REVIEWS

Yasujirō Ozu is spoken of with the kind of reverence reserved for the cinematic greats, though that wasn’t always the case. During his lifetime, he was respected in Japan as a meticulous craftsman of domestic dramas, yet was not recognised as such globally. His films circulated little outside of his homeland, and his quiet, elliptical style- featuring low camera positions, still frames and an almost ceremonial sense of rhythm- was far from the international image of “Japanese

Loneliness is one of the major crises of modern Japan. In the middle of bustling streets and packed commuter trains, an increasing number of people feel profoundly disconnected from those around them. Social pressure, economic precarity and the relentless pace of urban life have pushed many to the margins- with some retreating entirely into their rooms as ‘hikikomori’, shut off from the world for months or even years. Out of this landscape of isolation, an unusual industry ha

Although they seem ubiquitous nowadays, film remakes and reboots are really nothing new. In fact, they go as far back as 1896, when Georges Méliès remade Louis Lumière's 43 second short ‘Partie de Cartes’ as the comparatively expansive 67 second ‘Une Partie de Cartes.’ In the decades since, Hollywood has churned out countless remakes- a few inspired, many mediocre and plenty that never should’ve slithered onto screens in the first place.  While something of a commercial succe

At the heart of Soviet comedies stand three towering figures: Leonid Gaidai, Eldar Ryazanov and Georgiy Daneliya. Widely considered the triumvirate of the genre, their films often blend wry humour with pointed social commentary. However, while comparable in stature, their sensibilities diverge sharply. Gaidai revelled in anarchic slapstick, Ryazanov excelled in bittersweet satire, and Daneliya- perhaps the most quietly profound of the three- infused his comedies with a gentle

Park Chan-wook is widely regarded as one of the finest filmmakers working today. A versatile multi-talent, he has dabbled in a variety of genres, while leaving his own unmistakable authorial stamp on each. From the operatic revenge of ‘Oldboy’ and the rest of the so-called Vengeance Trilogy, to the melancholic machinations of ‘Decision to Leave’, and even the off-kilter eroticism of ‘Thirst,’ his films are united by an enduring fascination with obsession, violence and moral r

Comedian and writer Neal Brennan once remarked “there’s nothing worse than trying to be funny and not being funny.” Countless supposed comedies have tried too hard and failed even harder, aberrations like the disastrous spy spoof ‘Leonard Part 6,’ ‘Son of the Mask’ and the irredeemable ‘Movie 43.’ Torments to sit through, they stand as monuments to the painful truth that laughter cannot be forced. Christopher Cain’s 1997 effort ‘Gone Fishin’ is one such disaster; a generic co

Ever since bursting onto the scene with 1998’s raucous ‘The Quiet Family’, Kim Jee-woon has been one of the most exciting filmmakers...

Although considered horror royalty, Stephen King has never been pigeonholed to the genre. From ‘Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption’...

Parody is a delicate business. Done well, it dances the line between homage and mockery, sharp enough to skewer its target but light...

It’s often said that a film is made in the edit. Sometimes, though, that’s where it dies. A misstep in pacing, a scene trimmed too far, a...

The ever-versatile Nicolas Cage remains one of cinema’s most unpredictable delights. For some, his grounded turns in films like ‘Pig’ and...

There are few writers whose output is as prodigious as Stephen King. With over 65 novels and countless short stories to his name, the...

They say there’s nothing new under the sun. This is especially pertinent to cinema, where originality is often hard to come by....

There are few detective shows as endearing and unique as ‘Monk’. Airing from 2002 to 2009, the series followed Adrian Monk, a brilliant...

Ernst Lubitsch made films that winked at you. Sophisticated spectacles, his comedies didn’t shout their jokes, but smuggled them in like...

Matthew Holness might not be a household name, but in certain circles he’s a cult hero. The actor, writer, director- and occasional...

John Candy was a comedic powerhouse. Over the course of his all-too-short career, he starred in a treasure trove of great films. ‘Planes,...

The partnership of Ringo Lam and Chow Yun-fat has resulted in some brilliant films. Their first collaboration, ‘City on Fire,’ helped...

Yosuke Sasano is a salaryman in Tokyo who is let go from his job at an architectural firm. Struggling in his marriage and low on capital,...

It is 1975, and George Manning is a happily married man living in San Francisco. On his 40th birthday, a family emergency necessitates...