In the canon of great filmmakers that rarely received their due, there are few names that stand as tragically as that of Jack Clayton. Devotees and supporters of the director and his work will be very quick to mention how he had all the makings of a master, but didn’t really amass much of a…

It’s the time of the year where Hollywood sets its sights on the world’s most lavish consumerist event, hoping to capture the spirit of the season and captivate audiences, who are undoubtedly clamouring to get into the Christmas mood. Every year, we receive new Christmas-themed films, many of them following a familiar formula, which we…

Eurydice (Marpessa Dawn) is a young woman who has fled to a working-class region of Rio de Janeiro for reasons that are not immediately made clear. She is going to be staying with her cousin, Serafina (Léa Garcia), who turns out to be the complete antithesis of the shy and reserved Eurydice, living her life…

“This is a movie dedicated to all those common but great proletarians” These are the final words spoken by the narrator towards the end of Marius and Jeannette (French: Marius et Jeannette), director Robert Guédiguian’s gloriously triumphant ode to the unimpeachable beauty of modern romance. It is a perfect summary of the previous ninety minutes,…

In a career that stretched from the earliest days of the Golden Age of Hollywood, right to the centre of the New Hollywood movement, George Cukor was a cinematic institution – and anyone who has had the great pleasure of seeing any of his films will doubtlessly attest to the fact that he was a…

There are various elements that go into making a great film – an interesting story, a well-cast group of actors playing compelling roles, visual splendour and execution of some meaningful ideas that resound with audiences, regardless of genre. However, what does it take to make a canonical masterpiece? Someone who seemed to be able to…

There are just some films that fill you up with a sense of joy and wonder, with their most prominent quality being the fact that they’re able to captivate the viewer and take them on a beautiful journey, without needing to become too focused on the details. One of the most exemplary instances of this…

Ocho (Juan Barberini) has just arrived in Barcelona – he was in Madrid for business, and has decided to take some time to explore the beautiful European architecture and culture. However, it isn’t long before he is on the prowl for a companion to pass some time with. He spots Javi (Ramon Pujol), and the…

With the exception of perhaps the Holy Bible, no works have ever been more influential to western culture than those of William Shakespeare, whose plays and poetry have pervaded the collective culture for half a millennium, and introduced many of us to some of the most fascinating stories ever produced. Cinematically, Shakespeare has regularly found…

Maria (Chiara Mastroianni) lives a tumultuous life – she’s a well-regarded academic and university professor who has a penchant for starting relationships with younger men, with many of them being her students, who doubtlessly relish in having a chance at a relationship with such a fascinating woman. However, she has been married for twenty years,…