The Medicine in Marijuana A film by Ben Daitz and Ned Judge Film Review by James Evans, Film Critic/Historian Loco weed, maryjane, pot, devil’s weed, smoke, reefer, grass, wacky tobacky; there are many and varied slang words for the Cannibas Sativa plant aka marijuana. The urban slang dictionary lists 121 of them. The nuances of these […]
Category: Film and Media
A Beautiful Act of Separation
Film Review by Khalid Ali, film and media correspondent ‘The Disappearance of My Mother’, Beniamino Barrese, Italy 2019, showing at the London Film Festival 2019. Benedetta Barzini is a 76-year old retired lecturer who taught fashion studies at the University of Urbino in Italy. She has strong opinions about the exploitation of women in the fashion industry: ‘’Photographers […]
Conquering Death
Film Review by Khalid Ali, film and media correspondent ‘Hope frozen’, directed by Pailin Wedel, Thailand, USA, 2019 Showing at the BFI London Film Festival, 6th and 7th of October Breakthroughs in medicine and advances in technology such as ‘Thrombolysis’ (clot busting treatment for strokes caused by blood clots in the brain) and ‘Thrombectomy’ (mechanical […]
Protect, or Deprive of Liberty?
Review by Khalid Ali, Film and Media correspondent ‘The peanut butter falcon’, directed by Michael Schwartz and Tyler Nilson, USA 2019, Showing at the Love Gala at the BFI London Film Festival, 3, 4th and 11th October 2019. No one can question the fact that healthcare professionals have a duty of care and protection towards […]
Healing by Art: Almodovar Champions Arts for Health and Well-Being
‘Pain and Glory’ ‘Dolor y gloria’, directed by Pedro Almodovar, Spain 2019 In general release in UK cinemas on 23rd August 2019 Review by Dr Khalid Ali, film and Media Correspondent In his 21st feature film ‘Pain and glory’, auteur film maker Almodovar reflects on three significant relationships and people; his mother, a former lover […]
A Bird’s Revenge
The Nightingale (Jennifer Kent, Australia, 2018) Review by Khalid Ali, film and media correspondent Recently the presence of women film-makers is becoming more prominent and influential in international film circuits. The Sundance Film Festival London 2019 (https://spotlight.picturehouses.com/sundance-film-festival-2019-london/sundance-film-festival-19-london-full-programme/) continues the trend of showcasing the best of world cinema made by talented women with compelling stories to […]
Silent Suffering in the Valleys of Hope
Review by Dr Ayesha Ahmad, Global Health Correspondent, Medical Humanities Journal Widow of Silence, d: Praveen Morchhale, India, 2018 (Urdu with English subtitles) Winner of ‘best film award’ in Kolkata Indian Film Competition Showing at the London Indian Film Festival 2019, http://londonindianfilmfestival.co.uk/2019-festival-programme/ The silence during the first few scenes of ‘Widow of Silence’ is […]
The Sadness is Always There
Review by Professor Robert Abrams, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York ‘This Shaking Keeps Me Steady’ directed by Shehrezad Maher, India, 2018 Showing in the London Indian Film Festival (http://londonindianfilmfestival.co.uk/) In the film, ‘This shaking keeps me steady’ the deep emotion and dreams stirred by traumatic scenes are sharply juxtaposed with acting, which is presented as […]
Ch-ch-ch-changes (Turn and Face the Strange)
Review by © James Evans, Film Critic/Historian Review of Roobha, and Ghost of the Golden Groves Roobha (d: Lenin M. Sivam) and Ghost of the Golden Groves (Shonajhurir, d: Roshni Sen and Aniket Dutta) are two films at the London Indian Film Festival sharing similar themes, but radically different subject matters. The thematic similarities concern […]
No Pain, All Gain
Review by Dr Khalid Ali, film and media correspondent ‘The Man Who Feels No Pain’ (Mard Ko Dard Nahin Hota), Vasan Bala, India 2018 Showing at the London Indian Film Festival (http://londonindianfilmfestival.co.uk/) The Bagri Foundation London Film Festival celebrates a decade of bringing the best new South Asian films to the UK. The festival will […]