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‘The Broken Circle Breakdown’ an emotionally manipulative but tuneful Belgian drama influenced by Americana

The Broken Circle Breakdown Written and directed by Felix Van Groeningen Belgium, 2012 Some things are universal, crossing moral or literal boundaries. Some situations are, when described, so inherently sad that it’s hard not to well up with tears, just as some music is so joyous and hopeful that it’s hard not to react positively …

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Ranking the Films of Director Elia Kazan (part 2): The Essentials

10: Gentleman’s Agreement Perhaps a bit tame by today’s standards, but Kazan’s message drama was an extremely important film in 1947, marking one of the first times that the word Jew was explicity used in a Hollywood picture. Kazan was known throughout his career as a champion of social causes, and Gentleman’s Agreement earned him the first of …

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Ranking the Films of Director Elia Kazan (part 1) Underseen

Elia Kazan is one of my top five favourite American filmmakers of all time, and so I decided to ask our staff to rank his films. If you are not yet familiar with the filmmakers work, now would be a good time to start. Kazan was one of the most honoured and influential directors in …

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A Matter of Life and Death,’ WWII romance, popular psychology, and patriotism

‘A Matter of Life and Death (Stairway  To Heaven)’  Written & Directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger Starring David Niven, Kim Hunter, and Roger Livesey UK, 104 min – 1946.   “A weak mind isn’t strong enough to hurt itself. Stupidity has saved many a man from going mad.”   When A Matter of …

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