Review Archive: August 2007

Close-up

Part documentary, part reconstruction and part manipulation, Abbas Kiarostami's 1990 film finds unexpected depths in the real-life story of a man arrested for impersonation of the director Mohsen Makhmalbaf. Noel Megahey reviews the UK release from Soda Pictures.

Mitchell & Kenyon: Edwardian Sports

A further selection from the films shot by pioneering filmmakers Mitchell and Kenyon. Review of the BFI's Region 2 DVD by Gary Couzens.

Doctor Who: Arc of Infinity

The second story in the box set also containing Time-Flight, James travels to Amsterdam with the Doctor and has a less-than-wild weekend.

Doctor Who: Time-Flight

Released in a box set with Arc of Infinity, James takes a look at this Peter Davison story from 1982 and wonders what on earth they could have been thinking.

The Hill

Mike Sutton reviews this brilliant and brutal drama from director Sidney Lumet, released by Warners as part of their World War Two Vol. 2 boxset.

Mitchell & Kenyon in Ireland

More documentary footage shot by the pioneering Edwardian duo, Mitchell & Kenyon in Ireland features film from their trip across the water in 1901 and 1902, in a fascinating look at a vanished world. Review of the BFI's Region 2 DVD by Gary Couzens

Lights In The Dusk

With four boxset collections of the director’s work about to be released, Artificial Eye first present the latest tragic and humorous tale of losers from Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki. Noel Megahey reviews.

Horrors of Malformed Men

Kev reviews the second of Synapse's double bill DVD release which is part of their line up exploring some of Japan's cultiest films, none of which are more culty than this weird outing from Beatnik Ishii.

Snake Woman's Curse

Kev reviews the first of two new titles released by Synapse as part of their collaboration with Panik House: Nobuo Nakagawa's story of ghostly revenge, which is available to own now.

Partition

To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Indian subcontinent partition, Second Run has released Ken McMullen's 1987 television film in an excellent DVD edition - clydefro reports on his weekend with the disc.

Inside The Smiths

Without Marr or Morrissey...

Claude Chabrol Collection: Volume 2

Arrow finally follows up on their original Chabrol Box Set of a couple of years ago with this selection of oddities and gems from the man who gave the world the first New Wave film. John peruses the glorious mistakes and uncertain classics contained within.

The Reaping

In which God does an encore performance of the ten plagues of Egypt...

The Bow

Kim Ki-Duk's 2005 film about a girl, a boat, two men and some archery is released in the UK by Tartan. John White takes aim..

Buy It Now

Is this fake documentary the new Blair Witch Project?

Ghost Story (aka Gui jiao chun)

You know how it is. You are resting after a huge battle with a platoon or two before three saucy witches are sleeping with your troops and turning them into bulls. John has a look at this tale of little feet, sex and bullocks

Distant Voices Still Lives

Distant Voices Still Lives, Terence Davies's funny and poignant portrayal of his Liverpool childhood, comes to DVD from the BFI. Review of the Region 2 release by Gary Couzens.

The Powerpuff Girls: Complete Season 1

Sugar spice and everything nice! Oh, and Chemical X!

Letters From Iwo Jima

As if having to endure Flags Of Our Fathers wasn’t bad enough, Noel Megahey takes in its follow up, and is aghast at the sheer wrongness of seeing the Asian outlook of the battle of Iwo Jima depicted according to Hollywood values.

Northern Exposure: Season 6

All good things must come to an end...

28 Weeks Later

Juan Carlos Fresnadillo's sequel to 28 Days Later has had a bit of a pasting from the critics but then when have they ever liked a zombie film? John White watches a film about the US army guaranteeing western security and looks up the word "allegory"...

Flags Of Our Fathers

Noel Megahey suffers through the bombast of Clint Eastwood’s unbearably pious war epic and reviews the UK Region 2 release from Warner Home Video.

Bridge To Terabithia

"Take me to the bridge!"

Ghost in the Shell: Solid State Society

Kev continues his coverage of the excellent Stand Alone Complex series with this latest offering from Production I.G. - a feature length film which sees our team hunting a super hacker while investigating a series of child kidnappings and mysterious suicides. Available to own on DVD now through Manga Entertainment.

The Hamiltons

And you thought Neil and Christine were strange...

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