Author: alexandrapetrache

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Review: My Childhood, My Country – 20 Years in Afghanistan

Year: 2021 Runtime: 90 minutes Directors: Phil Grabsky, Shoaib Sharifi by Alexandra Petrache “My Childhood, My Country – 20 Years in Afghanistan” (2021) was filmed over two decades- we follow Mir Hussein from the age of seven, when he was encountered by Phil Grabsky, a British documentary maker (“I, Caesar: The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire (1997), “In Search of Mozart”(2006)). Fascinated with … Continue reading Review: My Childhood, My Country – 20 Years in Afghanistan

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Review: Black Widow

Year: 2021 Runtime: 133 minutes Director: Cate Shortland Writers: Eric Pearson, Jac Schaeffer, Ned Benson Actors: Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Rachel Weisz, Ray Winstone, William Hurt, Olga Kurylenko By Alexandra Petrache “Black Widow” (2021) is one of the best Marvel films. I left the cinema thinking it was “up there” with “Infinity War” (2018) and “Endgame” (2019). The story and characters were engaging … Continue reading Review: Black Widow

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I Am Samuel
Documentaries, Film Reviews, Indie Film

REVIEW: I am Samuel

Year: 2020Runtime: 1hr 9minsDirector: Peter MurimiWriters: Peter Murimi, Ricardo Acosta By Alexandra Petrache Filmed verité style, “I Am Samuel” is a story of hope, heart-break and pushing through to make it despite the odds. It shows part of the emotional and social journey two homosexual men in Kenya have to take to be together – this includes potential arguments with the family or community, social stigma, … Continue reading REVIEW: I am Samuel

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Book Reviews, History, Women in Film

Book Review: Phantom Lady

“Phantom Lady: Hollywood Producer Joan Harrison, the Forgotten Woman Behind Hitchcock” written by Christina Lane (“Feminist Hollywood”), is named after the first film Joan Harrison produced. The metaphor draws on Harrison’s career debut and her ghostly legend and myth. Hired initially to be Hitchcock’s secretary, her insight and eye for good stories made her one of his most valuable collaborators as she worked with him and his wife Alma Reville, writing and producing. Continue reading Book Review: Phantom Lady

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Supernova 2020
Film Reviews

Review: Supernova

Year: 2020 Runtime: 93 minutes Director: Harry Macqueen Writer: Harry Macqueen Actors: Colin Firth, Stanley Tucci, Pippa Haywood, Peter Macqueen, Ian Drysdale, Sarah Woodward, James Dreyfus by Alexandra Petrache “Supernova” is a tale. It has a beginning, a middle and an ending and a plot twist. It has villains and heroes, except the villains do not have a shape and the heroes are being asked … Continue reading Review: Supernova

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Film Festivals, Film Reviews, World Cinema

Fantasia Festival Review: A Witness Out of the Blue

In “A Witness Out of the Blue”, written and directed by Andrew Fung, Lin Fa-liang (Louis Cheung) is a Hong Kong policeman with a big heart and what looks like ten cats. When he is unable to make a loan deadline (loan he used to fund his cat shelter), Fa-liang finds himself doing odd jobs for his lender, who calls him at the most inconvenient moments, including at a crime scene. This makes for light-hearted humorous situations and a nice episodic story. Continue reading Fantasia Festival Review: A Witness Out of the Blue

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