“It used to be beautiful – what with the rackets, whoring, guns” The mere mention of the name Atlantic City should evoke some kind of reaction in the listener – a town (or rather, gambling resort) known for its gambling, free-spirited activities and lack of morality, it has been the origin of many dreams being…

Representation matters, perhaps more than anything else in cinema. We’ve seen every conceivable story portrayed on screen, but those that normally strike the most significant chord are the films that touch on issues close to the heart of the viewer, whether its those from a particular community, or the general audience at large. We tend…

Pieces of a Woman is not a film that always works as well as it should, particularly when we consider how much potential there was embedded in this story. The English-language debut for director Kornél Mundruczó, who has already established himself as a fascinating cinematic voice in his native Hungary, as well as his collaboration…

It’s a familiar feeling that many of us get from time to time when watching a film – the opening credits begin, and we see some familiar names, particularly those who are known for being indicative of quality, and we know that we’re about to see something very special, particularly when there is an aura…

It’s a situation we all know too well – we’re in the presence of a couple who have been together for a considerable amount of time. Once the pleasantries and small-talk have concluded, the tensions start to rise, and the underlying animosity that exists begins to simmer into a potent combination of angst and awkwardness….

From a mostly western perspective, this time of year is one in which we normally spend time with family, reflect on the memories of the past and simply just dive into our own experiences, all through a vaguely melancholic, nostalgic lens. This festive season, I chose to spend some time watching home movies with my…

Hermann Hesse’s Narcissus and Goldmund (German: Narziss und Goldmund) is a classic of European literature, a moving story of two individuals who start out their lives in much the same way, before deviating onto wildly different paths, it has been the source of a lot of discussion since its original publication. Oddly enough, it has…

Even when he wasn’t directly focused on it, the central concept in the work of Yasujirō Ozu has always been family, with many of his films venturing towards discussions into the role of the individual amongst their closest connections, which has made for some thoroughly compelling viewing throughout his career. One of his crowning achievements…

Long before they were the critically-acclaimed embodiment of the modern independent auteur, known for directing masterful works such as Good Time and Uncut Gems, Josh and Benny Safdie were obscure filmmakers that worked on shoestring budgets that could barely fund even a day’s work on a mainstream film, and who created films from the most…

Before he was a world-class actor known for an almost chameleonic control of his craft, Riz Ahmed was a journeyman entertainer, taking on minor roles in smaller productions, all as a means of supporting his music career, where he would rap under the stage name Riz MC, as part of the underground duo Sweat Shop…