The Hired Hand (1971). Directed by Peter Fonda
Stunning western that stars Fonda and the always great Warren Oates. Beautiful to look at. Great Bruce Langhorne music. Plus it's 1971 so you have no idea how it will end. Dreamlike disolves and slow motion. Just great. On YouTube.
The Hired Hand (1971). Directed by Peter Fonda
Stunning western that stars Fonda and the always great Warren Oates. Beautiful to look at. Great Bruce Langhorne music. Plus it's 1971 so you have no idea how it will end. Dreamlike disolves and slow motion. Just great. On YouTube.
Himizu (2011). Directed by Sion Sono
I love Sion Sono. This is another great one. Two teenage schoolchildren whose parents either neglect or abuse them are brought together in the wake of the Fukushima disaster. Unlike anything else except maybe another Sono film. Truly superb.
Himizu (2011). Directed by Sion Sono
I love Sion Sono. This is another great one. Two teenage schoolchildren whose parents either neglect or abuse them are brought together in the wake of the Fukushima disaster. Unlike anything else except maybe another Sono film. Truly superb.
War of the Worlds: Next Century (1981). Directed by Piotr Szulkin
Szulkin's sort of sequel to War of the Worlds. Dedicated to H.G.Wells and Orson Welles. The next century is fast approaching and the Martians are back. It's a satire about TV, manipulation and invasions. Terrific.
War of the Worlds: Next Century (1981). Directed by Piotr Szulkin
Szulkin's sort of sequel to War of the Worlds. Dedicated to H.G.Wells and Orson Welles. The next century is fast approaching and the Martians are back. It's a satire about TV, manipulation and invasions. Terrific.
Shadow of Fire (2023). Directed by Shinya Tsukamoto
Tsukamoto is known for Tetsuo and A Snake of June. This is a recent one set in Japan in 1946. A young boy lives with a prostitute and then goes off with a man bent on revenge, who uses him to help, as the boy has found a gun.
Shadow of Fire (2023). Directed by Shinya Tsukamoto
Tsukamoto is known for Tetsuo and A Snake of June. This is a recent one set in Japan in 1946. A young boy lives with a prostitute and then goes off with a man bent on revenge, who uses him to help, as the boy has found a gun.
The Face of Darkness (1976). Directed by Ian F. H. Lloyd
This is a supernatural horror short - 57 minutes. Lennard Pearce from Only Fools and Horses is a pompous MP who wants to bring back the death penalty and finds a way to make an undead man help him, but he bodges the ritual.
The Face of Darkness (1976). Directed by Ian F. H. Lloyd
This is a supernatural horror short - 57 minutes. Lennard Pearce from Only Fools and Horses is a pompous MP who wants to bring back the death penalty and finds a way to make an undead man help him, but he bodges the ritual.
Steve (2025). Directed by Tim Mielants
Excellent film starring Cillian Murphy. It's about a school for boys deemed uncontrollable. Murphy is Steve the head teacher. Brilliant with the boys but with his own secret issues. Some brilliant young actors. On Netflix. Unmissable stuff.
Steve (2025). Directed by Tim Mielants
Excellent film starring Cillian Murphy. It's about a school for boys deemed uncontrollable. Murphy is Steve the head teacher. Brilliant with the boys but with his own secret issues. Some brilliant young actors. On Netflix. Unmissable stuff.
Golem (1980). Directed by Piotr Szulkin
Absurdist Polish film starring Marek Walczewski as Pernat. A confused man being interrogated about a murder he knows nothing about. Reminiscent of Brazil at times. Kafka-esque. It's confusing but endlessly fascinating. On MUBI in the UK.
Golem (1980). Directed by Piotr Szulkin
Absurdist Polish film starring Marek Walczewski as Pernat. A confused man being interrogated about a murder he knows nothing about. Reminiscent of Brazil at times. Kafka-esque. It's confusing but endlessly fascinating. On MUBI in the UK.
Interrogation (1982/1989). Directed by Ryszard Bugajski
Polish nightmare of a film from 1982. Banned until 1989. Set in early '50s Poland, a woman (an astonishing Krystyna Janda) is abducted by the secret police who try to force confessions out of her, but she is a force of nature
Interrogation (1982/1989). Directed by Ryszard Bugajski
Polish nightmare of a film from 1982. Banned until 1989. Set in early '50s Poland, a woman (an astonishing Krystyna Janda) is abducted by the secret police who try to force confessions out of her, but she is a force of nature
The Panic in Needle Park (1971). Directed by Jerry Schatzberg
The film that got Al Pacino the part in The Godfather. It's not hard to see why. He's junkie Bobby. Kitty Winn is homeless, soon to be junkie Helen. They fall in love with drugs and each other. It has a 70s ending.
