Contributor David Pountain

An older man in a tan jacket stands in a doorway, with a woman and child visible behind him.
In Praise Of

How Unforgiven laid the classic movie western to rest

by David Pountain

Clint Eastwood’s gritty 1992 film dispelled many of the myths which he helped to popularise.
Two people embracing in a dimly lit room, one in a suit and the other wearing a striped shirt.

How the cinema of Wong Kar-wai reflects a Hong Kong in transition

by David Pountain

The director’s work has long echoed the underlying anxiety felt in his homeland.
Two partially clothed men, one embracing the other with a camera in hand.
In Praise Of

The bitter romanticism of Wong Kar-wai’s Happy Together

by David Pountain

The Hong Kong master’s 1997 film is a deeply affecting portrait of a failing relationship.
Two people, a woman with blonde hair and a man in a flat cap, standing by a wooden structure in a rural setting.
In Praise Of

How Bonnie and Clyde brought the French New Wave to Hollywood

by David Pountain

Arthur Penn’s seminal crime thriller owes a lot to the likes of Jean-Luc Godard and François Truffaut.
Two individuals, a woman in a blue dress and a man in a white blouse, sitting together in an intimate setting.
In Praise Of

The emasculation of Clint Eastwood in The Beguiled

by David Pountain

Don Siegel’s period thriller shows this icon of screen masculinity at his most pathetic and vulnerable.
A man with a serious expression holds a rifle in a dramatic scene.
In Praise Of

The high-octane homoeroticism of John Woo’s Hard Boiled

by David Pountain

The director’s explosive spectacle deconstructs masculinity, sexuality and the action genre itself.

Accessibility Settings

Text

Applies the Open Dyslexic font, designed to improve readability for individuals with dyslexia.

Applies a more readable font throughout the website, improving readability.

Underlines links throughout the website, making them easier to distinguish.

Adjusts the font size for improved readability.

Visuals

Reduces animations and disables autoplaying videos across the website, reducing distractions and improving focus.

Reduces the colour saturation throughout the website to create a more soothing visual experience.

Increases the contrast of elements on the website, making text and interface elements easier to distinguish.