I was lucky to be able to catch Io Sono Li in (what’s left of) our Royal Opera House in Valletta. It was screened as part of the Pjazza Kino Festival last Friday 25th. In the same festival, two other nautical-themed films were shown Kon-Tiki (2012) and The Deep, (2012). The festival was curated by Rebecca Cremona, who also directed and co-wrote... Continue Reading →
OUR FASCINATION WITH CINEMATIC SEX MIKIEL REVIEWS LARS VON TRIER’S SEX EPIC NYMPHOMANIAC, CURRENTLY SHOWING AS ONE OF THE SIDE STREET FILMS AT EDEN CINEMAS, AND ASKS WHETHER THE FINAL CHAPTER IN HIS DEPRESSION TRILOGY DELIVERS. I’ve no doubt that right now you’re most probably indignantly frowning at your screen damning my sick, insolent mind... Continue Reading →
Although the latest Tom Hanks movie Saving Private Ry Mr.Banks (2013) is chock-full of delicious (carefully selected) information on how Disney went about getting his hands on PL Traver’s Mary Poppins & friends, we did find one fault with it – the ending gives the impression that Travers and Disney became best friends after the Mary Poppins’ premiere. We... Continue Reading →
Captain Phillips’ (2013) formula is a tired one – we have a seemingly ordinary bloke up against odds that seem impossible to beat. We’re supposed to kid ourselves into wondering who’s going to emerge victorious when we know the answer to that all along. The film was partly shot in Malta and stars Tom Hanks.... Continue Reading →
I specifically started watching Take This Waltz (2011) because of Seth Rogen’s involvement. I wouldn’t say I’m his biggest fan, rather I was intrigued by the idea of Rogen starring in a serious film about relationships, their fragility, and life-changing decisions which are ours to take. What I thought was going to be a romantic dramedy on... Continue Reading →
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) has to be my all-time favorite ‘Disney’ film without even being Disney in the first place. Produced by EON, the production company responsible for bringing us Ian Fleming’s Bond to the silver screen, this is a very loose adaptation of another of the British naval-intelligence officer’s creations. The story was... Continue Reading →
Killer Joe has to be the coolest, darkest, most twisted popcorn movie ever. It’s vulgar, violent and totally offensive. It belongs somewhere to something between the crime and black comedy genres. This film tells the story of Killer Joe; a contract-killer assigned to kill a woman by her own beloved son and dim-witted husband. So,... Continue Reading →
Truth be said, I can’t stomach happy endings much. If a film is sold on the premise that its portraying true stories or even fictional but real-life scenarios, it can’t force-feed me a Disneyesque ‘and they lived happily ever after.’ This is one of the main faults I find with a number of Hollywood dramas... Continue Reading →
The Tin Drum (Die Belchtrommel) (1979) can easily be considered a war film – although most of the battles occur between internally between Oskar (David Bennent) and the rest of humanity. While most of what happens in the film is allegorical, the imagery is sometimes too powerful to permit the viewer to read beyond the symbolism. The... Continue Reading →
Today I reflect on Antichrist (2009) and Lars von Trier's filmic relationships with women.
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