To talk about Pain and Glory is to talk about Almodóvar, as the two are incredibly interlinked, fused into a filmmaker’s ultimate reflection on their life. 

The artist’s creative struggle is a familiar theme in film, yet Almodóvar manages to breathe new life into it, drawing from personal experience and presenting a fascinating character study. Reconciliation and crisis are handled with such glory (he he) accompanied by a haunting, yet serene score, and Antonio Banderas’ noteworthy performance.

I like to…

GEMS Film Festival Film #1

Clemency opens with a execution gone wrong, being carried out by prison ward Bernadine Williams. These first few minutes into the film are noteworthy because, apart from being the best opening sequence this year, we get a fantastic introduction into the key players, ambient and conflict. From this moment on, we are taken down a brutal but necessary look into death row and its morality. 

Clemency ultimately succeeds in doing so. No other prison drama has…

A life unfinished.

I’m at a loss of words. There’s nothing but love and tribute to Anton here, guided by insightful interviews and fascinating footage ranging from childhood videotapes to little iPhone videos he’d record. After watching this, Anton seemed like more than just a talented actor; he was an extraordinary, genuine living person. Intellectual and always energetic, I’ve never seen such spirit and joy in an actor. Living with CF didn’t bring him down, and he’d never go a day…