Author Archives: Sam S-P
Review: Cargo (2017/18)
CARGO is not to be confused with Cargo, the not particularly good Swiss ALIEN/MATRIX mashup from 2009. But I don’t think many people saw that one, so the mixup is unlikely. Netflix’s Cargo is, to put it simply, an Australian … Continue reading
Review in Brief: The Florida Project (2017)
I’ve no idea why it took me so long to watch THE FLORIDA PROJECT, one of the best films of 2017. So few films (STAND BY ME and the new IT spring to mind as other good examples) show kids … Continue reading
30s Review: The Wizard of Oz (1939)
A couple of weekends back I attended my first ever outdoor film screening as part of Film 4’s Summer Screen at Somerset House in London. It was a dream-themed double-bill of LABYRINTH followed by what I think most of the … Continue reading
Review in Brief: Berlin Syndrome (2017)
BERLIN SYNDROME takes simple exploitation film premise, “nice boy you met on holiday turns out to be a kidnapping psychopath” and goes far deeper into the psychological makeup of these characters who could very easily just be archetypes. It portrays … Continue reading
Review: The Meg (2018)
Keep an ear out for this exchange in pubs over the next few months: ” Did you see that Jason Statham Giant Shark Movie? Yeah, it was alright I guess”. That’s how THE MEG is going to be remembered because … Continue reading
Review: Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
Is this going to be Ant-Man’s lot in life, to be the minty Tic Tac chaser for Marvel’s biggest, meatiest and most extravagant releases? The first ANT-MAN blew me away, a jolt of irreverent energy coming straight after the unwieldy … Continue reading
Review: Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)
Get excited, but not too excited; MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT is probably only the third best Mission we’ve chosen to accept. While I think I’ll always prefer the self-awareness of GHOST PROTOCOL and the sheer style of ROGUE NATION, there’s … Continue reading
Review: The Station Agent (2003)
THE STATION AGENT is an unassuming but punchy little film well worth your time. Measured pacing, naturalistic performances and the trainspotting subject matter might not seem like selling points, but trust me, they really are. After the sudden loss of … Continue reading
Review in Brief: You Were Never Really Here (2017)
Well this was a cheerful watch. I say that sarcastically, though apparently some people found this one strangely uplifting. Maybe it’s that whole lost soul thing on a mission thing. Joaquin Phoenix always manages to go the extra mile, to … Continue reading
SSP Thinks Film 