“Candlestick”
This is a first of many things. This is my first review for a film festival film, at its first screening at the first Aberdeen Film Festival. However, for all these firsts, this movie is not new.
By which I mean this is a very traditional thriller story surrounding a civilised game night which becomes a little less civilised as certain things begin to be revealed.
A true testament to good old fashioned filmmaking. This is a film which works its way out like a play. The acting is theatrical and purposely OTT and the use of more than one camera simultaneously allowed intercutting on some of the soliloquys work seamlessly.
The cast of this macabre tale.
The film looks terrific. Every shot feels as if it has a purpose within the story.
It will soon become a cliché amongst critics, to call this film Hitchcockian, a phrase used so often these days that sometimes loses its meaning in my opinion.
There are two things which reminded me of the great master of suspense. The first is the opening title sequence, designed by the Director (though he gave credit to someone else out of humility), which uses animation to form a Cluedo board game, nodding to Psycho.
The second is the music, which is real, visceral and as violent as any of Film Noir’s villains.
This film is not a classic as there is nothing groundbreaking in it, really. But it deserves recognition as a proper harking back to “the good ol’ days”.
Recommended Scenario: When you want to see what Dial M For Murder would look like in 2014’s London.
If what I have written tells you that you would like this film, you can book tickets to see it at your local Cineworld here. 
Craig's Movie Reviews 
meh.
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