For whatever reason, The Walt Disney Company has pivoted away from producing original works and has seemingly instead shown themselves to be the very embodiment of the concept of resting on its laurels – not only are many of the works they have produced in the last decade been sequels to some of their most…
Nickel Boys (2024)
“He who gets behind in a race must forever remain behind or run faster than the man in front.” There is a scene towards the end of RaMell Ross’ Nickel Boys in which the two protagonists escape their abusive boarding school, taking flight by cycling down a rural road. Not far behind them are the…
A Complete Unknown (2024)
For decades, we have attempted to find the words to describe Bob Dylan and his work. Some view him as one of the most important musicians of the 20th century, others as the absolute voice of his generation. Terms such as “poet” and “revolutionary” rarely linger too far behind in any conversation about his legacy…
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)
Nothing inspires creativity and audacity more than rejection and failure – and few artists knew this more than Shane Black, whose career as a relatively successful screenwriter was brought to a grinding halt when one of his films did not perform as expected, leading to him becoming one of the countless casualties of Hollywood’s notoriously…
The Bishop’s Wife (1947)
Who of us have not, when enduring a particularly challenging period in our lives, secretly wished for the heavens to open up, revealing some celestial being that will provide us with the help and guidance we yearn for in these moments? It seems to be a universal experience to yearn for some kind of divine…
Christmas Eve in Miller’s Point (2024)
The holiday season is a challenging time for everyone, albeit for very different reasons – some find it overly commercial, whereas others feel burdened by the stress of planning festivities that are very rarely worth the time and effort, and which just prove to reiterate the fact that this period is reserved for capitalistic gain…
The Merry World of Léopold Z (1965)
In my continued efforts to explore important works of Québécois cinema, there were a few titles that emerged as being particularly noteworthy, whether for their artistic merit or the situation surrounding their creation. In the case of The Merry World of Léopold Z (French: La vie heureuse de Léopold Z), there were elements of both…
Babygirl (2024)
We all crave power in some way or another – it is hardwired into our nature to desire some kind of dominance, even if it is only to a very small degree. The philosophical reasons for having such impulses are inconclusive. Still, it is certain to be the result of shifting dynamics of power, and…
Vermiglio (2024)
Nestled deep within the Italian Alps sits a small village – its occupants spend their days quietly going about their routine, focusing on their day-to-day schedule. At the same time, war rages around the world, a conflict that they are not directly involved in, at least not until the arrival of a soldier in their…
Merlusse (1935)
For the most part, there are two kinds of teachers that we tend to remember long into our adult years – there are those who were exceptionally strong at their craft and treated their profession with nothing but pride, and then there are those who fall victim to the laziness and apathy that sometimes comes…
The Postmodern Pelican 