a sweeping shot of the majestic snowy landscape of the Klodzko Valley where it is set, accompanied by Antoni Lazarkiewicz’s thunderous score, I was reminded of the Coen Brothers’ Fargo. However, this film directed by Agnieszka Holland is not as nihilistic as the Coens, with strong environmental themes, introducing […]

Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (2010)

The wave of Best Of 2010s lists prompted me to note down quite a few recommendations. Both Lewis Rice O’Donnell and Axel Carrington put this title on their lists and that’s two people whose tastes in cinema I trust. Directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (2010) is a slow, […]

Crawl (2019)

Look, I enjoyed the Blake Lively versus a shark flick, The Shallows, so when Crawl (2019) came out this year, released quietly without any critic screenings, I was hoping for more of the same – just a different critter. Thrillers like this are a succession of obstacles for the beleaguered protagonist, and are not for […]

Shin Godzilla (2016)

Seeing this pop up on a few friends’ Best of 2010s list promoted me to finally watch Shin Godzilla (2016; Shin Gōjira), which is available to stream on SBS OnDemand. Though I haven’t seen many of the Japanese made Godzilla films, I always think that the American versions have a big flaw to overcome: how do […]

The Untamed (2016)

When we held VHS Tracking – Live for the Blue Room Winter Nights, one of my questions to the panellists was “What movie would you use to vet the people in your life?” One of artist Nathan Beard’s choices was The Untamed (2016; La región salvaje) which he described as a “horny movie” and one […]