Coronation of Queen Wilhelmina of Holland (No. 1) (1898)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. Carriages arrive at a coronation.
A simple procession passing by. The camera has a good elevated vantage point to really capture the grandeur of the occasion. Pretty decent short.
3/5
Joyland (2022)
Directed by Saim Sadiq this film stars Ali Junejo, Alina Khan and Rasti Farooq. In Lahore a married second son gets a job at dance theatre and falls in love with a transwoman.
I really enjoy the way this film lets you sit with the characters rather than get preachy or push an agenda. Every character is trapped by the constraints of society's expectations and it works so well. It is impossible to look away as the film heads towards its tragic end.
4/5
The Tarantella, an Italian Dance (1898)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. People performing what is presumably a traditional Italian dance.
Unfortunately the remaining film is pretty degraded. What we can see is nice but too much is damaged to full enjoy the film. A shame we have lost a piece of history.
2/5
Place de la Concorde (1897)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. A static view of a spot in the French capital.
Pretty nicely set up, good foreground and background action. Survives in seemingly good quality. A really good example of the street scene genre.
3/5
Love Hurts (2025)
Directed by Jonathan Eusebio this film stars Ke Huy Quan, Ariana DeBose and Lio Tipton. A real estate agent gets drawn back into his previous criminal life.
The script of this one is just too over written and by the end you just want them to skip to the inevitable conclusion already. Ke Huy Quan does his best knock off Jackie Chan to try and carry the movie. Bit of a weak effort in the end.
2/5
Novocaine (2025)
Directed by Dan Berk & Robert Olsen this film stars Jack Quaid, Amber Midthunder and Ray Nicholson. A man who can not feel pain tries to save his new girlfriend after she is kidnapped by bankrobbers.
I found this film to be too long on both the introduction and ending, trying to stretch out the concept further than it could go. To be honest the whole thing comes off a bit like a first draft. Nice to see Amber Midthunder and Jacob Batalon both getting more work even if they are underused.
2/5
Tapping a Blast Furnace (1899)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. Work at the Elswick yard.
Because of the angle and distance the camera is set up at it is a bit hard to tell what is going on. Maybe if I was more familiar with ironworking it would be more obvious. Not the best of the period.
2/5
A Blast at the Solvay Quarries (1898)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. A man directs workers to run away before an explosion at a quarry.
Hollywood loves an explosion, even in 1898. A simple film, fairly well done. Decent framing and image quality.
3/5
People Leo XIII in His Carriage (1898)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. The Pope rocks up in his carriage.
Nicely framed so the carriage stops in just the right place. Interesting piece of history. Good image quality.
3/5
Scheveningen, Dutch Fishing Boats (1898)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. Men get off boats at the beach.
A nice little short with an evocative setting. Good image quality, you can really see the power of the sea. Good for what it is.
3/5
Firing the Maxim Gun (1897)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. Hiram Maxim fires his Maxim gun.
You get a real sense of the power of the weapon from this short film. The shot from behind the weapon works better than I would expect. Pretty cool really.
3/5
Panorama of Grand Harbour, Malta, Showing Battleships, Etc. (1901)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. We see the harbour at Valletta in Malta.
Unfortunately some damage to the existing film by the looks of it so not the best image quality, some issues in places. Fine for what it is. Probably more of a historical record than entertainment.
2/5
One of Them Days (2025)
Directed by Lawrence Lamont this film stars Keke Palmer and SZA. Two friends have less than a day to get their rent money together or be evicted.
Lots of familiar elements in this film, possibly not done with female leads before. Not a bad effort but lacks much to recommend it on. The script could have done with a bit more content in it.
3/5
A Camp of Zingaree Gypsies (1897)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. A snippet of life in a Roma camp.
Shows off traditional dress and lifestyle. Obviously hard to get a lot from this given how short it is. Still an interesting slice of history despite the brevity.
3/5
Muna (2023)
Directed by Warda Mohamed this short film stars Kosar Ali and Raha Isse Farah. A teenage daughter of Somali immigrants wants to go on a school trip.
A slightly depressing look at the life of a young woman caught between cultures and places. Manages to do a fair amount with the short run time which is pretty impressive. Not sure it is ground breaking, still interesting.
4/5
Upside Down Boxers (1899)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. Two men perform upside down boxing.
A fairly silly little short, pretty fun. Good image quality and action. A nice little distraction.
3/5
French Military School Exercise (1897)
Directed by William K. L.Dickson this is an early short film. Men on part of a training course.
A fair amount of action as a large group of men tackle an obstacle. Pretty decent image quality for the age of the film. Might lack a bit of personality.
3/5
Battleship Odin Firing All Her Guns (1900)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. A battleship goes boom boom.
Fairly impressive, probably would have been more so with sound. Image quality and framing are decent. A nice little piece of history.
3/5
Die Alone (2024)
Written & directed by Lowell Dean this film stars Douglas Smith and Carrie-Anne Moss. A man with amnesia looks for his missing girlfriend in a zombie apocalypse.
