Hector Babenco’s utterly compelling “Carandiru” is as brutal and gut-wrenching as it gets; yet, despite its ruthless depiction of life inside a Brazilian prison, it’s also surprisingly heartwarming. The film is based on the real-life experiences of Dr. Drauzio Varella who worked in the Sao Paulo prison, and got to know the prisoners on aContinue reading “Memories of Lives Lost in Hector Babenco’s “Carandiru””
Category Archives: Film Reviews
The Inventive Cinematography of “The Cranes Are Flying”
At the beginning of Mikhail Kalatozov’s “The Cranes Are Flying”, Veronica played by the mesmerizing Tatiana Samoilova looks at her boyfriend before he goes off to war and declares, “Give me something I’ll remember as long as I live.” This is exactly what Kalatozov gifts film viewers with this exquisite piece of bravura filmmaking, aContinue reading “The Inventive Cinematography of “The Cranes Are Flying””
The Exquisite Cinematography of “The Cranes Are Flying”
At the beginning of Mikhail Kalatozov’s “The Cranes Are Flying”, Veronica played by the mesmerizing Tatiana Samoilova looks at her boyfriend before he goes off to war and declares, “Give me something I’ll remember as long as I live.” This is exactly what Kalatozov gifts film viewers with this exquisite piece of bravura filmmaking, aContinue reading “The Exquisite Cinematography of “The Cranes Are Flying””
Are we finite? – Larisa Sheptiko’s “The Ascent”
Larisa Shepitko is one of the lesser-known Soviet filmmakers, yet she’s up there with the greatest to ever do it. It is said that Shepitko started to feel her mortality after a horrible accident, and it is then that she felt an urgency to complete her most important work, “The Ascent”. The film masks itselfContinue reading “Are we finite? – Larisa Sheptiko’s “The Ascent””
Facing Trauma in Raed Andoni’s “Ghost Hunting”
Raed Andoni’s “Ghost Hunting” is one of the most underrated documentaries out there, and the only reason it’s underrated is because it’s underseen. We have Second Run, the UK-based boutique label, to thank for re-releasing this beautiful work of humanitarian cinema on physical media. In the film, the Palestinian director experiments with re-enactment to allowContinue reading “Facing Trauma in Raed Andoni’s “Ghost Hunting””
Man’s Hunger for Power in “Witchhammer”
Throughout the history of motion pictures, the witch trials of the 17th century have often been portrayed as an allegory of life under totalitarian rule. Films like Benjamin Christensen’s “Häxan”, Carl Theodor Dreyer’s “Day of Wrath”, and Ken Russell’s “The Devils” used these horrific tales to criticize the political climate of their time. “Häxan”Continue reading “Man’s Hunger for Power in “Witchhammer””
Film Analysis: “Do the Right Thing”
On May 25, 2020, a video surfaced on the internet of George Floyd being choked to death by cops during an arrest in Minneapolis. His death caused global outrage, with chants of “I can’t breathe” heard from demonstrators everywhere. When I first watched the distressing footage, it filled me with anger, and frustration. It wasContinue reading “Film Analysis: “Do the Right Thing””
Exposing the Ugly Truth in “Z”
Costa-Garvas opens his polarizing political masterpiece with an arresting statement that sets the tone for the rest of the film: “any resemblance to real events, to persons living or dead, is not accidental. It is DELIBERATE.” Right from the outset, you find yourself hooked and drawn into one of the most thrilling explorations of politicalContinue reading “Exposing the Ugly Truth in “Z””
The Monstrosity of War in “Come and See”
Few films capture the monstrosity of war like Elem Klimov’s prolific masterpiece, “Come and See”. It is a war film that doesn’t interest itself in showcasing combat. It features no adrenaline-charged battle scenes or action sequences. Instead, Klimov exposes some of the most disturbing and traumatizing human behavior ever recorded in history, the systematic persecutionContinue reading “The Monstrosity of War in “Come and See””
The Simple Pleasures of Life in Abbas Kiarostami’s “Taste of Cherry”
Abbas Kiarostami fascinates me. He is a poet, humanitarian, and a master when it comes to blurring the line between art and reality. With his Palm D’or winning work, “Taste of Cherry”, the Iranian director challenges us to look at the forbidden subject of suicide in an Islamic state. It is a small independent filmContinue reading “The Simple Pleasures of Life in Abbas Kiarostami’s “Taste of Cherry””
The Cinephile Fix 