REVIEW: The Subject (2021)
Documentary filmmakers are often the voice that is never heard; the face that is never seen. They are there – as the genre suggests – to simply document what is going on in front of them. But what if what they capture has a profound…
REVIEW: Held For Ransom (2021)
There was a period of time where videos of the Islamic State or Daesh beheading foreign hostages made the headlines and front pages on an almost daily basis. The terror group – whom many had never heard of until these videos – seemed to spring…
REVIEW: Needle in a Timestack (2021)
Time travel, in itself, is an endlessly fascinating concept. How would it work? Would it change history? How far back could you go? When you add to this the notion of finding your soulmate, it gets a little more complicated and emotive. No matter how…
REVIEW: Fruits of Labor (2021)
The Donald Trump administration created an extremely hostile environment for immigrants all over America. Gone was the land of hope and dreams – replaced by threats and fears. Every immigrant, no matter where they came from, was deemed as a threat. No more so than…
REVIEW: Getting Away with Murder(s) (2021)
Just last week, a former Nazi concentration camp secretary – who was charged with aiding and abetting the murder of thousands – absconded from her war crimes trial. The 96 year old, who worked at Stutthof camp, is offering up the defence that she was…
REVIEW: The Man Who Sold His Skin (2021)
Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania stumbled across the inspiration for her Oscar-nominated film on a trip to Le Louvre in Paris. There, she saw a retrospective dedicated to the Belgian artist, Wim Delvoye. As part of this exhibition, Tim Steiner became a living piece of…
REVIEW: Saint Narcisse (2021)
In Greek mythology, Narcissus was renowned for his heart-stopping beauty. Unfortunately for him, it was his inability to peel himself away from his ravishing reflection that ultimately led to his death. This stark warning about the perils of poring over every inch of our faces…
REVIEW: Small Engine Repair (2021)
Writer-director John Pollono’s off-Broadway play, Small Engine Repair, has been on the brink of getting made into a movie for almost a decade. Having finally gotten off the ground, it’s not your typical stage-to-screen conversion. Yes, it feels tight – almost claustrophobic – but its…
REVIEW: The Champion of Auschwitz (2021)
There have been so many stories of heroism, resistance, sacrifice and rebellion surround World War Two that seems almost impossible to have “missed” any. However, it is the unknown story of a Polish champion boxer that is the subject of writer / director Maciej Barczewski’s…
REVIEW: Plan A (2021)
The German nation has been undergoing the process of “vergangenheitsbewaltigung” – coming to terms with the past – since 1945. Films like Die Morder Sind Unter Uns, Die Blechtrommel, Der Untergang and Die Welle have all sought to address the national consciousness; the “Kollectivschuld”. In…
REVIEW: Demonic (2021)
Possession horror has been a staple of the genre for decades. The classic battle for the soul – good versus evil – has allowed writers and directors to explore religious mystique, body horror and psychological thrillhttps://jumpcutonline.co.uk/2015/05/28/review-chappie-2015/s that will have us question if that pile of…
REVIEW: The Faithful – The King, The Pope, The Princess
What do Elvis Presley, Diana, Princess of Wales and Pope John Paul II have in common? It sounds like the start of a bad joke but it’s actually the premise of Annie Berman’s documentary, The Faithful: The King, The Pope and The Princess. Berman looks…
REVIEW: The Meaning of Hitler (2021)
There have been hundreds, if not thousands, of World War Two books and documentaries over the past seven decades. Nearly a century after the fact, we are still utterly fascinated by the events which pushed humanity to the brink. From books by Hannah Arendt to…