Essentially this wants to be Memento in a zombie film but comes with too many plot holes and a twist that is a bit too obvious. I can appreciate what the film was going for even if it does fall short. A rare occasion where Frank Grillo does not show up as the bad guy.
2/5
Nosferatu (2024)
Directed by Robert Eggers this remake of a rip off stars Nicholas Hoult, Lilly-Rose Depp, Bill Skarsgard and Willem Dafoe. A vampire seeks control over the life of a young married couple.
Masterfully adapted there is a lot to enjoy here I am just not sure this film is ever more than its source material. I love how well the film brings the classic German expressionism into modern cinema. Really good but maybe just short of great.
4/5
Hiram Maxim and His Quick-firing Gun (1897)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. The inventor of the Maxim gun demonstrates how it works.
Fascinating to see Maxim himself showing off his weapon. Really good image quality. A piece of history captured on film.
3/5
Fun on a Sand Hill (1899)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. People play on a sandy hill.
A charming little short of people having fun. There is a nice mix of children and adults enjoying the simple pleasure of sliding down a sandy hill. Good image quality.
3/5
Ten Pickaninnies (1908)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson and William Heise this is an early short film. Three African Americans performing a dance.
Part of the legacy of slavery and racism. Even the image quality of the version I saw was not great. Not worth seeking out in my opinion.
1/5
The Grand Canal, Venice (1898)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. A shot of the grand canal in Venice.
Not as impressive as some other canal scenes that I have seen from the period. Fine for what it is. Pretty decent image quality.
3/5
Funeral Procession of the Misericordia (1898)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. A coffin is carried in a procession.
As you might expect not a huge amount to this one. Does what it says on the tin really. Decent image quality.
3/5
Amongst the Wolves (2024)
Directed by Mark O'Connor this film stars Luke McQuillan, Daniel Fee and Aidan Gillen. A homeless former soldier befriends a teenager on the run from a drug dealer.
I thought this film was more interesting when it focused in on the issue of homelessness and less interesting when it brought in the crime element. Standard genre entry that could have been something more. Bit of a waste really.
3/5
Night Call (2024)
Directed by Michiel Blanchart this film stars Jonathan Feltre, Natacha Krief and Jonas Bloquet. A young man finds himself on the wrong side of a crime boss after unwittingly helping rob him.
Familiar crime thriller elements in a decent effort. There is nothing that special here, even any socio-political depth is merely backdrop. Fine for a genre film just do not expect anything more.
3/5
The Sick Municipal Clerk (1899)
Directed by Emile Lauste this is an early short film. A doctor treats a sick man.
This film relies on being able to read the writing on two objects which is in Dutch. Given how it is hard to follow this one it is not one of the better films of the period. Not one I would recommend.
2/5
Doctor Knows What to Do (1899)
Directed by Emile Lauste this is an early short film. A doctor cures a man who appears to be bed ridden.
A simple gag where it is not entirely clear what is going on. I have seen better from the period to be honest. Not my favourite.
2/5
Tollhouse! A Close Shave! (1899)
Directed by Emile Lauste this is an early short film. A man steals a vial from a under a sleeping woman's skirt.
It is a bit hard to work out exactly what the man is up to and there is no Tollhouse in sight. Needs a bit of context really. Image quality is fine for the age of the film.
2/5
Amsterdam's Tourism (1899)
Directed by Emile Lauste this is an early short film. Tourists pose in front of a fountain.
If you know the fountain in question I suppose this might be a more interesting short. The poses of the tourists are weird, do they have some significance to the location? An odd short to be certain without any context.
3/5
Restless (2024)
Directed by Jed Hart this film stars Lyndsey Marshal and Aston McAuley. A middle aged woman gets a new neighbour who turns out to be an anti social yob.
Goes about as you would expect and still manages to hold a decent amount of tension. A really solid genre effort, shows what you can do with a low budget. Good work all round.
3/5
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (2024)
Directed by Kenki Kamiyama this animated film has voices from Brian Cox, Gaia Wise and Luke Pasqualino. Civil war in Rohan after the king kills a lord with one punch.
Fits more then anime than it does with Tolkien's mythos in my opinion, the writing is just too modern in feel. As a stand alone piece it is fine, nothing special. Somewhat of a disappointment given all the praise I saw for it.
3/5
Flood in YY Neighbourhood (1899)
Directed by Emile Lauste this is an early short film. A man with a hose pipe sprays a large can.
Not exactly a flood really as promised by the title. Fine for what it is, nothing that special. Fairly decent image quality.
3/5
A Tram Crowd on Sunday in Dam Square (1899)
Directed by Emile Lauste this is an early short film. People mill around at a tram stop.
Lacks a little bit of action, you would expect more people getting on or off the tram as it appears to be at the stop. Lots of people, little to pick out. Nothing special really.
3/5
Arrival of the Peace Conference at Haarlem, 4 June 1899 (1899)
Directed by Emile Lauste this is an early short film. A group of delegates walk past the camera.
