One of the reasons Joel and Ethan Coen have been so radically successful as filmmakers for decades is that when you watch their work, you are not only getting films that occupy spaces in several genres, but you are essentially seeing the history of cinema compressed into a singular story, which comes from the directors’…
Rotting in the Sun (2023)
If there is one subject that the film industry adores talking about other than its brilliance, it would be the exploits of the rich and famous, with stories of influential public figures becoming steadily more prominent, especially in works that set out to expose the wretched excess that tends to define the lives of these…
One Way Passage (1932)
There is always something encouraging about an artist being plucked from obscurity and having their career reassessed. Sometimes, this only occurs decades after their passing, but it is better late than never when it comes to giving certain creative individuals the credit they deserve. Tay Garnett is not a name known to many of us,…
Theatre Camp (2023)
At first glance, Theatre Camp may feel insufferable – it comes across as a high-concept version of Glee if it had been filtered through the lens of an independent comedy, and possesses the same sense of trying too hard to appeal to a niche corner of the market, one that didn’t necessarily warrant this level…
Downhill (1927)
Long before he was undeniably the proverbial master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock was a journeyman filmmaker working in his native Britain, producing works that were more dramatic than they were suspenseful, and usually being more aligned with the field of melodrama than the genres that he would begin to master once he made his move…
Birth/Rebirth (2023)
Death is inevitable, which is a fact that many of us try and avoid thinking about, whether it is our own demise or the passing of a loved one. However, sometimes it comes prematurely, and it can throw those left behind for a loop, especially when it comes to the harrowing experience of a parent…
Thumbsucker (2005)
My first encounter with Mike Mills’ Thumbsucker was shortly after its release, just before his breakthrough with the celebrated Beginners that established him as one of the most exciting new voices in independent filmmaking. His adaptation of the novel by Walter Kirn, which tells the story of a teenager struggling to navigate the challenges of…
Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks (2014)
One lesson that we all come to learn at some point in our lives is that it is never too late to start afresh. For some, this means reinventing yourself and uprooting your life, while for others it is simply making a small but substantial change, rather than taking a tabula rasa approach to reconfiguring…
All of Me (1984)
There are generally two broad categories of successful comedies – those made by the rambunctious young upstarts who find their primary motivation in proving their mettle as filmmakers and actors worthy to stand alongside the giants of their industry, and those produced by the seasoned veterans, people that were notable enough to sell a film…
Life of a Shock Force Worker (1972)
It is a liberating feeling to be presented with a film, and not only given the permission to not try to make sense of the absurdity shown on screen but actively encouraged against it since this ultimately impinges on the experience of a particular film as a whole. We may never know what Bato Čengić…
The Postmodern Pelican 