Tannhäuser Gate

UK Release Date:   18 April 2025 Director:  Ryan Coogler Cast:  Miles Caton, Michael B. Jordan, Jayme Lawson, Delroy Lindo, Omar Benson Miller, Wunmi Mosaku, Jack O'Connell, Hailee Steinfeld Runtime:  138 mins Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Review: Straightaway, Ryan Coogler cements Sinners as one of the most creative pieces of storytelling to grace the screen. Distorted, flickering and flashing imagery, mirroring events that have already taken place that the audience is yet to see.  Capturing the perfect balance between a real, perceivable threat and an evil that is hidden in the shadows. Appropriating the extremities of deep-rooted racism in Clarksdale, Mississippi in the 30's. Making it all the more powerful that the film's demonic oppressor is an Irish immigrant looking to overcome his grief through the means of a surrogate family. Yet, in doing so is committing the same sins that once befell his own culture. The perfect mix of charismatic manipulation and vicious c...

UK Release Date:  07 November 1980 Director:  Stanley Kubrick Cast:  Scatman Crothers, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, Barry Nelson, Jack Nicholson, Philip Stone, Joe Turkel Runtime:  144  mins Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐ Review: Opening with an overpowering sound of synthesisers mimicking brass instruments, The Shining is immediately awakening. Wendy Carlos and Rachel Elkind craft a score that frightens and mocks both the Torrance's and the audience. Taking inspiration from Goblin's work on Suspiria with an array of unsettling harp plucks and haunting shrieks. Incorporating Latin 13th-century hymn, Dies Irae into Main Title (The Shining) to amplify the sensation of impending doom.  It is that blend of devilish originality and classical symphonies that succeeds in creating a  jolty and jagged sound that  feels alive, as if it can physically harm.  An audibly ominous atmosphere aided by thunderous sound design. Unapologetically loud and obnoxious. Wh...

UK Release Date:  05  December 2025 Director:  Jafar Panahi Cast:  Afsaneh Najm Abadi, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr, Vahid Mobasseri, Delmaz Najafi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, George Hashem Zadeh Runtime:  103 mins Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐ Review: The Cambridge Dictionary defines tension as a feeling of fear or anger between two groups of people who do not trust each other. In film, tension is often the emotional strain that keeps the audience on the edge of their seat. When utilised correctly, tension r egularly elicits  a sense of frustration and stress. Winner of the Palme d'Or at Cannes Film Festival 2025, It Was Just an Accident certainly accomplishes its goal of crafting a stress ridden environment. Although, the most genius aspect is that Jafar Panahi manages to pull this off by avoiding all common filmmaking conventions.    Ari Aster's Hereditary , considered by many as the golden standard for modern horror film...

UK Release Date:  09 September 1999 Director:  Stanley Kubrick Cast:  Tom Cruise, Alan Cumming, Todd Field, Nicole Kidman, Sydney Pollack, Marie Richardson, Rade Šerbedžija, Vinessa Shaw Runtime:  159 mins Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐ ½ Review: A warped and demented experience,  Eyes Wide Shut  is an erotic, exploitative  psychosexual odyssey. Stanley Kubrick dissects the hereditary human weakness to be desired, presenting a  nightmarish look at animalistic lust.  Characters left tortured by Freudian imagery, craving a sense of sexual validation.  Displaying the torment of the sexual fantasy - both with visible actions and passionate ambitions -   and the threatening strain it puts on a relationship.  Yet, for a film that openly tackles unadulterated sexual thoughts, the thematic through lines are juxtaposed by a flamboyant dreamlike backdrop. Heightened, vibrant colours placing emphasis on the surreal nature of the narrative....

UK Release Date:   21 November 2025 Director:  Clint Bentley Cast:  Nathaniel Arcand, Kerry Condon, Joel Edgerton, Felicity Jones, William H. Macy, Will Patton Runtime:  102 mins Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Review: Train Dreams , film's most personal offering this year. An intimate, human story told in an expansive, evolving environment.  Every emotion is seen, every emotion is felt.  A tranquil refection on time. The regret of not spending those hours correctly -  hoping to be transported to the past.  Simply waiting for the surroundings to revert to normal.  Lingering thoughts and persistent questions as Robert Grainier attempts to hold on to his little corner of the world.  As well as being thematically rich, Train Dreams is a visual feast. The most gorgeous forest landscapes. Deep, luscious greens fill the screen -  only glimpses of natural light break through the canopies leading to several breathtaking lens flares. Stunning sk...

UK Release Date: 20 December 2011 Director: David Fincher Cast: Steven Berkoff, Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Christopher Plummer, Stellan Skarsgård, Yorick van Wageningen, Robin Wright Runtime: 158 mins Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐ ½ Review: David Fincher's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo opens with mystery and is then immediately followed by an abrasive opening title sequence. A computer generated, black liquid-ooze created by Tim Miller's Blur Studio visually depicting  brief glimpses of the film's future imagery.  Flashes of  hornets, a dragon, a spreading fire - vivid symbolism of Lisbeth's story.  Bolstered by a violent, raspy rendition of Led Zeppelin's Immigrant Song  from Karen O, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. Karen O's v ocals struggle to reach the surface - the song constantly feels like a desperate gasp for air, a cry for help. Eliciting  feelings of discomfort and distress.  It's an impressive and inspired collaboration that captures the chall...