Nick Bartlett

Freelance Writer

Critical popcorn •

Trouble Every Day Blu-ray review: Dir. Claire Denis [Masters Of Cinema]

I’ve been wanting to see Trouble Every Day ever since I was a teenager first discovering international cinema. The film’s iconic promotional image – Béatrice Dalle, her mouth smeared with blood and viscera – seared itself into my brain and has never let go. Unavailable in the UK for a long time, Trouble Every Day has now received a Blu-ray release from Eureka films, and after years of anticipation it did not disappoint – though it is very much an acquired taste.
FILMHOUNDS Magazine •

The Hidden Fortress Blu-ray Review

Akira Kurosawa's influence on cinema is legendary – from the non-linear structure of Rashomon to the technical mastery of High and Low and Ikiru, where his use of sound and colour was years ahead of its time. His work has also famously inspired direct remakes – Seven Samurai resulted in The Magnificent Seven and Yojimbo served as the basis for A Fistful Of Dollars. Alongside these is The Hidden Fortress, a film Kurosawa described as “100% entertainment.”

Two Way Stretch Review (StudioCanal Vintage Classics)

To celebrate the centenary of comedy icon Peter Sellers, StudioCanal are releasing two of his lesser celebrated works, the sharply satirical Heavens Above and this delightful prison caper, Two Way Stretch. In the early sixties, Sellers was on the cusp of international stardom – he was yet to break through with The Pink Panther and Dr. Strangelove, and instead played the lead in a string of comedies produced by British Lion Films, playing a range of roguish characters.
Critical popcorn •

Midnight Blu-ray review: Dir. Mitchell Leisen [Criterion Collection]

This is one of those times where I am so glad I took a punt on a film I knew next to nothing about. With a characteristically caustic screenplay from Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett and a winning lead performance from Claudette Colbert, Midnight is a delight from start to finish, easily holding it’s own among celebrated classics of the genre like Ninotchka, The Lady Eve and His Girl Friday.
Critical popcorn •

Superman IMAX review: Dir. James Gunn

The first film in James Gunn’s new DC Universe, you’d think a reboot of Superman would be weighed down with scene-setting, backstory, and exposition. But Gunn sweeps all of that aside with surprising deftness. The result is a film that feels light, breezy, and mercifully free of the lore that often bogs these stories down. It’s not just the best Superman film since Richard Donner’s 1978 classic — it’s the best superhero film in years, at least since Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
Critical popcorn •

Elio review: Dir. Adrian Molina, Madeline Sharafian and Domee Shi

Pixar have been really struggling to retain their sense of identity in recent years. That notorious announcement about the studio shifting focus toward sequels over original ideas put its remaining original output under more scrutiny than ever. And while there have been some undeniable hits (Coco, Soul), there’s also been a string of films that are harder to warm to (Elemental, Turning Red, Luca).
FILMHOUNDS Magazine •

Cypher - a cerebral sci-fi classic

In the same way that crime thrillers were never the same after Reservoir Dogs, early 2000s science fiction took a major cue from The Matrix. A swathe of mind-bending dystopian films followed the Wachowskis' genre-defining masterpiece, some clearly inspired, others flat-out rip-offs. Vincenzo Natali's Cypher is an interesting one — while The Matrix‘s influence is unmistakable, Cypher feels more low-key and restrained, and if anything, its dense, twisty plot is even more ambitious.

Night Moves Review (Criterion Collection)

“Where were you when Kennedy was shot?”
“Which Kennedy?”
“Any Kennedy”

Arthur Penn’s fatalistic neo-noir classic is steeped in the post-assassination disillusionment and government mistrust that defined 1970s America. As such, it’s a wonder the film is as playful and witty as it is. Featuring a wryly sharp script from Alan Sharp and one of Gene Hackman’s most nuanced performances, Night Moves is a treat for lovers of film noir and cinema in general.
FILMHOUNDS Magazine •

Killer Cop (film review)

The penultimate film from Luciano Ercoli, Killer Cop is a sharp and surprisingly nuanced poliziottesco film, balancing pulpy thrills with pointed political commentary. Tellingly, its original Italian title – The Police's Hands Are Tied – is much more fitting than its blander English name. That title doesn't just suggest frustration within the justice system; it captures the film's subversive tone perfectly, hinting at a film where authority is compromised from within.
Critical popcorn •

Warfare IMAX review: Dirs. Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland

Following in the footsteps of Civil War, Alex Garland returns – this time in collaboration with Iraq War veteran Ray Mendoza – with Warfare, a blisteringly intense and technically immaculate war film rooted in the real-life experiences of Mendoza himself. Told in real time and set during the fallout from the 2006 Battle of Ramadi, Warfare is as immersive and gripping as war cinema gets—but whether it has anything to say about war is another matter entirely.
Critical popcorn •

Spilt Milk review: Dir. Brian Durnin

There have been a few films that tackle weighty issues through the lens of a child’s perspective, often choosing one of two approaches: either an overly stylized, fairy-tale-like presentation (Pan’s Labyrinth, Tideland) or a stark, unflinching realism (Ratcatcher, The Florida Project). The final film in our coverage of the Glasgow Film Festival, Spilt Milk manages to have it both ways, while still maintaining a consistent tone – just about.
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