Why do we look towards the past? Is it to reflect on events that have happened in the hopes of learning from them, or simply because its generally a more pleasant experience to luxuriate in a time to which we obviously cannot return, but which still provides a sense of comfort while connecting us to…
Category: Drama
The Friend (2025)
Grief is a peculiar concept, insofar as it is universal in principle, but yet is so singularly impossible to define or even accurately describe. It is ever-changing and takes on so many different forms, emerging from an infinite number of scenarios and being different for every one of us. For some, it is a series…
Anne at 13,000 Ft. (2021)
Somewhere in the heart of the Canadian independent film industry is a small, renegade group of filmmakers who have regularly collaborated in various ways to help define the current generation of intimate arthouse cinema in a country that has always been known for a very precise style of storytelling. This coterie of writers, directors and…
Grand Hotel (1932)
One of the more unexpectedly compelling aspects of travelling is the chance to encounter people from all walks of life, and even without interacting with them directly, we are able to observe a brief moment in their lives. The experience of sitting in a hotel lobby and quietly watching the people passing by, taking note…
Our Teacher Jabish (1969)
The continued endeavour to explore global cinema, particularly looking at films that contain some sense of comedy, has opened entirely new avenues of artistic expression, and provided some fascinating insights into how different cultures at various points in history tell their stories on screen. Azerbaijan has a solid cinematic culture, albeit one that is mostly…
There Was a Father (1942)
No one would weave a story together quite like Yasujirō Ozu, a filmmaker whose work I have proven to be a strict adherent to, and who continues to surprise me the further I venture into his career, which is brimming with unimpeachable masterpieces and hidden gems. The subject of today’s discussion occupies the latter category,…
The Dig (2021)
There isn’t any “one size fits all” approach to making your way through life – everyone is on their own journey, and tends to be given specific opportunities to better their situation or blessings that help them achieve something that separates them from the rest of society. In many cases, these tend to be concealed,…
When Fall Is Coming (2025)
There’s nothing quite like a mother’s love for her children – and in his most recent directorial outing, François Ozon explores this concept (which he has touched on in the past, making it one of his more frequent themes) by way of When Fall Is Coming (French: Quand vient l’automne), a film that follows Michelle,…
Scarred Hearts (2016)
As far as contemporary filmmakers go, few are genuinely exciting as Radu Jude, whose rise from acclaimed but obscure Romanian auteur to arthouse darling who has decided to redefine what cinema represents has been nothing but extraordinary. My own admiration for his work is certainly well-documented, and he continues to be such a surprising and…
The Dresser (2015)
“All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women are merely players; They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts” Starting a discussion on a film with a quote by William Shakespeare (as well as possibly his most famous piece of writing, or at least…
The Postmodern Pelican 