Not a huge amount to this one, especially when you do not really know who the people are. Image quality is about average. More interesting as a historical record I expect.
3/5
The Island of Marken (1899)
Directed by Emile Lauste this is an early short film. Several shots of young Dutch children.
I like the combination of scenarios here, rare to get more than a single shot from a film of this era. The image quality is really sharp in the version I saw. Fun and has plenty of personality.
3/5
Orphanage Question (1899)
Directed by Emile Lauste this is an early short film. A group of orphans are paraded by the camera.
A very short clip of kids out of a walk, you do not really get the full scale of the group because the clip cuts off too soon. Pretty decent image quality. Fairly average short, lacks some personality.
3/5
Lumbu (2023)
Directed by Billy Dosanjh this short film stars Shaan Akhtar, Shipra Jain Khanna and Ethan Kudhall. In 1994 a teenager discovers his father is having an affair.
Not exactly The 400 Blows but still a decent short film. I am not sure it offers anything that new or unique. Still decently made for what it is.
3/5
The Surfer (2024)
Directed by Lorcan Finnegan this film stars Nicholas Cage. A man tries to take his son to surf a beach but a gang tells him it is for locals only.
Not exactly subtle this film is fine for what it is. To be honest I was expecting something a bit more out there given how Cage has gone recently, this is fairly tepid in that regard. In the end not that memorable really.
3/5
Catching the Ferry in Amsterdam (1899)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson and Emile Lauste this is an early short film. A bunch of people get on a ferry.
The people in this short are far more excited to get on a ferry than I would be. While the action is good the shot is too close in to give an idea of the location where it is happening. Pretty decent short, good image quality.
3/5
Dutch Fishing Fleet (1900)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson and Emile Lauste this is an early short film. A flotilla of fishing vessels at sea.
An impressive amount of boats arranged before the camera. A nice shot with good image quality. Nice to see something a bit different.
3/5
Captain Deasy's Daring Drive, Ascent (1903)
Directed by Emile Lauste and Walter R. Booth this is an early short film. A man drives a car on railway tracks.
Much like the Descent version of this film there is not a lot going on. It is hard to tell from surviving footage whether you have watched the Ascent, Descent or a mixture of the two. Either way seems to only survive partially.
3/5
After the Children's Fair in the Circus Carre, 13 September (1899)
Directed by Emile Lauste this is an early short film. People leave the circus.
Not a lot to this street scene, the back drop is not that special. A short clip of people coming of a building and not much more to it. Decent image quality.
3/5
Flower Parade in Haarlem (1899)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson and Emile Lauste this is an early short film. A parade of carriages that have been decorated with flowers.
Pretty nice short, decent image quality. A piece of history preserved. Not like anything you would see today.
3/5
Captain Deasy's Daring Drive, Descent (1903)
Directed by Emile Lauste and Walter R. Booth this is an early short film. A man drives a car down a railway.
Does not appear that daring really. A couple of nice little shots capturing the landscape but that is about it. The title over eggs the pudding slightly.
3/5
Saturday Night (2024)
Directed by Jason Reitman this film inspired by real events has a large cast including Gabriel LaBelle and Rachel Sennott. Lorne Michaels struggles to hold together all the moving parts for the first episode of the show that will become Saturday Night Live.
Much like many Hollywood films on the entertainment industry this one is edging into self indulgence. We never really get to the how the show came to be and there are just too many characters to give them all a fair shake. No idea how accurate the film is, gives the impression of condensing events down a lot.
2/5
Mills from the Zaanstreek (1898)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson and Emile Lauste this is an early short film. We see a series of windmills from a boat on a river.
No tilting at the windmills here. A nice little scene of life from a bygone era. Pretty enchanting for what it is.
3/5
Home Life of a Hungarian Family (1897)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. A short scene of traditional domestic life in Hungary.
Pretty much what it says on the tin. A nice little scene of a family going about their daily life. Probably staged for the camera but does have charm to it.
3/5
The Boulevard of Scheveningen (1898)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. A simple street scene.
The film focuses more on the people milling about than it does anything unique about the location. Fine for what it is even if it could have been filmed anywhere. Solid example of this early genre.
3/5
Tram Journey through Southampton (1900)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. A camera is placed on a tram for a short journey through a city.
Not bad for what it is however it is a little on the short side. A couple of nice moments of the city are captured. One for the historians I think.
3/5
Cairo Conspiracy (2022)
Written & directed by Tarik Saleh this film stars Tawfeek Harhom and Fares Fares. The son of a fisherman from a small village gets a scholarship to attend a prestigious religious university in Cairo.
Looking at the conflict between church and religion this is a pretty decent thriller. I thought maybe it went on a little too long once the main conflict of the film is resolved. Does not do a huge amount to rise beyond the sum of its parts.
3/5
The Room Next Door (2024)
Directed by Pedro Almodovar this film based on the novel “What Are You Going Through” stars Tilda Swinton, Julianne Moore and John Turturro. A woman reconnects with an old friend who is dying of cancer.
