I have spoken quite regularly about the period in which the Walt Disney Company recovered from a couple of decades of mid-tier work by delivering a string of exceptional films that allowed them to regain a level of respectability (not that it was necessarily lost), and in the process create some of their most inspiring…
Renfield (2023)
One of the unfortunate realities that we all have to face when it comes to cinema is that some of the most ambitious ideas tend to be wasted on mediocre talents, or manifest in a way that is disappointing to say the least. One of the most recent examples of an exceptional concept not reaching…
Angel (1937)
As is often the case with filmmakers that define an entire era of cinema, it is difficult to choose the standout in a director’s career when nearly everything they make has some incredible artistic relevance, so much so that it becomes a challenge to even compare their greatest works, since they are all magnificent and…
Moving On (2023)
One of the many fascinating quirks about the film industry is that if an actor puts in enough work early in their career, and maintains a level of decency and respectability, there comes a point where they are given carte blanche to spend their time however they see fit, without any risk of being viewed…
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)
While it has become something of a frustration when studios commission a sequel to a film based on the original’s success (since it plays into the perception that Hollywood lacks originality and always wants to pursue what they know as being successful), we don’t often realize the risk that can come when doing so, since…
Wendy and Lucy (2008)
Kelly Reichardt is a peculiar filmmaker, and I mean that with every iota of respect I can muster. She is a truly original storyteller, and someone who has made a profound impact on independent cinema, albeit in ways that are not actually strikingly clear on the surface. What makes her so fascinating is that her…
The Evil Dead (1981)
The trope of the “cabin in the woods” horror (which focus on a group of characters that venture into some rural, isolated part of the world and find themselves confronted with sinister forces, whether tangible or supernatural) has become so taut and overworked, it seems impossible to fully comprehend where it started, if such a…
Love Like Poison (2010)
While she has only directed three films, each one of the works constructed by Katell Quillévéré feels like complex, vibrant glimpses into the collective consciousness, a daring and provocative series of images, each one coming together to tell moving and poignant stories. She is truly one of our most fascinating young talents, and an absolutely…
Cat People (1942)
If you read any material that discusses the life and times of Val Lewton, you will come across one word that is perhaps most defining of him as an artist – “atavistic”. The word, which means that which relates to the antiquity or ancestral worlds, is something that remained one of the primary themes behind…
Swimming Pool (2003)
There are some films that don’t only allow for ambiguity, they outright encourage it, since there is nothing quite like a strong and impenetrable story to keep audiences engaged. One of the most interesting examples of this comes in the form of Swimming Pool, the remarkable and highly-questionable erotic thriller by François Ozon in his…
The Postmodern Pelican 