2029 does not seem far away at all, yet the future we see in Logan is bleaker than we could have imagined from any of the previous X-Men films. Mutants are on the verge of extinction, and the surviving few are being ruthlessly hunted. As is always the case with the X-Men, there are villains attempting to weaponise mutant powers. Logan adds a fresh perspective to this … Continue reading Silver Screen Sunday – Logan
From what is arguably the world’s biggest film franchise, the standalone Star Wars blockbuster was an ambitious undertaking. The story is a true exploration of the numerous references to the notorious ‘plans’ made in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope. “It is a period of civil war. Rebel spaceships, striking from a hidden base, have won their first victory against the evil Galactic Empire. … Continue reading Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Arrival is a really strong sci-fi film that explores how we communicate with one another just as much as it explores how we would communicate with an alien species. Of course, linguistics and communication are the practical tools that the film uses to probe deeper questions about fatalism, scientific theory, and international (even intergalactic) relations. The basic premise is that alien ships land in 12 countries all over Earth, … Continue reading Arrival
Have you ever found yourself wondering what life would really be like for vampires today? No? Well, What We Do In The Shadows is here to show you anyway. A mockumentary about a group of vampires flatsharing in Wellington, NZ, What We Do In The Shadows highlights the problems that face immortal creatures crossing the threshold into the 21st century. Bouncers refuse to explicitly invite … Continue reading What We Do In The Shadows
Given that it’s the weekend that Hallowe’en falls on, it’s probably a good idea to explore a horror film. I’m not so sure that The Wicker Man falls neatly into that category, but it’s certainly chilling enough to warrant a mention. When police officer Neil Howie arrives on the fictional Scottish island of Summerisle to investigate the case of a missing girl, it is quickly apparent … Continue reading The Wicker Man (1973)
A triumph that inspired a whole franchise, Planet of the Apes showed us a vision of an unsettling world in which mankind has been subjugated by intelligent apes. Unable to talk or reason, men occupy a pathetic position in this new world, merely scraping by in their attempts to survive. Of course, everyone familiar with the story knows that this is no new world at all, but … Continue reading Planet of the Apes (1968)
What I expected was probably a visually stunning animation turned out to be so much more than that. Kubo And The Two Strings is a wonderful film that, if you ask me, has no age category. Kubo is a young boy who possesses magical abilities that come to life when he plays his shamisen. He works as a storyteller in the village during the day, telling the story … Continue reading Kubo And The Two Strings
