Nov 2011
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Film Review: Departures / Okuribito [dir. Yôjirô Takita; 2008]
If you ignore the sentimental moments (of which there are several), the lapses into broad characterisation and the creakiness of certain sections of the plot, what remains is a moving examination of modern attitudes to death, a subject conspicuous by its absence in modern cinema (see Uncle Boonmee). The plot revolves around a frustrated cellist’s… Continue reading
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Film Review: The Deep Blue Sea [dir. Terence Davies; 2011]
The stately, almost staccato pace of some of Terence Davies’ films can make them difficult to watch; the technique occasionally feels like a none-too-subtle attempt to imbue scenes with an importance they might not otherwise possess. Fortunately, in The Deep Blue Sea, it works extremely well, helping to punctuate the shift between the past and… Continue reading
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Film Review: The Future [dir. Miranda July; 2011]
Some films seem to speak to the particular circumstances of one’s life with such startling lucidity that they should either be watched several times or avoided like a double-bill of Titanic and Avatar, depending on how one feels about being shaken out of one’s comfort zone. Miranda July’s The Future is about two people in their mid-30s.… Continue reading
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Film Review: The Adventures Of Tintin – The Secret Of The Unicorn [dir. Steven Spielberg; 2011]
I’m pretty sure that Herge’s Tintin books were the very first things I ever read. In fact, I think I became something of a fan. But I’m equally sure that I haven’t touched them since I was about 8, so perhaps I’m not exactly in the core demographic for Spielberg’s big-screen adaptation of the baby-faced… Continue reading
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Film Review: Animal Kingdom [dir. David Michôd; 2010]
Crime sagas often work well when they’re told from the point of view of someone on the periphery of the main action. In this case, it’s 17-year-old Josh who’s just become an orphan and turns to his grandmother and uncles for support. Unfortunately for him, they’re heavily involved with violent crime, which compels him to… Continue reading
About Me
I am a writer and award-winning perfume critic currently living in the south of England and working on a novel. For my perfume-related writing, please visit Persolaise.com.
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DARIUSH ALAVI 