Subversive: George A. Romero
It is a pleasing truth that there is more at play in the films of George A. Romero than mere blood and guts… Though hardly the first director to tackle Zombies (it is...
In Profile: Steve McQueen
How many Turner Prize-winning artists does it take to make a Hollywood feature? By our count, just the one… When Steve McQueen won the Turner Prize in 1999, the jury noted the “poetry...
The Big Interview: Mark Kermode
Ahead of the release of his forthcoming book, we caught up with the Observer’s new film critic, Mark Kermode… Kermode on: his new book, Hatchet Jobs: Love Movies, Hate Critics When I started...
Nosferatu and the Early Achievements of Horror Cinema
Adam Scovell salutes a classic of the horror genre and the films that laid the groundwork for its success… In his excellent 2010 series, A History of Horror, Mark Gatiss stated that the...
There’s Something about Woody
Woody Allen fan waiting with trepidation for the release of Blue Jasmine? You’re not alone… “New York was his town, and it always would be…” Whenever I think, read or hear about Woody...
Elysium and the story of Cinematic Dystopia
Thought sci-fi cinema was all about the CGI? Andrew Kirkland explores silver-screen dystopia and finds it’s the perfect way to package political and social issues… “Everybody wants to ask me lately about my predictions...
In Profile: Nic Roeg
The Man Who Fell to Earth illustrates perfectly the rich if incongruent career of director Nic Roeg… In every sense of the word, Nicholas Roeg has had a remarkable career. Before making his...
Studio Ghibli Season – Previewed
Internationally admired event movies and the perfect cure for a hangover? Studio Ghibli’s wonders never cease… Nursing a hangover on Saturday, it was with some relief to find My Neighbour Totoro, a product...
Wadjda – Reviewed
The first full length feature produced in Saudi Arabia, James Hampson considers Wadjda, a film about a girl and her bike, and so much more… Wadjda is a film of firsts: it is...