DVD & VOD

Review by Leslie Byron Pitt What can we say about a film called Tomboy? We can say that this transgender switching revenge flick is as offensive as it is boring. What’s more frustrating is that it’s co-written and directed by the great Walter Hill whose stripped-down features of previous eras were brilliant examples of both social commentary and economical entertainment. From The Warriors (1979) to 48 Hours (1982) this is a filmmaker who not only has something to say but...

By Leslie Byron Pitt While Stanley Kubrick’s methodical work ethic produced a low volume of high-quality work, it’s easy to forget that the productivity of a prolific filmmaker can bear equally rewarding fruits. In the space of ten years, Chilean director Pablo Larraín has produced seven features and has only just reached the age of 40. The works of Larraín which the writer has seen, have been impactful ones, with each of them leaving a distinct mark as much as...

Review By Leslie Byron Pitt At 90 years young, Roger Corman is still shucking and jiving his way through the film world. He may no longer be in the director’s seat (Frankenstein Unbound was his last directed piece in 1990), yet this hasn’t stopped him from wearing his producer's hat. A man well known for being an important stepping stone for burgeoning Hollywood talent, Deathrace 2050 has Corman giving fledging young director; G.J. Echternkamp a chance to get his teeth...

By Leslie Byron Pitt There’s nothing worse than a film that goes through the motions. Even if a film is considered bad, it usually has something distinguishing about it. Something memorable. What We Become struggles with this for the simple fact that we’ve seen Zombie movies like this before, often with a more distinctive voice behind it. What We Become is a dime a dozen Zombie movie. One that only really stands out because it’s hard to think of another...

When Mike Dean blew the final whistle on life at the Boleyn Ground the thought at the back of everyone's mind was that irrespective of finance or form, life as a West Ham fan was about to irreversibly change. For some that feeling had set in long before Winston Reid scored the last ever goal and the sound of fireworks reverberated across the historic terraces. Mabel, a 100 year-old fan who has been a life-long supporter had woke up that...

By Leslie Byron Pitt I’m sure some will consider me a philistine for my dislike for We Are the Flesh. Some may perhaps consider me a wuss. Indoctrinated on too main mainstream cinema to deal with the more shocking aspects of Emiliano Rocha Minter’s transgressive art film. It’s clear that We Are the Flesh is looking to push boundaries and borders and arouse reaction within a viewer. Even if they are ones of disgust. I, however, found myself bored and...

By Leslie Byron Pitt Troubled adolescent John Wayne Cleaver is surrounded by death. In his small quiet Midwestern hometown, he balances school with a part-time role working at his mother’s funeral home. Recently diagnosed as a sociopath, John spends his work life cracking dark jokes about the cadavers and freaking out the people at his school with his morbid essays. Not much happens in this ma and pa, middle American town, however, a spate of mysterious murders has recently plagued...

By Leslie Byron Pitt The output of Platinum Dunes can often be considered questionable trash. The film company either offers shiny, toothless, re-treads of horrors gone by, or, with the matter of the purge series, they deliver tight yet awkward b-movies which could offer more if finely tuned. Ouija: Origin of Evil falls into the latter category. A contrived but enjoyable possession prequel, which builds greatly upon the sloppy first feature released in 2014. Set 50 years before the original...

By Leslie Byron Pitt @afrofilmviewer The first question which left my lips after viewing The Wailing was a simple one? Why so Long? Na Hong-jin’s (The Chaser, The Yellow Sea) third feature is by no means a bad movie. Far from it. Like many of the more successful Korean exports the West have managed to experience, The Wailing is an often-successful tonal mix of styles which happily shifts and contorts itself around whatever the expression the scene thinks would suit...