An anti-thriller almost, in this assured film of two distinct halves about a vengeful criminal, an exploited prostitute, and a guilt-ridden policeman who all become implicated in life’s luck of the draw.
A confident debut feature as this poignant drama about two Korean childhood sweethearts who meet again as adults in New York will likely work the tearducts.
Akin goes terribly off-course with this vile and nihilistic serial killer movie, based on a true story, yet with nothing valuable to say.
One of the most important works of Mexican cinema to emerge at the turn of the century, this is still Inarritu’s finest achievement as separate narrative threads collide (literally), sparking a thought-provoking treatise on life, love and loss.
Antonioni’s first English-language film sees him in peak form, delivering a countercultural classic that is a masterclass in exploring the art and enigma of seeing, creating and deconstructing images.
Seemingly existing outside of time, Rivette’s performative revenge tale featuring women pirates and sorceresses is one of his boldest experiments in film form, culminating in an occult-like finale of dancing bodies in trance.
Probably Miyazaki’s most epic film inasmuch as it is a pure fantasy-adventure with strong themes of peaceful co-existence as battles are waged among humans, animals and spirits.
Antonioni plays with colour and sound design, creating a hypnotic take on the perils of human alienation amid technological progress.
The unresolved childhood grief of losing one’s mother is given a quiet, sentimental treatment by Bellocchio whose film is polished enough though it falls short of being truly insightful.
‘Exploring’ features the filmographies of filmmakers that I’ve largely completed and celebrates them on the week of their birthdays.
