Have you ever had a falling out with someone in a place you don't visit often? An old, worn down hotel that you can tell was once a Shining symbol of its era comes to mind for me. Or an ikea. Well, Kane Parson's The Backrooms captures that feeling perfectly; how an ordinary space can become distorted beyond comprehension. How the winding corridors and aisles become an uncanny maze, which isn't helped by your jumbled emotional state. Then again, it becomes a mirror of your min

Never settle for a man, unless he can deal a mean hand, you know, otherwise-wise. Who knew an insurance clerk who uses a tennis racket to strain spaghetti like a desperate college student could be so captivating? Baxter (Jack Lemmon) and Kubelik’s (Shirley MacLaine) touch and go relationship clearly inspired When Harry Met Sally in more ways than simply the reversed ending. In The Apartment (1960) we meet two lonely people trying to find their way in the world, trapped in thi

The Dublin International Film Festival (DIFF for short) came to a close last Sunday, with the premiere of John Carney’s Power Ballad at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre. I was lucky enough to attend for the first time and can’t wait to see what’s in store for the 25th anniversary next year. Many of the cast and crew were in attendance, bringing the festival to an end with style. Now, to stop myself from going on and on about the event, let’s talk about the film. John Carney ( Si

Maurice is a 1987 romantic drama directed by James Ivory which captivatingly explores the beautiful and intense love story of E.M. Forster’s unpublished novel. The film explores the English boarding school environment of the Edwardian period, introducing Maurice and Clive played by James Wilby and Hugh Grant. At Cambridge the two engage in a passionate love affair. This, however, is overshadowed by Clive’s concern for his political future, especially following Oscar Wilde’s