Search results for: Aki Kaurismaki

Jeez. Time sure does fly by. It's hard to fathom that we're now in year number four with our world film critic on the...

Solid Ground: Crialese’s Heartfelt Message Movie In his fourth feature film, Emanuele Crialese tackles issues of immigration and the inhumanity that transpires from man-made laws...

Four stories connected by Salamanca’s River Tormes is the basis and backdrop for Gabriel Velázquez's feature debut. An official selection at the 2012 edition of the International Film Festival Rotterdam, Iceberg features a foursome of adolescents, Rebeca, Mauri, Jota and Simón who are all navigating through a critical moment in their lives.

Using a familiar backdrop of his native Sicily (sun-bleached islands plus rhythmic aqua blues) this appears (see trailer) less epic in scope than his 2006 film The Golden Door and less fable like than 2002's Respiro -- but Emanuele Crialese still works with the same obsession: free spirit status of the individual. Perhaps more telling, less romantic and more complex within this format, along with Kaurismäki's Le Havre, this Venice selected title only confirms that immigration migration due to the despairing differences between rich and poor and climate change is more than just a trendy topic.

Reminiscent of Corneliu Porumboiu's Police, Adjectiv for its marathon run time (film is easily over the two-hour mark, but doesn't feel like it) and wry sense of humor in what essentially tackles the underlining politics in procedural police work, Ceylan's Grand Prix winner (tied with the Dardennes' Kid With a Bike) has found a home with The Cinema Guild folks and though no immediate plans were made for a 2011 release, expect the ideal locations of TIFF and NYFF to provide settings for the North American and U.S premieres.