When it comes to social realism, the Belgians have produced some of the most exhilarating works (mainly due to the prolific careers of Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne, arguably amongst the most important filmmakers to hail from that country), and they have left a legacy that has made for some really fascinating storytelling in subsequent years….
Tag: drama
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…
There’s Still Tomorrow (2024)
How long can someone be a prisoner to their social circumstances before they reach the point where they can no longer remain silent? This is a question that many have asked for as long as society has found ways to marginalise certain communities by silencing their voices, and it has been the foundation for some…
The Piano Lesson (2024)
Few playwrights evoke such passionate discourse and praise when their names are mentioned, with this status being reserved for a select few artists who changed the way theatre functions, either narratively, in form or as a combination of both. August Wilson lived a comparatively short life when we look at it from a distance, but…
Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)
When an artist has been in the industry for long enough, it’s a challenge to not divide their career into different chapters, especially when their style and approach to filmmaking shifts over time. Not necessarily aligned with quality, but more in how they develop their ideas and the kinds of subjects that they pursue at…
A Day in the Country (1946)
After having quite a prolific career in both Europe and the United States, and having made films quite late into his life, it’s tough to imagine that Jean Renoir, one of cinema’s finest directors, had many instances of projects that didn’t manifest as he intended them to, most of his work being well-crafted and very…
Hot Saturday (1932)
Discussions about the Pre-Code era are certainly not elusive around these parts. This period of Hollywood history is one of the most fascinating, since that brief period between the silent era and the implementation of the Hays Code was home to some of the most boundary-pushing, daring works, the likes of which we wouldn’t see…
Hard Truths (2024)
“You can’t buy time. You can’t sell it either” There are many reasons to adore the work of Mike Leigh. His meticulous attention to detail when it comes to developing his characters, his astonishing ability to capture every aspect of everyday life (which is often the reason he is considered a founding member of an…
Pressure Point (1962)
“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite” These words were written by…
Una (2017)
While it may not be particularly memorable in retrospect, there was a brief moment when many of us believed that Una would become one of the major dramas of the past decade. In terms of the premise, the film was an adaptation of Blackbird, a critically acclaimed stage play by David Harrower, which told the…
The Postmodern Pelican 