Both Sides Of The Blade (2022)

Both Sides Of The Blade (2022) is a love triangle that unfolds like a floating inevitability, like something on rippling water, bobbing towards you slowly. Directed by Claire Denis and written by Christine Angot (based on her novel), the film focuses on Sara (Juliette Binoche), a radio journalist, who is married to Jean (Vincent Lindon), […]

Transit (2018)

Transit (2018) is the third film I’ve watched of German director Christian Petzold and at this point, I have to say that I’m a fan. There is something very direct about Petzold’s filmmaking style, it is not too showy or over-the-top; there’s a degree of elegance, though for some it might also be close to […]

Beckett (2021)

I was curious about Beckett (2021) and was compelled to finally watch it on Netflix thanks to a recommendation on Letterboxd (shout-out to William Gibson’s Acronym’s Collection) and in honour of composer Riyuichi Sakamoto’s recent passing as he scored the movie with moody ambient textures and a jazzy tumble for chase scenes. Directed by Italian […]

Two Lovers (2008)

I’ve always liked James Gray as a director, though I was endeared to him even more by listening to him talk about his family and upbringing in a Director’s Guild interview podcast about Armageddon Time. In his filmography, Two Lovers (2008) feels underrepresented as it was a change from his previous run of New York […]

Female Prisoner Scorpion: Beast Stable (1973)

The Female Prisoner Scorpion series are a quartet of Japanese exploitation action thrillers centred around the explosive character of Nami Matsushima aka “Scorpion”, unforgettably portrayed by Meiko Kaji in an indomitable performance. Arrow Video remastered and released the movies in a box-set, and they are available to stream on Tubi – though bizarrely the second […]