In a contemporary world where political extremes are again becoming mainstream and the specters of intolerance and hate loom large, D-Day stands as a historical cautionary tale. From a cultural standpoint, D-Day holds a distinct place in our collective memory and identity. It’s a day that shaped the trajectory of the 20th century, influencing everything from geopolitics to social attitudes, and literature to film.
Guy Ritchie’s “The Covenant”: Unearthing the Humanity in War’s Aftermath
Idea that “We need to do our best to understand each other,” reverberates throughout “The Covenant,” a film that masterfully encapsulates the complexity of human connection amidst the bleak backdrop of war-ridden Afghanistan. Guy Ritchie, celebrated for his electrifying movies, steers away from his traditional course and provides us with a remarkably unique narrative that exudes depth, emotion, and gripping storytelling.
What “The Reading List” and “Inheritance of Loss” have in common?
There are books that you stumble upon, and then they take you over. You can’t stop reading them, but worst of all, you can’t stop thinking about them. They make you laugh; they make you cry. Emotions shown while reading are often the best way to show that the book you took is perfect and essential for you. Let’s forget about literary criticism for a while and think about the impact. The impact that words have on you, even though there are so many things you need to do or solve daily. The same things happened to me with “The Reading List.“
“The Reading List” by Sara Nisha Adams presents a charming exploration of the potent influence of literature, woven through a tapestry of diverse and intricate characters, all tied together by a found reading list in a local library. The books on the reading list play an integral role in the storyline, serving as transformative agents that catalyse changes within the characters’ lives.
#Save the Expanse
There are few things sadder than canceling a favorite show. However, there are few things more illogical than canceling a show that has 100 % Rotten Tomatoes rating from both critics and audience. I was shocked by the news, but after a while, when news started to flow, I understood the reasoning behind the decision. SyFy just wasn’t getting enough money to keep the “Expanse” on the air. They alone are to blame since they didn’t seem to be farsighted enough to buy streaming rights for the series and live revenue alone wasn’t enough to justify the expenses for the show that big. Alcon, the main producer of the series, is now in the tight spot. Finding a new home for the show such as “Expanse” isn’t an easy task. Their decision to sell streaming rights to both Amazon (US) and Netflix (international) doesn’t make it any easier. But, here are few reasons why the “Expanse” should be renewed and why some more ambitious streaming platform should pick it up.
Hari Kunzru’s “WHITE TEARS” – Blues and some very human devils.
“The White Tears” is “dark and powerful novel about two man whose lives are forever changed by the discovery of a forgotten blues record”. Hari Kunzru’s novel is also much more than that line. From the beginning of “White Tears” the reader is pulled in into the world of the record collectors and searchers for the musical authenticity. However, when Seth said in that memorable quotation: “… if I wasn’t careful I’d lose my grip on the present and find myself back there seventy or eighty years in the past” I realized how much music works as a time machine. Temporal and narrative shifts became Kunzru’s tools while he’s telling a gripping story about the musical, cultural and racial identity.
Few shots about the “Shot Caller” (2017)
Prison movies always require an effort. “The Green Mile”, “The Shawshank Redemption”, “The Prophet”, “Cool Hand Luke” or “Papillon” are just a few of them to think about. Prison movies often have freedom hiding somewhere in the background. Still, few of them really captured prison psychology as good as legendary HBO series “Oz”. “Oz” was…
Potential and shortcomings of “Incorporated” (2016)
Since “Terminator”, I’ve watched a lot of material about the evilness of corporations. “Terminator” was the first and the scariest. Because of that, I must admit that I was skeptical when SyFy started “Incorporated”. It was a longshot since I expected just one more show about the food shortage and the apocalypse. More to that,…
Thoughts about “LA LA LAND” (2016)
When we were growing up, music was an important differential factor. “What are you listening?” was a question everybody asked and based on the answer given by the person you talked to, decision was made if someone is worthy of friendship or, if fate was inclined that way, something more. Sometime during that period,…
2016 in retrospective: SUPERHEROES are just human after all.
It’s never easy to write about the year in retrospective. 2016 was one of the most interesting years regarding film industry and pop-culture in general. Everything is connected, and it’s impossible to analyze the year we just sent packing without mentioning two crucial political events: Brexit and Trump’s victory. Both of them were themes of…
“Spotlight” (2015) – Emotions in it are produced, not fabricated.
Sexual abuse is an awful and controversial subject. We all saw a bunch of movies about harassment in the Catholic Church and, in a way, we don’t know what to expect of them anymore. “The Boys of St. Vincent” is one movie which depicts the subject in a very graphic way, and others could be…
“45 years” (2015.) – Emotional journey through life.
45th marriage anniversary is due in a few days. Kate Mercer (Charlotte Rampling) is preparing the festivities and her husband Geoff (Tom Courtney) is finding an interesting article in the newspapers. The article will stir the past and uncover some long kept secrets. In the midst of the preparations, the couple will have to dig…
Will you “Listen to me, Marlon?” (2015.)
For me, loving movies was about nurturing memories. Some memories are brighter, some darker, and some are there to stay as iconic images stuck into subconsciousness. Marlon Brando is my favorite actor. “Listen to me, Marlon” is an exquisite insight into Brando’s private thoughts, confessions and tragedies. Documentary which, in more senses than one, makes me…
Screen Blabs 