“We only have one fucking life to live” goes the oft-repeated mantra in Paris of the North, a knowingly sham sentiment that’s emblematic of the film’s quietly revolutionary marriage of cloying carpe diem conceit and subtly stark nihilism. This is a film that will be brushed off time and again as cutely contrived, and understandably so: Hafsteinn Gunnar…
While the more internationally-heralded heavyweights of Romania cinema have together forged a clear aesthetic and thematic trajectory under which the nation’s much-discussed new wave has come to be contextualised, back home there are just as many talented types at work on projects whose residence outside the purview of this arguably-exclusive…
We would hardly need to think twice about taking to task a narrative film which conceives a compelling character only to craft it unconvincingly. Yet in the realm of documentary, there emerges that peculiar brand of film whose central figure is commanding enough in its own right to overcome the limitations of the means of representation. Perhaps it’s the sense…
Fitness people are weird. They drink shakes with ingredients that sound made up, cling to sayings that make less sense than even the most unorthodox of religious teachings, carry an air of superiority that is extremely off-putting and pay more attention to their diets than most anorexics and diabetics combined. Before you jump straight to the comment section to crucify me, I believe in the importance of an active lifestyle. A crucial part of my job requires me to sit on my ….
There are two modern American filmmakers who have inspired my love of film and filmmaking, two completely disparate directors whose combined works somehow fuse to define my emotional, thematic, and stylistic preferences. The first and foremost, in a “revelation” that will come as no surprise to frequent Next Projection readers, is Martin Scorsese. In terms of style, thematic mastery, and pushing the medium forward by constantly and rigorously …
Tanu Weds Manu Returns is the sequel to Tanu Weds Manu (2011) directed by Anand L. Rai of Ranjhnaa fame. Kangana Ranut’s stellar performance as a double role has cemented her reputation as one the few outstanding actresses out of the current crop in Bollywood.
The new Pixar animation film Inside Out had its world premiere in an out-of-competition slot at the Cannes Film Festival and opened to rave reviews. Directors Peter Docter and Ronaldo Del Carmen take their audience on a spectacular trip inside the mind of an 11 year-old girl who struggles when having to move away from her Minnesota home because of her…
Not every commercially and/or critically successful film needs or demands a sequel. Sometimes, once is more than enough. Sometimes, one-and-done is all a particular premise or a set of characters really need. That, of course, has never stopped a Hollywood studio from moving forward with a sequel and hoping for a lucrative series or franchise. Sadly, Pitch Perfect 2, the aptly, if unimaginatively titled …
There are two instances in my life where I have been forced to sit in the front row of a movie theater. The first was when I was six-years-old, and my mom, grandpa, and I squeezed into a sold-out showing of the remastered re-release of Disney’s Fantasia. The second was just the other…
There’s a certain benefit of the doubt afforded to comedic actors. We assume that the decisions they make and the things they do are all in the name of comedy, for without their crazy antics there wouldn’t be a movie detailing their story. Rare is the movie that relies on its characters to tell a joke. Too often do films burden their characters with what is best for the punchline rather than what works best from a storytelling standpoint. The D Train falls somewhere ….