Film Reviews by Tomatometer-Approved Film Critic Wael Khairy
What does a ghost represent? An emotion lingering in the sphere of time? The shadow of a tragedy cursed to echo through eternity? Perhaps it’s the weight of something tethered to a world it no longer belongs to? A ghost is essentially a memory refusing to fade away; a trace of something that once was Continue reading "MATI DIOP- A CINEMA OF RESTLESS GHOSTS AND BYGONE REVOLTS"
Béla Tarr and Ágnes Hranitzky’s “Werckmeister Harmonies” follows János Valuska, a newspaper delivery man who witnesses his town descend into chaos and rebellion following the arrival of a mysterious circus. The main attraction of the spectacle features a gigantic taxidermy whale and a guest appearance by the mysterious ‘Prince’. Since its release, the film’s most Continue reading "The Cosmic Gaze:…
Women’s mental health is the main focus of both Hideo Nakata’s Dark Water (2002) and Rose Glass’ Saint Maud (2019), two of the most unsettling horror films of the 21st century. In both films, the spectator is left wondering if any of the disturbing supernatural occurrences experienced by the two protagonists are in fact real, Continue reading "Gendered Madness Phenomenology and the Ethics of Care…
Early on in the fourth season of “True Detective” titled “Night Country”, viewers with an eye for detail will spot an old VHS tape of John Carpenter’s “The Thing” carefully placed on a shelf in one of the indoor scenes. Everything from the cold harsh arctic setting, to the plot revolving around an investigation of Continue reading "TV Review: True Detective: Night Country "
Delightfully upbeat, suspenseful, and full of charm, Omar Hilal’s “Voy! Voy! Voy!” is a feel-good crowd-pleaser with a sly undercurrent of social commentary. Egypt’s official submission for ‘Best International Feature Film’ at this year’s Academy Awards tackles one of the most fascinating true stories in recent memory. The film revolves around Hassan, a security guard Continue reading "Film…
Yousef Srouji’s exceptional film documenting his mother’s video diaries while the Israeli army retaliates against the second intifada in the West Bank will give viewers a scoop into the turbulent life of a Palestinian family thriving for normality in an abnormal world. Their routine involves taking shelter in the basement during air raids as they Continue reading "Film Review: Three Promises "
Alex Perry’s independently produced documentary, “Angle”, will go down as one of the most moving wrestling documentaries out there. In fact, it’s right up there with Paul Jay’s “Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows” providing viewers with a fascinating glimpse into the inner-workings of professional wrestling. The film chronicles the turbulent life of professional wrestler and Continue reading…
When I first read the tagline of Sofia Alaoui’s Animalia, I was intrigued. “A young pregnant woman finds emancipation as aliens land in Morocco.” At best, I expected to watch an alien-invasion science fiction film like M. Night Shyamalan’s Signs or Jordan Peele’s Nope. To my surprise, I found that Animalia has more in common with Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life, Stanley Continue reading "Film…
Werner Herzog has one of the most impressive filmographies of documentary filmmaking out there, and although his work as a documentarian covers a huge spectrum of topics, the common denominator always seems to be an existential exploration of humanity and truth. Herzog’s approach rejects the notion that documentaries fall within the sphere of journalism. He Continue reading "Remarkable Fate in…