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…
Tag: film
Emilia Pérez (2024)
When given the opportunity to change your life, every one of us would take it, whether it means small alterations or an entire reinvention of our existence. However, those who make such a decision to completely abandon their identity and take on a new life tend to find that it is impossible to run away…
Foreign Correspondent (1940)
While we all recognize his extraordinary gifts as a filmmaker across many different genres, we don’t often appreciate Alfred Hitchcock’s prowess as a wartime filmmaker, a fact that has been surprisingly erased from a lot of celebratory praises that have been heaped on him in his capacity as possibly the finest director in the history…
Heretic (2024)
It is generally considered an unspoken rule of polite society that one should steer away from discussing politics and religion, especially with those who you don’t know since it can run the risk of offending the beliefs of others. However, both are subjects that are not only topics of conversation in just about every situation,…
Two-Way Stretch (1960)
From a linguistic perspective, few places breed innovation in how language develops and is used than prisons – these institutions tend to provide fascinating insights into how people change meanings of words ascribe entirely new definitions to existing terms, or even just outright create new phrases, all of which is usually done to establish some…
Starlet (2012)
Much like I suspect would be the case with many people, I first became acquainted with Sean Baker in 2015, when he had a major breakthrough with Tangerine, an extraordinarily ambitious dark comedy about two transgender sex workers that was notable for both its unconventional narrative, the fact that it was shot entirely on an…
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…
Between the Temples (2024)
“Give me your hand and I’ll give you mine” Everyday life comes with various challenges, which should resonate with the vast majority of us who are forced to navigate day-to-day obstacles simply to meet the minimum criteria to be considered a functional human being. Yet, despite these shared challenges, it’s our individual response to them…
Unbelievable Adventures of Italians in Russia (1974)
It tends to be quite a rare occurrence to find a film marketing itself as exactly what it intends to deliver, and avoiding any sense of unnecessary hyperbole for the sake of drawing attention to itself – and in its honesty, it actually veers towards being quite remarkable in its own right. This is the…
La Moustache (2005)
The key to the success of any good film is often quite simple – have a good story and execution that matches or overtakes the level of ambition that went into its conception. Obviously it is integral to add other elements for the sake of diversity, but good art is really just a matter of…
The Postmodern Pelican 