‘Inevitable’ was the word that came to mind when I first saw Dune: Part One. I mean, how could it not be excellent, with DV fresh off the heels of Blade Runner 2049, after a string of other superb films? With 2049 he stepped into another beloved universe and delivered what is arguably the best legacy sequel out there. But I can’t lie — I was still a little worried Dune might not be up to par. I wasn’t loving…
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Napoleon 1927
The forging of a legend. A work of total, unbridled ambition made by an absolute lunatic. Gance understands how we view Napoleon as this sort of mythical figure, as a man that transcends the history books and enters our minds as a symbol of sheer power and determination. Gance explores him from multiple angles, displaying him as a loner, a strategist, a patriot, a hero, a nuisance, a leader, and everything else in between, but his film never feels like…
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Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 1937
Kind of weird that there’s barely a story here. There are like four story beats in total. But I guess the film was the first of its kind, and is essentially a showcase for that very fact, so it’s excusable. The animation is, still, very very cool.
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Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat 2024
Probably a masterpiece of the documentary form, due to how firmly it stays true to itself, and sticks to its central conceit of using jazz as a parallel to, and to carry us through, this whole massive story.
It’s a thoroughly dense cinematic essay, overflowing with names, dates, events and all, and at times I felt a little overwhelmed. But my appreciation of the craft and storytelling remained strong throughout. Few documentaries feel this singular.
“We owe it to ourselves to write our own story.”
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The Teachers' Lounge 2023
“What happens in the teachers’ lounge stays in the teachers’ lounge.”
Fucking fantastic. A tight, masterfully executed drama verging on political thriller, exploring the shifting dynamics between teachers and students in this single, contained environment.
Leonie Benesch is remarkable in the lead role. She perfectly nails the mannerisms of a secondary school teacher, making her character come off as a strict but understanding and warm professional. As we watch her steadily lose control, it’s all in the tiny gestures and movements…
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Disco Boy 2023
Pretty much my kind of film down to a T. Such a hypnotic, harrowing, stylistic work of art, and a film of contrasts, with the deep jungle of the Niger Delta pitted against a Paris nightclub.
Franz Rogowski has quickly become one of my favourite actors and he is fucking sublime here. He has barely any lines and yet conveys so much at each moment. The sense of crushing guilt and aimlessness in his character is captured so subtly and…
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