About what you would expect given the subject matter, does not get melodramatic where it could. There might not be much new or original here, still a decent watch. The stand out is Tilda Swinton's performance as a dying woman.
3/5
September 5 (2024)
Directed by Tim Fehlbaum this film inspired by real events stars Peter Sarsgaard, John Magaro, Ben Chaplin and Leonie Benesch. The ABC sports team covering the 1972 Olympics grapples with broadcasting unfolding events as Israeli athletes are taken hostage.
More the story of telling the story than the story itself. At times the film highlights the issues with reporting on live events but does not really go into great depth on the topic. A pretty good reconstruction of events from the eyes of those watching.
3/5
A Bar Room Scene (1894)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. A fight in a bar.
Unfortunately seems to only survive as two stills so not much of a film. A bit hard to make out what is going on from what is left. Not the best.
1/5
Four Warships in Rough Seas (1900)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. Four warships sail in choppy waters.
To my eye the sea looks choppy but not that rough. Still a nice little short capturing warships at sea. Pretty good for what it is.
3/5
Les Parisiennes (1897)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. Four women dance.
I like the hand colour tinting here, very subtle addition of colour to a black and white film. The image quality is decent as is the dancing. Fun little short.
3/5
Panoramic View of the Vegetable Market at Venice (1898)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. We see people at a vegetable market.
The camera is a little bit far from the market to be able to pick out all the details of what is going on. Decent image quality on the film. Captures a slice of life from the past.
3/5
Venice, Feeding the Pigeons in St. Mark's Square (1898)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. People feed pigeons.
Does what it says on the tin. Not a huge amount to this one, has a little charm and some decent image quality. Solid holiday video.
3/5
The Thicket (2024)
Directed by Elliott Lester this film based on the novel of the same name stars Peter Dinklage, Juliette Lewis, Levon Hawke and Esme Creed-Miles. A young man recruits help to recover his sister who has been kidnapped by a wanted criminal.
Nice to see someone making a western even if there is nothing that new about this one. The snowy landscapes are decent as is the action and the acting. Despite best effort nothing really stands out as anything to write home about.
3/5
Long Gone Heroes (2024)
Written & directed by John Swab this film stars Frank Grillo, Josh Hutcherson, Eden Brolin, Andy Garcia and Melissa Leo. A veteran puts together a team to go rescue his niece from Venezuela.
Straight to dvd is written all over this film. While there is a plot it is just something to hang a few limp action scenes on. Not worth seeking out at all.
2/5
Irish Mail – L.& N.W. Railway – Taking up Water at Full Speed (1898)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. A train speeds along the track.
Pretty impressively done shot of running parallel with a speeding train. Good image quality and a fair amount of action. Nicely done for the period.
3/5
Pope Leo XIII Leaving Carriage and Being Ushered Into Garden, No. 104 (1898)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. The pope gets out of a carriage and sits on a chair.
A rather long title for a simple film. Could have done with moving the camera back a bit to get more in shot but mostly fine. No doubt important as a historical record if not that entertaining.
3/5
James Grundy, Buck and Wing (1895)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film staring James Grundy. A man dances to the harmonica.
A fun little short with not a huge amount to it. Captures dancing that is recognisable to the modern eye. Nicely done.
3/5
Warships at Sunset (1900)
Directed by William K. L, Dickson this is an early short film. Warships at sea sail in a convoy.
I am not sure the sun is actually setting, otherwise a nice little short. Not much to it but it does cast a striking image. Decent for what it is.
3/5
Women Talking (2022)
Directed by Sarah Polley this film based on the novel of the same name stars Rooney Mara, Claire Foy and Jessie Buckley. Women in a strict religious community discuss what they should do after sexual assaults by the men of community come to light.
Both depressing and amazing this is a great look at oppressive communities and the impact of sexual violence on women in general. While this is one of those films that would work as a play it never feels constrained by limited locations. About the only thing I did not like was the muted colour filter used.
4/5
Rumours (2024)
Directed by Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson & Galen Johnson this film has an ensemble cast featuring Cate Blanchett, Charles Dance, Roy Dupuis and Nikki Amuka-Bird. Leaders at the G7 summit find themselves abandoned in the woods as strange creatures roam about.
A rare case of a film with three listed directors that is not a complete car crash. Works well as a satire of how out of touch the world leaders can seem to be. Great final moment of the leaders giving a meaningless speech as the world burns around them.
4/5
Kraven the Hunter (2024)
Directed by J. C. Chandor this comic book adaptation stars Aaron Taylor Johnson, Ariana DeBose, Alessandro Nivola and Russell Crowe. A young man uses super natural powers to hunt bad people.
As someone who loved Chandor's Margin Call it is disappointing to see him turning out the latest serving of slop in Sony's attempt to cling onto what Marvel rights they still have. This film shambles through the motions of a superhero film with no emotional depth. Even the action sequences did not draw me in.
