Tannhäuser Gate

UK Release Date:  04 November 1999 Director:  Christopher Nolan Cast:  Dick Bradsell, Alex Haw, John Nolan, Lucy Russell, Jeremy Theobald Runtime:  69 mins Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐ Review: The Following sees now world-renowned director, Christopher Nolan, hit the big screen for the first time with his debut feature.  With it comes the hallmarks of the majority of Nolan's filmography - an emphatic score, non-linear storytelling and his fascinating fixation with film noir.  The initial concept might hook the audience but it won't hold their attention without additional curiosity. So by taking the narrative in a non-linear fashion,  Nolan is able to bend and shift the viewing experience to grasp as much intrigue as possible.  It sets a blueprint for the rest of Nolan's career, nothing is accomplished on the screen without meticulous planning off it.  The fundamental idea of following randomly selected strangers is clearly influenced by Alfred Hitchcoc...

UK Release Date:  10 June 2026 Director:  Steven Spielberg Cast:  Emily Blunt, Colman Domingo, Colin Firth, Courtney Grace, Eve Hewson, Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Elizabeth Marvel, Josh O'Connor, Wyatt Russell Runtime:  145 mins Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐ ½   Review: Disclosure Day opens with a point of view shot, placing the audience in the film's world.  There are a multitude of instances of expert handheld camera work from Janusz Kamiński. His camera movement is so fluid, at times as if you're gliding alongside the characters.  It is a clear and immediate desire for audience engagement from Steven Spielberg. This is a film that he wants the audience to immerse themselves in, question moments during the runtime.  However, David Koepp's script doesn't particularly allow the audience's thoughts to find a satisfactory conclusion. He takes far too many easy exits within his writing.   Koepp and Spielberg seem to be working in conflict rather than in tandem. O...

UK Release Date:  17 November 2023 Director:  Emerald Fennell Cast:  Jacob Elordi, Richard E. Grant, Barry Keoghan, Archie Madekwe, Ewan Mitchell, Carey Mulligan, Alison Oliver, Rosamund Pike, Paul Rhys Runtime:  131 mins Rating:  ⭐⭐ ½   Review: Within the first 45 minutes of Saltburn , Emerald Fennell delivers a  joyous breath of fresh air. Visually depicting the seemingly unreachable highs of student life at University before abrasively cutting to severely isolating lows. Subsequently, sweeping both the audience and characters off their feet by delivering a Summer of complete unadulterated freedom. A fervour of emotion, audibly anchored by a generation of formative indie rock bands - Arcade Fire, Bloc Party and MGMT amongst others. A film fitting for the period of life it occupies.   A large aspect of what initially makes Saltburn a euphoric experience is its technical quality. Linus Sandgren, of Babylon and La La Land , brings a dreamlike sur...

UK Release Date:   14 January 2026 Director:  Nia DaCosta Cast:  Ralph Fiennes, Erin Kellyman, Emma Laird, Chi Lewis-Parry, Connor Newall, Jack O'Connell, Alfie Williams Runtime:  109 mins Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐ Review: If 28 Years Later explored death - the consequences that follow its finality and the understanding that death is an essential tool to express love - then  28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is a ruthless examination of cult dynamics. Drawing on characteristics and mannerisms from historical British personalities - a conspicuous expression of the exploitation of children by authoritarians, in the film's case, in ritualistic circles.  Alex Garland separately pits two completely opposing moral ideologies against one another leading to a brutal collision of differing worldviews.  Partially, a thoughtful dissection of admirable innate human qualities, partially, a damning demonstration of severe acts of barbaric hostility and ...

UK Release Date:   19 June 2025 Director:  Danny Boyle Cast:  Jodie Comer, Ralph Fiennes, Christopher Fulford, Chi Lewis-Parry, Jack O'Connell, Edvin Ryding, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Alfie Williams Runtime:  115 mins Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Review: Danny Boyle, off the back of a six-year directorial hiatus, wastes no time at all to push every conceivable boundary in 28 Years Later .  His self-obligation to seek technical innovation is triumphant.  Utterly absurd filmmaking - can't possibly fathom the level of experimentation involved in his production process.  Frantic, quick cuts, choppy editing and distorting frames manufacturing a bewildering viewing experience.  Sharing infected encounters in a similar manner to how natural wildlife would be captured. Sensational instances of infrared providing the barbaric perspective of the rage virus.  However, the decision to shoot 28 Years Later entirely on the iPhone 15 Pro Max is Boyle's boldest instan...

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: 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...