The Skin of Sorrow (2010)

More than half a century before Oscar Wilde committed pen to paper in order to write The Picture of Dorian Gray, we had a similarly-themed story on behalf of the equally important literary genius Honoré de Balzac in the form of La Peau de chagrin (commonly translated as “The Magic Skin”), which is also focused…

Harold and the Purple Crayon (2024)

Imagination is the most powerful currency known to man. Perhaps an overly hackneyed sentiment that invalidates more concrete forms of wealth, but it is still very motivating and the premise on which many creative individuals choose to base their lives. One of the great examples of this concept in practice comes in the form of…

IF (2024)

One of the more bizarre trends we see year after year in cinema is the attempt to create a new franchise based around live-action, family-friendly entertainment that doesn’t rely on existing cinematic properties or material that is already quite popular in its own right. Usually, this involves adapting cherished childhood storybooks that are marketed to…

Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941)

For about as long as we have been sentient, there have been questions about what happens to us after we die, and whether or not there is an afterlife – and if so, what are the conditions to enter into it? The answer is almost always leading a principled, morally strong life with minimal diversions…

Fantastic Night (1942)

What is a dream other than a fantastical scenario that our minds create, convincing us that they are real for a very brief moment in time? We’ve seen countless works of art that look at the bizarre but universal phenomenon of dreams, whether directly or as the supplement to a larger narrative – and its…

Wonka (2023)

One lesson we have all undoubtedly learned over the past decade or two is that if one waits long enough, every beloved property will be subjected to some kind of remake, reboot or revival, and that nothing is immune to the firm grasp that studios have over their productions when it comes to returning to…

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023)

There are few combinations of an author and director more appropriate than Roald Dahl and Wes Anderson – both are incredibly popular artists with a distinct style and an enormous legacy, as well as a devoted group of supporters who swear by their work. Despite being from entirely different times and not having any artistic…

Miracle in Milan (1951)

The vast majority of countries have a small handful of directors that are known to have helped define the national cinema, taking on a folkloric level of acclaim and being seen as artistic legends, ingrained into the cultural iconography, as well as usually being viewed as the entry-point for newcomers looking to explore a particular…

A Matter of Life and Death (1946)

There comes a moment when every viewer looks at a film by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, and finds themselves somewhat at a loss for words. The duo, affectionately known collectively as The Archers when working together, produced work of such an immensely high calibre, it seems almost inexplicable that someone can consider them to…

Beauty and the Beast (1946)

Would it be cliche to begin this conversation by saying that the story at the heart of Beauty and the Beast (French: La Belle et la Bête) is based on a tale as old as time? Regardless, this is the perfect entry point to starting our discussion on Jean Cocteau’s masterful adaptation of the timeless…