Tag: Foreign
Dormant Beauty | Review
Sleepytime Drama: Bellocchio Messy Message Movie
After yet another career peak with his 2009 film Vincere, Italian auteur Marco Bellocchio continues his examination of Italian...
Young and Beautiful | Review
Airy & banal, Ozon's Latest is as Indistinct as its Title
Moving right along the trajectory we’re all well familiar with by now, François Ozon...
The German Doctor | Review
A Nazi At My Table: Puenzo’s Latest an Eerie Reimagining
Argentinian director Lucia Puenzo once again adapts one of her own novels for her latest...
Cuban Fury | Review
1, 2 Step: Griffiths’ Debut Features Solo Frost in Winning Performance
Though it may not command a notable shelf life in your memory, and even...
Criterion Collection: Persona | Blu-ray Review
Ingmar Bergman’s Persona is now available in a sharp and stunning Blu-ray from Criterion. This 1966 production has attained a special place in critics’...
Camille Claudel, 1915 | DVD Review
Many are perhaps familiar with Isabelle Adjani’s much hailed Oscar nominated performance as the turn of the century French sculptress Camille Claudel in the...
Just a Sigh | Review
Brief Encounter: Bonnell’s Latest a Breezy, Gallic Affair
With his fifth feature, Just a Sigh, (a butchered translation from what really should be The Time...
Blood Ties | Review
Blood Simple: Canet’s English Language Debut an Enjoyably Prostrate Epic
For his English language debut, actor/director Guillaume Canet arrives with Blood Ties, a remake of...
Film Movement Moves into the Dark; Prochaska’s Western Saddling Up for 2015 Release
A film genre that appears to have been perfected by the Aussies, judging by the tepid response (reviews from Variety, THR, IW) at it's...
Criterion Collection: The Hidden Fortress | Blu-ray Review
Criterion re-releases Akira Kurosawa’s 1958 adventure The Hidden Fortress for a ravishing blu-ray update this month, following hot on the heels of a similar...
Ernest & Celestine | Review
Cute in Court: Bears and Mice Controversially Live In Harmony
We are not for lack of anthropomorphized mice nor bears, from all the way back...
GKIDS Nab Another Ghibli with Takahata’s The Tale of the Princess Kaguya
It’s been far too long since legendary animator Isao Takahata sat at the helm of a feature length picture. Fourteen years since My Neighbors...
Melanie Thierry, del Toro, Robbins & Kurylenko are Doctors Without Borders in Fernando Leon de Aranoa’s A Perfect Day
Known for his portraits of people and connection to their employment such as Princesas (or unemployment via Mondays in the Sun), Fernando Leon de...
Participant Media Move From Larrin’s “No” to Diego Luna’s “Chavez” and Yes, it is possible
Our site truly appreciates Participant Media's Modus operandi: financing and producing feature and docu films about change. After backing Pablo Larraín's No - the Directors'...
Here Comes the Devil | Review
Lock Your Souls Up: Bogliano’s Latest a Decent But Frayed Exercise
Adrian Garcia Bogliano’s tenth feature film, Here Comes the Devil finally shows the Argentinean...
Twice Born | Review
Emulating Almodóvar: Castellitto Employs Cruz To Pull Heartstrings
The renowned Italian actor turned middling director Sergio Castellitto returns to his place on both sides of...
Out in the Dark | Review
Nobody Knows: Mayer’s Debut Explores Personal is Political with Tragic Gay Love Story
For his screen debut, Israeli born director Michael Mayer’s Out in the...
Zaytoun | Review
Pitted Olive: Riklis’ Period Piece Adventure a Sappy Fantasy
Israeli director Eran Riklis returns to familiar territory with Zaytoun, using another unlikely friendship scenario between...
Wasteland | Review
Waste of Time: Glossy Heist Fantasy a Missed Hit for Athale’s Debut
Producer Rowan Athale’s directorial debut, Wasteland, which he also penned, gets out of...
All Along the… Film Movement Find Companionship with Pelin Esmer’s Watchtower
Turkish filmmaker Pelin Esmer made her narrative feature debut in 2009 with 10 to 11, a meditative drama about a man and his collections,...
My Worst Nightmare | Review
A charming, Gallic comedy featuring one of France’s greatest actresses.
Anne Fontaine’s latest confection, My Worst Nightmare, is a delightful vehicle for the awesome talent...
Special Forces | Review
Rybojad’s Fictional Debut an Empty Husk
Director Stephane Rybojad, previously known for his work with French television documentaries, makes his fictional feature debut with Special...
Sister | Review
The Kid with the Skis: Ursula Meier’s Latest Hits Emotional Summit
Swiss director Ursula Meier returns after her solid 2008 debut, Home, with Sister (or...
Thy Womb | TIFF 2012 Review
Womb Doom: Mendoza Gives Us Another Poverty Stricken Filipino Narrative
Quickly assuming the stature of one of the most important directors from the Philippines, Brillante Mendoza...
God Loves Caviar | TIFF 2012 Review
And Hates the Proletariat: Greek Costume Drama Stinks to High Heaven
Greek director Yannis Smaragdis began his career in the mid 1970’s as a writer/director,...
