1. AMERICAN SPLENDOR (2003). An original mix of reality and fiction illuminates the life of comic book anti-hero Harvey Pekar. Having gone through a phase of watching all the Paul Giamatti films I could find, I stumbled across American Splendor without really knowing much about the film and without really having a passion for comic …
1. ZODIAC (2007). A cartoonist (Robert Graysmith) working for the San Francisco Chronicle becomes an amateur detective obsessed with tracking down the Zodiac killer. Following Graysmith’s book very carefully and not holding back on any of the gruesome details, David Fincher, yet again, proves why he is the current master of the suspense-thriller genre. 2. …
1. A BOUT DE SOUFFLE (BREATHLESS) (1960). A young, meddlesome car thief kills a policeman and attempts to persuade a woman to flee to Italy with him. With its quick, witty dialogue and beautiful Paris landscape, Jean-Luc Godard’s magnum opus is, without a doubt, one of the most influential works of the French New Wave …
1. DAVID FINCHER (1962–present). Known for his dark, stylish, psychological thrillers, Fincher has an incredible ability to blend harsh reality and beautiful colour on the big screen. Notable films: Seven; Fight Club; The Game; Zodiac; The Social Network. 2. ALFRED HITCHCOCK (1899–1980). Billed as England’s greatest film director, Hitchcock is the undisputed master of suspense. Notable …
1. AVATAR (2009). A paraplegic ex-marine falls in love with his new life on a planet called Pandora, where he was initially sent to scout the land so that humans could tear the planet apart for valued ore. Avatar may be a technical triumph, but it is surely not an emotional one. The world you … Continue reading »
1. TAKE SHELTER (2011). A man is tormented by disturbing dreams of a storm that he believes will be upon his small Ohio town soon and he feels the only way to evade the destructive force is to build a storm shelter. Take Shelter is a truly thrilling experience that immerses you in the story. … Continue reading »
1. BACK TO THE FUTURE (1985). Imagine you could travel back in time — and you prevent your parents from meeting and falling for one another, thus jeopardising your entire existence. Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd star in this film, where a plutonium-powered car transports Marty (Fox) back to the 1950s. Anything he does … Continue reading »
“Gratuitous excess” Written by Marina Caitlin Watts — The Review Monster Baz Luhrmann is the latest director to take on the challenge of bringing the American classic to the silver screen. His interpretation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel “The Great Gatsby” turns a few swanky parties in the midst of wealthy Long Island towns into a scene of chaos. Continue reading »
1. DARK CITY (1998). Dark City centres around a man struggling with the memories of his past, some of which include a wife he cannot remember, in a hellish world with no sun and run by unknown beings with telekinetic powers. Their mission is to seek the souls of humans. This is a film I … Continue reading »
1. SEVEN SAMURAI (1954). A poor, helpless village under attack by bandits asks for the services of seven unemployed yet brutal samurai to help them defend themselves. Being rather unfamiliar with Akira Kurosawa, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Oh how I was foolish. Arguably the most famous Asian film of all time, this is … Continue reading »
1. BLACK BOOK (2006; THE NETHERLANDS). In the Nazi-occupied Netherlands during World War II, a Jewish singer, working for the Dutch resistance as a spy, infiltrates the regional Gestapo HQ, seducing a commander of the SD along the way. Being only familiar with Paul Verhoeven’s sci-fi work of the 80s and 90s (as well as … Continue reading »
