Category: Black & White
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C’MON C’MON
“C’mon C’mon” is a 2021 film written and directed by Mike Mills. It is a tender, introspective drama exploring the fragile connections between adults and children, memory and the future, and listening as an act of love. The story centers on Johnny, a soft-spoken radio journalist portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix. He travels across the United…
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LÁSKY JEDNÉ PLAVOLÁSKY aka LOVES OF A BLONDE
“Lásky jedné plavovlásky” aka “Loves of a Blonde” is a 1965 Czechoslovak romantic comedy-drama directed by Miloš Forman, co-written with Jaroslav Papoušek and Václav Šašek. The film stars Hana Brejchová, Vladimír Pucholt, Vladimír Menšík, and Míla Myslíková. It is a bittersweet, sharply observed portrait of youthful longing and disillusionment, emblematic of the Czechoslovak New Wave…
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MASCULIN FÉMININ
“Masculin Féminin,” directed in 1966 by Jean-Luc Godard, is a seminal work of the French New Wave—a playful yet probing exploration of youth, politics, pop culture, and sexual relationships in 1960s Paris. Subtitled “15 faits précis” (“15 precise facts”), the film unfolds as a loose mosaic of vignettes rather than a conventional narrative, capturing the…
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TOUCH OF EVIL
“Touch of Evil” is a classic film noir from 1958, directed by Orson Welles, who also stars alongside Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh, Marlene Dietrich, and Akim Tamiroff. It is often regarded as one of the last significant works of the classic noir era, celebrated for its striking cinematography, morally complex characters, and innovative opening tracking…
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PIGEN MED NALEN aka THE GIRL WITH THE NEEDLE
“Pigen med nålen” aka “The Girl with the Needle” is a 2024 film written by Magnus von Horn and Line Langebek and directed by Magnus von Horn. Set in the grim aftermath of World War I—circa 1919 Copenhagen—The Girl with the Needle follows Karoline (played by Vic Carmen Sonne), a young factory seamstress facing destitution:…
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LE JOURNAL D’UNE FEMME DE CHAMBRE aka DIARY OF A CHAMBERMAID
“Le journal d’une femme de chambre” aka “Diary of a Chambermaid” is a 1964 satirical and unsettling drama directed by Luis Buñuel. The film critiques French provincial society, exploring themes of repression, xenophobia, sexual obsession, and class hypocrisy. The story follows Célestine (Jeanne Moreau), a brilliant yet disillusioned Parisian woman who takes a job as…
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THE ELEPHANT MAN
“The Elephant Man” is a biographical drama released in 1980, directed by David Lynch. The film features John Hurt in the role of John Merrick, known as the “Elephant Man.” Anthony Hopkins plays Dr. Frederick Treves, while Anne Bancroft portrays Mrs. Kendal. The cast also includes John Gielgud as Mr. Carr Gomm, Wendy Hiller as…
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IF…. (NSFW)
“if….” is a 1968 British satirical drama directed by Lindsay Anderson and is regarded as one of the defining films of 1960s British cinema. Blending realism with surrealism, the film is a scathing critique of institutional authority, class privilege, and societal repression, set against the rigid backdrop of an English public (private) boys’ school. It…
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GOJIRA aka GODZILLA (54)
“Gojira (ゴジラ)” aka “Godzilla” (1954) is the original kaiju (giant monster) film that launched a global franchise and established the titular creature as an enduring symbol of nuclear destruction and environmental reckoning. Directed by Ishirō Honda, with groundbreaking special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya, the film is both a gripping science fiction drama and a somber…
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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…
The Other Cinema 