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The Cinephile's Paradise

Paulina's Gore Corner - Martyrs and Gender      22nd September 2018

Picture
Paul Laugier’s French horror Martyrs (2008) was the subject of my analysis in the last instalment of Paulina’s Gore Corner. I felt, however, that in my analysis I have overlooked the central aspect of the film - its representation of gender, or more specifically, representation of femininity.


by Paulina

Train to Busan: Masterful Social commentary   20th August 2018

Su-an in Train to Busan. We watch the film through the eyes of the young girl
With the recent announcement of a sequel in the works, we take a look at what made Train To Busan one of the greatest social commentaries of the 21st century. It balances high-grade, unadulterated action with sensitive, layered character work that personalises the unfolding drama through they eyes of a 10-year old girl who vies for the love of her father. These two sides of the coin belie a third: a searing social commentary that critiques the South Korean social hierarchy.
by Jack Buchanan

The Best Non-marvel/DC Superhero Films                 16th AUgust 2018

Picture
If you thought you’d had enough of superhero movies just wait! Actually no, you’re probably right. Everywhere you look, Marvel and DC dominate the box office and the movie news headlines. It is a golden age of superheroes, in the same way there were golden ages for Westerns, for war films, for Uwe Boll (it lasted 12 seconds, and no one was there to see it).
We've made a list of the best non-Marvel/DC Superhero films out there, just for you!

by Jack Buchanan

Paulina's Gore Corner: Episode 5 - Martyrs            10th August 2018

Anna, flayed, staring up to the sky enlightened as a martyr
Martyrs premiered at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival, and was ominous for its first audiences to such a degree that incidents of viewers passing out and vomiting were widely reported. Indeed, the depiction of violence is truly sickening in Laugier’s film and undisputedly rivals the gore of slasher film such as Hostel (2005), The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), House of 1000 Corpses (2003) or Saw (2004). But there’s something more about Martyrs that doesn’t allow the viewers to forget about it for days.
by Paulina


Paulina's Gore Corner: Episode 4 - In My Skin         3rd August 2018

Picture
 In My Skin (2002), Marina de Van’s movement-defining psychological horror, is a perfect example of using transgression in order to represent the body, as the film situates it body in its centre. It calls for a freeing of the body from restrictions and boundaries set up by the mind, and to let it exist, to feel and perceive the world on its own.


by Paulina


Mission Impossible 6 Review: Outlandish Action  3rd August 2018

Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames and Rebecca Ferguson in Mission Impossible 6
Tom Cruise is back with the sixth instalment of the ever-popular, ever-growing, and ever-more-critically-acclaimed Mission: Impossible series. As Ethan Hunt he skydives, shoots, runs, fights, and flies his way to saving the day, with the help of series regular Ving Rhames, old-hands Simon Pegg and Rebecca Ferguson, and newbie Henry Cavill.


by Jack Buchanan


Mamma Mia 2 Review: Patriarchal Escapism            1st August 2018

The cast of Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again featuring Lily James, Stelland Skarsgard, Meryl Streep, Cher and more
Directed by Ol Parker, Mamma Mia’s sequel stands up on more spectacle choreography and inventive cinematography. It feels like much needed relief from watching male heroes in their racy uniforms saving the world while exhibiting their gun-toting skills

by Paulina

Filmworker Review: A Melancholic Portrait      30th July 2018

A picture of Leon Vitali, with Stanly Kubrick out of focus in the foreground.
When I write the words Stanley Kubrick what do you think? Genius? Master? Essential? Director of some of the greatest films ever made?
And what about when I say Leon Vitali? Who?




