I have had a difficult relationship with Wes Anderson, which is something that I believe has been made very evident through my writing. No one would be more willing to put together a passionate response to the underrated genius that is The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, or rave about the brilliance of Bottle Rocket…
Modern Romance (1981)
You have to admire the candour with which Albert Brooks made his films over the years – his debut feature film Real Life was all about reality, while his masterpiece Defending Your Life was exactly what it promised based on the premise. Modern Romance is one of the few times we’ve been misled by the…
Passing (2021)
We often see in the world of art, the most difficult periods in terms of social or cultural obstacles often serve to be the foundation for some of the most incredible works. The Harlem Renaissance was one such period, where many African-American artists used their experiences to push the boundaries of every conceivable medium, telling…
Senso (1954)
In the vast landscape of romantic cinema, no one did it better than Luchino Visconti, whose career was populated by achingly beautiful stories of love, usually set to the backdrop of fascinating historical events, making his films multilayered explorations of the human spirit in its various forms. One of his finest achievements, albeit one that…
La Poison (1951)
As they say, revenge is a dish best served cold – but what happens when this concept is placed in the careful hands of a filmmaker known for his warmth and candour? This is only one of the many fascinating elements of La Poison, the hilarious and exuberant dark comedy by French master Sacha Guitry,…
After Love (2021)
When it comes to romance, the only concept art seems to be invested in more than people falling in love is that of people falling out of it – and while After Love may not necessarily focus entirely on a woman ceasing to have feelings for her deceased husband, it does question her motivations to…
Rear Window (1954)
By the time he reached the middle of the 1950s, Alfred Hitchcock was already undeniably a well-established filmmaker who had easily earned his place in the canon of great cinematic artists. No one had been able to make films that were both as artistically-resonant and profoundly mainstream as him, which is essentially what has kept…
Titane (2021)
Like the rest of the world, I was both shocked and entranced by Raw, the directorial debut of Julia Ducournau, who immediately established herself as one of the most exciting voices in contemporary horror when she stepped behind the camera to tell the story of a young woman who discovers that she is acquiring a…
Caprice (1986)
Few veteran filmmakers have had a more sudden ascent to acclaim than Joanna Hogg. Most would have come to have known her through her magnificent The Souvenir duology, which won her many new admirers. For those with an ear to the ground in terms of British independent cinema, she would be familiar as the director…
Save the Tiger (1973)
In terms of filmmaking, the 1970s was a revolutionary period for a number of reasons. The era, which has often been referred to under the general term of the New Hollywood movement, brought about an entirely new generation of filmmakers, whose youthful voices and unique perspectives contributed to a seismic shift in how stories were…
The Postmodern Pelican 