Rating: ★★★ 1/2 Breathless is probably one of the most uncomfortable experiences I’ve ever had at the cinema. Shot in 35mm and riddled with close-ups, every punch, kick and act of violence is presented to us very explicitly. It was first released in 2008, but played at this year’s London Korean Film Festival with director and actor Yang-Ik Joon present for a Q&A. Hearing Yang … Continue reading LKFF Review: “Breathless”
This review references sexual abuse. Reader discretion advised. Rating: ★★★★ Choi Cho-ah’s Playground featured in the Women’s Voices Shorts Programme, running at 29 minutes. The film follows new nursery teacher Si-eun as she struggles with a past sexual trauma and witnesses inappropriate behaviour from one of the boys in the class towards a girl, Seolha. Whilst it deals with some incredibly dark, personal themes, it does so … Continue reading Short Film Saturdays: “Playground” (LKFF)
Rating: ★★★ 1/2 We’ve all had holidays that didn’t go according to plan, but George Ratliff’s new thriller takes this idea to a whole new level. Welcome Home follows couple Cassie and Bryan as they travel to Italy together. They’ve rented a secluded, spacious home for a few days, so they can spend some quality time together. So far, so simple. However, it’s soon revealed that they’ve been … Continue reading The holiday from hell: A review of “Welcome Home”
Rating: ★★★★ For the 13th annual London Korean Film Festival, the opening film was Microhabitat by Jeon Go-woon. The film follows Mi-so; a young housekeeper who decides to give up her small, cold apartment due to an increase in rent, so she can enjoy the things she loves most in life: whiskey and cigarettes. It is an incredibly bold and somewhat silly idea that resulted in a … Continue reading LKFF Opening Gala: “Microhabitat”
Rating: ★★★ 1/2 When I was first introduced to Ekaj, I genuinely thought it was a documentary. The realisation that it was in fact a work of fiction took me by surprise, and this is a testament to the directing style of Cati Gonzalez. She has gone to great lengths to make this film feel as real as possible. None of the actors in the film … Continue reading “Ekaj”: A gritty, raw portrait of a teenage runaway
In my first ever live radio appearance, I spoke to Marcus, Laura and David from Shoot The Breeze about a bunch of films, my blog, and my top 5 scariest characters in film and TV. It was an absolute blast to speak with these guys, and it’s not too bad for my very first live show! I’m quite proud of how it turned out, and I … Continue reading Collabs: Shoot The Breeze with Marcus, Laura and David: S3E7 Lucy Buglass from Lucy Goes To Hollywood
Rating: ★★★★★ Hugging 61 strangers you encounter on the street. Hands up if that would terrify you. Yep, same. It’s no secret to any of you that I struggle with anxiety, which made the premise of CK Goldiing‘s documentary even more fascinating to me. I’m sometimes scared to hug people I know, let alone strangers. Describing himself as an overthinker, CK ventures out onto the streets of Sheffield … Continue reading Short Film Saturdays: “61 Hugs: The Rehabilitation of an Overthinker”
Rating: ★★★★ This month, I had the opportunity to attend the UK premiere of Bizhan Tong’s The Escort. I had a great evening in the Karma Sanctum Hotel’s screening room, amongst fellow critics, fans and the cast and crew. It was an intimate screening which made the whole experience even better. A huge thank you for inviting me to this screening, it was a pleasure to be … Continue reading Lucy Goes To Film Screenings: My thoughts on “The Escort”
