black comedy tagged posts

May 19, 2020, Posted in  Reviews Comments: No comments

Director: Staten Cousins Roe

Writer: Staten Cousins Roe

Cast: Poppy Roe, Katie Brayben, Christopher Gilling

Producers: Giles Alderson, Poppy Roe

Music: Laurence Love Greed

Cinematography: James Layton

Editor: Esther Gimenez

Cert: 15 (TBC)

Running time: 18mins

Year: 2013

What’s the story: Minnie (Roe), the director of a euthanasia centre, must hit a target of ten “clients” in ten days or be closed by the Euthanasia Licensing Board.

What’s the verdict: 2019’s A Serial Killer’s Guide to Life is a British psycho movie to savour, mixing mirth and murder in one delicious cocktail. The feature debut of Staten Cousins Roe, its darkly wry humour is also present in Roe’s award-winning 2013 short film, This Way Out.

A sketch...

February 15, 2020, Posted in  Podcast Comments: One comment

The Movie Robcast is on a roll! Three episodes in one week, it must be awards season. But, we couldn’t let Parasite’s UK theatrical release come and go without us reviewing this record-breaking, Oscar winning triumph.

So, the two Robs take a close view at Bong Joon-ho’s latest movie. This could be the director’s best yet, and when you remember his previous films include The Host and Memories of Murder that is saying something.

Any discussion of Parasite also has to go into spoiler territory, which the Robs duly do. Don’t worry, we give a clear warning so you won’t accidentally stumble into areas you don’t want to hear until you’ve seen the movie.

As this was originally supposed to be a joint episode with Birds of Prey, we had to specially record an intro from a wet and chilly...

October 7, 2019, Posted in  Reviews Comments: No comments

Director: Taika Waititi

Writer: Taika Waititi (script), Christine Leunens (novel)

Cast: Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin McKenzie, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Rebel Wilson, Stephen Merchant, Taika Waititi, Archie Yates

Producers: Carthew Neal, Taika Waititi, Chelsea Winstanley

Music: Michael Giacchino

Cinematography: Mihai Malaimare Jr.

Editor: Tom Eagles

Cert: 12

Running time: 108mins

Year: 2019

What’s the story: Hitler Youth Jojo (Davis) is committed to the Nazi cause, but the discovery of a Jewish girl (McKenzie) being hidden in his house forces him to reconsider his beliefs.

What’s the verdict: Easy to understand why some have approached Taika Waititi’s latest with trepidation...

October 11, 2018, Posted in  Reviews Comments: 3 comments

Director: Boots Riley

Writer: Boots Riley

Cast: Lakeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, Jermaine Fowler, Steven Yuen, Omari Hardwick, Danny Glover, Kate Berlant, Armie Hammer, David Cross, Lily James

Cert: 15

Running time: 111mins

Year: 2018

What’s the story: A lowly telemarketer discovers as his fortunes improve the world seems to grow more insane.

What’s the verdict: Boots Riley’s wildly, willfully bizarre feature debut is so packed with invention, barbed satire, surrealism, egalitarian philosophy, and radical gear shifts it is best experienced with its surprises unspoiled.

So, we’ll try to provide a flavour of what to expect without revealing everything on the menu. But, how best to describe Sorry To Bother You?

Imagine if Get Out, Brazil, Being John Malkovich and Office Space go...

February 13, 2018, Posted in  Reviews Comments: One comment

Director: Brian Taylor

Writer: Brian Taylor

Cast: Nicolas Cage, Selma Blair, Anne Winters, Zachary Arthur, Robert Cunningham, Samantha Lemole, Lance Henriksen

Cert: 15

Running time: 83mins

Year: 2017

What’s the story: Brent (Cage) and Kendall (Blair), both in the grip of mid-life crises, live in a state of increasing resentment with their kids Carly (Winters) and Josh (Arthur). Then, without warning, parents all over the country begin violently turning on their children.

What’s the verdict: Reportedly, Nicolas Cage declared this the most enjoyment he has had making a film in ten years. We’re right there with you Nic. What seemed like another direct-to-rental dud, Mom and Dad is a short, sharp, sensational satirical shock.

American Beauty meets 28 Weeks Later, this is a film for...

