“Till death do us part” – the sentence that ends many wedding vows and which has infiltrated the global culture as one of the defining sentiments when it comes to assuring a lifetime of affection and devotion. However, something that is not considered quite as often is what happens afterwards, which is a much more…
Babysitter (2022)
While it may seem counterintuitive, social and cultural outrage is one of the most important aspects of human development, since without the ability to recognise when something is amiss and respond to it accordingly based on the combination of social conditions and visceral instincts, we’d be running amok as a species, unable to control ourselves…
Storm Over Lisbon (1944)
The shadow of Casablanca loomed large over Hollywood in the mid-1940s. The radical success of that iconic film was frequently a source of a lot of active efforts to recapture the same spirit of the wartime romance between Rick Blaine and Ilse Lund, so much so that it became a minor genre all on its…
The Roses (2025)
“Till death us do part” – a phrase embedded in the global culture, almost to the point of becoming a cliché. Yet, it ends most conventional wedding vows, a continued choice that highlights the lifelong commitment two individuals make to each other at the altar, whether proverbial or physical. Yet, that’s not all that interesting,…
Golden Vanity (2023)
There is a very narrow boundary that divides vanity from glamour – even the term “vanity” has multiple meanings that circle the idea of otherworldly beauty, whether it be the more common description for those who are obsessed with their own allure, or to refer to that dressing table at which many people spend hours…
The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)
By the time he set out to make The Purple Rose of Cairo, Woody Allen already had about two decades of filmmaking behind him, having grown to be arguably the most acclaimed director of American comedies working at the time – but gradually over the years, he lost his desire to tell outrageous stories, and…
Below the Clouds (2025)
How does one begin to describe a city? Do you examine the architecture and how it has evolved? Or is it a case of exploring the culture through the generations of people who have called it their home? Perhaps the most effective approach would be to simply choose one aspect and allow the rest to…
It’s Complicated (2009)
The idea of first impressions being definitively final is such a passé concept, since there are many instances of a second chance sometimes being more meaningful than a first encounter. No one understands this better than Nancy Meyers, who has made something of a career based around ordinary protagonists going in search of some deeper…
Plainclothes (2025)
There is something to be said about the most dangerous people being those hiding in plain sight. These seemingly friendly strangers cross our paths randomly, but secretly have ulterior motives, which contributes to the belief that there are some people whose entire purpose is to cause trouble or expose those whom they view as being…
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (2025)
Just a brief note before we begin – I have not set out to spoil this film or ruin its many surprises, but in an effort to speak more openly about some of its themes and ideas, I have taken a slightly more liberal approach. While the actual solution isn’t revealed at any point, I…
The Postmodern Pelican 