She Spoiled It

Review: Breaking Fast

2/2/2021

“Breaking Fast” is an uplifting, if formulaic, romantic comedy about a gay relationship between a Muslim and a non-Muslim which develops during the holy month of Ramadan. Written and directed by Mike Mosallam, the feature was developed from a short film of the same name which received much praise when it was shown at Cannes in 2015.

Review: Relic

27/1/2021

“Relic”, the debut feature from Japanese-Australian director Natalie Erika James is a deeply unsettling horror with something very particular to say. A 90-minute metaphor for the devastating changes that dementia inflicts on sufferers and their families, the film is about intergenerational support, familial inheritance, and the rotten thief that is dementia.

Review: Resisterhood

27/1/2021

Mission statement:
“To use the power of film to tell uplifting stories of resistance to reenergize the movement and inspire people to VOTE!“

With the express aim of encouraging women to vote in the 2020 US presidential election, this documentary doesn’t mince its words. By following grassroots organisers we are shown the importance of taking an active stand in the political sphere so that all people can be supported by a fairer society.

Review: The Exception

12/1/2021

“The Exception” (“Undtagelsen”) is a new Danish psychological thriller from director Jesper W Nielsen, who has a track record working on dramatic thrillers like Borgen, Redwater and Greyzone. “The Exception” is a thriller with a point to make about innate evil and how that manifests in seemingly innocent people. But the result is a film of such conflicting proportions it’s like oil and water unable to combine.

Review: Mogul Mowgli

21/12/2020

Riz Ahmed is a powerhouse of pain and passion in “Mogul Mowgli”, the first narrative feature from documentary director Bassam Tariq. Co-written by Ahmed and Tariq, this British indie film is full of difficult realisations about lives that have been suddenly and painfully changed. Ahmed’s committment to the role incuded losing 10kg (22lbs) in just 3.5 weeks as it had such a short filming schedule.

Review: Lourdes

21/12/2020

A quiet and mysterious snapshot of the juncture between desperation and hope, Jessica Hausner’s “Lourdes” sneaks its emotional impact under the radar and gives no answers. We are left pondering life’s deep questions.

Review: Coded Bias

20/12/2020

What if the computers making hugely important decisions about your life were riddled with built-in biases that perpetuated unfairness? And there was almost nothing you could do to stop it?

Well, I hate to break it to you, but the documentary “Coded Bias” highlights the ways in which algorithms exacerbate inequalities in society — and it is chilling.

Review: Six Suspects

20/12/2020

With wall-to-wall plot twists and intrigue, “Six Suspects” is an Agatha Christie-esque “anyone-coulda-dunnit” that’s an absolute delight. It’s atmospheric and dramatic, and when every single character has a huge secret to hide, there’s no end of fun to be had trying to work out who the culprit could be.

5 fight scene tropes that need to die

20/12/2020

Fight scenes are about visual spectacle, power dynamics, adding thrills and tension. They change the stakes quickly and move a film forward. When women are put in this environment they add something different… often a touch of unnecessary sexuality and silly recurring tropes.

Thankfully these tropes seem to be fading with the introduction of more well-rounded female action heroes whose power and skill is more important than how their body looks.

Perhaps with one last kick in the face, we can leave these tropes in the dust.

Review: The Sandwich Man

8/12/2020

The Taiwanese New Wave film “The Sandwich Man” featured at the Taiwan Film Festival consists of three shorts, all adapted from the works of novelist Huang Chun-Ming. They offer a different take on similar themes, looking at providing for a family, consumerism, and changing society.

They all have families at the heart and look in particular at men’s ability to support their loved ones.

<<Previous

Review: Breaking Fast

Review: Relic

Review: Resisterhood

Review: The Exception

Review: Mogul Mowgli

Review: Lourdes

Review: Coded Bias

Review: Six Suspects

5 fight scene tropes that need to die

Review: The Sandwich Man

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