A personal journal of film and documentary reviews, and reviews of anything else that intrigues me.
Michael Curtiz, “Casablanca” (1942) One of Hollywood’s finest gems, “Casablanca” initially presents as a romantic drama in the middle of war. It’s 1942, France is ruled…
Tristan Quinn, “Masters of Money (Episode 2: Hayek)” (2012) Using a mix of interviews with former politicians, economists and academics together with a voice-over narrative by…
Robert Wise, “The Day the Earth stood Still” (1951) Yesterday a meteor and its debris struck an area in the Urals in Russia and the planet…
Andy and Larry Wachowski, “Matrix Revolutions” (2003) Beneath layers of computer-generated pyrotechnics, film noir homage and stylistic posing, the story is fairly basic: it’s a celebration…
Martin Small, “Masters of Money (Episode 1: Keynes)” (2012) This is the first episode of a three-part series by the BBC on significant economists / philosophers…
Leif Kaldor, “Remote Control War” (2011) “Remote Control War” presents as a sober documentary on the use of robotics in war, conflict and espionage in the…
French and French-language Films
Eugène Deslaw, “Montparnasse” (1929) Come take a tour of Montparnasse as it was in 1929 with Eugène Deslaw to guide you. At the time, this district in…
French and French-language Films
Malgorzata Szumowska, “Elles” (2011) An interesting and layered film that appears to say whatever viewers may want it to say, “Elles” initially presents as a critique…
French and French-language Films
Eugène Deslaw, “Un monsieur qui a mangé du taureau” (1935) We all know of people who spout a lot of BULL but what happens to people…
French and French-language Films
Eugène Deslaw, “La Marche des Machines” (1927) / Les Nuits Électriques” (1928) The Ukrainian film-maker Eugène Deslaw made a number of fairly short experimental films in the…