Far too many people act surprised when they come across contemporary horror films that contain a comedic sensibility, as if the idea of blending humour and terror hasn’t been around since the Golden Age of Hollywood, being as pivotal to the development of both genres as any other element that is usually associated with them….
Tag: comedy
Stir Crazy (1980)
It says quite a bit about Sidney Poitier’s reputation that upon watching Stir Crazy, the words “directed by Sidney Poitier” come as a genuine surprise, and even for those of us who knew that the esteemed actor and Hollywood icon was at the helm, it’s still difficult to believe. This isn’t a statement on his…
The Cemetery Club (1993)
For some, a friendship is a lifelong blessing, for others, it is a welcome distraction from everyday life. For the select few, it is a frustration that we simply cannot bring ourselves to end, since there is something special about having companions that stand with you through every challenge and triumph in your life. For…
Crossing Delancey (1988)
Some people believe in fate, whereas others see it as merely thinly-veiled faith in some higher power that seemingly has a plan for all of us, an idea that has been increasingly viewed with incredulity as time has progressed. However, there’s something quite appealing about putting all your trust in something that we cannot see…
Reality Bites (1994)
Whenever the subject of great filmmakers of the past thirty years comes up, one name that is rarely mentioned despite a solid body of work is Ben Stiller, someone who is undeniably familiar to the majority of us, but who barely receives the attention he deserves for his forays behind the camera, at least not…
Stan & Ollie (2018)
There are few experiences more delightful than seeing comedic teams in their element, and the history of cinema is littered with many examples of duos or troupes that collaborated consistently over the years, becoming synonymous with their respective eras and how comedy was performed and consumed at that particular point in the past, something that…
The Cameraman (1928)
As a general rule of thumb, when assessing the legacy of someone within the film industry, we can usually divide them into those who worked for their place in history, and those who were shoehorned into it as a result of some forced act of popularity. In many cases, we find that some of the…
In God We Tru$t (1980)
Nothing has been simultaneously more beneficial and harmful to the growth of humanity than money – our voyage from bartering systems in the early days of civilization to the present day has been fascinating, and we have seen many revolutions emerge, both literal and figurative, over the way money is used within society, and it…
Coup de Chance (2023)
There was a time when life had a few certainties – the sun would rise in the morning, the tide would flow in and out, and Woody Allen would release a film almost every year, like clockwork. For reasons that are quite obvious surrounding his personal life, the latter has essentially ceased, and in the…
The Werewolf of Washington (1973)
Some satire tends to be quite subtle, while others veer towards presenting their intentions and themes so aggressively, we have to admire the gall. In the case of The Werewolf of Washington, we find that the latter is the preferred modus operandi of director Milton Moses Ginsberg (a little-known editor whose only other endeavour into…
The Postmodern Pelican 