“I have two hands. One has a camera — the other one is acting, in a way. I love the idea that with these handheld cameras — these new numeric things — very light, but, on the other hand, very “macrophoto.” You know what is macro? You can approach things very near. I can, with…

“We are soldiers. Show some revolutionary spirit!” ‘Good Morning, Night’, directed by Marco Bellocchio in 2003, is an Italian film set in 1976. It tells the real story of the kidnapping of Aldo Moro, the former prime minister of Italy and leader of the Christian democracy party in Italy. The film is told from the…

“Contrary to belief, the 20th century wasn’t that bloody. It’s agreed that wars caused 100 million deaths. Add 10 million for the Russian gulags. The Chinese camps, we’ll never know, but say 20 million. So 130, 145 million dead. Not all that impressive. In the 16th century, the Spanish and Portuguese managed, without gas chambers…

“Why return to the City of God, where God forgets about you?” ‘City of God’, directed by Fernando Meirelles in 2002, is a Brazillian crime drama set in the Cidade de Deus suburb of Rio de Janeiro. The story is told through the eyes of Rocket (played by Luis Otávio as a child, then Alexandre…

“You must have patience, even while people die. Only thus can the whole evil be destroyed. You must let it grow.” I’m a happy member of the ‘Folk Horror Revival’ Facebook group. I bought the ‘Folk Horror Revival: Field Studies’ book and I’ve contributed a poem to the up-coming ‘Corpse Roads’ anthology, but I have…

“I’m here to keep you safe, Sam. I want to help you.” ‘Moon’, directed by Duncan Jones in 2009, is a British science fiction drama featuring Sam Rockwell as Sam Bell, the sole occupant of a moon base at the end of a three year mining mission. With his only company a computer called GERTY,…

“My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions and loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius; father to a murdered son; husband to a murdered wife; and I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.” ‘Gladiator’, directed by Ridley Scott in…

“Are you less lonely because you can sit in the garden? Do you feel less lonely in the metro than at home? Well then! Anyway, I have my family friend… with remote control. Whenever they annoy me, I just shut them up.” ‘Caché’, directed by Michael Haneke in 2005 is a puzzle-box of a suspense…

“My mother outlived the GDR by three days. I believe it was a good thing she never learned the truth. She died happy. She wanted us to scatter her ashes to the winds. That’s prohibited in Germany, both East and West. But we didn’t care.” ‘Good Bye, Lenin!’, directed by Wolfgang Becker in 2003, is…

“When I write characters, I never think of their psychology because I know nothing about psychology. I prefer to think of the characters as children who are pretending to be adults.” ‘The Headless Woman’, directed by Lucrecia Martel in 2008, is a psychological thriller with hints of fantasy and satire. María Onetto plays Verónica, an…

It is now five months since I finished watching Mark Cousins’ ‘Story of Film’ and decided to increase my knowledge of and exposure to more interesting movies (I’m aware all this makes it sound like a prison sentence). I’ve watched, thought about and written about 133 movies watched which means around 30,000 words or a…

“What she does in assembling her ingredients is profoundly disturbing. In some cases it may not technically be illegal, on other occasions it is. Depends on the circumstances. I will not describe her secrets, but I will tell you that you may be profoundly disturbed, and that the movie’s last scene, sick and evil as…

“You have to overreact.” ‘Harry, He’s Here to Help’, directed by Dominik Moll in 2000, is a French psychological thriller. The title character, played by Sergi López, runs into an old school acquaintance, Michel, played by Laurent Lucas, and his family. Michel is traveling to his house in the country which he is doing up…

“Elegantly played and emotionally lively, Mid-August Lunch is might be small but it is perfectly formed, deftly revealing over the course of its seventy minute running time, the obsessions of the Italian male; mama, food and hypochondria.” ‘Mid-August Lunch’, directed by Gianni Di Gregorio (who also starred) in 2008, is a short but sweet movie…

“I’m sorry my sister turned you parents into pigs, but there’s nothing I can do. It’s just the way things are. You’ll have to help your parents and Haku by yourself. Use what you remember about them.” ‘Spirited Away’, an animated movie directed by Hayao Miyazaki in 2001, is a magical, witty and, at times,…