Christopher Connor

Chris Connor on Akira Kurosawa’s Yojimbo…
Akira Kurosawa was one of the pioneers of world cinema in the 20th Century directing countless well-loved films particularly within the Samurai genre including Seven Samurai, Ran, Rashomon and one of the main inspirations behind Star Wars, 1958’s The Hidden Fortress. Many of Kurosawa’s films have been adapted in Western Cinema with Seven Samurai reworked in 1960 to form the basis of the classic Western The Magnificent Seven, starring Yul Brynner and S...

The 2018 Oscars remain one of the standouts from the 2010s/

[Spoilers Ahead!]
After what has been a somewhat up and down series this week’s episode saw the conclusion of the MCU’s second Disney + series with the most action packed episode of the series. With the cliff-hanger at the end of the last episode and the Flag Smashers moving in to attack a repatriation meeting the opening salvo of the episode involves Sam, sporting a new Captain America costume to accompany his shield and Bucky fending off the super soldiers and preventing widespread chaos. T...

Chris Connor on the What We Do in the Shadows cinematic universe…
When What We Do in the Shadows premiered in 2014, Taika Waititi was several years away from becoming the name he is today and Jemaine Clement’s talents as shown on Flight of the Conchords may well have slipped under the radar of many. In the years that have followed Waititi in particular has gone on to greatness directing the hugely successful blockbuster Thor: Ragnarok and winning the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for Jojo...

While Dr. No and the Bond franchise as a whole put Sean Connery on the map, one of his earlier efforts is 1961’s The Frightened City coming just a year before his first turn as super spy 007. It is fascinating to gain a glimpse at one of cinema’s icons just prior to his breakout role. The Frightened City should be seen as far more than just an early glimpse at Connery with it offering an interesting look at the seedy underbelly of early 60s London, Soho in particular.
The Frightened City focu...

[Spoilers Abound!]
After the shocking and much discussed conclusion of last week’s episode with the new Captain America John Walker brutally murdering one of the Flag Smashers in revenge for Lemar’s death, this episode carries on in the immediate aftermath with Walker struggling to process what he has just done. Sam and Bucky are on hand to quickly confront him and try to calm him and encourage him to hand over the shield. Walker is reluctant to give up his new found role and so a three way f...

Following last week’s trip to Madripor and a taste of the criminal underbelly of the MCU, the majority of the 4th episode entitled The Whole World is Watching largely takes place in Riga where Bucky, Sam and Zemo have tracked the flag smashers. Following the surprise cameo appearance of Ayo (Florence Kasumba) at the conclusion of last week’s episode we learn the Wakandan’s, specifically the Dora Milaje are after Zemo following his escape from prison and give Bucky 8 hours for him to help trac...

Following on from a revelation-filled second episode where Sam and Bucky discovered the existence of a new group of super soldiers, the third episode of the series picks up with Bucky visiting Helmut Zemo, the main antagonist from Captain America Civil War. The duo hope that Zemo will have answers on whether Hydra were behind this new slew of Super Soldier serum and so bust him out of prison in Berlin, where he has been since the events of Civil War.
Daniel Bruhl’s Zemo is one of the episode’...

Following on from the ending of its opening episode with the reveal of the new Captain America, episode two picks up with Sam and Bucky reeling from this latest revelation, with Bucky aghast at Sam’s decision to hand over Steve Rogers’ shield to the US Government, seemingly letting down the pairs’ trusted friend. This adds an interesting dynamic to proceedings and further sows the seeds of doubt within both, as to whether they are up to the task of carrying Steve’s legacy.
We are introduced t...

The Vault is a curious beast, borrowing heavily from previous heist films and while entertaining in stretches, struggles to forge an identity of its own. The film follows a ragtag crew of treasure hunters and thieves who have discovered that part of Sir Francis Drake’s treasure lies beneath the Bank Of Spain in one of the world’s most fortified and heavily guarded vaults. The premise, while fun, does borrow more than slightly from Naughty Dog’s Uncharted Video Game series which featured Drake...

WandaVision has proved to be a sure fire hit for Disney Plus and Marvel and now following hot on its heels, Marvel’s latest series is The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Originally slated to be the opening showcase for Marvel on Disney Plus, the show has shifted position. The series follows our eponymous heroes, or as they are also known Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes, as they adapt to life post Thanos’ snap and with the world at large trying to get to grips with a new way of life, following five...

Chris Connor looks back over the collaborations between Joel and Ethan Coen and Roger Deakins…
Joel and Ethan Coen have had one of the most eclectic careers of the last 40 years with films across an array of genres, blending humour, action and surrealism. One of the defining aspects of the brothers’ success is their long collaboration with legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins, starting with 1991’s Barton Fink through to their most recent film, 2016’s Hail, Caesar!.
In spite of the slew of ...

Moonrise Kingdom is a charming take on adolescence, a constantly entertaining film that possesses the levels of heart and warmth audiences have come to expect from a Wes Anderson film. The cast are absolutely terrific, with the two young leads holding their own against some marquee adult cast members, and the film manages to cram a lot of detail into its 90 minute runtime whilst remaining perfectly paced. Both a fitting tribute to some of Anderson’s favourite coming of age tales and a fine film within the genre, this is one of Anderson’s greatest releases to date and perhaps the one that best

French Filmmaker Quentin Dupieux, DJ turned director, has made a name for himself in his native France with quirky surrealist films. His film Rubber encapsulated his hard-to-discern style and unorthodox approach to the world of filmmaking. His latest, Keep An Eye Out (released in France in 2018) is, on paper, a straightforward police comedy film. But from the opening moments of a semi-nude man conducting an orchestra in a field, we know this is something all the more bizarre.
From the opening...