Tannhäuser Gate

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...

UK Release Date: 26 September 2025 Director: Paul Thomas Anderson Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Regina Hall, Wood Harris, Chase Infiniti, Sean Penn, Teyana Taylor, Benicio Del Toro Runtime: 162 mins Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐ ½ Review: Right from the first frame,  One Battle After Another  demands attention. A sun-kissed backdrop, an image that is  thematically blinding. The whole film in fact is lit extraordi narily well. Night and day look equally clear, making silhouettes pop. Striking deep blues swapped for the bright colours of the dessert.  There's an emphasis placed on  natural lighting by cinematographer, Michael Bauman, in order to evoke a sense of realism with the film.  Therefore, whilst  One Battle After Another  can be frenetic, focus is never lost.  Having previously worked with a plethora of legendary contemporary filmmakers,   Leonardo DiCaprio fulfils a collaboration nearly 30 years in the making with Paul Thomas Anderson. Yet, th...