As the decade reaches its close, I take a look back at some of my favourite film trends and cinematic highlights from the last ten years… The New Breed of Unmissable Directors This decade has seen the emergence of a new breed of directors delivering must-see films. Leading the pack in Hollywood are Damien Chazelle and Barry Jenkins. Chazelle has delivered one of the decade’s best pictures with Whiplash, and two other fantastic films (La La Land and First Man). Meanwhile Jenkins gifted us two beautiful, nuanced pictures with Moonlight and If Beale Street Could Talk. Jennifer Kent has also ..read more

Jacques Demy’s classic musical The Umbrellas of Cherbourg is just as enchanting fifty-five years after its original release.  Geneviève is in love with Guy, a young car mechanic. When he is drafted to serve in the Algerian War, Geneviève and Guy each take a different path… Originally released in 1964, Jacques Demy’s sung-through musical gets a rare re-release as part of the BFI Musicals season. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg focuses on the poignancy of first love, with its bittersweet romance. Told in three chapters, the film is about the blossoming romance between Geneviève and Guy, and the ..read more

Jennifer Kent’s sophomore film The Nightingale is brutal and engrossing. The film is a wonderful showcase for Kent’s conferrable talents. In 1825, Irish convict Clare suffers a traumatic experience. As she seeks revenge, Clare enlists the help of Billy, an Aboriginal tracker, to guide her through the Tasmanian wilderness… After the success of 2014’s The Babadook, writer-director Jennifer Kent’s second feature has been eagerly awaited. The Nightingale does not disappoint in its scale and its scope. The film is a trial by fire, delivering a multifaceted retribution tale.  From the very ..read more

Writer-director Meredith Danluck’s State Like Sleep is a slow-burn thriller. Despite its talented cast, the film is indolent. Katherine returns to Brussels, a year after the death of her famous actor husband. As she visits her ailing mother, Katherine attempts to find out what happened to her late husband in the days leading to his death… Written and directed by Meredith Danluck, State Like Sleep crosses a mystery thriller with a drama. The film takes a little while to get going. In the meantime, Danluck establishes the protagonist Katherine and the background to her return to Brussels ..read more

Jason Cabell’s solo directorial debut Running with the Devil is refreshing in its commitment to harsh realities over cheap thrills, for the most part. Unfortunately this doesn’t make the film particularly memorable.  The head of a drug cartel sends two of his trusted assistants to investigate why a batch of cocaine went missing on its way from Mexico to Canada. The pair need to go through the chain to identify the problem… An early shot of Running with the Devil is reminiscent of the very famous tracking shot from Goodfellas. Writer-director Jason Cabell uses this to set up a sharp cont ..read more

Alan Parker’s neo-noir thriller Angel Heart is rightly considered a classic. Parker’s nightmarish vision is just as indelible over thirty years later. Private investigator Harry Angel is hired by a man to track down a singer who owes him a debt from years ago. Angel starts tracking down leads, before the investigation takes a dark turn… Angel Heart’s noir premise is straightforward enough; a private detective on a case to track down an individual. Nothing is as simple as it seems however, as the case leads him to travel far and wide to chase down any viable lead. Viewers suspicions are r ..read more

Director Michael Dougherty’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters is something of a po-faced monster movie. The emphasis on the human characters weighs the film down. It has been five years since Godzilla attacked, and the monster has not been seen since. Agency Monarch has to fight against a series of monsters, as the monsters battle each other… Director and co-writer Michael Dougherty (with co-writers Zach Shields) brings the monsters together with Godzilla: King of the Monsters, a follow up to 2014’s Godzilla. The opening ten minutes is an exciting introduction to the film, succinctly intro ..read more

With the 63rd BFI London Film Festival drawing to a close tonight, there have been a lot of wonderful movies this year. The best films of the first week can be viewed here. Below are the LFF 2019 highlights from the second week… LFF 2019 Highlights – Unmissable The Irishman In a career positively littered with jewels, Martin Scorsese manages to surpass expectations once more. The film is a magnificent gem. The Irishman is an introspective study, with Scorsese pulling no punches where it counts. READ MORE Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound Midge Costin’s documentary Making ..read more

In a career positively littered with jewels, Martin Scorsese manages to surpass expectations once more. The Irishman is a magnificent gem.  Frank Sheeran recounts his life as a mob hitman and a labour union official. Frank tells of his relationship with union leader Jimmy Hoffa, as well as some of the most powerful mobsters in the second half of the twentieth century… Based on Charles Brandt’s I Heard You Paint Houses, Martin Scorsese and screenwriter Steven Zallian have created something special with The Irishman. The film is compelling from start to finish. Running at almost three and ..read more

Edmunds Jansons’ Jacob, Mimmi and the Talking Dogs is an amiable animated adventure with a strong message at its core. When his father goes on a business trip, Jacob goes to stay in the Riga suburb of Maskachka with his cousin Mimmi. When the local park is earmarked as the site of a new skyscraper, Jacob and Mimmi enlist the help of a pack of talking dogs to stop construction… Directed and co-written by Edmunds Jansons (with co-writer Liga Gaisa), Jacob, Mimmi and the Talking Dogs is a family-friendly animated film. The film focuses on two children’s fight to stop construction that will ..read more