…minor observations on Le Havre and things Kaurismaki

My short review of Le Havre published online in One Hundred Words magazine [no longer available]:- To step into an Aki Kaurismaki film is to enter a unique, peculiar, intriguing and quite extraordinary universe. It’s one where dialogue is sparse, acting as muted and inexpressive as possible; where the colours have a distinctly retro feel; there …

Geoff Dyer’s ‘Zona’

My short review of the book published online in One Hundred Words Magazine [no longer available]:- For anyone interested in Russian director Andrei Tarkovsky’s classic art-house film ‘Stalker’, Geoff Dyer’s fascinating book ‘Zona: A Book About a Film About a Journey to a Room’ is a must read. Dyer takes the reader through the film, …

Mark Cousins’ “The Story of Film”

This week's TimeOut (12-18 April) gives an ecstatic review of the Mark Cousins' monumental and quite wonderful film/TV series, The Story of Film, which is about to be released on DVD. Tom Huddleston writes:- The indisputable cinematic high point of last year didn't happen anywhere near a cinema - it took place on TV, quietly, …

Fellini’s La Strada

This month's very well attended Screen St Ives presentation was Fellini's La Strada. The average audience rating for the film was a very reasonable 4 out of 5. There was a particularly interesting post-film discussion reflecting a range of reactions to the movie. Some of the observations emerging from that discussion are reflected in the …

Bal (Honey) – ‘poetic film-making’

Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan is much on my mind of late, or rather his brilliant film Once Upon A Time In Anatolia. The contemplative manner of Anatolia reminds me of another Turkish director, Semih Kaplanoglu, and his film Bal (Honey). I saw it last year at the Belfast Film Festival and was impressed with …

…minor observations on The Deep Blue Sea

Revisiting a Terence Davies film is always a rewarding experience: each one is so rich and subtle, a reminder of what great cinema is all about. I've just re-watched his latest, The Deep Blue Sea - out now on DVD/Blu-ray. Things which particularly struck me... Camera movement: so elegant and understated. In the scene where …

Arena: Jonathan Miller

is still available to watch on iPlayer. Well done to the BBC for their excellent Arena documentary on Jonathan Miller, dedicating an hour and a half to this fascinating man: someone gifted in both the sciences and the arts. There's a good piece about him by A.S.H. Smyth in The Arts Desk:- A director who is …

Blue Touch Paper – Stand Well Back

My short review of this CD published online in One Hundred Words Magazine [no longer available]:- Colin Towns – composer, arranger, pianist – is back with a new band called Blue Touch Paper. Their album, Stand Well Back, explodes into life with thrilling music which is not afraid of taking exciting, unexpected directions. More familiar …