Category: Drama Comedy
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DOLLY PARTON & 9 TO 5
In light of the news of Dolly Parton’s passing at the age of 80, today’s post is dedicated to recognizing her by publishing this piece on “9 to 5.” “9 to 5” was Dolly’s feature film debut, and even though she will always be most remembered for her music career as a performer and writer…
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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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THE GRADUATE
“The Graduate” is a 1967 comedy-drama that vividly portrays the feelings of alienation, confusion, and quiet rebellion experienced by postwar American youth. Directed by Mike Nichols, the film follows Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman), a recent college graduate who becomes involved in a love affair with an older married woman, only to eventually fall in love…
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CALMOS aka FEMME FATALES (NSFW)
Calmos (also known as Femme Fatales, 1976), written and directed by Bertrand Blier, is a surreal and satirical comedy that takes the classic “battle of the sexes” trope and pushes it to absurd extremes with a dreamlike logic. The film begins with Paul (Jean-Pierre Marielle), a Parisian gynecologist who is exhausted and disillusioned after years…
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HAPPINESS
“Happiness” is a 1998 darkly comedic and deeply unsettling ensemble film written and directed by Todd Solondz (Welcome to the Dollshouse, Storytelling). It interweaves the lives of several characters from suburban New Jersey who are searching for fulfillment. The film’s tone shifts between satire, tragedy, and taboo, exploring themes of alienation, sexual frustration, family dysfunction,…
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BABYLON
“Babylon” (2022) is an epic and visually stunning film written and directed by Damien Chazelle. With a runtime of over three hours, it vividly portrays the wild excesses, ambitions, and decline of early Hollywood during the late 1920s and early 1930s, a period marked by the industry’s transition from silent films to talkies. The movie…
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RUSHMORE
“Rushmore” is a 1998 coming-of-age dramedy directed by Wes Anderson, characterized by his signature stylized, deadpan tone. It tells the story of an eccentric and ambitious teenager, Max Fischer, as he navigates love, rivalry, and personal growth at the prestigious Rushmore Academy. The film is Anderson’s sophomore feature and marks the first collaboration between him…
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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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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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LADY BIRD
“Lady Bird” (2017) is a coming-of-age dramedy set in Sacramento, California, during the early 2000s. Written and directed by Greta Gerwig in her solo directorial debut, the film centers on the final year of high school for Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson (Saoirse Ronan), a spirited and headstrong teenager who yearns for more than her middle-class,…
The Other Cinema 