Category Archives: English Cinema

Affectionate portrait of a working class family, “Life is Sweet” [1990 United Kingdom]

When I watched Mike Leigh’s “Life is Sweet” for the first time all those years ago, it didn’t particularly make a strong impression – it was well made alright, but it was also as if I knew these characters all … Continue reading

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Story of a masterpiece – “Nightwatching” [2007 United Kingdom, Netherlands] BR1080

Peter Greenaway’s film “Nightwatching” dramatises a time in the life of the great Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn; the circumstances surrounding the creation of one of his most famous works, The Night Watch – a colossal military group-portrait of the … Continue reading

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A British cinema classic – Ratcatcher [1999 United Kingdom, France]

Scottish director Lynne Ramsay made an outstanding feature-film debut through the social drama “Ratcatcher”. The film won numerous awards including a BAFTA for the most promising newcomer, but Ms. Ramsay was merely following a long tradition of British social realism … Continue reading

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Washing away ‘sins’, and entire lives – “The Magdalene Sisters” [Ireland, UK 2002]

A recent news story concerning state-collusion in Ireland’s Magdalene Laundry system was a grim reminder of the depths to which humans could descend to, when bigotry is infused into religion. As appalling it is to read accounts of the enslavement … Continue reading

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Mathilda May’s “Lifeforce” sparks London mayhem [1985 United Kingdom]

Of course, this isn’t news and it has nothing to do with the recently completed Mayan ‘Baktun’ – only MGM’s 1980’s attempt at adopting for film a sci-fi novel named The Space Vampires. While Tobe Hooper’s offering, fresh from Poltergeist … Continue reading

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