​by Jack Buchanan

The First Purge Review: Hypocritical Escapism  29th July 2018

A man dressed in black, from The First Purge
Blumhouse’s Purge franchise comes back with the fourth instalment of its dystopic fantasy of a single night during which violence and crime, including rape, burglary or murder, become legal. The film will be followed by a TV series based on the same idea. Sadly, this brilliant concept that holds the opportunity to illustrate the state of the shared American consciousness under Trump’s presidency - its anxieties, fears, racial and equality tensions - has been, once again, unexploited.
by Paulina

Paulina's Gore Corner: Episode 3 - New French Extremity  27th July 2018

Marina de Van in In My Skin, a French horror film
As a devoted fan of horror films, I am constantly in search of new material which is able to offer a more compelling kind of thrill than soulless jump-scares. New French Extremity understandably became a movement that struck my attention. This article will provide a short introduction for further analysis of its signature films. Were you shocked and disgusted by The Human Centipede? Think of that taken to the extreme in a European style!
by Paulina

Incredibles 2 Review: Nostalgia & Laughs      23rd July 2018

Incredibles 2 cast. Holly Hunter, Brad Bird, Samuel L. Jackson, Craig T. Nelson
The Incredibles was a regular fixture in my house growing up. I was 10 when it came out, 11 when the DVD arrived which was plenty young enough to enjoy it, and as I grew up that enjoyment continued. The original’s strength is in the family dynamic - especially those scenes at the dinner table - and the true-to-life struggles of being in one. Does Incredibles 2 have this strength too?
by Jack Buchanan

Marrowbone Review: Shallow Imitation       21st July 2018

The cast of Marrowbone, starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Mia Goth, and George Mackenzie
The first feature film directed by Sergio G. Sanchez Marrowbone or The Secret of Marrowbone (2018) seems to have everything that would make a solid horror: an interesting idea, talented cast, acclaimed writer. The wannabe ghost story is, however, only a shallow imitation of the excellent Orphanage (2007), written by Sanchez.



by Paulina

Skyscraper Review: A Bombastic Assault       21st July 2018

Dwayne Johnson hangs high from a building in Skyscraper
From Dwayne Johnson’s own Seven Bucks Productions, and directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber of the mystifyingly popular We’re The Millers (2013) and the enjoyable Central Intelligence (2016) comes Skyscraper, a film so over-the-top bombastic I refer to it as SKYSCRAPER!!! Can The Rock save his family, stop the bad guys, put out a fire, and call himself 'Daddy' in time?!

by Jack Buchanan

Paulina's Gore Corner Episode 2 - Mother!    20th July 2018

Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem in Darren Aronofsky's mother!
One of cinema’s most visionary auteurs wrote mother! in a malignant rush in his house in New York. The final result of his invention is a vivid fever dream, a cinematic nightmare. mother! leaves viewers confused, disturbed and broken. It is unsettling and uneasy; a multilayered film that requires time to process and genuine effort of the viewer to try to get into the mad creator’s mind in order to resolve the riddle of its true meaning.
by Paulina

Calibre Review: Greek Mythology & Brexit          14th July 2018

Two men in Matt Palmer's Netflix film Calibre
Matt Palmer turned out to be the dark horse of the Edinburgh Film Festival as his debut feature film Calibre (2018) became this year’s winner of the Michael Powell Award for Best British Feature. It was also the last chance for audiences to experience it on the big screen for another 10 years as the film is being released on Netflix.
​
by Paulina

Leave No Trace Review: Humanism & Ecology 14th July 2018

Ben Foster in the woods, in Debra Granik's drama Leave No Trace
Leave No Trace is a beautiful, ecological film, entirely humanist in its optimistic view of people. As with her previous film Winter’s Bone, Debra Granik’s film is about much more than its elegantly simple drama suggests.




by Jack Buchanan


Paulina's Gore Corner: Episode 1 - Hereditary  13th July 2018

Charlie, from Hereditary, stands in a forest.
Ari Aster’s sublime Hereditary  created a sensation at the latest Sundance Film Festival and was described as the most terrifying cinematic experience since The Exorcist. If that wasn’t enough to make horror lovers thrilled to watch it, the hair-raising trailer went viral, giving the audience a foretaste of the psychological terror that is about to come. 
Spoiler Warning

​by Paulina 

Mia: A Rapture 2.0 Production Review                 21st June 2018

A woman stands in a field in Mia: A Rapture 2.0 Production
Glasgow-based filmmaker Gary J Hewitt’s new sci-fi short film Mia: A Rapture 2.0 Production opens beautifully, with flowers and a smiling woman in an idyllic garden. Evoking Hillcoat’s The Road, Mia settles into its beige, post-apocalyptic setting quickly and confidently.
by Jack Buchanan

