Rear Window (1954) Dir. Alfred Hitchcock

November 4th, 2025

1950s American cinema saw the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, change the landscape of the thriller genre. In doing so, Hitchcock pioneered his own technical and storytelling style through his literary film grammar. A prime example of Hitchcock utilising his film language is in his voyeuristic thriller, Rear Window (1954). Rear Window - a film inspired by a short detective story of the same name (originally entitled “It had to be Murder”, which was written by Cornell Woolrich and published in 1942 by Dime Detective Magazine, a pulp fiction magazine that began in 1921 to serve as a source of entertainment during the Great Depression) - is a key film within the cinema art form, teaching us about the American cinema itself. The film is a commentary on cinema, as it plays with cinematic forms through visual language and cinematographic techniques. The literary camera movement, intricate narrative, atmospheric lighting, mise-en-scène, and scoring simultaneously work together to examine psychological despair, the human condition, morality, and class. Each filmic element is utilised competently to involve the audience in the “rear window ethics” within the apartment complex where the protagonist, L.B. “Jeff” Jefferies (played by James Stewart), lives. Thus, as with any Hitchcock film, the themes are not only fundamental but also placed at the epicentre of his work, and in the case of Rear Window, the theme of voyeurism is prominently put into question.

Materialists (2025) Dir. Celine Song

August 29th, 2025

Celine Song's Materialists (2025) is an innovative social commentary on modern dating, which examines the idea of humanistic qualities versus materialistic qualities. In addition, the film explores themes of wealth and class in relation to finding the perfect partner, as matchmaker Lucy Mason (played by Dakota Johnson) seeks out a partner who ticks each of her compatibility boxes. On the night of one of her clients' weddings, Lucy is charmed by a wealthy financier, Harry Castillo (played by Pedro Pascal). She is struck by his superficial qualities, wealth, and successful career, and systematically believes that he is her perfect match, as she ultimately agrees to a date with him. However, although he is theoretically “perfect” for her, there is one thing missing, and that one thing is a natural bond. That is something Lucy is conflicted with, as she has reconnected with her caterer/theatre actor ex-boyfriend, John Pitts (played by Chris Evans), and discovers that the natural bond they once shared continues to exist between them.

The Substance (2024) Dir. Coralie Fargeat

August 29th, 2025

Coralie Fargeat's body horror film The Substance (2024) makes for a solid social commentary on beauty standards, aging, and the male gaze. The film's metaphors and symbolism-relating to the themes previously mentioned-are prominent throughout the narrative, with the exploration of injecting a black-market substance being used as a metaphor for a temporary form of escapism from one's insecurities. As a result of this, substances of this nature will ultimately make you unrecognisable and could metaphorically turn you into a monster if excessively used.