There are sometimes films that are so odd, it is difficult to actually conceive any possible reason behind the making of it. The Overnight is one such film – an independent comedy that places focus on sexuality and relationships in a way that feels like this is mumblecore cinema’s response to the overtly sexual Carry…

Wes Anderson has become somewhat of a folkloric figure for modern film-lovers and devotees of contemporary cinema, with his distinctive style (which is often lovingly parodied) making him one of the most universally-embraced filmmakers working today. Personally, I find him quite an endearing filmmaker, albeit one with the visual aesthetic that can sometimes be a…

Numbers mean something to everyone – whether it be anniversaries, birthdays or milestones, we all celebrate reaching a certain point. Personally, I am engaged in my own celebration of sorts, as small as it may be: this is my 500th review. I have been trying to determine which film I should review for this milestone,…

Family is a subject that cinema loves, and there is absolutely no shortage of films that tackle the difficult but relatable topic of family dynamics. It is a subject that independent cinema is particularly enamored with, whereby several films take a critical (and often extremely hilarious) gander at the complex relationship between family members. One…

It is always a challenge for any filmmaker to attempt to make a film that tackles a real-life tragedy, particularly a recent one. It is even more challenging (and impressive when it is done successfully) on the odd occasion where a filmmaker attempts to approach a particularly bleak and hopelessly despairing real-world issue through representing…

I honestly don’t think it is possible to ever hate a Christmas movie. Perhaps it is just the yuletide setting that fills me with jolly merriment and good cheer or the fact that Christmas films are usually defined by their well-intentioned spirit that fails to be anything less than pleasant holiday viewing. While many classics…

I have to say, there is something about the traditional romantic comedy formula that can work on occasion, but more often than not, it does not. There are very few genres of films as utterly and boringly predictable as the romantic comedy because it seems like they are all operating from a set of the…

Bad Moms is the kind of comedy film that is made far too often, and despite their radical popularity and mainstream appeal, they are usually not particularly good cinema. A domestic or suburban comedy that sees a subversion of archetypal gender or societal roles where expectations are subverted in favor of bawdy and sometimes excessively…

Here are a few things that I love: 1950s suburban nostalgia, scathingly dark social satire and murder mysteries. Here is something I don’t love: Suburbicon. It is a film that should have been a lot better, and considering the plethora of talent in front of and behind the camera. Suburbicon is a film that had…

Allow me to be perfectly honest for just a second: the reason I loved Ingrid Goes West so much is not that it is a great independent dark comedy with great performances and a fascinating execution of its twisted story, nor because it is a subversive twist on the classic stalker-thriller trope. The reason I…