There have been several Ripley films, such as the French Purple Noon (my favorite due to star Alain Delon)), Wim Wenders’ The American Friend (the most brilliant), and Anthomy Minghella’s The Talented Mr. Ripley (the most lavished production). And now comes Ripley’s Game, Liliana Cavani’s efficient (if not more) adaptation, which is suspenseful, but stumbles […]

Sex, Lies, and Videotape (1989) Steven Soderbergh’s breakthrough had a glorious debut at Sundance Fest, winning the Audience Award, then went on to Cannes, where it took the Palme d’Or and the FIPRESCI Prize.   Photograph: Courtesy Swank Motion Pictures No one complained—except for Spike Lee, who clearly felt his film, Do the Right Thing was […]

Taxi Driver (1976) Now it seems like an example of a jury doing their job perfectly right—awarding Martin Scorsese’s powder keg the Palme d’Or. But the boos at screenings were vociferous, and even jury chair Tennessee Williams held the movie at a distasteful arm’s length, telling reporters, “Films should not take a voluptuous pleasure in […]

Having nothing in common with his 2022 film of the same name, the 1970 “Crimes of the Future” is an early artifact of Cronenberg’s obsessions with flesh and sex.

The 1932 Scarface was considered extremely dangerous when it was released for its graphic portrayal of violence that it portrayed, as well as the way that it glorified crime and gang violence.