The term “revolutionary” is often used too frequently to refer to films that are only mildly impactful – anytime a director does something slightly different or ahead of their time, they are immediately labelled as being a pioneer, which can sometimes be a decent way to immortalize their legacy (especially amongst those that are not…
Bottoms (2023)
There are generally two kinds of directors who find themselves making a film that proves to be quite successful – there are those who choose to rest on their laurels to an extent, making films within that wheelhouse based around the idea of finding their niche and maintaining it, particularly when it comes to genre…
Spaceballs (1987)
There came a point when Mel Brooks, who has always been a beloved comedy icon for well over half a century, seemed to finally reach the point where his work was not at the same level as it used to be – this is often the case with artists who are more inclined towards comedy,…
Talk to Me (2023)
It seems that at least once a year, we find ourselves in a situation where a film is being sold under the deadliest five words any work can ever hope to have attached to it: “the scariest film ever made”, which is a term that is thrown around with such immense recklessness, it has essentially…
Murder in Harlem (1935)
There are very few directors who have made as much of a cultural impact on cinema as Oscar Micheaux, a filmmaker who embodies the very spirit of the term revolutionary, both in his worldview and artistic expression. Yet, his legacy has only started to be appreciated as more than just a footnote in discussions around…
The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)
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…
The Postmodern Pelican 