This is what we wish we can show in 2025 ✨ 603z5l

• Nosferatu
• We Live in Time
• Nickel Boys
• The Bibi Files
• The Girl with the Needle
• Parthenope
• Mickey 17
• Vermiglio
• A Complete Unknown
• Sing Sing

...plus 11 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Our book vs film series is a little event happening in our cinema. It's a fun way for readers and film enthusiasts to come together and find ways of appreciating the two mediums.

• Mickey 17
• Nickel Boys
• Queer
• Small Things Like These
• Hot Milk

What a recap 😍

• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
• Poor Things
• The Peasants
• 20,000 Species of Bees
• All of Us Strangers
• The Substance
• Small Things Like These
• Fallen Leaves
• Perfect Days
• 20 Days in Mariupol

...plus 14 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

Words by Zak Wheelan

Set in 1985, Small Things Like These follows a coal merchant devoted to ing his family, who stumbles upon a dark and harrowing secret hidden behind the quiet façade of a local convent.

The truths he uncovers build gradually, layer by layer — like peeling back a matryoshka doll — ultimately forcing him to confront his own past and the trauma buried within it. The pressure mounts from the town’s complicity in silence. Themes of shame, loss, abuse, and neglect intertwine with the perversion and corruption of a religious institution — all packed tightly into a moving 1 hour and 38 minutes.

This is not a film for the faint of heart — not only for its distressing subject matter, but also because it is grounded in real historical horrors: the Magdalene Laundries, where poor Irish girls and women were cruelly forced into unpaid, relentless labor under the guise of moral reform.

Cillian Murphy, portraying the coal merchant and central character, delivers an awe-inspiring, largely silent performance. With minimal dialogue, the film invites us to read his emotions through body language and facial expressions — every look heavy with horror, grief, and moral reckoning. His portrayal is haunting, subtle, and profoundly affecting. In contrast, Emily Watson’s brief but chilling appearance as the Mother Superior is deeply impactful. Her commanding, threatening presence leaves a lasting impression, and the interplay between her character and Murphy’s adds to the film’s intensity.

But the performances aren’t the only aspect worth applauding. Every frame is crafted with care and precision — like a painting brought to life. Cinematographer Frank van den Eden captures each moment so delicately, as though the film were his own personal creation.

While its slow-burn pacing may not appeal to everyone, Small Things Like These delivers some of the year’s most powerful messages through quiet observation, emotional restraint, and moral complexity.

It’s surprising — and frankly disappointing — that the film has only received 4 awards and 11 nominations. It is undoubtedly one of the standout films of 2024, deserving of far more recognition and praise.

Discover more gripping and thought-provoking films at Spazju Kreattiv: kreattivita.org

Words by Zak Wheelan

A Reflection on David Lynch’s Blue Velvet and Contemporary Cinema

Blue Velvet is a mysterious, surrealistic exploration of the connection between sexuality and violence. A series of unsettling incidents involving break-ins and voyeurism leads to the discovery of a hidden and disturbing criminal underworld, cloaked in unease and moral ambiguity.

The film follows Jeffrey, a college student who returns to his hometown after his father suffers a freak accident. During a walk through a field, Jeffrey discovers a severed human ear — an eerie and unforgettable image that sets the tone for the rest of the film. This discovery leads him, with the help of Sandy, a friend and daughter of a local detective, into an increasingly dangerous investigation involving a woman deeply entangled in the case.

The tension in Blue Velvet builds steadily, growing in intensity as the film dives deeper into taboo themes of sexual and violent expression. This willingness to push boundaries is what defines David Lynch’s unique voice as a filmmaker. Unafraid of alienating the public, Lynch carved out a cult following with a style so distinctive, it feels like a genre in itself — one rooted in dreamlike atmospheres, subconscious fears, and surreal logic.

Before his ing, Lynch stated that he had officially retired from filmmaking, claiming there was no longer a place for him in modern cinema. Contemporary films, he argued, are increasingly rooted in realism, dominated by digital effects and polished aesthetics. The gritty, unsettling, and stylistically raw nature of his work — exemplified in Blue Velvet — would struggle to find space in today’s industry. Whether or not that shift is good or bad is debatable. What’s clear is that Lynch’s visionary work continues to influence filmmakers, his legacy trickling down into modern cinema in subtle yet powerful ways.

Discover more powerful and thought-provoking films like Blue Velvet at Spazju Kreattiv: kreattiva.org

Words by Zak Wheelan

Director Brady Corbet’s film is an enthralling piece of fictitious storytelling that easily feels like a biopic.