2/5
Duel to the Death (1898)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. Two women have a knife fight.
Sure this is not the height of Hong Kong action yet it is fairly entertaining. A decent film for the period with good surviving image quality. Well acted by the two stars.
3/5
Man on Parallel Bars (1892)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. A man on gym bars.
Unfortunately the action does not even stay in frame here. An early lesson in needing to move the camera back. Not the best from Dickson.
2/5
Rip's Toast to Hudson (1896)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. I suppose Rip toasts Hudson?
Like many films in this series it is hard to make out exactly what is going on in the scene and who is who. This early attempt at narrative film making did not hit the mark for me. Not really worth seeking out.
2/5
Place de la Concorde (1896)
Directed by Paul Nadar this is an early short film. A street view of a public square in Paris.
A nice entry into the genre, plenty of action as people go about their lives. Even if there is no plot it is a fun watch. Good for what it is, decent image quality.
3/5
Kindling (2023)
Written & directed by Connor O'Hara this film stars George Somner, Conrad Khan, Wilson Mbomio and Mia McKenna-Bruce. A young man with a terminal illness spends his last summer with his four childhood friends.
It would have been very easy for this film to be overly sentimental but it is expertly made. As we get closer and closer to the conclusion the film drips with sadness. A great look at mortality and friendship.
4/5
Sacramento (2024)
Directed by writer and star Michael Angarano this film also features Michael Cera, Kristen Stewart and Maya Erskine. Two men overcome anxiety about fatherhood.
I really enjoyed the off beat nature of this comedy, not everything has to be in your face. There is a lot to enjoy here even if it is not especially challenging Michael Cera. A couple of really laugh out loud moments in the film.
3/5
Juror No. 2 (2024)
Directed by Clint Eastwood this film stars Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette, J.K. Simmons and Kiefer Sutherland. A man serving on a jury quickly realises he may have accidentally committed the crime the defendant is on trial for.
You can see what this film is going for, putting a different spin on 12 Angry Men, it just never sticks the execution. There is a real failure to go anywhere and I have to wonder if this “ends justify the means” discussion is an attempt by a Conservative to justify another Trump presidency. A miss for me despite the promise.
2/5
Danses Russes (1896)
Directed by Paul Nadar this is an early short film. Two women perform a Russian themed dance.
I have no idea if this is an authentic Russian dance or not, it is entertaining either way. Great image quality for the period. Really fun little short.
3/5
Paul Nadar pratiquant l'escrime (1896)
Directed by and staring Paul Nadar this is an early short film. A man shows off his sword fighting moves with a wooden cane.
Something very charming about this simple short. Captures a bit of the character of a man that remains familiar till today. Pretty fun.
3/5
Rue Royale (1896)
Directed by Paul Nadar this is an early short film. We see a simple street scene.
There is plenty of action captured in this short. Image quality is really good given the age. A fun little slice of history.
3/5
Paul Nadar list l'Echo de Paris a la terrasse d'un cafe (1896)
Directed by Paul Nadar this short film stars the director. A man reads a news paper.
A very simple short, possibly the first self portrait in cinema? Surprisingly good image quality. Has some charm even if there is not much to it.
3/5
Scene de reve (1896)
Directed by Paul Nadar this is an early short film. Two actresses perform a short scene.
There is not a huge amount to this scene but it does manage to have a bit of charm to it. The dancing is pretty decent. While the image quality is a bit suspect in places it holds up for the most part.
3/65
Such a Lovely Day (2023)
Written & directed by Simon Woods this short film stars Eve Best, Edward Bluemel and Chuku Modu. A boy and his parents visit family for a large gathering.
You can see what this is going for, the underlying tension of a domestic abuse covered up in public, but I'm not sure the execution works. The rich people setting is a little too disarming for a start. Nicely shot at least.
2/5
Les Deux Gosses (1896)
Directed by Paul Nadar this is an early short film. Two women by a fire.
There is not a huge amount to this one but the image quality is really good for the period. It is nice to see something attempting a dramatic scene from a pre-1900 film. I like the painted backdrop, a hint of things to come in cinema.
3/5
I Walked with a Zombie (1943)
Directed by Jacques Tourneur this film stars Frances Dee, James Ellison and Tom Conway. A nurse goes to work on a Caribbean island caring for a woman without a mind.
You can see what this one is trying to do but it just does not work in my opinion. There is a lot to explore with how slaves were treated in the Caribbean and I do not this a Jane Ayre lite is the vehicle for it. I can not see why this one gets the praise it does.
2/5
The Levelling (2016)
Written & directed by Hope Dickson Leach this film stars Ellie Kendrick and David Troughton. A young woman returns home to the family farm after the suicide of her brother.
Short and not that remarkable there is nothing that special about this film. It is fine for what it is but never becomes more than the sum of its parts. Lots of familiar elements both for grief films and those set in rural England.
3/5
Past Lives (2023)
Written & directed by Celine Song this film stars Greta Lee, Teo Yoo and John Magaro. A man and a women reconnect years after one of them has emigrated from Korea.
