Phil Hoad

The Guardian

France’s other schools problem – the teens violently smashing up their old primaries: ‘They think it’s not worthy of respect – so they trash it’

By: Phil Hoad

The phenomenon of pupils wrecking equipment and setting fire to classrooms predates the current crisis. Is it rooted in poverty, social media peer pressure – or just plain boredom?

AOL UK

France's other schools problem – the teens violently smashing up their old primaries: ‘They think it's not worthy of respect – so they trash it'

By: Phil Hoad

Like most French primaries on Wednesdays, Marcel Pagnol school, in the eastern suburbs of Lyon, was shut on 19 June 2024.

AOL UK

The Girl in the River review – forensic psychologist police procedural thriller plays like noir parody

By: Phil Hoad

Ralph Macchio and Tiffany Haddish feature in a ropey and implausible manhunt thriller as cops search for the missing twin of a murdered teenager

The Guardian

Wuthering Heights: The House of the Damned review – pointless horror remake forgets to have fun

By: Phil Hoad

Part Dracula part Jeeves and Wooster, Brontë’s classic is reimagined with extra stranglings, slashings and pitchfork impalings but plays it straight

AOL UK

Wuthering Heights: The House of the Damned review – Brontë horror do-over is part Dracula, part Jeeves and Wooster

By: Phil Hoad

Where pornography once trod, horror has now become the genre that infiltrates and apes all others.

AOL UK

Ghost in the Cell review – Indonesian prison-slasher-satire contains the most unhinged punch-up in decades

By: Phil Hoad

Director Joko Anwar uses horror for social commentary as he skewers corruption and hypocrisy with likable silliness and raucous energy

AOL UK

Vampire Carnival review – it's Twilight at the fairground as abs run wild in pointy-toothed tug of war

By: Phil Hoad

‘Does this whole Edward Cullen act actually work?” A distinct Twilight feeling is in the air in this initially enlivening vampire flick, with willowy

The Guardian

Vampire Carnival review – it’s Twilight at the fairground as abs run wild in pointy-toothed tug of war

By: Phil Hoad

A mortal twentysomething is caught in a love triangle with two hunky vampire carnival workers in a film with good looks but not much to chew on

AOL UK

Hollywood AI-listers: is the technology ready to rival flesh-and-blood film stars?

By: Phil Hoad

‘Don't fear the dead – and don't fear me.” An exact facsimile of a young Val Kilmer, not quite dead and not quite alive, utters that baiting line in the trailer for the new western As Deep as the Grave.

AOL UK

Bad Day at the Office review – gratuitously entertaining Go-Pro thriller is like Crank meets The Hangover

By: Phil Hoad

This ludicrous, rabid thriller, shot largely on first-person GoPros, is like Peep Show on PCP. The cumulative effect is of being crammed into a monster-truck tyre and rolled down Mount Everest.