Paul Verhoeven
For this edition of the column I decided to dive into two of Paul Verhoeven’s interesting and unique filmography.
Paul Verhoeven’s latest film Benedetta, based on the infamous 17th century, has the Catholic Church up in arms as it delivers the satire.
You Don’t Nomi traces Paul Verhoeven’s Showgirls’ (1995) redemptive journey from notorious flop to cult classic, and maybe even masterpiece.
Showgirls, by any measure, epitomizes every tenet of arthouse cinema. Showgirls belongs on a shelf alongside Andrei Rublev, The Seventh Seal, and The Passion of Joan of Arc.
Shawn Glinis recommends some recent home video releases that would make great holiday gifts in his latest Video Dispatches.
While over looked and low-browed by critics when first released, Sean Fallon takes a look at why Starship Troopers is a trenchant, satirical commentary on fascism, the military-industrial complex, and our love of violence, masquerading as a dumb actioner.
Paul Verhoeven is a distinguished director in the cinematic world of the past few decades; here is a rundown of his career.
Basic Instinct is a famous noir thriller by Paul Verhoeven from 1992; here is why it is still both celebrated and reviled today.
Elle faithfully transcribes the original book “Oh…”, presenting masochistic and sadistic elements as comedy in the darkest form.
Film is one of the best artistic mediums because it’s always growing; it speaks every language, and every place in the world has their iteration as to what’s scary, twisted, weird or just downright bizarre. Different countries offer different interpretations of horror, from China where vampires hop to Korean Shaman. They don’t wave crosses, nor do they compel the power of Christ upon anyone, but just don’t fall in love with Isabelle Adjani.
Paul Verhoeven returned to the Cannes Film Festival and to critical favor with his newest movie, Elle. Now that the unusual rape-revenge story is about to be unleashed on the wide world, the remaining question is whether it can be financially viable. Isabelle Huppert stars as said victim, who is otherwise a successful business executive and a fiercely take charge kind of woman.
Cinematic failures appear in all shapes and sizes; some are critically acclaimed upon release only to become hated months later. Others get shunned by critics and audiences only to develop cult followings years later. In this day and age, where every other film has a sizable cult following, it is difficult to determine which films have truly earned their cult status.
In the fast-paced world of show business, projects are announced before swiftly being cancelled every day. Yet there are some film projects that obsess their creators for years, always on the verge of getting made, before the cinematic powers that be decide otherwise. This article is a celebration of the best movies never made – films that would have been surefire masterpieces, that generations of film fans have had to resort to merely imagining existing.
Cult films are difficult to define, as they vary in scope, themes, genre and in just about every other way. Despite these ambiguities, it is demonstrable that the revered Roger Ebert once got the definition entirely wrong. Avatar just isn’t cool enough In his review of Avatar, Ebert described the film as an “event” that was “predestined to launch a cult.