Incredibly beautiful, this film is not to be missed. The film manages to be both gentle and super hard hitting. A brilliant look at paths not travelled.
5/5
Danse du papillon (1896)
Directed by Paul Nadar this is an early short film. A dance with a flowing dress.
A staple of the period, it seems very film catalogue of this time needs a short covering a dance like this. Similar to others of the same topic. Survives in good quality.
3/5
Mademoiselle Zambelli de l'Opera (1896)
Directed by Paul Nadar this is an early short film. A clip of Carlotta Zambelli dancing.
Surprisingly good quality film given when it was made, the image is really clear and has a lot of detail. A nice little dance short captured in a single static shot. Good for what it is.
3/5
William Tell (2024)
Written & directed by Nick Hamm this film stars Claes Bang, Connor Swindells and Golshifteh Farahani. As Austria looks to dominate Switzerland a folk hero arises.
Neither the budget or the writing are at the level for the scale this film wants to operate on. The film is pretty limp through out then decides to unnecessarily sequel bait us at the end. Another poor effort from the Sky Originals line, I suspect the Swiss might have something to say about what has been done to their national foundation myth too.
2/5
Sharp Corner (2024)
Written & directed by Jason Buxton this film stars Ben Foster and Cobie Smulders. After moving into a new house a man becomes obsessed with car crashes on the dangerous corner outside.
I was expecting this to be a remake of one of those Scandinavian films on the anxiety over masculinity, pleasantly surprised to find it is original. As always Ben Foster is incredibly watchable, man always gives a great performance. An enthralling watch.
4/5
Danses Slaves (1896)
Directed by Paul Nadar this is an early short film. Two people perform a traditional dance for the camera.
Rather than featuring slaves as the title suggests it is Slavs that are the feature of this film. Very enjoyable and more action than some of the other dance films of the period. An entertaining watch.
3/5
Rip Passing Over the Mountain (1896)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. A man passing over a mountain.
It is not even a mountain and he does not go over it. So the film pretty much fails to live up to the title leaving not much else to it. A real disappointment in a series of disappointments.
1/5
Rip Meeting the Dwarf (1896)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this short film stars Joseph Jefferson. Rip meets a dwarf.
It is a bit hard to tell who is supposed to be who here, does a man crouching down really pass for a dwarf? Weak effort with little action. Not worth seeking out.
1/5
Rip's Twenty Years' Sleep (1896)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this short film stars Joseph Jefferson. A man goes to sleep?
Another entry in the series where it is a bit hard to tell what is going on. A man lies down but you do not get the impression of twenty years passing. I guess you need to know the story well to see where this fits in.
2/5
Rip's Toast (1896)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film staring Joseph Jefferson. A man makes a toast.
It is a bit hard to tell the context of what his happening here but at least you can see what is going on. As a stand alone there is not a huge amount to this short. Obviously other films of the same era did not have much to them either.
2/5
Saltburn (2023)
Written & directed by Emerald Fennell this film stars Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, Rosamund Pike and Richard E. Grant. In 2006 a scholarship pupil at Oxford worms his way into the life of a popular upper class student.
A lot of similar films exist and I am not really sure what this one adds to the genre. By no means does this film do anything wrong I am just not sure it does anything exceptional or new. Enjoyable regardless of how familiar it is.
3/5
Gladiator II (2024)
Directed by Ridley Scott this sequel stars Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen and Denzel Washington. Sixteen years after the events of the first film another man is brought to Rome as a gladiator.
A poor facsimile of the original there are just too many reminders you are watching a worse version of a film that already exists. There are too many contrivances in plot that is overly complicated and lacking in clear emotional arcs. Even Denzel can not save this one, the cast just falls short.
2/5
Rip Leaving Sleepy Hollow (1896)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. Rip Van Winkle leaves Sleepy Hollow.
If you can pick out what is happening from the action on screen as it relates to any story then you are doing better than me. This is another film in the series where it is too hard to tell what is going on. As a stand alone this is pretty useless.
2/5
Exit of Rip and the Dwarf (1896)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. Part of a series of scenes from the story of Rip Van Winkle.
Without knowing the story of Rip Van Winkle it is hard to tell what is going on here. This snap shot is so short as to even make it hard to work out who is who. Does not work as a stand alone.
2/5
Clerks III (2022)
Directed by Kevin Smith this film stars Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson and Trevor Fehrman. After suffering a heart attack Randal decides to make a film about his life as a clerk.
Highly self referential this film is likely not for everyone. Even as a fan of Smith's work in the past I found this one skirting the edge of cheese towards the end and lacking a bit in humour. Not bad for a third visit to the well.
3/5
Crissie Sheridan (1897)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. Crissie Sheridan does a dance in a flowing white dress.
Similar to other dance films of the period. Nothing much to make this one stand out. Not much to remark on if you have seen any of the other films of this type.
