No matter how much some may tend to resist it, or the number of times the same trite “style over substance” argument is brought out to diminish his work, we simply cannot deny that Wes Anderson is not only a profoundly gifted filmmaker, but one of the most important filmmakers of his generation. After what…
Category: dark comedy
Calamari Union (1985)
A gang (consisting of a group of men all named Frank, and then later an additional member named Pekka, all of which seem to lack last names) meets in an abandoned building and begin outlining a plan for their upcoming escape from working-class Helsinki, which they are intending to complete within a few hours, given…
The Probability Factor (1976)
We all deal with frustrating people in our own way – some have a higher tolerance for irritation than others, while some may choose to simply cut someone entirely out of their lives. Neither of these are particularly fascinating when it comes to art, since we’re conditioned as a species to be naturally curious about…
Meet the Applegates (1991)
Whenever the subject of domesticity and suburbia comes up in a film, I tend to refer to the time David Lynch very effectively stated “I discovered that if one looks a little closer at this beautiful world, there are always red ants underneath”, a simple sentiment that says everything we need to know about the…
On Becoming a Guinea Fowl (2025)
If you were to drive down any rural or countryside road in Sub-Saharan Africa, chances are that you would spot one of the unofficial birds of the continent, the guinea fowl. These plump, uniquely-coloured birds are icons of many regions of Africa, and are often seen as welcome additions to any homestead, farm or rural…
Duplex (2003)
While he is relatively beloved, based on his endearing personality that makes it impossible to harbour any negative feelings towards him, as well as his universally adored style of acting, Danny DeVito’s work often tends to go overlooked, at least in terms of his directorial output. Throw Momma from the Train is a classic and…
Misericordia (2025)
Anyone who has spent a little time in Europe will undoubtedly be familiar with the experience of retreating from the bustling cities and instead making their way through the small towns and villages that seem to be scattered liberally across the continent. It’s a wonderful break from the hustle and bustle of large urban centres,…
The Witches of Eastwick (1987)
Every small town has its secrets lurking beneath the idyllic surface. There have been so many works that situate themselves in quaint hamlets and use these settings as the foundation for examinations of the darker and more perverse side of society, usually being fashioned as darkly satirical subversions of common perceptions of small-town life. One…
The Heroics (2021)
There’s something quite peculiar about The Heroics (French: Les héroïques), a particularly off-kilter quality that persists throughout the film. Perhaps it’s the tone, which oscillates between hilarious and tragic with very little difficulty, often in the same scene. It could possibly be the narrative, which is about as meandering as the main character’s life. The…
The People’s Joker (2024)
What is life other than the continuous process of trying to figure out your identity, and maintaining the image of being in control when in reality we are all as hopelessly clueless about existence as everyone else? It’s often been said that anyone who doesn’t have even a minor existential crisis at some point is…
The Postmodern Pelican 