Film Reviews by AXY

In-between handling cranks and drunks, a police call-handler becomes increasingly embroiled in a live incident. Despite being set in basically two rooms, a strong script and great sound design make for riveting drama in this Danish film. It's a talkie, so you'll need to either enjoy subtitles or speak Danish.

Beautiful visuals in places but a ponderous, naval-gazing, daddy-issues film that has a lot less to say than it thinks it has. And that's before you get to its implausible physics. The only interesting idea it has - what to make of a universe in which there's no other intelligent life - appears very late in the film, is dashed off in about five seconds flat, and then immediately forgotten about. All that said, it is nice to finally see Neptune getting a starring role, and the film does literally, if utterly inexplicably, include Space Monkeys.

A great film from Spike Lee. Though set firmly in the past, he doesn't miss a trick making the parallels to the present-day stand out. Arguably a little heavy-handed at the conclusion, perhaps, but it's totally forgivable, and largely reinforces what's gone before. But aside from the history (more in a minute), it's an enjoyable, rather funny and very well-made film. There's a spectacularly well-framed crowd scene at a rally early on, and a jarring juxtaposition of a recounting of a lynching with a Klan ceremony at the end. Strongly recommended!

... But just be aware that, although large parts of the film are based on a true story, the film's plot apparently does veer from reality towards the end, largely for dramatic (and it is *dramatic*) reasons. Also forgivable.