3/5
'Salem's Lot (2024)
Directed by Gary Dauberman this film based on the novel of the same name stars Lewis Pullman, Makenzie Leigh and Jordan Preston Carter. A writer visits the small town he grew up in and finds it is falling under the control of a vampire.
You can see what this one is going for in an exploration of the death of small town America however if the novel nails it then it was lost in the adaptation. As a genre movie this is fine but it is definitely not as memorable as other Stephen King adaptations, even ones from this same director. Might have needed a longer run time to play things out properly.
3/5
New Blacksmith Shop (1895)
Directed by William Heise and William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. A blacksmith at work.
Simple in content and action. Fine for what it is, nothing that will linger in the memory. Pretty standard film for the period.
3/5
Joker: Folie a Deux (2024)
Directed by Todd Phillips this sequel stars Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga. While in prison waiting trial Arthur falls in love with a young woman.
I really do not understand all the hate this sequel got, sure it point blank refuses to be what people who missed the point of the original wanted but who cares about them? Some really good choices as we dip further into the mind of Arthur Fleck. More great performances and fully entertaining.
4/5
Billy Edwards and the Unknown (1895)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson and William Heise this is an early short film. A short clip from a boxing match.
As boxing matches go the action here is pretty tame. Maybe one for boxing historians, not that impressive otherwise. Not much to this one.
2/5
Cock Fight, No. 2 (1894)
Directed by William Heise and William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. Two cocks fight it out.
Thankfully short as I do not really like seeing this kind of thing. While it may be a popular pass time in large parts of the world it is still rather cruel. Not for me.
2/5
The Hornbacker-Murphy Fight (1894)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson and William Heise this is an early short film. Two men have a boxing match.
A small snippet of a fight. Compared to modern boxing this is a lot more pushing round than actual fighting. Not that special but I suppose a fine historical record.
3/5
Pope Leo XIII Being Seated Bestowing Blessings (1900)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. The first time a Pope is caught on film.
Existing mostly as a historical record I am sure this is important to some. As a piece of entertainment there is not a huge amount to this one. Still fairly interesting.
3/5
Home Delivery (2024)
Directed by Thom Harp this film stars Melanie Field, Lindsay Sloane, Donald Faison and Jimmi Simpson. A plus size model invites her family to the birth of her child.
I kind of which we had the full serious version of this film as it is pretty touching when it goes all in on the drama. There are some decent laughs so maybe the comedy parts are not without merit. Great cast, especially in the supporting roles.
3/5
The Luckiest Man in America (2024)
Directed by Samir Oliveros this film based on real events stars Paul Walter Hauser, Walton Goggins and David Strathairn. A man gets on to a game show knowing he can beat the system.
The script of this film takes a large number of liberties to condense things down so all the action takes place over one day and I am not sure it is the better for it. We do not really get to know enough of the protagonist and I am not a fan of some of the changes to events. If nothing else highlights a fascinating piece of tv gameshow history.
3/5
Anora (2024)
Directed by Sean Baker this film stars Mikey Madison, Mark Eydelshteyn and Yura Borisov. A New York stripper has a Las Vegas wedding to the son of a Russian oligarch that she has only known for two weeks.
Hollywood loves the tale of a hooker with a heart of gold and this is another entry into that pantheon. Compared to Baker's other films I found this one all a bit to safe and a little over indulgent, the first section of the film could have been trimmed down a bit. I did enjoy the film even if it was nothing new.
3/5
Annabelle Sun Dance (1894)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this short film stars Annabelle Moore. A woman does a dance.
I am not entirely sure how this is different from the other dances Moore has done on film, still it is fairly entertaining. The hand tinted section is nice, no idea if that is original or not. Fine for a short of the period.
3/5
Glenroy Bros., No. 2 (1894)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson and William Heise this is an early short film. Two men perform part of a boxing act.
A bit like WWE before WWE. Not really enough to be enjoyable. Need to see more of the act to really get it.
3/5
Exhibiting Forgiveness (2024)
Written & directed by Titus Kaphar this film stars Andre Holland, Andra Day, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor and John Earl Jelks. An artist's mother tries to get him to forgive his drug addict father.
For my taste this is too much unchallenged Christianity in this film, I would really have liked if the protagonist pushed back more against the characters hiding behind their faith. That being said this is a pretty good look at addiction, abuse and the need to forgive to be able to move on with your own life. Some great performances from the cast.
4/5
Monkeyshines, No. 3 (1890)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson and William Heise this is an early short film. A camera test from the Edison company film labs.
Not much too this one and it is a bit hard to make out what is going on. Image quality is understandably not the best. Not worth seeking out.
2/5
Corbett and Courtney Before the Kinetograph (1894)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson and William Heise this is an early short film. Two men meet in an exhibition boxing match.
A short snippet of a fight rather than the full Raging Bull of the period. Fine for what it is I suppose. Image quality is not exactly fantastic.
3/5
Your Monster (2024)
Written & directed by Caroline Lindy this film stars Melissa Barrera, Tommy Dewey, Edmund Donovan, Kayla Foster and Meghann Fahy. A young woman scorned finds her voice again thanks to the monster living in her closet.
