Tag Archives: 4/5
Ordet (1955): “Why is there not one among these believers who believe?”
Based on a play by Kaj Munk of the same name, Carl Theodor Dreyer’s Ordet (1955) tells the story of the Borgen family, who are farmers living in the Denmark countryside. The film focuses on three sons: Mikkel, whose wife Inger is pregnant; Anders, who seeks the hand of local tailor’s daughter Anne; and Johannes, […]
Dogtooth (2009): Quick-shot review!
Dogtooth, or Kynodontas (2009), is a Greek language drama film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos. It focuses on a very strange family where the father and mother choose to keep their children ignorant of the outside world, even as they grow into adulthood. The father goes to great lengths to ensure that his children never learn […]
This Is England (2006): Quick-shot review!
Having since inspired two television sequels, This Is England (2006) focuses on the lives of a group of young skinheads in England in 1983. The divisive Margaret Thatcher is in power, and the Falklands War is fresh on everyone’s minds; especially that of Shaun (Thomas Turgoose). Shaun is 12, and gets picked on at school. […]
Holy Motors (2012): “Our life is about to change.”
Do you have a particular ability to tolerate the ambiguous? Are you comfortable watching films that test the limits of suspension of disbelief? Then I would suggest watching Holy Motors (2012), directed by Leos Carax. In this film, Denis Lavant plays Monsieur Oscar, a mysterious individual whose job involves attending mysterious appointments – of which […]
Daisies (1966): “Nobody understands anything.”
A truly whimsical spectacular, Vera Chytilová’s Daisies (1966) is one of those films that all fans of the surreal should see. Initially banned by Czechoslovak authorities due to “depicting the wanton”, Daisies tells the story of two young girls named Marie, who become aware that society has become spoiled. Since society has gone bad, they […]
A Single Man (2009): “Sometimes awful things have their own kind of beauty.”
Written, directed, and produced by prominent fashion designer Tom Ford, A Single Man (2009) is based on the book of the same name by British author Christopher Isherwood. Set in 1962, it tells the story of George Falconer, a university professor who has recently lost his partner in a horrible car accident. We follow George (Colin Firth) […]
Battle Royale (2000): “Life is a game. So fight for survival and see if you’re worth it.”
Around this time of year, film snobs all around the world are crying: “Why should I watch The Hunger Games when I can just re-watch Battle Royale?”. Well, you can watch both since they’re not 100% the same, and they both have their own, very distinctive message for viewers. Battle Royale (2000), directed by Kinji […]
House (1977): The strangest horror film ever?
If I can promise you one thing about House (1977, dir. Nobuhiko Obayashi), it’s that this will be one of the most bizarre horror movies you will ever experience. It’s a cult film that must be seen to be believed. Six schoolgirls (with ridiculous nicknames) travel to a girl named Gorgeous’ aunt’s house in the […]
Three Colours: Red (1994): “Justice doesn’t deal with the innocent.”
The Three Colours trilogy, directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski, consists of three films: Blue (1993), White (1994), and lastly, Red (1994). This conclusion to the trilogy confronts the French Revolutionary ideal of fraternity, or brotherhood. It lays bare the connections between all three films and, true to Kieślowski’s directing style throughout the whole trilogy, is a mesmerising visual […]
The Elephant Man (1980): “People are frightened by what they don’t understand.”
David Lynch’s The Elephant Man (1980) portrays the true story of John Merrick (John Hurt), named as such due to his physical deformities which included malformed bones, sagging skin, and swollen growths over 90% of his body. In the film, Merrick is being displayed at a ‘freak show’, for all of 19th century London to […]
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