Saint Omer (2022)

Motherhood is a journey – anyone that has had any experience with it will undoubtedly mention the trials and tribulations that come from being a mother, to the point where one doesn’t even need to be a parent at all to understand the special connection that exists between a child and their parents. This is…

Armageddon Time (2022)

When one thinks of the qualities that best define James Gray, versatility is one of the more common terms we can use to describe him. A director who has successfully weaponised his refusal to develop a particular style, and instead pursued an identity based around his ability to work in a wide range of genres,…

The Lost Weekend (1945)

The transition from journeyman screenwriter who worked primarily under the guidance of your artistic hero to one of the greatest filmmakers of all time is certainly not easy, but yet Billy Wilder managed to make it seem like the most enjoyable experience imaginable. It would be a challenge to find anyone who enjoyed his craft…

Return to Seoul (2022)

There have been few better examples of a filmmaker immediately announcing themselves as a major talent than this year, when Davy Chou introduced the world to the absolutely astonishing and deeply profound Return to Seoul (French: Retour à Séoul), a film that immediately and without any hesitation becomes of the year’s greatest artistic achievements in…

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943)

Few names are more regularly associated with an impeccable standard of quality during the classical era of cinema more than Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, the directorial duo that worked together under the name of The Archers. They were dominant creative forces throughout their career (both individually and as a pair), but were most known…

Pacifiction (2022)

There are a few filmmakers who actively work to hone their craft, but even after producing several works, we can’t quite figure out how history is going to remember them. Albert Serra is the current embodiment of this principle – watching his films, we are never sure whether we are witnessing the continued development of…

Goodbye Solo (2008)

There was a time when Ramin Bahrani was considered one of the most exciting young directors of his generation. He was given boundless praise by both critics and the industry, as well as audiences, all of which responded with nothing but the most sincere praise for his work, which signalled a flourishing directorial career that…

Empire of Light (2022)

We have all presumably felt that specific sensation at least once, the feeling of walking through those doors, handing the usher your ticket while trying to balance your overpriced treats from the concession stand, before walking into that dimly-lit theatre and taking your seat amongst a few dozen other strangers, all gathered together to undergo…

The Inspection (2022)

There are few subjects that are quite as incompatible as the queer community and the armed forces, which has been the source of a lot of tension in terms of political and cultural standards, with the general belief that homosexuality does not have any place within the military being rooted heavily in conservative values. However,…

The Quiet Girl (2022)

Childhood is perhaps the time in our lives where we learn the most – not only in the sense of gaining an official, formal education, but learning about the many challenges that face us in the years ahead, which can be both intimidating and poignant for any child undergoing the inevitable process of getting older….