Nothing you would not expect here but the film is pretty well done. There is some charm to the script and performances. Enjoyable even if it is not that deep.
3/5
Venom: The Last Dance (2024)
Directed by Kelly Marcel this sequel stars Tom Hardy, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Juno Temple and Rhys Ifans. On the run from the law our hero also finds himself on the run from aliens hunting Venom.
The plot for this film is convoluted and really needed a major re-write. I struggle to find anything to enjoy about this one, the characters get pretty much no development. In the end this is a load of elements thrown at the wall without thinking things through.
2/5
Sioux Ghost Dance (1894)
Directed by William Heise and William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. A traditional Sioux dance captured on film.
Unfortunately the image quality of this one is pretty bad. I found it very hard to make out what is going on. Not the best either for entertainment or as a historical record.
2/5
Launch of the “Oceanic” (1899)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early short film. We the launch of a large ship.
A nice little short, pretty impressive action. No doubt a nice historical record. Also includes lens flare from a time before J. J. Abrams.
3/5
McKinley at Home, Canton Ohio (1896)
Directed by William K. L Dickson and Billy Bitzer this is an early short film. Two men walk towards the camera.
Not great in terms of image quality or content. The men never really get close enough to the camera to pick out their features well. I would not be able to tell you which is McKinley.
2/5
Me and My Two Friends (1898)
Directed by William K. L. Dickson this is an early sort film. A young girl with her two pets.
This is barely a film, only a handful of seconds long. What does survive has really good image quality, much better than a lot of pre-1900 films. Fairly cute.
3/5
A Nice Indian boy (2024)
Directed by Roshan Sethi this film based on the play of the same name stars Karan Soni, Jonathan Groff and Sunita Mani. A gay Indian brings home his first boyfriend to meet his family.
This film could easily have gone for some very obvious conflict, lacking in subtly instead it goes for a much better, softer take on the conflict. I really like the way this film is put together, no cheese and some real charm. I would not have guessed it was based on a play, it does a good job of moving the scenes around locations.
4/5
The Front Room (2024)
Directed by the Eggers Brothers this film stars Brandy, Kathryn Hunter and Andrew Burnap. A couple expecting a baby have the husband's abusive elderly step mother move in with them.
It is obvious from the get go where this one is going and it is a case of sitting through waiting for it to happen. Based on a short story I am not sure there was enough content to fill out the film. I lost interest while waiting for the inevitable to happen.
2/5
Old Guy (2024)
Directed by Simon West this film stars Christoph Waltz, Lucy Lui, Cooper Hoffman and Desmond Eastwood. An ageing hitman is paired with a new hitman.
You can see what this film is trying to do it is just not very good. I would guess the whole budget went on Waltz and Lui because I can not see any other reason for them to be in this film. A weak script means this never really gets off the ground.
2/5
Visit to Pompeii (1901)
Directed by George Albert Smith this is an early short film. A collection of scenes from a visit to Pompeii.
Pretty cool in the variety of scenes that are stitched together, something a bit unusual for the period. What it lacks for in action it does make up for in the variety. A nice little watch.
3/5
Retreat (2011)
Directed by Carl Tibbetts this film stars Cillian Murphy, Thandiwe Newton and Jamie Bell. A couple staying on a remote Scottish island are joined by a man claiming a virus is sweeping the world.
I suppose the set up for this film is fine, remote location with people trapped there but it does not really go anywhere. Any potential is squandered by the script not really knowing where it wants to go. Given the cast some of the performances are even a bit weak.
2/5
A Visit to the Seaside (1908)
Directed by George Albert Smith this is an early short film. Clips of people at the sea side.
Colour adds something unique to this film which makes it an important milestone in film making even if the content is not that special. Not that special in and of itself. Solid film for the period.
3/5
Grand Display of Brock's Fireworks at Crystal Palace (1904)
Directed by George Albert Smith this is an early short film. We see clips from a firework display.
While the hand colouring adds some charm to this short film it does also cause a small amount of loss of detail. I did not find this one as awe inspiring as some seem to. A fun little short, nothing more.
3/5
Escape from the 21st Century (2024)
Directed by Li Yang this film stars Zhang Ruoyun, Elane Zhong, Song Yang and Wu Xiaoliang. In 1999 three 18 year olds find they can travel 20 years into the future and back by sneezing.
To be honest I am not sure this one works, it sets up rules for times travel then breaks them anyway. There is plenty of action which sort of makes up for the plot holes. Fun till it starts to drag towards the end.
2/5
A Different Man (2024)
Written & directed by Aaron Schimberg this film stars Sebastian Stan, Renate Reinsve and Adam Pearson. After a radical change of appearance a man starts to lose all sense of identity.
A good mix of dark comedy and thought provoking events. I was a bit worried this film would fall back on simplistic cheese, thankfully it avoids that. Good performances, well worth checking out.
4/5