Martin Deer chats with writer-director Rian Johnson about his debut feature Brick, this year’s sci-fi action hit Looper, the filmmaking process, working with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and whether he’d be interested in directing a Batman movie…  Warning: Here Be Spoilers… Martin Deer:  Hi Rian how ya doing? Rian Johnson:  Good man, how are you? [Rian proceeded […]

Margin Call, 2011. Directed by J.C. Chandor. Starring Kevin Spacey, Zachary Quinto, Jeremy Irons, Paul Bettany and Stanley Tucci. SYNOPSIS: When entry level analyst Peter Sullivan begins to unlock information at a large New York financial house, he sets off a chain of events with life changing implications for staff, bosses and the world at […]

It Always Rains on Sunday, 1947. Directed by Robert Hamer.Starring Googie Withers, Edward Chapman, Susan Shaw, Jack Warner, John McCallum, Patricia Plunkett, David Lines, Sydney Tafler and Betty Ann Davies. SYNOPSIS: An escaped convict tries to hide out at his former lover’s house but she has since married and is far from keen on the […]

My Neighbour Totoro (Japanese: Tonari no Totoro), 1988. Directed by Hayao Miyazaki.Featuring the voice talents of Dakota Fanning, Elle Fanning, Tim Daly, Lea Salonga, Frank Welker, Pat Carroll and Paul Butcher. SYNOPSIS: Two young girls move to the countryside with their father where they discover friendly spirits living in the forest surrounding their house. Type […]

The Castle of Cagliostro (Japanese: Rupan sansei: Kariosutoro no shiro), 1979. Directed by Hayao Miyazaki. Featuring the voice talents of David Hayter, Bridget Hoffman, John Snyder and Kirk Thornton. SYNOPSIS: Charismatic super-thief Lupin III and his gang try to free a beautiful princess from an evil Count, whilst simultaneously searching for the hidden treasure of […]

City State (Iceland: Borgríki), 2011. Directed by Olaf de Fleur Johannesson.Starring Philip Jackson, Jonathan Pryce, Ágústa Eva Erlendsdóttir, Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson and Sigurður Sigurjónsson. SYNOPSIS: Set in modern day Iceland, an immigrant vows revenge after losing his unborn child in an attack by a crime syndicate, thereby binding his fate with a troubled policewoman, her […]

Silver Linings Playbook, 2012. Written and Directed by David O. Russell.Starring Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver, Chris Tucker and Julia Stiles. SYNOPSIS: After being discharged from a mental institution, a former teacher moves back in with his family and attempts to get back together with his ex-wife. His problems seemingly escalate […]

With the release of The Dark Knight Rises bringing the curtain down on Christopher Nolan ‘Dark Knight Trilogy’ earlier this year, Warner Bros. is now faced with the unenviable task of finding a new director to pick up the mantle of the Bat and launch the next chapter of The Dark Knight’s illustrious screen career. Naturally […]

Commenting on the Critics with Simon Columb… Neal Gabler, for The LA Times, writes about how the Star Wars and Marvel deals from Disney says much more about the industry… “It used to be that the movie created the brand, which is exactly how George Lucas built his empire. Now the brand creates the movie. […]

Helen Murdoch presents her five essential war films… With our poppies pinned firmly to our coats, it’s the time of year where we remember the lives lost through war. War has always gripped cinema goers, whether through battle scenes or emotional tales of adversity and so on. It is a diverse genre that has created […]