Absolutely everything! Well, when they are done well that is. One fresh example is They Shall Not Grow Old, Peter Jackson’s recent, extraordinary and awe-inspiring documentary presenting World War I footage. Painstakingly restored with colour and realistic sounds added, this film is composed entirely of archival footage from the British National Museum and a soundtrack … Continue reading War Films, What Are They Good For?
Ever since my mid-teens, the music of Pink Floyd has had an immense impression on me (I thank my older brothers David and Paul for their encouragement). So this post is really just an excuse to talk about their music through the largely tenuous, but admittedly relevant, link of films - films, of course, that … Continue reading Absolutely Curtains: The Movies of Pink Floyd
Faces Places (2017) Directed by Agnès Varda and JR. Written by Agnès Varda (in French with subtitles) If you don’t know who Agnès Varda is, then I would recommend you check out some of her movies. She turned 90 this year and has been making provocative and artistic films since the early 1950s. She was … Continue reading Documentary Review Special: Faces Places (2017 Agnès Varda and JR)
Red Sparrow (2018, 20th Century Fox and TSG Entertainment) Directed by Francis Lawrence, Featuring Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Edgerton, Charlotte Rampling, Mary-Louise Parker and Jeremy Irons) Red Sparrow is a Russian spy thriller that tells the story of manipulation, power, survival and betrayal. The main character Dominika Egorova (Jennifer Lawrence) is a Russian ballerina who supports … Continue reading The Two Reviews: Red Sparrow and I, Tonya
Dawson City: Frozen Time (2016, Hypnotic Pictures & Picture Palace Pictures) Directed by Bill Morrison; Produced by Bill Morrison and Madeleine Molyneaux As an archaeologist and a film enthusiast, I have always wanted to explore this topic more – the genuine and artful presentation of the fruits of archaeological discovery on film. There is only … Continue reading The Two Reviews – Documentary Special: Dawson City: Frozen Time and The Newspaperman
I put together this piece (about cities and how they are presented in film) from a number of notes and emails I wrote some years ago. Someone I know was giving a course in the Middle East on that very subject and they asked if I had any ideas, so I managed to collate a … Continue reading The Cinematic City: An Overview
This is the second part of our discussion of the year in film (the first part is here). In this post, we discuss our choices of best film, worst film, documentaries, TV shows, best moment in a film and also a selection from our home country (Scotland, Ireland and Australia). As with part 1, we … Continue reading Momentary Cinema’s Review of the Year 2017 in Film – Part 2
And so an end of the first year in the life of Momentary Cinema has been reached. It has been a pleasant and enjoyable experience working on this film blog and I am gratified that it has reached many people across the world - comments about the blog and its contents from people I know … Continue reading Momentary Cinema’s First Year: A Re-Glance
And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, come and see! And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him John 6. 7-8 (New Testament) Recent events in the US have put the … Continue reading Nazism and the impact of World War II as depicted on Film
There are certain rules known only to a select few by which it is possible to predict the quality of movies. The origin of these rules is often obscure and difficult to explain. One, which has entered common thought, is Rule 21: "The 'Director’s Cut' is always the best version of the movie, except when … Continue reading Rule 21: The ‘Director’s Cut’ is Always the Best Version of the Movie, Except When it isn’t
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