How do you define an artistic revolutionary? Is it by their longevity or the extent to which they were willing to take wild swings, regardless of any potential repercussions from a society that may not have always understood them at the time, but still facilitated their rise to acclaim, even if unintentionally? When it comes…
Tag: review
Beating Heart (1940)
Had Robert Bresson been more inclined to make Pickpocket in the mould of the classic Hollywood screwball comedies that held quite a prominent place in the culture, it would have most likely looked very similar to Beating Heart (French: Battement de coeur), a charming and eccentric romantic comedy written and directed by Henri Decoin, who…
Lucky7 (2008)
Ambition is a quality that should be savoured when it is found in its purest form, since it has become increasingly rare to find people who are willing to challenge and provoke in equal measure while still showcasing their audacity. One of the more intriguing examples of this concept in practice that I encountered recently…
The Doom Generation (1995)
There are many ways to describe a film and its intentions, and we often find that it comes in the most unexpected forms on occasion. When it comes to describing a certain subset of films, we can look at some crude graffiti found on a wall in Marseille, France, which quite simply said “be gay,…
I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With (2006)
As the general principle of filmmaking goes, sometimes the projects you deserve are the ones you make yourself. There are certain artists – particularly actors – who find themselves typecast in parts that feel very limiting and one-dimensional, and it’s only through setting out to write their own material and get it produced that they…
Miss You, Love You (2026)
We’ve discussed grief so frequently around these parts that it almost feels as if there’s nothing more that can actually be said about it. However, this is less a case of it being a topic that has become far too saturated to actually evoke unique thought, and more a matter of the fact that it’s…
Storytelling (2001)
Some filmmakers set out to entertain, others to inform. The group I am often most fascinated by are those who somewhere adhere to both principles, as well as to neither at the same time, with their general impetus being primarily to shock and provoke, which can make for thrilling and genuinely daring viewing that is…
Don Jon (2013)
As easy (and perhaps even fun) as it may be to pick apart Don Jon, we really have to hand it to Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who went out on a limb in his directorial debut and made a comedy that may be filled with imperfections, but compensates for it through some very interesting decisions made as…
The Last Supper (1995)
There is a general rule that we all are expected to follow when in the presence of proverbial “decent” company – never speak about politics, religion or sex while gathered around the dinner table, which many consider to be a sacred space in which conversation should be polite, congenial and pleasant. For the protagonists in…
If I Was Honest (1942)
While his name may be somewhat obscure to some, Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia is a vitally important figure in the history of Italian cinema, specifically if we are looking at a specific era in the nation’s artistic output. One of its most cherished figures in terms of comedy, Bragaglia was a fascinating individual, since his career…
The Postmodern Pelican 