Jackie (2016)

A biopic like Jackie comes around very rarely – an intimate, honest and sometimes brutal exploration of a much-loved public figure does not get more brilliant than this, and helmed by the wickedly talented Pablo Larraín, Jackie is one of the year’s most incredible films, and it proves to be a great addition to the…

Lion (2016)

Some stories are just too touching to not share, and the story of Saroo Brierley is one of the more inspiring. It was only a matter of time before his story was brought to the screen, the result may not be the most notable or prominent film, but for what it makes up for in…

Fences (2016)

Here’s the thing – I am a big fan of all the performing arts, and when it comes to the three kinds of narrative performance, there are different methods of control. In all of them, there are different components, each one vital and necessary, but there is always the one figure that is most important,…

Moonlight (2016)

I don’t think there is anything that is simultaneously beneficial and harmful to a film than hype. There are some films that are just hyped up so much and given the status of being essential viewings right from the beginning, and usually many people do enjoy the film, but many others find themselves somewhat disappointed,…

Elle (2016)

In my review for Things to Come, I called Isabelle Huppert the greatest actress in the world. I don’t think I have ever uttered something more truthful, and my belief in this fact is only amplified by the fact that Huppert is frequently beyond outstanding in nearly everything she does. Perhaps it is her performance…

It’s Only the End of the World (2017)

Oh, Xavier Dolan. How is it possible that there is a filmmaker so talented, yet so unbelievably messy in some of his cinematic pursuits? I jumped at the opportunity to watch It’s Only the End of the World (Juste la fin du monde) while I was in Europe, and I have to say that despite…

Manchester by the Sea (2016)

Last February, Leonardo DiCaprio won the Academy Award for Best Actor. Now while I do follow awards season, I don’t use that as a barometer of quality, and I try and keep awards prospects out of my reviews of films, because some of the best films never came close to the Academy Awards. The reason…

Captain Fantastic (2016)

In a cinematic landscape where nearly every mainstream film is a remake, reboot, re-imagining or sequel, or an adaptation or true-life story, independent cinema constantly comes to the rescue, creating fascinating and original stories. One such film is Captain Fantastic, one of the most bizarrely wonderful little films I’ve seen in a while, and proof…

Things to Come (2016)

Is there any doubt that Isabelle Huppert might just be the greatest actress in the world? Never before has there been such an extraordinary actress, capable of being so incredibly complex and layered. She has been having quite the year, with Paul Verhoeven’s Elle bringing Huppert to a higher level of fame in the English-speaking…

Pride and Prejudice (2005)

Who doesn’t love a good period drama? Certainly, the epitome of period drama has to come from Jane Austen adaptation – there have been many, and whether they are good or bad, they are still selfishly enjoyable and a lot of fun to watch. They’re not too serious, and luckily they are usually very well-made….