FilmsShivaLike this

Films like Shiva.

Shiva (1989) reads as Sombre, breathless, extreme action / crime, grounded in texture. Ambivalent, mid-stakes, measured. Every film below is ranked by distance across the same twelve hand-scored axes — with what it keeps, and where it walks away. Not a genre dump.

Nikita (1990) poster
1. Nikita1990

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the grounded, familiar shape — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Eight Diagram Pole Fighter (1984) poster
2. Eight Diagram Pole Fighter1984

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the grounded, familiar shape — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Untouchables (1987) poster
3. The Untouchables1987

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the grounded, familiar shape — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Victim (1980) poster
4. The Victim1980

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the grounded, familiar shape — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Shaolin Mantis (1978) poster
5. Shaolin Mantis1978

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the grounded, familiar shape — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Quick and the Dead (1995) (1995) poster
6. The Quick and the Dead1995

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the grounded, familiar shape — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Tiger Cage (1988) poster
7. Tiger Cage1988

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the grounded, familiar shape — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Bare-Footed Kid (1993) poster
8. The Bare-Footed Kid1993

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the grounded, familiar shape — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Just Heroes (1989) poster
9. Just Heroes1989

Keeps the grounded, familiar shape and the bone-dry seriousness — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Two Champions of Shaolin (1980) poster
10. Two Champions of Shaolin1980

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the grounded, familiar shape — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Ten Tigers of Kwangtung (1980) poster
11. Ten Tigers of Kwangtung1980

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the grounded, familiar shape — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

In the Line of Duty 4 (1989) poster
12. In the Line of Duty 41989

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the grounded, familiar shape — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

These are Shiva’s neighbours — where are yours?

Rate five posters and the same twelve axes read you — then tonight’s pick comes from your own centre of taste.

Find my film for tonight — 60 sec →