Category: Country: US
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Captain Fantastic. Dir. Matt Ross. eOne Entertainment. 2016
When Ben’s world is turned upside down by the death of his wife, Leslie Captain Fantastic [1] sets out to explore the question – what does it mean to be a father? At first, Ben’s parenting methods are, let’s say, unconventional. In an off-the-grid settlement deep in the forestland of Washington State, Ben strives to…
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Cujo. Dir. Lewis Teague, Warner Bros. pictures. 1983.
St. Bernards. Aren’t they adorable? Slobbering bundles of joy that get up to all sorts of mischief. This loveable breed of dog has certainly enjoyed its share of the Hollywood spotlight, therefore, there’s no other option but to discuss everyone’s favourite troublemaker. No, not Beethoven (Figure 1) I am, of course, talking about Cujo, family…
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Guardians of the Galaxy. Dir. James Gunn. Marvel Studios. 2014.
Set in a parallel science- fiction universe, Guardians of the Galaxy[1] parodies Marvel’s usual ‘superhero’ film, by casting five criminal anti- heroes as the protagonists. The film follows five intergalactic – outlaw – anti- heroes as they are brought together by being arrested, over a bounty hunt on a mysterious orb. Previously individuals just working…
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Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Dir. Quentin Tarantino. Columbia Pictures. 2019
Quentin Tarantino’s ninth feature film is wistfully reminiscent of a bygone era, a self-reflexive artefact devoted to the zeitgeist of the closing chapter of Hollywood’s golden era. For two hours and forty minutes, the director lays bare his musings on cinema which read less like a narrative and more like a very thorough character study…
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Blue Velvet. Dir. David Lynch. De Laurentiis Entertainment Group. 1986
Lynch has made a career out of the surreal, exploring the dark and often animalistic nature of human existence. His 1986 neo-noir mystery/psychological horror Blue Velvet centres around college student Jeffrey Beaumont (Kyle MacLachlan), who after returning home after his father suffers a stroke, discovers a rotting human ear that leads him on an investigation…
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The Secret of NIMH. Dir. Don Bluth. MGM/UA Entertainment Company. 1982.
“We can no longer live as rats. We know too much.” The Secret of NIMH is remembered by many as a dark, creepy, and disturbing film, with retrospectives published in recent years referring to it as leaving basically every kid who sees it with a lingering dread. Don Bluth’s directorial debut after leaving the Walt…
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Can You Ever Forgive Me? Dir. Marielle Heller. Fox Searchlight Pictures. 2018.
Hellers’ biopic Can You Ever Forgive Me (1) is about struggling writer Lee Israel who, to finance her cat’s vet bills, becomes a master forger of literary letters. Impersonating figures such as Noël Coward and Dorothy Parker, Lee earns herself a pretty penny and, eventually, a criminal record. Protagonist Lee, played by Melissa McCarthy, is…