Jacques Demy had always been a very distinct kind of filmmaker, and his efforts within the French New Wave were always fascinating, even when they were not consistent with the values set by the more familiar names within the movement (as in those who are considered most synonymous with this era of French filmmaking), which…
About My Father (2023)
“Family is not one little thing – it’s everything” – sometimes the wisest words come from the most unexpected sources, as we can see by his statement, which is found nestled at the heart of About My Father, the irreverent and heartwarming comedy by Sebastian Maniscalco, who wrote the film based on his experiences with…
Escape from Zahrain (1962)
The film industry has always had an obsession with the concept of spectacles – there is nothing quite as entertaining as a well-made, big-budget blockbuster, and while they have mostly defaulted to genres such as science fiction and superhero stories in recent years, there was a time when the biggest source of inspiration for these…
The Blood of Jesus (1941)
Representation has always been an important component of cinema, and over time we have seen instances where they have been concerted efforts to elevate the voices of those that come from marginalized communities, or at least those that have not always fit into the common trends of the film industry – and in particular, we…
Drifting Clouds (1996)
Over the course of his prolific career, Aki Kaurismäki has made several hilarious films about truly miserable people, which has become something of his trademark, and a large reason why he is arguably one of his native Finland’s most celebrated directors. It’s not necessarily that he is focusing on the plight of his characters and…
Catch Me If You Can (2002)
In the expansive canon of great American filmmakers, there are few names quite as cherished and respected as that of Steven Spielberg, who has worked laboriously to earn a reputation for assured quality and an exceptionally high calibre of film, becoming a brand unto himself. His work may not be universally loved, and his career…
The Little Mermaid (1989)
I have spoken quite regularly about the period in which the Walt Disney Company recovered from a couple of decades of mid-tier work by delivering a string of exceptional films that allowed them to regain a level of respectability (not that it was necessarily lost), and in the process create some of their most inspiring…
Renfield (2023)
One of the unfortunate realities that we all have to face when it comes to cinema is that some of the most ambitious ideas tend to be wasted on mediocre talents, or manifest in a way that is disappointing to say the least. One of the most recent examples of an exceptional concept not reaching…
Angel (1937)
As is often the case with filmmakers that define an entire era of cinema, it is difficult to choose the standout in a director’s career when nearly everything they make has some incredible artistic relevance, so much so that it becomes a challenge to even compare their greatest works, since they are all magnificent and…
Moving On (2023)
One of the many fascinating quirks about the film industry is that if an actor puts in enough work early in their career, and maintains a level of decency and respectability, there comes a point where they are given carte blanche to spend their time however they see fit, without any risk of being viewed…
Movies Unchained 