While most people will be more aware of the 1992 film that saw Al Pacino finally complete his transformation in a full parody of himself, Scent of a Woman (Italian: Profumo di donna) is actually one of the definitive entries into a genre that saw countless incredible filmmakers working to tell stories of ordinary people…

Earlier this week, I reviewed Albert Brooks’ groundbreaking comedy, Lost in America, where he and Julie Hagerty embark on a lifelong trip around the United States of America. Of course, the most hilarious part of the film (and the hook) is that the duo never actually manage to get that far, spending most of the…

Just based on the premise, one would be forgiven for thinking The Story of Qiu Ju (Mandarin: 秋菊打官司) is not a film we should take particularly seriously – after all, it does centre on a man being kicked in the groin after a heated argument with their village chieftain, and his heavily-pregnant wife taking matters…

Despite only having made a small handful of films, Jacques Tati remains one of the most important filmmakers of his generation, with his career both predating and occurring concurrently with the French New Wave, a movement that may not have been directly related to Tati, but was undeniably influenced, at least in terms of taking…

As far as I’m concerned, my writing has reflected a deep and undying devotion to the work of the ruthlessly talented Ruth Gordon, an artist I’ve admired since my earliest days of watching movies. Her impact on the film industry is clear and indelible – but what is often not discussed is The Actress, the…

There is a moment in Lost in America where it is made abundantly clear that Albert Brooks is not simply a great comedian, but has finally achieved brilliance as a filmmaker as well. It occurs towards the end of the film, when Brooks’ character returns to his humble mobile home, where he and his wife,…

There is a great film somewhere in Don’t Look Up, it just takes a short while to fully manifest. This is much more than can be said about the two previous forays by Adam McKay into a more serious-minded form of filmmaking, with his recent efforts being the infantilizing The Big Short, and the absolutely…

As a filmgoing culture, we were so fortunate to have someone like Luis García Berlanga, who dedicated so much of his life to making wonderful, insightful comedies that tell us as much about the culture in which he grew up as they did the most intricate details of the world at large. You can always…

We need to talk about Bill Forsyth more, at least in terms of giving him the attention that he has been deserving of for the last four decades. The creative mind between some of the most lovable comedies of the 1980s, the director made a profound impact without many even knowing his name. This is…