Category Archives: Review in Brief
Review in Brief: Rebecca (2020)
I really liked Ben Wheatley’s REBECCA. With the impossible task of competing with Hitchcock’s Oscar-winning black-and-white classic, Ben Wheatley and co take a different path, turn a modern eye to a vintage tale and have produced something sumptuous, grand and … Continue reading
Review in Brief: Fanny Lye Deliver’d (2019/20)
FANNY LYE DELIVER’D is a 17th Century-set sort-of home invasion horror where a family of Puritans and particularly the titular character (Maxine Peake) are made to question their beliefs under duress by a “sinful”nontheistic and hedonistic Quaker couple. This is … Continue reading
Review in Brief: Swallow (2019/20)
In SWALLOW, Hunter (Haley Bennett, terrific) is trapped in a miserable marriage and pregnancy to a rich asshole. The only excitement in Hunter’s day, the only control she can exert on her monotonous life is which objects she puts into … Continue reading
Review in Brief: Lucy in the Sky (2019)
Questioning truth and the nature of reality is one of Noah Hawley’s favourite things to do. In FARGO it’s the weekly repeated introduction taken from the Coen Brothers film that “This is a true story”. In LUCY IN THE SKY … Continue reading
Review in Brief: You Don’t Nomi (2020)
YOU DON’T NOMI is a pleasingly in-depth documentary deconstruction of Paul Verhoeven’s infamous stripper film SHOWGIRLS. Admittedly, there’s a lot of fun to be had inserting scenes from Showgirls onto handy screens found within other, “better” Verhoeven movies, and they … Continue reading
Review in Brief: Da 5 Bloods (2020)
Following the bold BLACKKKLANSMAN, DA 5 BLOODS is again Spike Lee on fine form, with plenty to say. I loved the choice to not de-age the leads for the flashbacks, that in looking back it’s s them as they are … Continue reading
Review in Brief: Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (2020)
CRIP CAMP really got me. In a world that’s seemingly more unjust and unequal every day, in 2020 this heartfelt documentary reminds you of a time 40 years ago when civil rights took a giant leap forward. Camp Jened gave … Continue reading
Review in Brief: The Half of It (2020)
At first THE HALF OF IT fools you into thinking it’s going to be just another quirky teen romcom. It is so much more layered than that – the story of an over-achiever (Leah Lewis) switching up her homework-for-cash business … Continue reading
Review in Brief: Butt Boy (2019/20)
Indie horror-mystery BUTT BOY has the schlockiest of schlocky conceits, but approaches it completely straight. Amazingly, it works. It’s a classic tale of a deadbeat alcoholic cop on the hunt for a serial killer, only this serial killer seems to … Continue reading
Review in Brief: The Platform (2019)
THE PLATFORM may feel relevant but it’s extremely obvious in its use of metaphor. One character (Zorion Eguileor) has a catchphrase, responding to every passing comment of his cell mate (Iván Massagué) with a derisive “Obviously”. “Obviously” could be this … Continue reading
SSP Thinks Film 