9 October 2015.
Neptune Ravar Ingwersen reviews film extensively for publications in Switzerland. She views 4 to 8 films a week and her aim is to sort the wheat from the chaff for readers.
SICARIO ***1/2
Remember the excellent “Traffic” by Steven Soderbergh? Well this is tighter, tougher and more intense. But then most tales about drug-trafficking and the Mexican cartel have to be vicious, for as the saying goes “if you live by the sword, you die by the sword”…
Unlike Oliver Stone’s glitzy, exciting drug tale, “Savages”, which also ended up in a ruthless Mexico, Denis Villeneuve’s Sicario is all blood, sweat and tears – with no holds barred. Emily Blunt is superb as a too-honest FBI agent thrown into a murky, dangerous federal operation to catch a top cartel boss. But she manages to hold her own with two tough federal characters played by an outstanding Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin.
You’ll be glued to your seat and breathless by the end.
THE WOLFPACK ***1/2
Just imagine six brothers brought up in the middle of New York City and never allowed to go outside their apartment. Director Crystal Moselle has put together an excellent documentary, which won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, about these weird siblings that go from a hermetic existence to a sort of peaceful rebellion. They are at first innocent about the outer world, seemingly content to be locked up with their huge collection of films and acting them out, until one brother dares to defy his father. It all sounds like a macabre fairytale, but it’s apparently true. Called the Wolfpack because of their allegiance to each other and their unique look, the brothers recount their lives and passion for movies – which kept them occupied for all those locked-up years. It’s intriguing and mysterious how families cohabit.
L’ÉTUDIANTE ET MONSIEUR HENRI *** (vo French)
Here’s a sweet, feel-good film that’s just like its title – a grouchy old fellow rents a room in his grand apartment to a young student. He has his family problems and so does she. He is a wily old codger who thinks he knows it all, of course. This could have been a clichéd, obvious yarn, but the veteran French actor Claude Brasseur, a sweet Noémie Schmidt and the adorable Guillaume de Tonquedec breath fun and life into the unlikely script. Finally quite touching.
Superb **** Very Good *** Good ** Mediocre * Miserable – no stars
By Neptune

Neptune at the 2015 Locarno film festival in Switzerland
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