In 2011, Paul Feig directed the now iconic Bridesmaids, based on the script by Annie Mumulo and Kristen Wiig. This was, for better or worse, the first truly great female-led mainstream comedy, and the combination of the talented cast, the hilarious script and the emotionally-resonant execution resulted in a wonderful film. It was also one…
The Awful Truth (1937)
They just don’t make films like The Awful Truth anymore, do they? A great comedy film driven by nothing more than sparkling dialogue, the tangible chemistry between the lead and a wonderful story that flows exceptionally well, supported by the incredible performances by a talented cast. The Awful Truth is the rare kind of film…
25th Hour (2002)
If you knew your life was going to come to an end tomorrow, how would you spend today? This is a central issue in Spike Lee’s 25th Hour, albeit not quite as extreme. Monty Brogan (Edward Norton) is being sent to prison for dealing drugs in 24 hours, and he decides to spend the last…
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
I don’t usually bother to put a spoiler warning at the beginning of any of my reviews because rarely do I ever discuss spoilers for a film in a way that could be seen as giving too much away. However, with Avengers: Infinity War, I think it is appropriate, because there is not a possibility…
Obvious Child (2014)
If there was a way to describe independent cinema in only one sentence, it would probably be “the films that tell the stories that mainstream cinema is too afraid to” – and very few films are as applicable to this concept as Obvious Child, the debut feature by indie filmmaker and writer Gillian Robespierre. Obvious…
My Own Private Idaho (1991)
I’m a connoisseur of roads. I’ve been tasting roads my whole life. This road will never end. It probably goes all around the world” These are the haunting final words of My Own Private Idaho, spoken by the tragic protagonist of the film, Mike Waters (River Phoenix). My Own Private Idaho is a film about…
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)
To date, I don’t think there has been a single film based on a novel by Roald Dahl that I have not liked. The Witches was a juvenile horror masterpiece, James and the Giant Peach was enthralling, and both adaptations of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory were thrilling and entertaining, not to mention Danny De…
The ‘Burbs (1989)
Up until this past weekend, I believed that Blue Velvet was the greatest satire of the archetypal American suburban condition of the 1980s. As much as I am an ardent devotee to David Lynch, I have to admit that such a belief was nothing more than a misguided delusion. As effective and brilliant as Blue…
Happy End (2017)
There are few names that have evoked the concept of “revolutionary auteur” quite like Michael Haneke – throughout his career, Haneke has pushed the boundaries of cinema, making audacious and often extremely shocking films about the human condition, showing the smallest nuances of society and the problems that individuals face within harsh socio-political and economic…
A Quiet Place (2018)
Last year, quite a cinematic anomaly occurred – Jordan Peele, the goofy comedian best known for his surreal and unrestrained sketch comedy stylings, wrote and directed Get Out, a film that entirely obliterated the expectations of every single viewer. The film was a scathing social commentary, a darkly hilarious statement on society, and an utterly…
The Postmodern Pelican 