There is absolutely no way anyone can watch Kazuo Hara’s “Goodbye CP” without getting deeply affected by it. That said, it is not an easy film to watch by any means. “Goodbye CP” documents what it is like to live in Japan while suffering from cerebral palsy. People with cerebral palsy are often mistreated byContinue reading “Reevaluating Humanity in Kazuo Hara’s “Goodbye CP””
Category Archives: Film Analysis
Film as a mosaic in “Dawson City: Frozen Time”
We tell stories that are worth sharing every single day. We do it in the form of a conversation at a dinner table, through a joke, a riddle, or even through news reports. But the best stories are told through an artistic medium such as film, music, theater, or literature. Those who practice storytelling forContinue reading “Film as a mosaic in “Dawson City: Frozen Time””
Identity Crisis in “A Brighter Summer Day”
“A Brighter Summer Day” is Edward Yang’s ambitious crime epic about Taiwanese street gangs in the 1960’s. Seeing this film reminded me of the first time I watched Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather”, Sergio Leone’s “Once Upon a Time in America”, or Martin Scorsese’s “Goodfellas”. It is a mammoth work of art that deserves its place among the greats of the genre. “A Brighter Summer Day” sweptContinue reading “Identity Crisis in “A Brighter Summer Day””
Reincarnation in “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives”
Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives” defies written description. The experience is more akin to that of music or painting in that it operates on a subconscious level. It communicates its complex concepts and abstractions through otherworldly sights and sounds. This is magical realism at its most spiritual; the characters inhabitContinue reading “Reincarnation in “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives””
The Dark Side of Humanity in “Häxan”
Benjamin Christensen’s “Häxan” is a Danish film about witchcraft from the silent era. It features dramatized horror sequences that will send chills down your spine. The film is split into four parts. In the first segment, Christensen walks us through some disturbing diabolical artwork from the dark ages. Where does it all stem from? TheContinue reading “The Dark Side of Humanity in “Häxan””
The 10 Best Films of 2019
What a year for cinema! There was pretty much something for everyone. Robert Eggers, Ari Aster and Jordan Peele all made successful returns to the horror genre. Hollywood heavyweights, Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, and Sam Mendes reminded us why we hold them with such high regard. There were also plenty of independent as well asContinue reading “The 10 Best Films of 2019”
Film Analysis: “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 an allegory for life itself. We all travel through time in searchContinue reading “Film Analysis: “Landscape in the Mist””
Shame in “The Act of Killing” and “The Look of Silence”
Joshua Oppenheimer exposes the atrocities of the Indonesian genocide in two of the most unique documentaries ever made. “The Act of Killing” is unquestionably the most innovative piece of documentary filmmaking to come out this decade. It re-invents the use of reenactment and takes filmmaking to unprecedented territory. The concept reminded me a lot ofContinue reading “Shame in “The Act of Killing” and “The Look of Silence””
Film as a Reflection in “Through the Olive Trees”
The third film in the ambitious Koker trilogy is a delightful viewing experience filled with pleasant surprises and cameos at every corner. The entries in this multi-layered trilogy are short and sweet, but when consumed together, you get an explosion of flavours that only a master chef could put together. “Through the Olive Trees”, forContinue reading “Film as a Reflection in “Through the Olive Trees””
Disturbance in Luis Buñuel’s “Land Without Bread”
In Luis Buñuel’s grotesque, “Land Without Bread”, we are introduced to a small town struck by extreme poverty and disease. The camera does not shy away from exposing viewers to some of the most disturbing imagery you can think of. We see plenty of rotten animals, a dead baby, the mourning mother, and sick childrenContinue reading “Disturbance in Luis Buñuel’s “Land Without Bread””
The Cinephile Fix 