AN Evening In Malaga (Winter 2018)                         6th June 2018

A boat on the water at La Malagueta Beach
When Paulina visited Malaga, Spain in January,we had no idea how beautiful the sunsets and beaches would be, or how beautifully she would capture them to share with you. But here we are, and expect more video's from Spain coming in the near future!



by Paulina

A Rainy Day at Bracklinn Falls (2018)                      3rd June 2018

 A Scottish Thistle at Bracklinn Falls, in Callandar
A short video made during an equally short trip to Bracklinn Falls, Callandar during a thunderstorm.






by Paulina

Our Top 8 Hidden Gems on Amazon Prime            29th May 2018

Poster images for Amazon Prime titles such as Paterson, Under The Skin, Animal Kingdom and 20th Century Women
Diving off from yesterday’s article, we’re heading to the world of Amazon Prime, a streaming service with a greater range of films and TV than Netflix, from a wider period although it has less original productions. In honour of staying in, with too much junk food and a big duvet to bury yourself in, here’s 8 films on Amazon Prime right now that you might not have seen or heard of, but which are masterpieces nonetheless.


by Jack Buchanan

Our Top 8 Hidden Gems On Netflix                           28th May 2018

Posters for Netlifx titles such as God's Own Country, Mean Creek, The Bad Batch, and About Time
In celebration of staying in and not spending money, we’ve narrowed down a few of our lesser-known choice favourites from Netflix, in case you’re ever in desperate need of some kind of filter. We’ve aimed for these to be ones you might scroll past without giving much thought.




by Jack Buchanan

The Single message of Jeff Nichols                        18th May 2018

Posters for the Jef Nichols films Take Shelter, Midnight Special, Mud, and Loving
Jeff Nichols is counted among the great contemporary American directors. His films were invariably similar until the release of Loving in 2016. As different as the film is from his past work, Nichols is working in exactly the same way as before, conveying the same message...



by Jack Buchanan

Reflections Of The Soul (2014)                                   20th April 2018

A grandmother from the documentary 'Reflections Of The Soul'
A short documentary that illuminates different aspects of what it's like to reach the last stages of life, looking back at the memories and people that influence us.






by Paulina

A Glow From Your Window (Official Video) ​(2015)     20th April 2018      

Scattered playing cards in a screencap from the music video for 'A Glow From Your Window'
This is our music video for Glasgow-based musician Exit-Omni's track A Glow From Your Window.
Shot on a Canon 5D MkII, the video is a collaboration between artists and shows a version of Alice In Wonderland that's been inspired by the music



by Paulina

Catching A Glimpse Of beauty (2017)                         20th April 2018

A hand painting pottery, in a screencap from the documentary 'Catching a Glimpse Of Beauty'
In 2017, we met the minds behind Buchlyvie Pottery Shop, Alison and Eilidh.
We wanted to see what made them tick, and get a look at the world of commercial pottery. Catching A Glimpse Of Beauty is the documentary short that sprung from this short visit.



by Paulina & Jack

Blade Runner 2049: Questions About Criticism 10th April 2018

Joi points at Joe, in Blade Runner 2049 starring Ryan Gosling
Blade Runner 2049 is as dense as they come in regards to its semiotic imagery. Upon looking at that, some questions were asked, about the nature of criticism and how we look at movies that so desperately want to be looked at.


by Jack Buchanan

Annihilation Review: An Ecological parable    18th March 2018

Natalie Portman as The Biologist, Lena, in Annihilation.
Annihilation is a wonderful exploration of the hard parts of being a human, with imagery as beautiful as it’s ideas, and performances and characters that seem as real as you or I. It is a film rooted in cinematic tradition and history. Inescapably so, and it's all the better for it.



by Jack Buchanan


Gary Oldman Dug up Churchill's Corpse            5th March 2018

Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill, lighting a cigar
It's official, Gary Oldman has won an Academy Award for Best Actor, for his portrayal of Winston Churchill in the film Darkest Hour...but what did he do to get it?






