Edward Yang’s “Yi Yi” is a delicate masterpiece about self-reflection and the little things that make life worth living. Yang orchestrated an ensemble of social scenes that literally feature “reflection shots” of his characters. At times, you can see their reflection on windows, mirrors, or polished surfaces, but beneath the surface we see much more,Continue reading “Unexpected Discoveries in Edward Yang’s “YI YI””
Author Archives: Wael Khairy
Mob Hysteria in “Canoa: A Shameful Memory”
In a small town called Canoa, a corrupt power-hungry priest uses fear to brainwash the inhabitants’ minds. When he starts becoming insecure about his position, the priest uses paranoia to turn the townspeople into mindless lunatics who would do anything to protect an already miserable way of life. This brutal film, which is based onContinue reading “Mob Hysteria in “Canoa: A Shameful Memory””
Sustaining Love in Ingmar Bergman’s “Scenes from a Marriage”
Ingmar Bergman’s “Scenes from a Marriage” is a brutally honest study of marriage. It revolves around two human beings trying to sustain love and intimacy throughout their lives. No matter what I write, nothing will prepare you for this masterpiece. It is truly a transformative work filled with a lifetime of wisdom. “Scenes from aContinue reading “Sustaining Love in Ingmar Bergman’s “Scenes from a Marriage””
Transcendence in Luchino Visconti’s “Death in Venice”
When Luchino Visconti’s “Death in Venice” about an aging artist lingering in a hotel in Venice finally reveals itself, it is absolutely breathtaking. I found myself mesmerised at how a film can express so much by saying so little. It possesses an honest and truthful understanding of beauty, art, and how they relate to ourContinue reading “Transcendence in Luchino Visconti’s “Death in Venice””
The Coziness of “The Tree of Wooden Clogs”
If I were to make a list of the most well-photographed films ever made, “The Tree of Wooden Clogs” would probably be right up there. The photographic images in this film are on par with the greatest paintings ever made. The warm lighting and earthy texture within each perfectly composed shot are so vivid, richContinue reading “The Coziness of “The Tree of Wooden Clogs””
Life After Death In Roberto Gavaldón’s “Macario”
“We’ve got to be nicer with the dead, because we spend more time dead than alive. Anyway, we all are born to die. What do we learn here? A bust, and sometimes not even that…lots of work, many troubles… When we’re born, we’re carrying our death in the liver, or in the stomach, or hereContinue reading “Life After Death In Roberto Gavaldón’s “Macario””
Chaos in Mike Leigh’s “Naked”
Mike Leigh’s “Naked” could very well be the director’s most brilliant exercise of his unorthodox filmmaking approach. The script was created as the cast improvised during eleven weeks of rehearsal before shooting. Instead of just making a film about chaos, Leigh applied “chaos” in the actual making of his masterpiece. This may sound like anContinue reading “Chaos in Mike Leigh’s “Naked””
The Last Supper in Luis Buñuel’s “Viridiana”
Perhaps the most controversial shot in Luis Buñuel’s “Viridiana”- The composition of the shot is an imitation of Da Vinci’s The Last Supper, only it was re-enacted by homeless beggars. The Christ like figure in the middle was depicted by a street beggar who is blind. The shot implies that blindness is at the coreContinue reading “The Last Supper in Luis Buñuel’s “Viridiana””
The Harsh Reality of Slums in Luis Buñuel’s “Los Olvidados”
“The great modern cities: New York, Paris, London, hide behind their magnificent building homes of misery that shelter malnourished children without hygiene, without schools, a harvest of future delinquency. The society tries to correct this evil, but the success of its effort is very limited. Only in a future where children’s and adolescent’s rights areContinue reading “The Harsh Reality of Slums in Luis Buñuel’s “Los Olvidados””
The Odyssey in Theo Angelopoulos’ “Landscape in the Mist”
In Theo Angelopoulos’ “Landscape in the Mist”, two kids run away from their home in Athens in search for their father whom they were told lives in Germany; but beneath the surface this film is about so much more. The journey they embark on is a metaphor of life itself. We all travel through timeContinue reading “The Odyssey in Theo Angelopoulos’ “Landscape in the Mist””
The Cinephile Fix 