My Cinema Reviews
In 1927, German film director F.W. Murnau (known for his role in German Expressionism) was invited by William Fox to make an Expressionist film for Hollywood and in return, Murnau created a film that would simply become a true classic and a true masterpiece with Read More …
Considered as one of the best film adaptations of William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”, Akira Kurosawa’s “Throne of Blood” is mesmerizing and unlike many of the films he has created in his notable oeuvre during that time. While creating a film adaptation of “Macbeth” has always been Read More …
“Le Samourai”, considered as one of Jean-Pierre Melville’s top films and a stylish and minimalistic take on film noir. The film that inspired many including John Woo who has said his masterpiece “The Killer” was a tribute to “Melville” and have used certain scenes in Read More …
Captivating, witty and definitely a Woody Allen masterpiece! Whether or not what Allen may think, considering he did all he can to have this film shelved. But while I’ve read many interviews of what made him feel that way, I would probably have to say Read More …
Audacious. A masterpiece. Chaplin’s greatest film ever. The greatest speech in a film. Decade after decade, many critics, many audiences have had their own say of how they felt about “The Great Dictator”. I truly believe that for many of us living today, far from Read More …
Kim Ji-young’s “The Housemaid” was an unnerving, frightful film back in 1960. One can easily call it the “Fatal Attraction” of South Korea, the film is considered one of the greatest Korean films ever made and it all comes down to pacing, the use of Read More …
Back when the Criterion Collection released “A Night to Remember”, I remember really wanting to watch this film for so many years and I know that for most people, they tend to compare the 1958 film “A Night to Remember” and the 1997 film “Titanic” Read More …
A wonderful performance by Jacques Tati, “M. Hulot’s Holiday” is the precursor of Hulot’s perspective towards life, modern advancement in society which would eventually become a storyline prevalent in “Mon Oncle” and “Playtime”. In my case, I have watched the order of these films in Read More …
“Taxi Driver” is one of those intriguing films to watch and discuss for cinema and Scorsese fans. You can go on a forum, you can have conversations about this film and each person can give you their interpretation of what “Taxi Driver” mean to them. Read More …
I think about Blake Edwards “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”. As for the the older Entertainment Weekly cover featuring Tina Fey as Audrey Hepburn, I suppose the point of this photo I took is that no matter how many decades have past since this movie was released Read More …
Today I write about “Grey Gardens” (and also “The Beales of Grey Gardens”) by David Maysles, Albert Maysles, Ellen Hovde, Muffie Meyer, Susan Froemke. The film that has inspired various plays, an HBO film, a documentary and even a fashion trend, the film has a Read More …
When watching the “Russian Ark”, not only do you come away watching the film and feeling the uniqueness of Sokurov’s masterpiece but also an appreciation for art, culture and a era that is long gone. In interviews, Alexander Sokurov has talked about making of this Read More …
I really love this film. “CHUNGKING EXPRESS” is the ultimate pop art film that won a lot hearts when it was first released and continues to this day. And not only has the film jumpstarted the film careers of Wong Kar-wai, Christopher Doyle, Takeshi Kaneshiro Read More …
Back in the 1920’s, the Fox Film Corporation owned by William Fox would build their large chain of movie theaters across the United States known as “Fox Theatres”. Using architecture inspired by Asian, Indian, Persian and Moorish influences, these theaters continue to be entertainment spots, Read More …
An actor that I respect a lot is Lon Chaney. He has made a number of creepy films in his oeuvre but “The Man of a Thousand Faces” was versatile and just remarkable in his films utilizing his secretive makeup techniques or even doing all Read More …
I think the reason why I love Whit Stillman’s “Metropolitan” so much is because the characters resonated strongly with me. Especially the character of Tom. The character of Tom Townsend is a character who does not come from a rich family nor a privileged family Read More …
Today’s selection for Cineaste365 goes to Hyun-seung Lee’s “il mare” (시월애, Siworae) starring Lee Jung-jae and Jeon Ji-hyun. A US version was made titled “The Lake House” with Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock but that film was nowhere as memorable as the original 2000 Korean Read More …
A film that has been beloved by many Chaplin fans, “City Lights” has been a long awaited title that fans have hoped to see release by the Criterion Collection, even before Criterion had the rights to release Chaplin titles. It was also a title that Read More …
Today’s Thanksgiving selection goes to “The Ice Storm” directed by Ang Lee. “The Ice Storm” is a sinfully, delightful film. Each of the characters featured in the film are deeply flawed and there is no sense of moralistic behavior. Everyone seems to be miserable or Read More …
In 1967, Jean-Luc Godard officially ended “bourgeois” narrative filmmaking. A man that was now dedicated in being the voice of the students, the workers, the voice of to rebel against the government, the world and even his fellow filmmakers. While Godard had hints of rebelliousness Read More …
Fritz Lang’s “Metropolis” is just incredible. What is amazing is that this 84-year old film has literally caught the attention of cinema fans from various generations throughout several decades. With each restoration, there is always something new to find in this film and literally, within Read More …
For many years, I have been waiting for a powerful film that would show people of the atrocities that took place from December 1937-January 1938 in the capital city of Nanking. While there have been several films on what occurred in Nanking over seventy years Read More …
For many Americans, especially today, we often don’t understand why certain countries have strained relations. Some look at cultural differences, religious differences but when it comes to the United States and Iran, many will look towards history and see 1953 as a year that the Read More …