by Jack Buchanan

Films that SHOULD have Won Oscars in 2018       5th March 2018

A complliation of posters for films that should have won Oscars in 2018
As I write this, the 90th Oscars has concluded, stars are on their way to glitzy parties, celebrating and commiserating and self-congratulating their industry. Millions of viewers across the world discuss and argue the various wins. But what films missed out this year? We look at some of the 90th Academy Awards biggest snubs of the year in our Alternative Oscars 2018!

by Jack Buchanan

In-Between Times: A Ghost Story                               15th February 2018

Casey Affleck as the ghost in David Lowery's A Ghost Story
A Ghost Story is my favourite film of the past few years and maybe ever. It is the most simply beautiful little movie. It is heartbreakingly sad and profoundly touching. It is a film of quiet, sombre reflection punctuated by moments of loud, yearning connection between people. There are endless ways to talk about the film. Come and read our way.

by Jack Buchanan


Loving Vincent: Is It Still Cinema?                             15th February 2018

Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh
"In short, I want to reach the point where people say of my work, that man feels deeply and that man feels subtly."  
This fragment of a letter that Van Gogh wrote to his brother Theo in 1882 exquisitely illustrates the painter's drive to create in spite of all the obstacles he encountered in his short life. It was also used at the end of a unique, new film called Loving Vincent 
and left me in tears after the screening.
by Paulina

Loving Vincent: The Art Of Movement                   13th February 2018

Self Portait by Vincent Van Gogh
Loving Vincent is the Oscar-nominated animation chronicling the journey of a postmaster's son trying to deliver Vincent Van Gogh’s final letter. It’s a film about the days and weeks leading up to Vincent’s suicide. It’s also a film about his art. At it’s heart too, the film has plenty to say about the nature of the movies as an art form.

by Jack Buchanan

Phantom Thread Analysis & Review                        12th February 2018

A screencap from Phantom Thread, by Paul Thomas Anderson. Daniel Day Lewis fits a dress onto his lover.
Since 1996, when he debuted his neo-crime thriller Hard Eight, Paul Thomas Anderson has established himself as one of the greatest directors in the history of cinema.  After the perfect-in-every-aspect There Will Be Blood he made us wait for his next film with Daniel Day-Lewis for 10 long years, but his return is absolutely spectacular.
Spoiler Warning


by Paulina

Call Me By Your Name Review                                     30th January 2018

Poster image for Call Me By Your Name, with Armie Hammer and Timothee Chalamet
This intimate, subtle and slow film directed by Luca Guadagnino became an international phenomenon and the first film by an Italian director that has been nominated for an Oscar since La Vita é Bella, in 1999. We’re looking closer at this atypical coming of age tale and finding out if it truly deserves all the acclaim.
Spoiler Warning


by Paulina

The Disaster Artist Review                                             28th January 2018

The Disaster Artist stars: Dave Franco as Greg Sestero, and James Franco as Tommy Wiseau
The Disaster Artist is contending for the Academy Awards this year. What do we think of this strange, beguiling film and it's enigmatic subject? Come and read our spoiler(ish) free review of the most celebratory film of the year!


by Jack Buchanan

Black Mirror Season 4 Subjective Round-up   22nd January 2018

Poster image for Black Mirror Season 4 that looks like a cracked phone screen
If Black Mirror is like a box of chocolates, the 4th season is definitely a dark chocolate. Come and find out what we think about its quality
Spoiler Wa
rning


by Paulina

10 Tiny Fingers: Hands In The Movies                      19th December 2017

Thumbnail for the video essay: Hands in the movies.
Watch our video all about hands in the movies. The   various ways we communicate with them, and what they can say about us. This is just a small selection of the movies we could have used, if you have any suggestions, let us know in the comments of the video!


by Jack Buchanan

The lAst Jedi and the New Star Wars                   19th December 2017

A poster featuring the cast of Start Wars: The Last Jedi - Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley
With the release worldwide of The Last Jedi, we add our voice to the cacophony of opinion and noise about the film, and talk a bit about expectations and how that changes the way we look at movies, but  mostly we talk about the film.                                          
Spoiler Warning

by Jack Buchanan

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