Originality is such a valuable commodity in contemporary cinema, particularly because it seems so elusive – it has always seemed slightly unnerving the degree to which the industry relies on existing properties rather than embracing the potential of discovering some new, untrodden artistic concept or style. Yet, there are still some filmmakers who are firm…
Tag: movie-review
I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)
Horror is a genre that is constantly changing. If we arrange its development in as much of a linear form as we can, it is possible to see the ebb and flow of certain concepts and styles in terms of popularity and how artistic innovation influenced so many different phases of a genre that has…
Handling the Undead (2024)
Saying goodbye to a loved one is never easy, and we often find that it is made more difficult when we feel that sense of deep regret for all that we didn’t say and do when they were alive, knowing that we are going to be burdened with that remorse for the rest of our…
Big Boys (2024)
At some point, we all experience some kind of awakening in various forms, where we suddenly realize where we fit into this confusing and challenging world, and take the necessary steps to integrate ourselves into our respective niches or communities, should they be available. For some, this is a smooth process in which one slides…
Lost on a Mountain in Maine (2024)
The story of Donn Fendler has captivated readers for years, with many being enthralled by his accounts of being a young boy who went hiking with his father and two brothers on Mount Katahdin in the late 1930s, but somehow found himself separated from the group, leading to nine gruelling days in the wilderness of…
Mercy (2014)
Home is where the heart is, but it’s also often where the trauma lies, which is a concept many of us come to realize far too late in life. We all carry our challenges, but there’s something about the home in which we grew up that feels particularly difficult to overcome, even if our experiences…
Grey Bees (2024)
The subject of war is so frequently examined from every possible angle, whether in endeavours that veer towards the academic or artistic, that it seems like just about every potential story has been told, especially when it comes to conveying the message that war is not something to celebrate or view positively, but rather a…
The Girl with the Needle (2024)
It has often been said that the most sinister kind of evil is not found in the pages of any fictional text, but rather in reality – the most malicious individuals are usually those that have existed in our own world, and we are often forced to grapple with the realization that we live in…
Deliverance (1972)
There are many places we are encouraged to explore and experience their splendour, whether they are in the natural or constructed world. Yet, horror films set in these places very rarely yield particularly effective results, with the exception of a few that are truly innovative. Yet, the sense of adventure and familiarity with the excitement…
Slow West (2015)
One of the most bizarre but understandable quirks of the popularity of the Western genre is the fact that so many works glamourized the Old West and presented it as some wildly entertaining, colourful period in the past where life was simpler and people were more eccentric. Naturally, this is all a product of Hollywood’s…
The Postmodern Pelican 