Close-Up Culture

Independent journalism on the things we love

Christspiracy – Film Review

I’ve never written a review for a film I haven’t finished before. I always like to see the end of everything I start watching, but I’m halfway through Christspiracy and I don’t think I can continue. The film is an investigative documentary that explores the historical connection between religions and their animals, and how influential…
Riley – Film Review

A star high school football player struggles to confront his sexuality and accept who he really is. As coming of age movies go, Riley ticks plenty of boxes on paper. But on screen, it’s raw and powerful, untangling the knots of stereotypes and fear within society. Looking first to the writer and director, this is Benjamin Howard’s…
Silver Haze – Film Review

Silver Haze tells the story of Franky, a nurse who begins a whirlwind relationship with one of her patients, leading her to embrace her past and confront her emotions. As LGBTQ+ stories go, this one feels similar in the sense that someone discovers themselves and their sexuality, but we are treated to an alternative lens through the way the story unfolds.…
Poor Things – Film Review

In the first 2024 episode of ‘Me Party’, Anna talks about Yorgos Lanthimos’ fantastically absurd Poor Things.
Films You Might’ve Missed In 2023

Happy New Year! It’s 2024, and I’m very excited for all the things I’ll be seeing over the next few months. But before we totally move on from 2023, I wanted to share a list of features that I thought made incredible viewing, but I haven’t heard many people talk about them. So whether they’re on streaming platforms,…
Recommendations for Courtroom Based Content

Recently, I’ve been drawn to stories that end up in a court room setting. It’s made me think about all the fantastic filmsand series I’ve seen over the years that use these locations to ramp up the drama and intensity for the characters as well as the audience. If you’re looking to see something like this,…
Throwback Interview: How To Have Sex Director Molly Manning Walker

In this throwback interview from 2020, director Molly Manning Walker talks about her short film Good Thanks, You? , the meaning behind it, and what she hopes to achieve through it. Molly has since gone on to director the feature film, How To Have Sex. You can read our review here. After seeing “Good Thanks,…
Recommendations From BFI London Film Festival 2023

This year, I attended BFI LFF quite intensely, with early mornings and nonstop screenings. It’s always fun and exciting to be at a film festival, but I then often need time to rest and really take in what I’ve been watching. A few days have passed since the end of the 2023 festival, and I…
Elvis VS Priscilla: How The Story Of Cilla And The King Of Rock ‘n’ Roll Has Come To Life On The Big Screen

When Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis was released last year, I saw it multiple times in the cinema. It blew my mind. I know that it’s not everyone’s favourite Luhrmann film, but you can’t deny how incredibly it tells the story of Elvis Presley. Prior to seeing the feature, I obviously knew about Elvis, but didn’t really care about…
BFI LFF 2023: Swan Song – Film Review

Swan Song is a documentary feature that follows the National Ballet of Canada’s artistic director and former dancer Karen Kain as she directs a production of Swan Lake for the company as her final project before retiring. The documentary starts as the Covid-19 pandemic begins, forcing a time jump and Canadian Ballet Royalty Karen Kain…