High Art
A Film that Spoke in Whispers but Left a Loud Echo Cholodenko’s High Art released in 1998 as a low-budget independent film that had no red carpet promotions, nor major studio funding. But despite these setbacks, it gained traction in discussions about sexuality, artistry, and the ephemeral wonder of human relationships. It was, however, a […]
La Marge
La Marge: La Gnose D’une Fille. La Phantasmagorie D’une Melancolie. The Margin, adapted from Andro Pieyre de Mandiargues’ novel, is a film that, like perfume, lingers: sweet, sultry, and almost stifling. Walerian Borowczyk, the filmmaker, like a painter who pictures the human form in frames, is famously known for the sensuality in his works. However, […]
Cashback
A Love Story Wrapped in Time Cashback’s release back in 2006 was not just another indie romance film. It was more like a thoughtful consideration of loneliness, creativity, and how time goes by. The film, directed by Sean Ellis, was like a short piece that was already awarded an Academy Award nomination. It expanded on […]
Hall Pass (2011)
Defining Marriage Laws In A Different Way Within A Comedy With a dash of Farrelly brothers’ humor, Hall Pass debuted in 2011. Since the Farrelly brothers have directed many famous comedies such as There’s Something About Mary, and Dumb and Dumber, Hall Pass takes a more controversial raising the question: what happens when a couple […]
American Beach House
The Beachfront Property Since American Beach House appeared for the first time, the trailer had promised the same blend of sun, playful flirting, and parties that could turn upside down at any moment. To the audience, the movie appeared to be yet another arrival in the long running, “light cheezy humor” collection of late-night cable […]
Color of Night
The Hype Surrounding A Potentially Dangerous Thriller The buzz that accompanied the announcement of ‘The Colour Of Night’ in the early ‘90s was immediate. Enhanced thrillers had become quite popular, especially after the release of Basic Instinct in ‘92. With Bruce Willis in the lead role, recently after the release of the sensational blockbuster, Die […]
Bitter Moon
A Love Story That Refused To Framework A Roman Polanski’s Bitter Moon, released in 1992, had viewers puzzled. Love story, warning example, or money shot gone wrong? The movie, based on a novel from Pascal Bruckner, encapsulates all these genres in one — a blur of ardor, savagery, obsession, and decay. What not only makes […]
Little Deaths
A Film That Refused to Stay Comfortable When Little Deaths hit festival screens in 2011, it wasn’t an easy watch. The British horror anthology stitched together three disturbing tales — Sean Hogan’s House & Home, Andrew Parkinson’s Mutant Tool, and Simon Rumley’s Bitch. Each short film explored sexuality, violence, and power in ways that left […]
Room in Rome
A single story within a film can emit more meaning and value than a ten page essay. Julio Medem’s ‘Room In Rome’ was released in 2010. It was a strange mix of a blockbuster film and a European art-house drama. Medem’s film depicts two women named Natasha and Elena and their adventure in a hotel […]
Not Another Teen Movie
The Satire That Won’t Fade Away From the onset of ‘Not Another Teen Movie’ (2001), audiences understood that the film was a satire. It was essentially a synopsis of the numerous rom-coms of the 1980s and 1990s, like She’s All That and American Pie. What audiences did not know, was the speed at which the […]