Most film lovers with an interest in Hollywood ephemera are aware of the Chateau Marmont – the prestigious restaurant and hotel nestled into the heart of Sunset Boulevard, and which has seen countless figures from the world of entertainment pass through its hallowed halls over the years. However, one of its most recent occupants is…
Birdman of Alcatraz (1962)
Robert Stroud (Burt Lancaster) has been sentenced to death for the murder of two men. A young and rebellious felon, he holds very little remorse for his actions and is willing to take the punishment long before he’s going to regret his actions. However, based on a successful petition run by his mother (Thelma Ritter),…
The Fabulous Baron Munchausen (1962)
I’d like to get inside Karel Zeman’s head and look around for a while. There are few filmmakers whose relatively obscurity outside of more devoted artistic circles bewilder me quite as much as him – throughout his career, Zeman produced some of the most fascinating works of art ever committed to film, quite literally buildings…
Long Day’s Journey Into Night (1962)
Playwrights tend to know more about the human condition than just about anyone. This has never been more evident than through the work of Eugene O’Neill, whose status as arguably the most important American playwright of his generation (a distinction he may only be able to share with the likes of Arthur Miller and Tennessee…
An Autumn Afternoon (1962)
Each individual filmmaker intends to do something throughout their career – some of them want to make us laugh, others want to terrify us, and there are even those that tend to try and evoke deep and meaningful thought in the viewer, to the point where we start to look at our own existence in…
The Miracle Worker (1962)
Helen Keller has always been a historical figure that I’ve been profoundly fascinated by – from the early days of elementary school where we were told about her valiant efforts in overcoming both deafness and blindness, making her one of the most inspiring historical figures, to my in-depth exploration of her life at the postgraduate…
Ride Your Wave (2020)
Hinako Mukaimizu (Rina Kawaei) is a young girl venturing out into the terrifying world, finding herself in a seaside town in which she has enrolled to attend university, where she plans to study oceanography. This isn’t an interest borne out of nothing, since she has always been enamoured with the sea, spending many pleasant days…
Me and You and Everyone We Know (2005)
Two weary souls are making their way through life. One of them is Richard (John Hawkes), who has recently separated from his wife and has to share custody with their two sons (Miles Thompson and Brandon Ratcliff), who are wayward young men who are distant from their father, who is struggling to come to terms…
To Sleep with Anger (1990)
In serene suburban Los Angeles reside an ordinary family. They’re led by the rugged but well-meaning Gideon (Paul Butler) and his wife, Suzie (Mary Alice), who have two grown children (Richard Brooks and Carl Lumbly), who have offspring of their own. Their lives are, on the surface, the definition of traditional – they attend church,…
Kings & Queen (2004)
There are certain qualities embedded in the films of Arnaud Desplechin that show him as a director whose films often touch on very real issues, but the one that perhaps stands out the most is his incredible ability to look at the human condition in very different ways, focusing on the trials and tribulations of…
The Postmodern Pelican 