Our Kind of Traitor Offers the Same Kind of le Carré Spy Thriller You’re Used To
It’s second-tier le Carré but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Also features some killer cinematography.
Double Feature: One Wild Moment (2015) and Blame It On Rio (1984)
Two films remaking the same story of an older man sleeping with his friend’s daughter and, weirdly, the 2015 one is less progressive than the 1984 movie.
Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates (2016)
Another Apatow-esque comedy where attractive people goof around, do drugs and learn lessons. Also, spoilers: Zac Efron takes his shirt off.
Defusing Post-War Politics in Land of Mine
This Danish drama about the challenges of post-war reconstruction offers plenty of suspense (and a few too many clichés).
Between The Rock and a Hart Face: Central Intelligence
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is a great movie star in search of a great movie. Central Intelligence isn’t quite it, but it is a lot of fun watching The Rock show off his goofy side. Shame about the spy stuff.
Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie (2015)
A flagrantly mercenary reboot that offers spectacular animation but insipid ideas.
Melon Monsters and Nice Guys: The Strained Sexual Politics of Motto To-Love-Ru
Those who’ve followed this site for a while will have noticed that all the coverage of contemporary cinema is periodically punctuated by reviews of fanservice anime. In my first such review – of Ikkitousen’s third season – I made a serious attempt to grapple with the politics of a genre operating in the vein of…
Tale of Tales (2015)
As its name suggests, Tale of Tales is an anthology film, retelling three Italian fairytales through the lens of high fantasy (and a splash of Game-of-Thrones-esque sexuality). Despite a rave reception after opening last year’s Cannes, it has little to offer beyond impressively baroque aesthetics and a few standout performances. The three stories – of…
Palio (2015)
I love a good underdog sports story. Oh, it’s a familiar narrative, but there’s something in the time-honoured tale of overcoming the odds and snatching victory from the jaws of defeat that can’t help but resonate with me. Palio then, which pits plucky newcomer Giovanni Atzeni against veteran champion – and mentor – Luigi “Gigi”…
The Hunting Ground (2015)
Over a year after the premiere of The Hunting Ground, this documentary’s insight into the darker side of American college culture is doubly relevant. Kirby Dick’s film reveals not only the regularity of rapes on campus, but how institutions value their own survival over the wellbeing of their students. With shocking clarity, The Hunting Ground…
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