fairbrother’s Film Reviews

About me: Aro resident and incorrigible video nerd.

199 Films have been rated or reviewed by fairbrother.

Apocalypto (2006): I'll leave appraisal of its cultural depiction to more educated voices. As evocation of Jungle Life Long Ago, it's uniquely atmospheric; as a grisly fight–and–flight thrill–ride, it's vividly intense, but does jump the shark bad in its climactic minute; DVD ~~$20~~ $15
Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019): 'Painterly' by nature as well as by name. The performances and formal precision are quietly captivating and, cumulatively, very moving. Just gorgeous.; DVD $29.95
Nightingale, The (2019): Heed the censor's warning: this one hurts. But rightly so. The two leads make a great duo, their fraught relationship is complex and poignant. If the final act drags (at least 2 false climaxes too many), overall it remains a searing vision.; DVD $24.95
Mirror (Zerkalo) (1974): A Soviet Art Film may sound like death to some but, believe, this one's a hands–down masterpiece. Opaque, fragmented, hallucinatory; you may not be able to explain it, but you'll be utterly hypnotised, and its images will never let you go.
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015): A gloriously berserk thrill–ride. At 2 hours, the non–stop action does finally get a bit monotonous. But fair's fair: for eye–popping vision and breath–taking mayhem, this runs turbo–charged rings around any comparable pop–spectacle.; DVD $14.95 | Blu-Ray ~~$24.95~~ $15
Suspiria (2018): Formally stunning and proudly pretentious, in that good way which can make cult classics, but over–length finally exposes the limits of conceit and material alike. The first death scene's a sadistic doozy; hated the climax, loved the coda.; DVD $24.95 | Blu-Ray $29.95
True Detective - Season 1 (TV Series) (2014): The mystery itself is generic cliche (with loads of sexist baggage), but the characters and mood really get under the skin, and keep us riveted. Evocative cinematography and music choices augment the two excellent lead performances.; DVD ~~$30~~ $22.50
Klute (1971): As stylish and intelligent a thriller as one could hope for, not least for the way "whodunit?" fades into the background, leaving us to consider the bigger mystery of Fonda's character. An astonishing performance; a fascinating film.
Body Double (1984): De Palma sends up himself; it's bad but amusing. A knowingly outrageous murder scene is the highlight, and the score is ace, but the plot and leading man are both risibly dopy. For mid–80s kitsch, and pure male gazery, it's a must.; DVD $14.95 | Blu-Ray $19.95
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018): I have little love for comics or superhero flicks – but even this cynical snob concedes that Into the Spider–verse (slight over–length notwithstanding) is a zippy, witty, exciting hoot. Time for Marvel to abandon live–action altogether?; DVD $19.95 | Blu-Ray $24.95, $29.95, $29.95

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fairbrother’s Film Reviews