Over time, one of the greatest joys of my journey into the world of cinema was realizing how Russia is responsible for some of the greatest films of all time – and we aren’t even discussing the likes of Eisenstein and Tarkovsky, who have been universally canonized as tremendous filmmakers. Instead, I’m referring to the…
My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
For nearly four decades, Studio Ghibli has been regarded as the gold standard for animation, perhaps even more so than Disney and Pixar (which have unsurprisingly collaborated with the Japanese animation studio on a few occasions in recent years), and the reasons are extremely obvious. Few studios have been as committed to capturing quality over…
Life Stinks (1991)
By the time you have mastered a particular genre, to the point where you are considered one of the most influential figures to have ever worked within it, you can afford to take a few risks on occasion. Mel Brooks is inarguably one of the greatest comedic filmmakers to have ever worked in the medium,…
Air (2023)
When it comes to a film like Air, the supposed passion project for director Ben Affleck and his close friend and longtime collaborator (despite there being virtually no premeditated plans prior to the film’s announcement), it is important to know what to expect, not because there is any sense of unpredictability to this film, but…
Insiang (1976)
If you choose any country, and spend enough time venturing off the beaten path, you are likely going to find that there are a wealth of stories hidden from view, but which are just as captivating and enduring as those which are more traditionally popular. There is a certain level of heroism that comes when…
The Animal Kingdom (1932)
If there was ever an era in which filmmakers in Hollywood were active in their efforts to take risks, it would be during the brief period known as the Pre-Code era, which may not have been as driven by the “anything goes” mentality with which some seem to assume defined this period, but still had…
Deconstructing Harry (1997)
While is a director that has never avoided experimenting with style, although outside of a few radical diversions into very different genres, his films generally maintain a similar quality of being either outrageously funny comedies (particularly in his earlier career) or more self-reflective, complex existential films that blur the boundary between comedy and drama in…
Saint Omer (2022)
Motherhood is a journey – anyone that has had any experience with it will undoubtedly mention the trials and tribulations that come from being a mother, to the point where one doesn’t even need to be a parent at all to understand the special connection that exists between a child and their parents. This is…
The Last Detail (1973)
While his career had its origins and conclusion outside of the decade, the 1970s were the period in which Hal Ashby did his greatest work, with nearly every film he produced during this era being masterpieces in some way, and where nothing he made after 1979 being worth much, residing in relative obscurity that is…
Armageddon Time (2022)
When one thinks of the qualities that best define James Gray, versatility is one of the more common terms we can use to describe him. A director who has successfully weaponised his refusal to develop a particular style, and instead pursued an identity based around his ability to work in a wide range of genres,…
The Postmodern Pelican 