When it comes to the subject of global cinema, it’s not uncommon for those with a penchant for exploring the wider world of filmmaking to be asked why they enjoy looking beyond what’s directly around them. My reason, and one I believe is relatively common, is that seeing films made in different countries gives invaluable…
Marona’s Fantastic Tale (2020)
On occasion, we tend to encounter the kind of film that builds the viewer up to feel a happiness rarely experienced, and then subsequently dismantles all of it as we plunge into the depths of despair after having encountered a story that is as uplifting as it is deeply upsetting. There’s a reason why the…
Hamsun (1996)
Towards the end of Hamsun, the ambitious biographical drama of Knut Hamsun, an iconic Norwegian writer and early proponent of Adolf Hitler’s ideologies, a doctor remarks that he is looking forward to encountering “the anatomy of a poet”, through his continued observations of the titular character as part of state-mandated proceedings in the effort to…
The Salt of Tears (2021)
There’s something inherently fascinating about filmmakers from a very distinct period of time continuing to work into the contemporary era, since it creates a duality – the remnants of that period are still very much present in their distinct style, but the evolution of the art form has meant that they have very little choice…
Gentlemen of Fortune (1971)
A group of archaeologists are hammering away somewhere in Europe when they quite literally come across a treasure trove, which included a solid-gold helmet that they estimate belonged to Alexander the Great when he was on his campaign to conquer the entire world. Their history-making discovery is soon interrupted by the arrival of three criminals,…
The Nest (2020)
Sometime in the mid-1980s, a marriage is gradually falling apart. Rory (Jude Law) is a mildly successful businessman who begins to realize that his recent streak of good luck is coming to an end, and that there isn’t much hope for him in New York. He consults with his wife, Allison (Carrie Coon), who works…
I Married a Witch (1942)
In the late 16th century, a witch (Veronica Lake), and her sorcerer father (Cecil Kellaway) are caught in the middle of the infamous witch-hunts that many puritanical individuals occupied their time with. Three hundred years later, they manage to emerge as smoky entities, now in search of bodies to allow them to enter into the…
Wolfwalkers (2020)
Something quite interesting happens when we look beyond the confines of major studios, particularly when it comes to contemporary animation – we discover new and revolutionary works that change our perspectives and present us with something entirely unique and exciting. While they have been doing some wonderful work recently, Pixar and Disney have been overtaken…
The Goddess (1958)
In the early 1930s, somewhere in the Deep South, a young woman (Betty Lou Holland) is growing weary of how limited her life has become now that she has a daughter. She will do anything to rid herself of the child, who she sees as nothing but a burden – and while she was too…
A Flower in Hell (1958)
In recent years, Korean cinema has exploded into the mainstream, with audiences all around the world starting to pay attention to the work being produced in the tiny nation, particularly since many of these filmmakers tell stories that we can’t necessarily find elsewhere. The global obsession with the country’s cinematic output extends for around the…
The Postmodern Pelican 