Gr├¡mur H├íkonarson’s Icelandic film Rams is a darkly comic and at times heartbreaking tale about sheep. The film tells of two feuding brothers, Gummi and Kiddi (Sigur├░ur Sigurj├│nsson and Theod├│r J├║l├¡usson), living in the isolated Icelandic Valleys. They are bitterly competitive when it comes to the local best ram prize, however must put their grudges aside when a threat of scrapie disease puts both their … Continue reading Review: Rams
Alejandro Gonzalez I├▒├írritu directs Leonardo Dicaprio in what will come to be seen as one of the greatest films of this era, The Revenant. It will stand alongside the great directors who have worked on a Hollywood budget and scale, but that have created something far beyond the average. It is grand and daring on a scale that has attracted a wide audience, but subtle … Continue reading Review: The Revenant
Spotlight is the true story of how the Boston Globe newspaper uncovered the worldwide cases of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church. In 2001 the new editor Marty Baron, played by Liev Schreiber, is appointed to head the team at the Globe. He initiates the investigation into the topic, requesting the release of documents that point towards the corruption and paedophilia committed by Catholic priests. … Continue reading Review: Spotlight
T┼À Celf 2016 is now online! Also included as a pull-out in issue 156 of Quench magazine,┬áT┼À Celf is Cardiff University’s annual arts publication and we are very excited to share this year’s issue with you all. In addition to some wonderful pieces of traditional art, photography, poetry and prose, we have decided to include film within the anthology this year; exhibiting the variety of … Continue reading T┼À Celf 2016
Il Gesto delle Mani, or Hand Gestures is a masterful documentary film from Franscesco Clerici that focuses on the creation of bronze sculpture. At the historic Fonderia Artistica Battaglia bronze foundry, we follow a Velasco Vitali sculpture through each step of the process. The understated documentary has no background music or voiceovers┬áexplaining the process; it simply watches with the audience in the ambient sounds of … Continue reading Review: Hand Gestures with Q+A at Chapter Arts Centre
Each month, Quench looks at different directors’ selected filmography. We take a look at Christopher Nolan for December’s online feature. Christopher Nolan is one of the most well known modern directors. From making stop motion films as a child with his dadÔÇÖs super 8 camera, he went on to make short films as a part of UCL film society where he studied English Literature, and … Continue reading Spotlight: Christopher Nolan
As part of the BFI Love Season, Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff have screened a choice selection of films spanning from ‘tainted love’ to classic romance. Quench reviews┬áa handful of these films. To find out which┬áexciting films Chapter are currently screening, and information on upcoming seasons, visit┬áhttp://www.chapter.org/whats-on/┬á. Brief Encounter (1945) As part of the BFI Love season, Chapter Arts Centre screened Brief Encounter,┬áDavid Lean’s 1945 … Continue reading Love Season at Chapter Arts Centre
Mississippi Grind is a film that could easily pass by without people taking notice. For the most part it is a quiet film, not necessarily because of volume or action, but because its style is far away from the flashy gambling aesthetic that many films about the subject have. Directed by Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden (Half Nelson), Gerry (Ben Mendelsohn, A Place Beyond the … Continue reading Review: Mississippi Grind
When you have a film as clearly themed as Burnt it really is difficult to write about it without resorting to clich├®s relating to that theme. Burnt is first-and-foremost a cookery programme, it never really ever leaves the kitchen. So when it comes to reviewing it the puns rather do write themselves: is it underbaked? Does it lack a soupcon of something? Is it a … Continue reading Review: Burnt
Crimson Peak has what my old Film teacher would call a ÔÇÿcircular narrativeÔÇÖ, in which we follow an aspiring writer, Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska), trying to navigate the new, revolutionised world around her. ItÔÇÖs only until Baronet Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston) and his sister Lucille (Jessica Chastain) stain the gold-saturated world with their deep blacks, dark Hammer horror reds and ominous green/blue tones does Edith … Continue reading The Horror of Love: On the Ghosts of Crimson Peak
