It may seem formal and stately in its visual and narrative posturing, but this splendid Merchant-Ivory production achieves a rare sense of intimacy and grace as it tells a story of connections and consternations across different social classes.
An effortless if restrained effort by Mungiu that compellingly captures the state of Romanian society through one father’s series of moral dilemmas.
An excellent Charlotte Rampling plays one half of a couple who have been together for more than four decades as they face a marital crisis that might prove to be insurmountable in Haigh’s delicate take on the meaning of love as refracted by secrets from the distant past.
A Fellini classic featuring Giulietta Masina with arguably her greatest performance, this spirited tale of a prostitute who desires to change her life is at once heartbreaking and life-affirming.
Marker’s legendary work, comprised of a montage of still photographs with narration, is not just one of cinema’s most famous shorts, but a thought-provoking look at the impossibility of escaping the claws of time.
Sandrine Bonnaire announces herself as one of French cinema’s most compelling actresses in what could be one of Pialat’s most beloved works, which charts the sexual awakening of a teenage girl living with her dysfunctional family.
Arguably the Czech New Wave’s most fiercely anarchic entry, this experimental cult film’s wild portrayal of two young women’s decision to give the middle finger to authoritarianism and the patriarchy remains as effective as ever.
An endlessly looping piece of cheerful island music envelopes and provides a counterpoint to Duras’ melancholic conversational piece between two women as they reflect on a marriage in tatters.
Brando’s only directorial effort is truly exceptional—a soulful revenge Western with stunning picturesque imagery and a commitment to exploring and subverting the ethos of the genre.
It’s tragic and overly melodramatic for sure, but Ann Hui’s then-controversial work about the sufferings of the Vietnamese post-Vietnam War remains a significant entry of the burgeoning Hong Kong New Wave.
Eternality Tan 