The Fifth Season | TIFF 2012 Review
If Spring Never Comes: Woodworth and Brosens Expertly Conclude Their Trilogy
Directors Jessica Woodworth and Peter Brosens didn't set out to conclude their trilogy of...
Everybody Has a Plan | TIFF 2012 Review
Best Laid Plans: Piterbarg Gets Double the Mortensen in Debut
Argentinean director Ana Piterbarg nabs Viggo Mortensen for dual roles in her debut, a slow...
Byzantium | TIFF 2012 Review
My Favorite Sister Daughter: Jordan Hits Up the Lady Vamps
Boy it’s hard to add anything new to the vampire genre, once a horror staple...
Criterion Collection: Umberto D. | Blu-ray Review
Perhaps remembered foremost for directing what is considered by many to be one of the best films of all time, Bicycle Thieves (1948), one...
Criterion Collection: Les Visiteurs Du Soir | Blu-ray Review
Known for creating some of the most important films in French history, and during Nazi Occupation, no less, Criterion issues two of Marcel Carne’s...
In the House | TIFF 2012 Review
Write On: Ozon’s Latest an Exercise in Authorial Manipulation
The steadily working Francois Ozon continues with his playful dark comic streak in his latest, In...
The Land of Hope | TIFF 2012 Review
The Japan Syndrome: Sono Puts Human Face to Tsunami Tragedy
The prolific and insanely busy Sion Sono returns with another tale centered on the aftermath...
All That Matters Is Past | TIFF 2012 Review
Weirdness In the Woods: Johnsen’s Latest an Intriguing, Complicated Love Triangle
Norwegian filmmaker Sara Johnsen’s latest film, All That Matters Is Past is a curiously...
Motorway | TIFF 2012 Review
Need for Speed: Professor Teaches Student New Tricks in Cheang’s Goofy Chase Actioner
Utilizing the both tried, and tired formula of the hours away from...
White Elephant | TIFF 2012 Review
Sisyphus Complex: Trapero’s Latest Argentinean Melodrama Ironically Titled
Argentinean auteur Pablo Trapero returns with his latest, White Elephant, the last in what caps a trilogy...
Dead Europe | TIFF 2012 Review
Sins of the Father: Krawitz’s Adaptation Promises More Than It Delivers
You can’t escape the past, and if your family has demons haunting it from...
Peddlers | TIFF 2012 Review
Pedal to the Medal: Death and Drugs Intermingle on the Street of Mumbai in Bala’s Impressive Debut
Vasan Bala, previously casting director and protégé of...
Crimes of Mike Recket | TIFF 2012 Review
I’m Gonna Wreck It: Sweeney’s Latest a Meek Exercise In Neo Noir
Canadian filmmaker Bruce Sweeney returns with his latest, Crimes of Mike Recket, a...
Tower | TIFF 2012 Review
Tour d’ivoire: Radwanski’s Debut a Character Study Of Discontent and Disconnection
Canadian filmmaker Kazik Radwanski has created a conflicted character study with Tower, a film...
Krivina | TIFF 2012 Review
Ghosts Of Bosnian Past: Drljaca's Tenuous Homecoming
First time full length helmer Igor Drljaca returns to the sparse aesthetics found in his previous shorts On...
iLL Manors | TIFF 2012 Review
Urbane Safari: Ben Drew’s Debut an Exercise in Abject Miserabilism
British musical artist Ben Drew, aka Plan B, makes his directorial debut with a story...
When I Saw You | TIFF 2012 Review
Seeing is Believing: Jacir Revisits Historical Period of Palestinian Refugees in Sophomore Feature
Director Annemarie Jacir’s much celebrated 2008 film, Salt of This Sea, was...
Shores of Hope | TIFF 2012 Review
Back in the GDR: Hebbeln’s Debut Feature Revisits Political Turmoil of East Germany
Writer/director Toke Constantin Hebbeln follows up his 2006 short film Nevermore with...
Jackie | TIFF 2012 Review
The Surrogate: Beumer's Road-Trip Drama Breaks Down All Along the Way
Wince-worthingly announcing itself as the bonding roadtrip type where strength is in the numbers,...
The Eye of the Storm | Review
Tempest Trap: Schepisi’s Latest Feature Never Quite Elevates Beyond Mild Blip on the Radar
With his first film project since 2005 (and first theatrical release...
Las Acacias | Review
If There Be Thorns: A Road Trip to an Almost Imperceptible Romance in Graceful Debut
For his feature film debut, Pablo Giorgelli has created a...
The Inbetweeners Movie | Review
Not a Boy, Not Yet a Man: Palmer’s Film Version of Popular Series a Threadbare Sketch
While it may have sounded like a good idea...
Chicken With Plums | Review
A La Cart: Satrapi’s Latest a Visual, Fairy Tale Buffet
Directors Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud prove they are as visually adept with live action...
A Separation | Blu-ray Review
Writer and director Asghar Farhadi had a couple award winning films to his name prior to 2011, but nothing of the notoriety that came...
Little White Lies | Review
The Big Chilly Summer Vacation: Canet’s Latest an Exemplary Drama
For his third outing as director, actor/screenwriter Guillaume Canet looks to have been heavily influenced...
