Have you ever wondered about animation ideas or projects that were in existence at some point (or even near-completion!), but, unfortunately, never saw the light of day? There are apparently many such cases, and, no wonder, as it is not just creativity and ideas that need to be considered, but also talent on offer, financing,…
Category: Lists
7 Films About the World of Miniature People
From Hans Christian Andersen’s Thumbelina to Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels and beyond, the public fascination with “little people” has transformed into the multitude of stories, which often juxtaposed the wider, often harsher world with these people’s smallness and vulnerability. Equally, many films followed suit, and below are seven films, from thought-provoking animations to experimental oldies,…
10 Great Films Set in the Middle Ages
The Middle Ages – what other historical period excites our imagination as much? This is deemed to be a period of great uncertainty, religious mania, chivalry, and omnipresent death, a period of darkness and a period of sporadic light, depending what century you consider. Many film directors fell under its haunting spell, too, and some…
15 American Road Movies: A Genre of Its Own
An unparalleled sense of freedom. The vastness of a landscape. The romance of a road – no wonder America fell in love with a road movie. Apart from criminals on the run, road travellers in films are also often on a journey of some sort of “self-discovery”, and one’s physical journey often occurs in tandem…
10 Great Films Set in Small-Town America
Summer is often associated with countryside-living, and, thus, now may be a perfect time to think about those films that tell of the lives lived outside big towns and cities. When one thinks about the hot season, one may conjure up long, lazy afternoons with a book, lawn picnics in the shade of trees, and…
5 Great Speeches in Film
You may forget any film’s plot or characters, but you may never forget how that film made you feel. The power/memorability of speeches in film can be immense if handled right and in the hands of capable actors. Below are 5 memorable speeches found in films, coming from such great actors as Al Pacino, Mel…
San Francisco: 7 Films Showcasing the City
“San Francisco has only one drawback – it is hard to leave“, once said Rudyard Kipling, and it is very easy to see the city’s glorious appeal: situated on hills and surrounded by a vast bay, it looks almost like some fairy-tale land with its jaw-dropping landmarks, including the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island,…
7 Most Brutal & Violent Historical Dramas
I. The Proposition [2005] Centering around three very different brothers embroiled in the life of crime in 1880s Australia, John Hillcoat’s brutal western is bound to leave an impression. The scriptwriter of this under-seen gem is musician Nick Cave, and the story tells of a lawman (Winstone) who makes the proposition to an outlaw (Pierce):…
“A Blast from the Past”: 7 Italian Cinema Recommendations
I. The Tree of Wooden Clogs [1978] This Palme d’Or winner shows “[l]ife on a farm in Italy at the end of the 19th century. Many poor country families live there, and the owner pays them by their productivity. One of the families has a very clever child, and they decide to send him to…
Top 10 “Mary Poppins” Songs: Ranked
I. Chim Chim Cheree This is the catchiest tune in the whole film. It is so simple and yet so inexplicably endearing. Bert nearly steals the whole film from Mary Poppins with this song, showing his cheery disposition, but also hinting at the underlying injustice – “the social ladder has been strung”. Pavement Artist is the…
7 Films Based on Graphic Novels/Comics
In no particular order and excluding “superhero” comics, including Batman, Superman, Spiderman, and the Marvel Universe. I. Alan Moore is a force to be reckoned with. He is the creator of so many epic graphic novels, from Watchmen and Batman: The Killing Joke to Jerusalem and V for Vendetta. His graphic novel From Hell (1999)…
7 Films Based on Japanese Manga
I. Edge of Tomorrow is a great sci-fi film about one Major who wakes up with each day being repeated, but the catch is that this day is the day of the invasion battle with aliens. This Groundhog Day-concept works brilliantly in the story, and Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt’s chemistry is unbelievably good. However,…
10 Great Films Based on Plays (Part II)
I enjoyed so much compiling the Great Films Based on Plays list last year that I thought that a sequel was in order. As Part I, this list is in no particular order and excludes adaptations of Shakespearean plays. I. Doubt [2008] Play: Doubt: A Parable [2004] by John Patrick Shanley “Did he, or didn’t…
10 “Must-See” Japanese Films
This list excludes anime, and, to ensure variety, includes only two films from any one director. I. Tokyo Story [1953] Tokyo Story is one of the greatest films of all time. Director Yasujirō Ozu’s trade-mark subtlety in rendering a picture so quietly powerful is seen here as in no other film as a story is told…
Back to School: 10 Incredible Films
This is a list of ten great films that are set at school or academic environment. It is in no particular order. I. The Browning Version [1951] This film is based on a 1948 acclaimed play The Browning Version by Terence Rattigan (The Deep Blue Sea (1952)). Michael Redgrave gives a touching and memorable performance…
15 Great World War II Films
Schindler’s List (1993) The Pianist (2002) Life is Beautiful (1997) The Bridge on the River Kwai (1953) Fires on the Plain (1959) Downfall (2004) Ivan’s Childhood (1962) The Red Thin Line (1998) Hacksaw Ridge (2016) Come and See (1985) Dunkirk (2017) Rome, Open City (1945) Letters from Iwo Jima (2006) Saving Private Ryan (1998) The…
5 Foreign Films That Should Have Been Nominated for an Academy Award (Part II)
This is the second part of my list of foreign films that should have been nominated for an Academy Awards. As my previous list – 5 Foreign Films that Should Have Been Nominated for an Academy Award (Part I) – I am listing only those films that were officially submitted by their respective countries for consideration. I….
5 Foreign Films That Should Have Been Nominated for an Academy Award (Part I)
The Academy Awards have always had a very difficult relationship with experimental and artistic films or with films d‘auteur, but, nevertheless, below are five films that should have received at least a Best Foreign Film nomination by the Academy (if not a win) and were unjustly ignored. I am listing only the films that were…
5 Great Films Never Made
I. Tim Burton’s Notre Dame de Paris What is it all about? In 2011, it was announced that Tim Burton was working on his version of Notre-Dame de Paris with Josh Brolin, but the project never moved beyond the early stages. This film was supposed to be an adaptation of Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel Notre-Dame…
Childhood in Cinema: 10 Unforgettable Films
I. Ivan’s Childhood [1962] Country: USSR Andrei Tarkovsky’s film is a beautiful, powerful story set during the World War II. At its centre is a twelve-year old boy Ivan (Kolya Burlyayev) who has taken on the job of an adult, the dangerous job of spying on the Nazi forces that are invading his country. Tarkovsky…
Spotlight on Film 