The Brutalist dives deep into the aesthetics of brutalist architecture, the immigrant experience, and one man's first encounter with America. It’s a brilliant, slow-paced film about an architect who flees post-war Europe in 1947. The story explores the struggles of rebuilding a career and a legacy, and what a man must endure to achieve both. Balancing themes of nationality, trauma, ambition, and restoration, the film tells the tale of László Toth—a Jewish Hungarian Bauhaus graduate—played by Adrien Brody.

László is haunted by the horrors of the Second World War. His inner turmoil contradicts his outward persona, yet it seeps into his work. He finds a powerful patron in Harrison Lee Van Buren Sr., played by Guy Pearce. Harrison sees László as a visionary—a celebrity in the world of architecture. However, as their relationship unfolds, it’s tested by László’s brilliance and his heroin addiction. All the while, László is still waiting for his wife to arrive and him.

Harrison commissions László to design the Van Buren Institute, a grand complex that serves as a memorial to Harrison’s mother. The structure is to include a library, theatre, gym, and chapel. Harrison envisions something modern with a sincere Christian outlook. László agrees—but interprets the project through his own brutalist lens. The result is a set of cathedral-like blueprints that merge raw, personal expression with the patron’s expectations.

The term “Brutalist” comes from the French béton brut, meaning “raw concrete.” This film is just as raw—honest, sincere, and deeply reflective. It delicately navigates the experience of being both an artist and an immigrant, of processing trauma through a relentless and obsessive creative vision.

Watch more powerful films like The Brutalist at Spazju Kreattiv: kreattivita.org/

Words by Zak Wheelan

A Complete Unknown is based on real life and tells the story of a legendary artist named Bob Dylan. The film focuses on the early part of Dylan’s life, specifically after his move to New York. This choice reflects the nature of the story: Dylan reinventing himself and arriving as a completely unknown individual.

The film follows his journey from his arrival in New York to his controversial performance at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. Dylan hitchhikes his way to New York in hopes of meeting his musical idol, Woody Guthrie. However, he finds that Guthrie is in a hospital. When Dylan visits him there, Woody’s close friend Pete is also present. Dylan performs a song dedicated to Woody, impressing them both. Pete then invites Dylan to stay with his family for a while, which marks the beginning of his journey in the city.

The main theme of the film seems to be the thin line between fame and artistic freedom. Throughout the movie, we see Dylan trapped in a metaphorical cage—one that prevents him from changing or experimenting creatively. The expectations placed on him by fans and the music industry weigh heavily on his shoulders. Eventually, the pressure to remain the same clashes with his growing desire for artistic evolution. This culminates in his decision to go electric, a move that causes an uproar, especially within the folk scene. Many fans, particularly those at the Newport Folk Festival, were furious. But in that moment—free from the burden of pleasing the industry or the audience—Dylan finds true creative freedom.

The film also explores Dylan’s love life, particularly his relationships with Sylvie and Joan Baez. He first develops a romance with Sylvie. As their relationship blossoms, it highlights Dylan’s charm but also his emotional detachment and resistance to commitment.

SPOILER ALERT:
Dylan ends up cheating on Sylvie with fellow musician Joan Baez. Though Sylvie doesn’t know at first, her suspicions grow quickly, sensing there’s more to Dylan and Baez’s relationship than just music.

I personally think this movie is excellent. While it’s a fictionalized of Bob Dylan’s life, it touches on many realistic and relatable themes—particularly the constraints of fame and the struggle for authenticity. It serves as a reminder that the road to greatness is often paved with hardship, pressure, and expectations—and it’s rarely all sunshine and rainbows.

If you're interested in watching more high-quality films like this, check out our cinema listings at kreattivita.org/.

Words by Zak Wheelan

This movie follows a young actress desperately trying to become a star, a filmmaker plagued by mysterious troubles, and a woman suffering from peculiar amnesia. At the same time, it delves deep into themes of sexuality and identity, all unfolding within an atmosphere of ominous chaos.

The young actress encounters a beautiful brunette who seems to have no recollection of who she is or how she got there. The only clue they manage to piece together is that something happened on Mulholland Drive. At first glance, the plot appears straightforward, but as the film progresses, it becomes increasingly bewildering, leaving viewers in a state of confusion—an enigmatic and thought-provoking experience in itself. The film blurs the line between fiction and reality, encouraging the viewer to decide what is real and what is imagined.

David Lynch originally intended this to be a TV series. However, after losing from ABC to fund the pilot, he transformed it into a feature film. Knowing this adds another layer of meaning to certain scenes, especially those involving the filmmaker character.

Watching this at Spazju Kreattiv Cinema was a great experience. The atmosphere and comfort allowed me to fully immerse myself in the film, and as always, the cinema delivered high-quality, thought-provoking content.

If you're interested in exploring more of David Lynch's work, Blue Velvet in May is also coming up soon — check it out at kreattivita.org/