The Panic in Needle Park (1971). Directed by Jerry Schatzberg
The film that got Al Pacino the part in The Godfather. It's not hard to see why. He's junkie Bobby. Kitty Winn is homeless, soon to be junkie Helen. They fall in love with drugs and each other. It has a 70s ending.
Detachment (2011). Directed by Tony Kaye
A drama, on the surface, about the failure of the American school system, directed by the controversial Tony Kaye, who directs in a very unusual but effective way here. Mostly depressing but with glimmers of hope. On Prime in the UK.
Detachment (2011). Directed by Tony Kaye
A drama, on the surface, about the failure of the American school system, directed by the controversial Tony Kaye, who directs in a very unusual but effective way here. Mostly depressing but with glimmers of hope. On Prime in the UK.
Marketa Lazarova (1967). Directed by František Vláčil
Epic black and white Czech film set in the 13th Century. The Christians are coming. A man's daughter is kidnapped and violence preceeds and follows. The soundtrack is fantastic. It's an astonishing piece of filmmaking.
Marketa Lazarova (1967). Directed by František Vláčil
Epic black and white Czech film set in the 13th Century. The Christians are coming. A man's daughter is kidnapped and violence preceeds and follows. The soundtrack is fantastic. It's an astonishing piece of filmmaking.
A Candle for the Devil (1973). Directed by Eugenio Martin
Spanish horror with Judy Geeson. She plays Laura, who arrives at a hotel to meet her sister. However, her sister is dead. Killed by one of the women owners who can't stand women she finds depraved. More death follows.
A Candle for the Devil (1973). Directed by Eugenio Martin
Spanish horror with Judy Geeson. She plays Laura, who arrives at a hotel to meet her sister. However, her sister is dead. Killed by one of the women owners who can't stand women she finds depraved. More death follows.
The End of August at the Hotel Ozone (1967). Directed by Jan Schmidt
Black and white Czech post-apocalyptic film. It avoids the usual post-apocalyptic film tropes in favour of something more likely, more bleak and more hopeless. Beautifully filmed and acted. Free on YouTube.
The End of August at the Hotel Ozone (1967). Directed by Jan Schmidt
Black and white Czech post-apocalyptic film. It avoids the usual post-apocalyptic film tropes in favour of something more likely, more bleak and more hopeless. Beautifully filmed and acted. Free on YouTube.
Song for a Raggy Boy (2003). Directed by Aisling Walsh
Catholic abuse of boys at a reform school in 1939 Ireland. Aidan Quinn stars in the real story of a teacher who faught for his pupils against the violence of Iain Glen's Brother John. Glen is truly terrifying. Brutal.
Song for a Raggy Boy (2003). Directed by Aisling Walsh
Catholic abuse of boys at a reform school in 1939 Ireland. Aidan Quinn stars in the real story of a teacher who faught for his pupils against the violence of Iain Glen's Brother John. Glen is truly terrifying. Brutal.
Big Boys Don't Cry (2020). Directed by Steve Crowhurst
This is a grim tale starring Michael Socha, surely one of the UK's best actors. He plays Paul Connolly, on whose book the film is based. We flash back to his time at a children's home where he and others were abused. Grim.
Big Boys Don't Cry (2020). Directed by Steve Crowhurst
This is a grim tale starring Michael Socha, surely one of the UK's best actors. He plays Paul Connolly, on whose book the film is based. We flash back to his time at a children's home where he and others were abused. Grim.
The Big Racket (1976). Directed by Enzo G. Castellari
Superb Italian crime/revenge film. Fabio Testi stars as a policeman trying to bring down a vicious gang. It's pretty brutal. There are a few light moments, but it's mostly gritty and bleak as hell. Highly recommended.
The Big Racket (1976). Directed by Enzo G. Castellari
Superb Italian crime/revenge film. Fabio Testi stars as a policeman trying to bring down a vicious gang. It's pretty brutal. There are a few light moments, but it's mostly gritty and bleak as hell. Highly recommended.
Anguish (1987). Directed by Bigas Luna
Black comedy horror starring Zelda Rubinstein as a mother who gets her son to kill and bring her eyes. It’s a gory, unpleasant, quite clever low-budget film. Kind of played for laughs and manages to be hugely entertaining. Great ending too.
Anguish (1987). Directed by Bigas Luna
Black comedy horror starring Zelda Rubinstein as a mother who gets her son to kill and bring her eyes. It’s a gory, unpleasant, quite clever low-budget film. Kind of played for laughs and manages to be hugely entertaining. Great ending too.