Category: Drama Comedy
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LE CHARME DISCRET DE LA BOURGEOISIE aka THE DISCREET CHARM OF THE BOURGEOISIE
“The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie” is a 1972 surreal satirical comedy directed by Luis Buñuel in which a group of affluent friends repeatedly attempt—and continually fail—to sit down and enjoy a proper dinner together. Through a series of absurd interruptions, dreams within dreams, and bizarre coincidences, Luis Buñuel constructs a sharp critique of upper-middle-class…
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PARENTHOOD
“Parenthood” is a 1989 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film directed by Ron Howard, who collaborated with screenwriters Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel to develop the original story. The film draws heavily from the real family and parenting experiences of Howard, Ganz, Mandel, and producer Brian Grazer. The result is a distinctly human portrayal of American family…
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A DIFFERENT MAN
“A Different Man” is a 2024 psychological dark comedy drama from Aaron Schimberg that plunges into the tangled web of identity, self-worth, and society’s gaze. The film’s unsettling yet moving story fuses drama, biting satire, and body horror. Sebastian Stan leads as Edward, a struggling actor whose severe facial disfigurement leaves him isolated and yearning…
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RISKY BUSINESS
“Risky Business” is a sharp and stylish coming-of-age satire directed and written by Paul Brickman, released in 1983. Set in the affluent suburbs of Chicago, the film combines dark comedy, eroticism, and social commentary while exploring themes of teenage rebellion, capitalism, and moral awakening in Reagan-era America. Notably, it launched Tom Cruise’s career, famously featuring…
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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…
