Author: Rob Williams
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Indie Movie Review – The Parish
I don’t think it’s any secret that a film like The Parish isn’t exactly in my wheelhouse. It’s funny how I can happily accept and appreciate a make-believe world that has room for superheroes and super spies, but struggle with a world that has the supernatural running through it. Maybe it’s because the fantasy world…
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Indie Movie Review – 86 Melrose Avenue
86 Melrose Avenue starts with a bloody and battered Travis (Dade Elza) staggering down a street while sirens are blaring in the background and red & blue lights are flashing. Desperate for somewhere to hide, he stumbles across one of the few places that are open, the eponymous 86 Melrose Avenue, where he pulls out his gun…
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The Giant James Bond Rewatch – Casino Royale (1967)
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Hopelessly outdated, arguably non-canon, wildly over budget, classic song, clashing egos… what stops 1967’s Casino Royale from being a full blown 007 film? Probably the grown ups arguing over adult things like distribution rights. Anyway… it’s over fifty years old so there may be spoilers here… I’ll be honest –when the plan to do a…
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Indie Documentary Review – Hit Record
In the world of indie films, the documentary is probably the easiest to make look like a full budget outing; there’s no need for expensive visual effects, top quality acting, or high priced music and sound effects. The audience expects the speaker to be aware and nervous that they’re being filmed, as opposed to the…
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Indie Documentary Review – Sex, Drugs & Bicycles
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Buy one, get one free! Yes, you can have a political documentary AND a comedy. Ok, maybe it’s not screamingly funny but wryly amusing, observational humour can definitely be used as a description. What we have in Sex, Drugs & Bicycles is an American, Jonathan Block — Writer/Director/Narrator — who fondly remembers a trip to The…
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GHD Indie Movie Review – The Map Of Tiny Perfect Things
The Map Of Tiny Perfect Things is the latest addition to the Groundhog Day time loop sub-genre so there’s a certain amount of stuff that is known from the start; the protagonist is experiencing one day over and over again. Having realised what is happening, they learn to live with the situation by learning what’s…
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Indie Movie Review – Werewolf (Wilkołak)
I’m ashamed to say that I know very little about Poland. I know nothing about the arts, the culture, the history, or the people. I once knew a woman of Polish descent, but that would be a bit like me saying I’m of German descent… theoretically true, but practically pointless. All I know for sure…
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Indie Movie Review – Flesh Is Heir To
“A black cat crossing your path signifies that the animal is going somewhere.” Groucho Marx has a deeper philosophy than this film. When I get a link for a film, I look for the appropriate IMDb page. Partly to see if I recognise any of the cast, but mainly to make sure I’ve got the…
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Indie Documentary Review – Clapboard Jungle: Surviving the Independent Film Business
I’m assuming that, like me, you’ve seen more than your fair share of films. And, yes, I know that when you start assuming you make an ass of you and ming… or something like that. I find that there are times when a film may be less than fully captivating and your concentration might start…
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Best of British Biographies – Toby Jones
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Last year I wrote an article about Timothy Spall; one of those actors who you see in lots of character roles. Here’s another such actor. Sometimes small roles, sometimes big roles; always noticeable because he doesn’t look like your stereotypical leading man. In fact, he is what you might think of as — and I’m…