Nondescript and mundane at times, this Oscar-nominated documentary about the black community in Alabama transforms somewhat into a more interesting, free-association piece though it isn’t quite the resoundingly meaningful work of observational, diaristic cinema it thinks it is.
Panahi’s fourth feature since his house arrest is familiar in terms of his usual mode of cinematic address, but this time he paints a desolate picture of patriarchy rearing its ugly head amid some quiet moments of poetic beauty.
An enigmatic mystery that patiently develops and then becomes deeply entwined within its ambiguities, in what is another hypnotic gem by South Korea’s finest working filmmaker.
A wonderful tribute and starting point to explore one of American silent cinema’s greatest exponents, judiciously put together by narrator-director Bogdanovich.
Soderbergh’s half-decent iPhone-shot ’90s style psycho-thriller induces paranoia and discomfort through its constricted visual style, and backed by a terrific performance by Claire Foy.
This superb sophomore feature from one of the finest Mexican filmmakers working today is infectious with its artistry as it tells of two men who robbed a famous museum in Mexico City in 1985.
Hosoda’s work here is generally delightful, but it is perhaps too slick and flashy to overcome its sometimes laboured storytelling about family and lineage.
A rare narrative feature from one of the world’s foremost documentarians of Soviet history, this vignette-style dark absurdist satire doesn’t pull its punches from depicting the sorry state of affairs in Russian-occupied Eastern Ukraine.
An extraordinary work of hard-hitting social realism that recalls the Dardennes’ ‘Rosetta’ and Mungiu’s ‘4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days’, set in the harsh wintry conditions of Moscow as a young Kyrgyz woman abandons her baby to find work to pay off insurmountable debts.
Excellent performances of nuance and subtlety aside, Hamaguchi’s work here is emotionally rich but its plot shifts remain unconvincingly executed.
Eternality Tan 