How do you write about the subject of satire without turning it into a history lesson on the origins of the art of lampooning culture and society to underline the hypocrisies and ironies that populate – if not outright define – everyday life? The truth is that it’s a fool’s errand, one that is usually…
Category: dark comedy
Getting Any? (1994)
You cannot underestimate the lengths to which someone will go to satisfy their cravings, regardless of the specific desire and how they tend to be acquired. In the case of Getting Any? (Japanese: みんな～やってるか!), Takeshi Kitano asks similar questions and sets out to provide some answers in the process, which he does in the form…
The Smile (1994)
Some artistic voices don’t quite transcend place and time enough that they are constantly referred to as influential figures, but who are nonetheless still very important, particularly to those who are aware of their contributions. I’d hesitate to refer to Claude Miller as an obscure filmmaker, but he certainly has not received his due, despite…
Roommates (2026)
The process of growing up can be brutal, since it requires us to learn hard lessons, most of which come when we have to face situations where discomfort is inevitable. One experience that many of us go through is that of making friends – while some may be naturally genial and popular, the process of…
How to Make a Killing (2026)
Crime doesn’t pay, but it certainly can make life a bit easier – this is a premise on which many fantastic works of art have built themselves, since the idea of looking into the mind of a criminal and understanding their motives (as unsettling as they may be) has become a common point of conversation…
The Moment (2026)
We all crave fame, whether it’s the recognition as being a pioneer of your chosen field, or the ability to live a life of luxury and wealth that many of us can only dream of ever achieving. Who among us hasn’t at some point in our lives fantasised about the idea of performing in front…
Outcome (2026)
Everyone makes mistakes, and unless it is something that causes undue harm or removes the dignity of another being (or frankly just unacceptably breaks the law), everyone deserves a second chance. We all get away with certain misdeeds, granted they are within the realm of reason, which is something that has been consolidated in both…
The Drama (2026)
When it comes to finding the love of your life, should there be limits on what you share with them, or is complete transparency a prerequisite for choosing someone as your soulmate, especially when the conversation about marriage begins? Logically, you’d expect that choosing to marry someone comes with the responsibility to share everything with…
Drugstore Cowboy (1989)
To be young and reckless, allowing yourself to be engulfed by the restless feelings of youthful abandon to the point where it seems like you have not truly lived unless you’ve flirted with death, either physically or psychologically, is one of life’s most interesting gifts, a blessing and a curse depending on who you ask….
Le Départ (1967)
Youth is tricky to navigate, and there is a point in everyone’s life where we are caught in a very awkward space – old enough to take on adult responsibilities, but too young to be entirely trusted to bring them to fruition. This is a formative moment in one’s life, and a time when we…
The Postmodern Pelican 