After mass promotion and media build-up the latest James Bond film, Spectre┬áfinally opens onto Day of the Dead, Mexico City, with a long continuous moving shot through the carnival celebrations as Bond follows a man through the crowds. Daniel CraigÔÇÖs fourth bond film, after Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace and Skyfall and director Sam Mendes second, Spectre is linked back to all three of its … Continue reading Review: Spectre
Amidst the whitewashing of past and current cinema, seeing a person of colour on our screens is refreshing. Yet, from makeup to putting on accents, the film industry still goes to great lengths to avoid employing actors of colour in the 21st century; because why bother casting a black actress when you can settle for Angelina Jolie with a perm? It’s not hard to spot … Continue reading Film in Technicolour: Problematic portrayals of race in the 21st century
Spoilers suck, plain and simple. No matter how much you try to forget that he dies, or pretend that itÔÇÖs an elaborate hoax, thereÔÇÖs just no escaping that knowledge and the sour, sinking feeling of watching the episode youÔÇÖve been waiting all week for, knowing itÔÇÖs all building towards a moment outlined an hour earlier in some Instagram comment. TheyÔÇÖre called spoilers for a reason. … Continue reading The Rules of Spoilers
Is there anything more tragic than a racing-movie that never gets up to speed? Well… yes. Obviously yes. There are many things more tragic than that. Testicular cancer is more tragic than that. Becoming so overwhelmed by one desire that you abandon long-held friendships and loyalties can be more tragic than that. Even the story of a talented athlete who feels compelled to cheat in … Continue reading Review: The Program
Climbing Mt. Everest is a challenge of two halves; getting to the summit is only half of the mission. Once there you have to get back home. Likewise, this is a film of two halves. The first part of Everest┬áis the ascent, or build up. And, as with the real-life mission this film is based on, it all goes largely how youÔÇÖd expect. We are … Continue reading Review: Everest
I am a lone vessel in this vast void of nothingness. One man stranded on Mars with only his wits, spirit and science skills to accompany him. The Martian (directed by the one and only Ridley Scott) is a very unique film, and it delivers on so many levels. As a science-fiction action-adventure film there are plenty of jaw-dropping and intense moments in which the … Continue reading Review: The Martian
Billed as ‘a buddy comedy heist movie,┬áClerks meets Dog Day Afternoon,‘┬áConvenience┬áis one of the best British comedy films in recent years. Ray Panthaki, perhaps most known for co-producing instant cult hit┬áKidulthood, presents us with a film undoubtedly in the leagues of Shaun of the Dead and Four Lions. Convenience – of which director Keri Collins won the Bafta Cymru Breakthrough Award for┬á -┬árevolves around Ajay … Continue reading Review: Convenience
Welsh actor Craig Roberts (Submarine, Comes a Bright Day, Bad Neighbours) makes a very strong directorial debut in Just Jim, a film in which he also writes and stars in. The black comedy follows un-cool Welsh teenager Jim, played by Roberts, leading a seemingly boring teenage life who longs to catch his crushÔÇÖs attention and become popular in school. This is where Emile Hirsch (Lords … Continue reading Review: Just Jim
Never has a biographical film impressed me in the last decade than Straight Outta Compton. This film follows the start of ÔÇÿÔÇÿgangsta rapÔÇÖÔÇÖ and its popularisers: Dr Dre, Ice Cube, Eazy-E, MC Ren and DJ Yella, who in all formed the group N.W.A. (ÔÇÿÔÇÿno, it doesnÔÇÖt mean ÔÇÿNo Whites AllowedÔÇÖÔÇÖÔÇÖ). From their tough beginnings in Compton, California to performing ÔÇÿÔÇÿBoyz n the HoodÔÇÖÔÇÖ in sold-out … Continue reading Review: Straight Outta Compton
Irrational Man is the new film directed by Woody Allen, a light black comedy about Abe, a philosophy professor (Joaquin Phoenix), who is at a low point in his life. He is not fulfilled by teaching and he sees his actions as unimportant, having no effect on the world. He is having what might be defined as a philosopherÔÇÖs midlife crisis. Abe takes a teaching … Continue reading Review: Irrational Man
