A wounded hand disappears into nothingness as a modern, chain link fence divides us, at least initially, from an idyllic English churchyard; if Penda’s Fen (1973) can be seen as fairly recusant in its treatment of themes and narrative structure, then you could equally argue that it spells out its key themes, or at least […]
You’ve gotta love a film that straight away states its intent (and understand a film which needs to sell its merits pretty damn quickly) and Nightmare (1981) does both of these things. We’re off with a dream of a dismembered body, a shrieking nightmare, a man in a straightjacket – and the immediate need to […]
A sinister opening reel turns out to be something everyday – a car engine – in snappy supernatural short Ride Baby Ride (2023), showing us straightaway that all our woes are going to be vehicular – starting with the pair of geezers hoping to sell on the car in question, though treating themselves to a […]
Continuing with Warped Perspective’s interviews with the directors behind ARROW Player’s recent Sharp Shorts, we asked director Joanna Tsanis about her own short film – a very brief, super-focused study of depression, grief and fear. Oh, and it’s a monster film, too. Here’s our conversation about Smile (2021). Warped Perspective: This is a very brief […]
The latest from Luc Besson begins with an onscreen quote from Lamartine: “Whenever there is an unfortunate, God sends a dog.” The unfortunate in question here is Doug (Caleb Landry Jones) and God hasn’t settled for one dog, there’s a whole van load of them to be found as our protagonist’s vehicle is pulled over […]
“I am happy to make bad movies – one a year until I die.” This is how documentary film Create or Die (2024) gets going, and the speaker – indie movie director David Axe (above) – is the subject of the film. However, any expectations that this film will offer something bigger and more profound […]
It’s the run-up to Christmas and, somewhere in a remote corner of Colorado, a lone traveller is off on a road trip, despite the treacherous conditions. He stops his car at a roadside café, but it seems that something is unfolding there: as the last customers depart for the day, leaving only our traveller – […]
When you so much as glimpse the subject matter of A Wolfpack Called Ernesto (Una jauría llamada Ernesto), you may come away with certain expectations, so this review will start by explaining what Wolfpack is not. Despite being about Mexican cartel-linked violence and its impact on communities, this is not an ultraviolent, deliberately shocking, ‘hail […]
Arcade music and flashing lights cut through the title screen which displays Geronimo, alerting us straight away that the weird world of ‘amusements’ will figure here. But, it’s a film of contrasts, and we get that straight away, too. We first meet the arcade owner Peter (Ged McKenna) navigating his way through everyday life, which […]
It’s really encouraging that more and more short films are being picked up for general release of late. Hopefully gone are the days when someone’s groundbreaking project, full of blood, sweat and tears, could only ever disappear from sight after its festival run. So it’s great that Arrow – so often the benchmark for cult […]
Dagr (2024) is quite clear on what it is and what it’s all about from the very opening credits: this is found footage, brought right up to date. We get some on-screen text telling us about two social media stars, Thea and Louise, who had amassed a serious following by 2021 for their particular shtick, […]