December 29, 2017, Posted in  Features Comments: One comment

Another year, another 10 movies that define why we love cinema. 2017 was such a strong year for film releases that many excellent movies failed to make our Top 10.

Honorary shout-outs then to such must-sees as Wind River, IT, Mother!, Una, A Silent Voice and Wonder Woman. Great movies all, all pipped to the post by the titles below.

Whatever brow-furrowing misbehaviour 2018 brings, one sliver of good news is that cinema should remain in fine shape. From what we saw at the London Film Festival in October, at least three five-star movies will be released next year.

But, without further ado, here is Electric Shadows’ 10 Best Films of 2017…

10. Brawl in Cell Block 99

Writer/director S...

October 25, 2017, Posted in  Cinematic Greens, Reviews Comments: One comment

Tears and Laughter: Women in Japanese Melodrama runs until Wednesday 29th November at the BFI Southbank. For more information and to book tickets, click here.

To read an interview with season curator and Sight and Sound features editor James Bell, click here.

OSAKA ELEGY

Director: Kenji Mizoguchi

Writer: Yoshikata Yoda (screenplay), Tadashi Fujiwara (dialogue)

Cast: Isuzu Yamada, Yôko Umemura, Benkei Shiganoya

Cert: PG

Running time: 71mins

Year: 1936

What’s the story: To pay off her father’s debts and her brother’s university fees, young switchboard operator Ayako (Yamada) becomes her boss’ mistress. But, when he rejects her she is forced into prostitution.

What’s the verdict: A pre-war film from director Kenji Mizoguchi, the 1936 Osaka Elegy anticipates Japan’s rejection ...

October 8, 2017, Posted in  Reviews Comments: One comment

Director: Richard Linklater

Writer: Richard Linklater, Darryl Ponicsan (screenplay), Darryl Ponicsan (novel)

Cast: Steve Carell, Bryan Cranston, Laurence Fishburne, J. Quinton Johnson, Yul Vazquez

Cert: 15

Running time: 124mins

Year: 2017

What’s the story: Larry Shepherd contacts Sal Nealon and Richard Mueller, who served with him in Vietnam, to help escort his son’s body home after he was killed in Iraq. But, the journey takes longer than expected as secrets are revealed and past events are revisited.

What’s the verdict: Midway through Richard Linklater’s excellent new movie, Bryan Cranston’s troublemaking Sal says every generation gets its war. Every generation also gets its sign-of-the-times dark military comedy.

Vietnam had Robert Altman’s M*A*S*H and Hal Ashby’s The Las...

March 8, 2017, Posted in  Reviews Comments: No comments

Director: Onur Tukel

Writer: Onur Tukel

Cast: Anne Heche, Sandra Oh, Alicia Silverstone, Ariel Kavoussi, Damian Young, Giullian Yao Gioiello

Cert: 15

Running time: 95mins

Year: 2016

What’s the story: Veronica (Oh) and Ashley (Heche), two roommates in college, meet many years later and pent-up resentment in unleashed in a series of brutal brawls.

What’s the verdict: If Happiness director Todd Solondz teamed up with Freedom author Jonathan Franzen, Catfight is a decent indication of what they would produce.

A brutal, absurdist, black comedy, it is a biting attack on foreign wars and domestic indifference, a wry commentary on pettiness and jealousy, and Fight Club for women.

Set kind of now-ish, there is a War burning up the Middle East...

January 15, 2017, Posted in  Reviews Comments: No comments

Director: Howard Hawks

Writer: Charles Lederer (screenplay), Ben Hecht, Charles MacArthur (play)

Cast: Cary Grant, Rosalind Russell, Ralph Bellamy, Helen Mack, Joe Qualen

Cert: U

Running time: 92mins

Year: 1940

Film:

Extras:

What’s the story: Ruthless newspaper editor Walter Burns (Grant) schemes to keep his ex-wife and best reporter Hildy Johnson (Russell) from marrying new fiancé Bruce (Bellamy).

What’s the verdict: Renowned as the archetypal screwball comedy, 76 years on from its original release His Girl Friday remains sparkling and surprisingly relevant. With a few wince-inducing comments that betray its age.

On the surface this is the madcap rom-com territory Howard Hawks previously traversed to great effect in 1934’s Twentieth Century and Bringing Up Baby four years later...