A beautifuly staged historical epic set in a sixteenth century Japanese civil war.
find out more...
RAN (1985)
Certification15 Our Rating
Ran, Kurosawa's last great epic, is a Jidaigeki (Japanese period drama) depicting the fall of Hidetora Ichimonj, an ageing Sengoku-era warlord who abdicates as ruler in favor of his three sons. His kingdom slowly disintegrates as the sons struggle for power, murdering rivals and laying waste to the land, and Hidetora goes insane after watching his retainers slaughtered in an epic massacre, the centrepiece of the film. As the kingdom crumbles and rival warlords move in for the kill, the Ichimonji
find out more...
RICHARD III (IAN MCKELLEN) (1996)
Certification15 Our Rating
The original script brought to life in the 1930s with a cast of thousands and the best of action cinema and photography. Richard is truly malevolent and lethal, let loose in a fascist Britain with machine guns and tanks to further his plans for domination. Brilliantly performed, chilling, thrilling edge of the seat stuff.
find out more...
RIDE WITH THE DEVIL (1999)
Certification15 Our Rating
An ambitious but competently-handled Civil War epic from versatile director Ang Lee . A fairly heavyweight historical drama, it focuses on the Bushwackers, a rebel southern militia group headed by Maguire, Ulrich and Rhys-Meyers, who're conducting a guerilla war, and black scout Jeffrey Wright, who's forced to fight for the pro-slavery cause. Worthy and well-crafted, but light entertainment it ain't.
find out more...
SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE (1972)
Certification18 Our Rating
The film version of Kurt Vonnegut Jr's famous anti-war sci-fi novel. Slipping back and forth along his own life line a suburban optometrist experiences the fire bombing of Dresden and captivity on the planet Trafalmardore. A powerful and seemingly unfilmable book that turned out to be a great movie.
find out more...
THE LIFE AND DEATH OF COLONEL BLIMP (1943)
CertificationPG Our Rating
Based on David Low's cartoon character, Major General Clive Wynne-Candy, VC, we back-track over his life, drawing us into sympathy with the prime virtues of honour and chivalry which have transformed him from dashing young spark of the 1890s into crusty old buffer of World War II. Roger Livesey gives us not just a great performance, but a man's whole life, losing his only love (Deborah Kerr) to the German officer (Walbrook) with whom he fought a duel in pre-WWI Berlin, then becoming the latter's
find out more...
THE SEVEN SAMURAI (1954)
CertificationPG Our Rating
A veteran samurai, who has fallen on hard times, answers a village's request for protection from bandits. He gathers 6 other samurai to help him and they teach the townspeople how to defend themselves in return for three small meals a day. The film culminates in a giant battle when 40 bandits attack the village. Considered by many to be one of the greatest films ever made and the inspiration for "The Magnificent Seven", to be enjoyed both by film buffs and action fans.
find out more...