Where is home? Perhaps a more interesting question is what is it about a specific place that leads it to earn such a label, whether it is for an individual or a wider group of people? In her second feature directorial outing (following her well-received Ashore a few years ago), Leonor Teles, who had previously…
Tag: movie-review
Gothika (2003)
We all fear to become what we criticise – it’s an inherent anxiety embedded deep in our consciousness, a desire to acknowledge those who pose danger in order to prevent ever becoming akin to them in any way. It’s a philosophical concept that has been explored often in both fiction and documentary works, and bears…
Our Teacher Jabish (1969)
The continued endeavour to explore global cinema, particularly looking at films that contain some sense of comedy, has opened entirely new avenues of artistic expression, and provided some fascinating insights into how different cultures at various points in history tell their stories on screen. Azerbaijan has a solid cinematic culture, albeit one that is mostly…
Welcome to Sarajevo (1997)
A brief word of warning, or perhaps just a cautionary tale – if you find yourself on the eve of travelling to a specific city, and decide that it would be a good opportunity to watch one of the most famous films set in that particular location in the hopes of getting a better understanding…
Willard (2003)
In a world with over eight billion people, some are just born to be alone, and whether solitary by choice or through circumstances, it can tell us a lot about the human condition when we set out to observe the daily lives of these individuals. In his fascinating novel Ratman’s Notebooks, Stephen Gilbert tells the…
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…
The Dig (2021)
There isn’t any “one size fits all” approach to making your way through life – everyone is on their own journey, and tends to be given specific opportunities to better their situation or blessings that help them achieve something that separates them from the rest of society. In many cases, these tend to be concealed,…
Typist Artist Pirate King (2022)
Upon her death just over a decade ago, no one other than her family and friends (or what few she had left) knew the name Audrey Amiss, since despite being a gifted artist and someone who strove to make an impression, she lived most of her life in obscurity, oscillating between her squalid flat in…
Mysterious Skin (2004)
The art of provocation is one that not many filmmakers have been able to successfully achieve without coming across as overly forced. Some filmmakers court controversy as a means for artistic expression, whereas others do it because they are genuinely fascinated by the reaction from the audience and how they observe particularly unsettling stories. There…
We Used to Know Each Other (2019)
Being in love is a wonderful experience, but maintaining it is another matter entirely, which is something that the protagonists of We Used to Know Each Other have to learn for themselves. A very simple independent comedy directed by Robert G. Putka, who wrote the screenplay in conjunction with Hugo de Sousa, who also happens…
The Postmodern Pelican 