Modern Times: sympathy for the underdog and horror at a machine society enforcing conformity and repression
Charlie Chaplin, “Modern Times” (1936) In its own way, “Modern Times” is significant as an
Tag: Road Movies
Italian and Italian-language Films
The Hawks and the Sparrows: a rambling road movie enquiry into the social and political conflicts of Italian society in the 1960s
Pier Paolo Pasolini, “The Hawks and the Sparrows / Uccellacci e Uccellini” (1966) A bit
Anomalisa: an incompletely developed film on alienation and the struggle to live in an oppressive conformist society
Charlie Kaufmann and Duke Johnson, “Anomalisa” (2015) Not often does a film come along that
Australian and New Zealand Films
Charlie’s Country: a portrait of a man and his community in search of belonging and identity
Rolf de Heer, “Charlie’s Country” (2013) A sad and compassionate film of a man’s search
Italian and Italian-language Films
The Gospel According to St Matthew: a minimal neo-realist tale of struggle against corruption and injustice
Pier Paolo Pasolini, “The Gospel According to St Matthew / Il Vangelo Secondo Matteo” (1964)
German and German-language Films | North American Films
Paris, Texas: a film of isolation and rootlessness that cannot find purchase in a ruthless machine society
Wim Wenders, “Paris, Texas” (1984) One of American cinema’s finest yet under-appreciated treasures must surely
Becoming a legend through humility and earning grace in “Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island”
Hiroshi Inagaki, “Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island” (1956) Inagaki’s third and last installment in
Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple – bridging two films capably with character and thematic developments
Hiroshi Inagaki, “Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple” (1955) Its predecessor in the Musashi Miyamoto
Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto – the early days of a famous swordsman celebrated with ambition and energy
Hiroshi Inagaki, “Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto” (1954) One of the most famous people in Japanese
North American Films | Russian and Soviet Films
Crimea for Dummies: entertaining travelogue, history lesson and Western media propaganda critique rolled into one
Miguel Francis Santiago, “Crimea for Dummies” (RT Documentary, 2014) A unique and interesting film by