BlacKkKlansman

 

The most shocking thing about Spike Lee’s latest joint is the footage that plays just before the end credits. The footage, taken from events in Charlottesville the year before, mirror events in the film and aim to show how little has changed in America since those days in the late 70s. With Blackkklansman being Lee’s biggest release since Trump was elected there are naturally indirect references to him, one example being Ron Stallworth saying that America wouldn’t elect somebody like David Duke (he was branded for being naive by making such a statement) and with Trump’s statement, that suggested criminal equity between the two sides in the clashes in Charlottesville, it is clear Lee isn’t hiding his true feelings.

The Nun

For one reason or another, horror in 2018 was the year of the nun. There were four films (that I saw) that featured nuns as the primary antagonist (to an extent). St Agatha (Darren Lynn Bousman’s best film to date), The Devil’s Doorway (decent found footage debut from Aislinn Clarke) and Heretiks (there was a reason why this was in production for years) were the three I saw at Frightfest and the fourth, and final nun film, was Corin Hardy’s The Nun which was the biggest horror film of the year (and the biggest disappointment).

Climax

Climax is the first ever Gasper Noe film I ever watched and not only was it the first Noe film I ever watched I actually watched it with the director in the same theatre. Obviously, I knew who he was and his reputation for controversy and diverse reactions to his films so I was excited to be in the same room as him. Not only did I see the guy, I briefly spoke to him and the spluttered out that was the first film I’ve seen of his. I think his misheard because he said ‘thank you’ (thinking I said ‘best’) and then again when I called his film ‘interesting’ (which is basically a euphemism for ‘I don’t know what to think’).