Possibly one of the finest ‘body horror’ films of the post-2000s era, Fargeat’s sophomore film takes on sexism and ageism in the entertainment industry with a middle finger so pointed that the violence and gore become saliently and nihilistically rewarding.
With characteristic deliberate pacing and being deeply tuned to the subtle rhythms of daily existence, Reichardt explores giving life its tangible meaning through art-making, where we create and present for ourselves and others.
This enjoyable and boisterous sequel to one of Pixar’s high watermarks pits its protagonist against the onset of puberty as the appearance of more emotions creates havoc and a crisis of sense of self.
Eschewing narrative economy for an epic five-act saga, this prequel to Fury Road is a different beast of a film, focusing first on drama and then action, effectively deepening the mythos of the Wasteland.
One of the greatest films of all time, Spielberg’s masterstroke was projecting narrative uncertainties against an acute sense of historical certainty that was the Holocaust, resulting in a work that is harrowingly tense but also imbued with moments of cathartic empathy.
Remarkably crafted and told refreshingly in a non-linear way, Guadagnino transforms tennis into a three-way psychological match in hell, where romantic entanglements serve up ‘underhands’ and ‘double-dealings’ that take morally contentious turns.
Probably Fincher’s zeitgeistiest film, this initially misunderstood but now modern classic traverses effortlessly between popular and cult realms as its unflinching takedown of capitalism and consumerism is marked by a thick, poisoned air of existential malaise.
Scorsese’s criminally ignored work based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is exquisite and expressive, as the psychological violence of complicated romances and illicit affairs threaten to implode in the cloistered high society of New York’s ‘Gilded Age’.
The film that solidified Jack Nicholson as a leading star as this New Hollywood classic about alienation follows an empty shell of a man who decides to visit his estranged ailing father while trapped in a loveless relationship with his girlfriend.
Garland’s sometimes tonally suspect fourth feature isn’t as sharp or clear-eyed as it set out to be, but it is technically strong and works as a cautionary tale as journalists attempt to chronicle the chaos and violence that come from an imploding America.
Eternality Tan 