abuse

QUEEN OF HEARTS: The Abuser Behind The Mask
QUEEN OF HEARTS: The Abuser Behind The Mask

An unvarnished character study of an unexpected abuser and the havoc her actions cause, Queen of Hearts is one of the most emotionally draining films this year.

MINDING THE GAP: A Profound, Gentle Portrait Of Abuse & Survival
MINDING THE GAP: A Profound, Gentle Portrait Of Abuse & Survival

Minding the Gap is a harrowing portrait of trauma and abuse, and a hypnotic rumination on what it means to film, be filmed, and see yourself in film. And its ending is momentous.

Hypocritical Hollywood: Mixed Signals In The War Against Sexual Harassment And Abuse
Hypocritical Hollywood: Mixed Signals In The War Against Sexual Harassment And Abuse

It’s a tough time in Hollywood for the male elite at the minute, as their history of heinous behaviour towards women gradually becomes common knowledge.

BOYS WHO LIKE GIRLS: Crucial Doc On Men As Allies
BOYS WHO LIKE GIRLS: Crucial Doc On Men As Allies

Inka Achté’s documentary BOYS WHO LIKE GIRLS chronicles the efforts of an organization in India to educate boys and men on pressing gender-based issues.

A GENTLE CREATURE: A Mean-Spirited Look At Corruption In Russian Society

A Gentle Creature is a divisive film, too exaggerated to be a realistic condemnation of the corrupt bureaucracy it seeks to lampoon.

CUSTODY: A Social realist take on the home invasion thriller
CUSTODY: A Social Realist Take On The Home Invasion Thriller

Custody is an impressive debut feature from Xavier Legrand, that manages to avoid exploitation even as it generates untold amounts of tension from a realistic domestic drama.

Art Vs. Artist: What Do We Do When Our Heroes Fail Us?
Art Vs. Artist: What Do We Do When Our Heroes Fail Us?

It’s easy to hold the moral high ground and dismiss works created by awful people. But, as Jacqui Griffin writes, rejecting one of your favourite films (in this case, Allen’s Annie Hall) on these grounds is easier said than done.

DARK RIVER: Social Realism At Its Most Atmospheric
DARK RIVER: Social Realism At Its Most Atmospheric

Dark River feels more like a transitional gateway to better films, bridging the gap between Clio Barnard’ older social realist efforts and flirtations with experimental works likely to come.

THE LIGHT OF THE MOON: A Stunning Foray Into A Sensitive Subject
THE LIGHT OF THE MOON: A Stunning Foray Into A Sensitive Subject

Feeling both vitally important and imminently personal, The Light of the Moon is as remarkable as its title is poetic – and twice as powerful.

Real Monsters: COLOSSAL & The Portrayal Of Patterns Of Abuse
Real Monsters: COLOSSAL & The Portrayal Of Patterns Of Abuse

Colossal is unflinching in presenting the dangers of toxic masculinity and patterns of abuse in a way very few recent American films have been, lately or ever.

QUARRIES: An 80 Minute Endurance Test For All The Wrong Reasons

It’s no fun to criticise an aspiring filmmaker’s low budget passion project- but when the result is as misguided as Quarries, it’s necessary.

MEAN DREAMS Exemplifies The Power of Good Storytelling & Bill Paxton
MEAN DREAMS Exemplifies The Power of Good Storytelling & Bill Paxton

For a story we’ve seen over and over, Mean Dreams, Bill Paxton’s last film, is compelling, refusing to take the usual narrative routes.

Fifty Shades of Grey
FIFTY SHADES OF GREY: Christian Grey Is Not Real

Fifty Shades Of Grey, it’s not often that so few words can spark so great a societal reaction. And to be honest, it is because of this very reason that I went to watch this film. I didn’t read the books, I didn’t care to.

Whiplash
WHIPLASH: A Story of Anger and Ambition

Why do we strive for greatness? What pushes someone to practice something over and over, until his hands bleed, until he perfects it? Can this intensity be brought out in all of us?