Departures is nakedly manipulative. Its director, Yôjirô Takita, doesn’t show any sensitivity to tone or character. He aims to wring tears out of us by any means necessary, underlining every emotion with a blatancy that borders on shamelessness. Not content to let a scene play out, he cues big musical swells on the soundtrack and [...]

Ghost stories. They have haunted many genres – horror-slash-supernatural, comedy, romance,  fantasy. They have been told to us by friends and parents around campfires, or during blackouts, with “Ooooo” sound effects and torch-lighting. They have been around almost as long as we have been writing stories. (The ancient Epic of Gilgamesh – one of the [...]

Hot Fuzz is the type of movie that offers up something for just about anyone, though unlike many such films it excels at multitasking. Easily classified as a comedy, an action movie, a mystery and a satire, it is an exceptionally well-rendered film and an instant classic.
The film centers on supercop Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg), [...]

“Are you my friend now?” Connor (Michael Fassbinder) asks Mia (Katie Jarvis) about mid-way through Fish Tank. It’s a fair question, given how turbulent her emotions are, particularly where he’s been concerned. One moment she likes him, the next she’s lashing out at him; she’s 15, it’s a tough time. Making it tougher is her [...]