Reviews April 2023

24/03/2023 | Reform

Combatting spiritual wickedness

How to Blow Up a PipelineFilm by Daniel Goldhaber, Ariela Barer, Jordan Sjol, Daniel GarberCertificate 15, 103 minutesReleased 21 April

A radical film whose four makers eschew the widespread film industry notion of the film director as … Read More

Reviews March 2023

24/02/2023 | Reform

Whatever is good and lovely

Lunana: A Yak In The ClassroomDirected by Pawo Choyning DorjiCertificate PG, 109 minutes,Oscar nomination – Best International Feature 2022Released 10 March

City boy Ugyen (Sherab Dorji) must work five years in education under Bhutan’s National … Read More

Reviews February 2023

27/01/2023 | Reform

In God’s name

Holy SpiderDirected by Ali AbassiCertificate 18, 116 minutesReleased 20 January (UK cinemas), 10 March (MUBI)

The year 2000. The Holy City of Mashhad, Iran. Prostitutes are being targeted by a killer who is justifying his crimes with … Read More

Reviews December 2022 / January 2023

28/11/2022 | Reform

Compelling mythology

Son of the White MareDirected by Marcell JankovicsCertificate 12, 86 minutesReleased on 4K Blu-ray

This 40-year-old animated film deserves to be better known. It recalls two perennial favourites. One is Fantasia (1940), where the idea of classical music liberated … Read More

Reviews November 2022

01/11/2022 | Reform

A repressive Islamist regime

No BearsDirected by Jafar PanahiCertificate 12a, 106 minutesReleased 11 November

The Iranian director Jafar Panahi (whose son Panar made the excellent road movie Hit the Road) has been in trouble with the country’s repressive Islamist regime … Read More

Reviews October 2022

03/10/2022 | Reform

Testing conventions

Doctor Who Am IDirected by Matthew Jacobs & Vanessa YuilleCertificate 12a, 80 minutesReleased in cinemas 27 October andDVD & Digital 28 November

What is a church, and why do people attend it? This is a documentary about Doctor … Read More