Whether he’s making sci fi such as Robocop and Starship Troopers, a psychological thriller like Elle, an erotic thriller like Basic Instinct or a soft porn/comedy like Showgirls, the ever-controversial Dutch director Paul Verhoeven seems to love exploring troubled, morally questionable characters and provocateurs. His latest film, the much-lauded and often confronting, Benedetta, is no different. Loosely based on real
Read moreLike the Swiss glacier that forms a vital backdrop to the story, 45 Years moves at an extremely leisurely pace. While it may be disconcertingly slow-moving for some viewers, this meditation on ageing, regret and the lost ideals of the 1960’s will prove spellbinding for others. With echoes of Michael Haneke’s Amour and Mike Leigh’s Another Year, 45 Years depicts
Read moreDespite their serious artistic intentions Francois Ozon’s films, which often depict the sexual awakening of young women, can’t help but titillate the rain coat brigade. That will probably be the case with his latest film Young and Beautiful but it doesn’t diminish the fact that this is a sensitively acted, attractively shot exploration of the impact on a family of
Read more