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THREE
Today marks the third anniversary of The Other Cinema. Just under 550 films have been profiled so far — and counting. Last year I teased a redesign of the site, along with a new section featuring Conversations with filmmakers. Both are still very much in the works — one is technically ready to go, but…
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SHE’S GOTTA HAVE IT
“She’s Gotta Have It” is a landmark 1986 independent film and debut feature film of director Spike Lee, who also wrote the film. Shot in black and white on a shoestring budget over just twelve days, the film is a bold, witty, and stylistically innovative portrait of sexual agency, identity, and freedom. At the center…
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A PÁTY JEZDEC JE STRACH aka AND THE FIFTH HORSEMAN IS FEAR
“a pátý jezdec je Strach,” aka “And the Fifth Horseman Is Fear,” directed by Zbyněk Brynych, is a 1965 Czechoslovak psychological drama set during the Nazi occupation of Prague. It is a chilling, surreal, and Kafkaesque meditation on totalitarianism, internalized terror, and the dehumanization of individuals under a regime of fear. Rather than depicting overt…
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JAG ÄR NYFIKEN – EN FILM GULT aka I AM CURIOUS (YELLOW) NSFW
“I Am Curious (Yellow)” (Jag är nyfiken—en film i gult) is a groundbreaking 1967 Swedish film directed by Vilgot Sjöman. It is known for its bold blend of political commentary, experimental storytelling, and explicit sexuality. The film became a lightning rod for controversy upon its international release, particularly in the United States, where it was…
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JOYRIDE
“Joyride” is a 1977 crime drama with elements of a road movie, directed by Joseph Ruben, known later for The Stepfather and Sleeping with the Enemy. The film stars Desi Arnaz Jr., Robert Carradine, and Melanie Griffith, marking one of Griffith’s first significant screen appearances. It captures the disillusionment of 1970s American youth through a…
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CAFÉ FLESH (NSFW)
“Café Flesh” is a cult post-apocalyptic science fiction erotic film released in 1982. It was directed by Stephen Sayadian under the pseudonym Rinse Dream and co-written with Jerry Stahl (credited as Herbert W. Day). The film is widely regarded as a cult classic as it attracted conventional audiences into adult cinema. Besides its explicit content,…
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POOR THINGS
“Poor Things” is a 2023 surreal, feminist science fiction comedy-drama film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos. It is based on Alasdair Gray’s 1992 novel of the same name. Known for its visual style, dark humor, and profound exploration of identity and liberation, the film has been widely acclaimed and won the Golden Lion at the 80th…
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LE FEU FOLLET aka THE FIRE WITHIN
“Le Feu Follet,” aka “The Fire Within,” is a 1963 French drama directed by Louis Malle and based on the 1931 novel “Le Feu Follet” by Pierre Drieu La Rochelle. The film is regarded as one of Malle’s finest films and a poignant exploration of depression, alienation, and existential despair. Set in Paris in the…
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SACRED HOUSES: THE NEW BEVERLY CINEMA, LOS ANGELES
In this edition of the “Sacred Houses Series,” we pay homage to The New Beverly Cinema in Los Angeles, California, as we continue to honor notable movie theaters worldwide. The New Beverly Cinema, located in Los Angeles, California, is one of the city’s most beloved and iconic revival movie theaters. It is known for its…
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ISLE OF DOGS
“Isle of Dogs” is a 2018 stop-motion animated feature film written and directed by Wes Anderson. Set in dystopian future Japan, the film blends adventure, satire, and political allegory with Anderson’s signature whimsy and emotional resonance. The story takes place in Megasaki City, Japan, 20 years in the future. A mysterious outbreak of “dog flu”…
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