Without any doubt, there are few writers that defined the concept of wit quite as well as Oscar Wilde, who essentially set the standard for much of modern-day humour with his scintillating, scandalous comedies, whether they were written for the page or the stage. The piece with the most notable cultural footprint is undeniably The…
Red Rocket (2021)
There’s something about the artistry of Sean Baker that seems both reliable and revolutionary – having achieved breakthrough recognition with his groundbreaking comedy Tangerine just under a decade ago (which came after a few years of mainly obscure work that went unnoticed by anyone not invested in the details of contemporary independent cinema), he has…
Tyrannosaur (2011)
Paddy Considine is one of those actors who many of us recognize, and whose presence we often appreciate, even if he’s not someone whose name we immediately can recall. However, he has proven himself to be a very gifted artist on countless occasions, to the point where his first attempt at stepping behind the camera…
Cool World (1992)
Purely on his contribution to the medium, Ralph Bakshi deserves to be considered one of the greatest animators in the history of cinema. His name may not be as well-known as some of his predecessors, contemporaries and artistic descendants, but his legacy has remained almost entirely untouched as possibly the most significant elder statesman of…
The Milagro Beanfield War (1988)
Robert Redford has directed several fantastic films, with the likes of Ordinary People and Quiz Show being relatively well-regarded, with many dedicated supporters that argue towards them being much better than most efforts produced by actors-turned-directors. For a lot of his career, Redford struggled with shedding the image of being an irresistible heartthrob, taking on…
Limelight (1952)
Is there any name that evokes a more passionate response than Charlie Chaplin? Arguably the most recognizable actor to ever work in the medium of film (perhaps only overtaken by Marilyn Monroe in terms of being a pure icon that is known across the world), he earned every bit of his acclaim and status as…
Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy (2021)
The reappraisal of Ryūsuke Hamaguchi as not only one of the most interesting directors working in his native Japan, but one of the most important artists of the current generation on a global scale has been wonderful. He has been working steadily for over a decade, but has only recently managed to achieve a level…
Attenberg (2010)
When it comes to making cinema that redefines the limits of artistic expression by filtering it through the most absurd and deranged stories imaginable, no one comes close to the work being done in Greece over the past two decades. Some of the most fascinating and provocative films have been produced by a range of…
The Quiet Man (1952)
One of the benefits of being a notoriously prolific artist is that there are occasions where one has very little choice but to step out of their comfort zone. John Ford’s name often evokes one of two images – classical westerns, or intense character-driven dramas. It doesn’t often lead one to think of gentle romantic…
Pat and Mike (1952)
Patricia “Pat” Pemberton (Katharine Hepburn) is something of an enigma – she has spent most of her professional life working as a physical education teacher at a range of high schools and universities, where she is helping nurture the next generation of athletes, despite the fact that she herself is good enough in a variety…
The Postmodern Pelican 