disease
It takes a lot to stand out among the numerous films about the AIDS crisis, but Campillo has managed to craft one that’s certain to stand the test of time. Distinctive characters and an astute understanding of what made ACT UP so memorable shines through in 120 BPM.
Based on a real-life and serious disease, Midnight Sun, though with initial potential, is ultimately too heavy-handed and clichéd to be an effective romantic drama.
Relying heavily on the personal over the historical, 1985 is a gripping reminder that the social drama need not be loud and tumultuous for it to be effective.
From 2008, French film A Christmas Tale offers a different type of holiday film – one that is melancholy, depressing, and yet also intriguing.
Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool is not a faultless affair, but the central love story and performances make up for its minor flaws.
Unrest is a brave piece of documentary filmmaking that’s absorbing, sensitive and most importantly, has the power to save lives.
With heartfelt performances, and alarmingly relevant, thought-provoking themes, Realive marks Syfy Films’ arrival to the silver screen.
A dual character study, All The Rage benefits from its celebrity testimonies, candid interviews with Dr. Sarno, and Galinsky’s efficiency of substantiation.
War for the Planet of the Apes is a must-see, visually stunning achievement and a satisfying addition to the series.
The Big Sick is not another run-of-the-mill rom-com: it’s got heart, humor, a touching story, and a refreshing take of immigrant life.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks tells the story of Henrietta Lacks, whose cells helped to give birth to modern bio-medicine.
Aquarius is a powerful character study about a woman fighting back against vulnerabilities, anchored by a fine performance from Sônia Braga.
When we think about viruses in cinema, we usually think about them in conjunction with turning us into the undead. Indeed, the stunning alacrity and volume at which Hollywood churns out zombie epidemic films begs us to wonder if we have truly exhausted the “what if?” nature of this particular vein of horror.
The intro to Miss Sharon Jones, likely tacked on by the film’s distributor, announces a standard music bio-doc kind of film, complete with voice-over, performances and talking heads. It was enough to make me roll my eyes at the prospect of sitting through another paint-by-numbers film on an under appreciated musician. Well, that intro was a deft bait-and-switch, as Miss Sharon Jones is anything but typical.
I first saw My Brief Eternity at the Wales International Documentary Festival, and such was its impact on me that after meeting the director Clare Sturges, and after writing up the festival itself, I resolved to review it so that others would come to know of it. The short documentary is a joint project between Maggie’s and Brightest Films, the former being a cancer charity, the latter Sturges’ production company. The film is about the Welsh artist; Osi Rhys Osmond.
