11 April 2025. THE AMATEUR *** Langley, Virgina, near Washington D.C. – we’re at the CIA headquarters. And we’re following the life of one Charlie Heller, a brilliant decoder, a bit of a shy loner, in this vast, almost anonymous web of spies. Unfortunately there’s a huge spoiler if I go any further, but suffice […]
FILM: READING LOLITA IN TEHRAN
4 April 2025. READING LOLITA IN TEHRAN ***1/2 (vo Farsi) I have to confess that I had a hard time back then getting through Azar Nafisi’s 2003 best-seller of the same name, on which this film is based. The reason was that the group of girls Nafisi included in her private Western literature classes (held […]
FILM: AGENT OF HAPPINESS ***1/2
21 March 2025. AGENT OF HAPPINESS ***1/2 (vo Bhutanese/Dzongkha, Nepali) Bhutan is a small, mountainous country, nestled between Nepal, China and India, with breathtaking natural vistas and a citizenship that has been gently guided by its popular king to believe in its serenity and peaceful harmony. It creates some beautiful cinema, with films such as […]
FILM: PARTHENOPE *** – the destruction beauty causes
14 March 2025. PARTHENOPE *** (vo Italian) You can’t get more Italian than a Paolo Sorrentino film – “Il Divo”, “La Grande Bellezza”, “Youth”. And his films are always present in competition at the Cannes film festival. Sorrentino loves his country and all its foibles, exposing them in films covering famous political figures and the […]
FILM: A REAL PAIN ****
28 February 2025. A REAL PAIN **** Now this is what’s called a sleeper. A little jewel of a film that’s coming up big, without any pretension or top stars but a great deal of depth about relationships and difference of characters. Two cousins who grew up together and were very close but have not […]
FILM: WISDOM OF HAPPINESS ***
WISDOM OF HAPPINESS *** The Dalai Lama, whose name means ’Ocean of Wisdom’ and who is the Holy leader of Tibetan Buddhism, is internationally known as a man representing love and peace. This inspiring film has him talking directly to us, giving of his wisdom and experiences, as he explains that compassion and happiness should […]
FILM: BRIDGET JONES – MAD ABOUT THE BOY ***
13 February 2025. BRIDGET JONES – MAD ABOUT THE BOY *** In this very troubled world of ours, it never hurts to be taken away from reality and come back into the colourful, chaotic world of Bridget Jones. This is her fourth and probably last sequel following her romantic adventures since the first film in […]
FILM: THE BRUTALIST **1/2
7 January 2025. This week has two Oscar-nominated releases which we have been waiting for – unfortunately I was underwhelmed by both. But you will probably want to see them, and as everyone views a film with their own feelings and baggage, we might differ in our opinions. THE BRUTALIST **1/2 I am going against […]
FILM: TYPISCH EMIL **** the beloved Swiss comedian
24 January 2025. TYPISCH EMIL **** (vo Swiss German, German, French, English) If you have lived in Switzerland for some time you have probably heard of Emil, the beloved Swiss comedian. His humour represents the common man, an innocent mirror of his native Swiss German society. But he is also equally appreciated in French-speaking Switzerland […]
FILM: I’M STILL HERE **** – Impressive
17 January 2025. This week we have three excellent releases:One – a Brazilian family under duress during the 1970s military dictatorship.The next – an innovative, exhilarating biopic about pop star Robbie Williams.And finally – a torrid tale of a mature career woman becoming unhinged because of a masterful lover. I’M STILL HERE **** (vo Portuguese) […]
