Category film review
Blindspot 2015: La Mala Educación (2004)
Whatever expectations you have for this film, throw them out the window. In true Pedro Almodóvar fashion, they will be completely obliterated by the time the credits start rolling. La Mala Educación (2004), also known by its English title Bad Education, has the most vague plot description on its IMDb page ever: An examination on […]
Two Films I Enjoyed On An Airplane
As mentioned in my previous post (which wasn’t really much of a post), I’m experiencing quite a bit of writer’s block at the moment where I can’t seem to write more than about a paragraph at a time. I’m not sure if it’s all the reports I have to write at work sucking the words […]
Lars and the Real Girl (2007): Quick-shot review!
Originally posted on FILM GRIMOIRE:
Starring the beautiful Ryan Gosling, before his famous “hey girl” internet meme, Lars and the Real Girl (2007) is a compelling character drama about the titular Lars – a shy, anti-social, but sweet young man who lives in his brother’s garage. Lars has a fairly insular life and barely interacts…
Spectre (2015): The Rantings of a James Bond Superfan
I’ve mentioned a couple of times here at Film Grimoire that I have a partner named Adam who is a James Bond superfan. He first started watching the Bond films at the tender age of 7, but became obsessed with the series at age 11. He’s such a superfan that he’s participated on a James Bond […]
The Criterion Blogathon: The Testament of Orpheus (1960)
The finale of famed writer Jean Cocteau’s Orphic Trilogy, and directed by and starring the writer himself, The Testament of Orpheus (1960) is a beautifully constructed work of surrealist and symbolic art that ruminates on creativity, film, fame, and the nature of reality. The synopsis of the trilogy is as follows: Realizing he is not […]
As Above, So Below (2014): Quick-shot review!
Set in the creepy catacombs of Paris and shot on location inside their seemingly endless depths, As Above, So Below (2014) is yet another found footage horror film, except it isn’t as lame as other offerings available. We follow adventurous scholar Scarlett Marlowe (Perdita Weeks) and her team of intrepid explorers, including reluctant ex-lover George […]
Blindspot 2015: Spellbound (1945)
A true Hitchcockian thriller with a strong theoretical basis in psychoanalytic psychology, Spellbound (1945, dir. Alfred Hitchcock) is a mystery wrapped in the symbolism of its own story. Psychiatrist Dr Constance Petersen (Ingrid Bergman), who is regarded as cold and emotionless by her peers, is charmed by the new director of the mental institution in […]
Two Films I Couldn’t Finish: Airplane Edition, pt. 2
Last year after visiting the amazing New York City, I attempted to watch a couple of films on the plane which didn’t turn out so well. Most recently, after taking two insanely long flights to London and back, I watched quite a few films; some much more successfully than others. In the tradition of last […]
Amy (2015): “I’m just a girl that sings.”
The opening scene of this film contains some archival footage of a fourteen year old Amy Winehouse singing “Happy Birthday” to a friend – her voice so developed, so mature, soulful, pure and jazz-like, that you almost can’t believe it’s a very young woman singing. It’s the perfect introduction to Amy (2015, dir. Asif Kapadia); […]
Zardoz (1974): “Go forth, and kill!”
Originally posted on FILM GRIMOIRE:
One of the worst films of all time? Maybe. John Boorman’s Zardoz (1974) ponders the ethics of technological and societal advancement. Zed (Sean Connery) is a savage warrior whose society is bred for the purpose of killing. When Zed hides within a giant flying stone head (?), he mingles with…
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