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What is the best film of all time? It’s a question liable to cause heated debate and end in arguments. Traditionally, Citizen Kane has tended to top these lists, but they were often English-language centric. No more so than the IMDB top 250, which Shawshank Redemption has been sat at the top of for years …

The Japanese have a very special relationship with food. Often bathed in tradition and ceremony, food and drink are oft en as much about spirituality or religion than fulfilling a natural function. And as Naomi Kawase’s Sweat Bean (An) adeptly demonstrated last year, for the chef the pursuit of perfection is almost as important as …

There have been many films made about prostitutes, courtesans and concubines, but in Kenji Mizoguchi 1952 film The Life of Oharu the principal is all three. However, it’s more in the territory of Raise the Red Lantern or Farewell My Concubine than Pretty Woman. Whilst prostitutes tend to be gin-soaked cockneys in British period dramas, …

Manga plays a significant role in Japanese culture, which is difficult for outsiders to fully grasp. Several series have managed to embed themselves into the public consciousness, along with TV spinoffs and film franchises (not to mention an eclectic array of merchandise). Lone Wolf and Cub is one of the most famous. The first two …

In a day and age where the term ‘pioneer’ is often loosely thrown around, there are very few, if any, who deserve the accolade more than John Waters. His early films were transgressive, awarding him a cult status and becoming the defining focus of the LGBT community in the 1970s. Multiple Maniacs, his second feature …

Controversy over his personal life aside, there are few directors with a record of accomplishment over the last six decades as strong as Roman Polanski. Chinatown is one of the best films ever made. Rosemary’s Baby regularly features at the top of horror lists. Then there’s The Tenant, Repulsion, The Pianist, Macbeth and many more. …

Female actors have always had a rough ride in Hollywood. Indeed, until relatively recently opportunities for actresses in leading roles have been few and far between. However, if you look at the Oscar nominations this year, we’re now at a stage where you could argue that it’s the men who are now struggling to keep …

First produced in 1928, Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur’s Broadway play Front Page revolutionised comedy, both on stage and on the big screen. The intricate plotting and rapid-fire dialogue has influenced countess writers and directors. It has been adapted for cinema audiences on several occasions, both eponymously by Lewis Milestone and Billy Wilder, and in …

When it comes to telling contemporary stories of New York life there’s no one better than Brooklynite Noah Baumbach. His debut, Kicking and Screaming is a semi-biographical account of his time at colleague. Despite a sojourn in LA where he notably made Greenberg, the Big Apple has been a vibrant backdrop for films such as …

There are few, if any, living directors who have such a large cult fanbase as Wes Anderson. His work is epitomised by its unique visual style, unusual plotting, and recurring cast members. The big breakthrough came with Rushmore, but he subsequently received widespread praise for The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Moonrise Kingdom and The …