Film Reviews by AK

A stellar performance by Glenda Jackson in this incredibly moving film. lt's an interesting mix of a film: part, low-key murder mystery, but much more the exploration of an independent intelligent woman slipping into dementia and its impact on her and her immediate family: daughter and granddaughter. The plot has been  criticised but personally I found it far more valuable to use the missing theme as a vehicle to explore dementia rather than taking a more pedantic look at that journey. I thought it was a wonderful film, very painful in parts and extremely moving. Occasionally laugh out loud funny. All in all a must see movie. 

A remarkable film about a painful subject, handled with tenderness and honesty. It brings home the awfulness for those waiting to hear whether they have gained asylum or not but is not didactic; it is movingly human. We engage with each person and gain an insight into their loneliness and isolation, while they establish a camaraderie with those around them. It should be compulsive viewing to horrors like Priti Patel. Refugees should be welcome here. 

From Sam's opening "Dear white people, the minimum requirement of black friends needed to not seem racist has just been raised to two. Sorry, but your weed man, Tyrone, does not count.", this is a terrific movie. It's fast moving and very funny but also extremely thought-provoking, choosing to highlight racism and issues around racism in a new and intriguing way.

I thought this was a brilliant film and very moving. Focusing on the hardships for women on the frontiers of the West during the mid-19th century, it is a most unusual cowboy film, covering aspects of frontier life that have rarely been featured before. Beautifully filmed and acted, it is a very poignant movie, wonderfully directed by Tommy Lee Jones, who also takes the co-stars as the old and apparently unredeemable deserter and claim jumper. Hilary Swank's performance as Mary B Cuddy is outstanding.

Now nearly 50 years old, The Battle of Algiers remains an outstanding classic. Its portrayal of Algeria's attempt to achieve independence from its colonial master France is very powerful and the treatment meted out to Algerian freedom fighters is as shocking today as when it was made. Shot in black and white, the imagery, most particularly the scenes in the Casbah are absolutely outstanding and the subject matter continues to shock. In my opinion, the subject matter remains relevant today, given the treatment being meted out to refugees from Syria, and elsewhere, a reminder of how European powers have treated non-Europeans.

Jimmy's Hall is a wonderful, capturing perfectly the divisions between Church and people, landed and landless in Ireland in the 1930s. As always Ken Loach pinpoints injustice without being didactic and we are fully drawn into the personalities that he includes in his film. For me this is, yet again, a must-see film by Ken Loach, a remarkable film maker and voice of social conscience.

I thought this was a remarkable and thought-provoking film. Featuring a young about-to-be nun and her damaged aunt, it combines reflections on the Holocaust with a very unusual road trip as both go looking for relatives massacred in the Holocaust. It is extremely difficult to find a new angle on the Holocaust and in my opinion this film does it brilliantly. Extremely well acted, shot in black and white that perfectly sums up 1950s Poland, I found this film wonderful and very moving.

I found this a fascinating and very credible film. Marian Cotillard's performance is absolutely excellent and the tensions and difficulties of reconciling the lure of more money with solidarity was very sensitively portrayed. The political message - of exploitation and bribery - was gently handled and happily the ending was very clever, Hollywood-like schmaltz completely avoided. A little masterpiece in my opinion and very French.