I was very saddened indeed to hear today of the passing of Terence Stamp. I met him just a few times, and certainly didn't know him at all well. But like (it seems) all or most others who encountered him, I was utterly charmed by his down-to-earth demeanour, his quiet intelligence, his modesty, his warm … Continue reading Meetings with a Remarkable Man: Terence Stamp remembered
While little contemporary American filmmaking is to my taste – most of it’s not made for people of my age – there are a number of dependably rewarding directors whose new movies I always make a point of catching; one such, undoubtedly, is the prolific Steven Soderbergh. Since I first saw sex, lies and videotape back … Continue reading Black Bag and Steven Soderbergh: a talent to treasure
As you may be aware, I’ve posted my personal ‘best of the year’ lists ever since I started writing here in 2016, and each time I’ve felt moved to mention the parlous state both of the UK and of the world in general. This last year saw no improvement on either front, which means that … Continue reading My best movies, music, books, etc, of 2023
These days I don’t watch as many new films as I used to, partly because I no longer work full-time as a critic/programmer and have other things I enjoy doing, partly because I get a lot out of revisiting the films I admire most, and partly because so many new movies clearly aren’t made for … Continue reading Command Z: Steven Soderbergh on the state of things…
The 2018 edition of the Berlin Film Festival was not, by any stretch of the imagination, a superior vintage; like myself, most critics I spoke with agreed that there were few if any truly outstanding films, though a couple whose opinions I respect did tell me they had discovered a masterpiece in the Forum strand … Continue reading The 2018 Berlin Film Festival – my top ten movies
A confession: while I recognise the cinematic importance of the late Andrei Tarkovsky – his influence on certain filmmakers, and the high regard in which his work is widely held – I myself have never been a great admirer of his films. I like Ivan’s Childhood and Andrei Roublev well enough, but I have always … Continue reading Turning Tarkovsky into music: Nuit blanche
notes and observations by Geoff Andrew 