This 13th edition is once again bringing a multitude of films from the Near and Middle East, including Iran, Lebanon, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt and many other countries, to show the amazing diversity of cultures. This year, with about 100 films from 30 countries and some 80 guests, the festival is focusing on women’s issues and […]
FILM: GAME NIGHT – Things don’t turn out quite as planned…
20 April 2018. Great week! We’ve got a brilliant French comedy of errors, a touching Italian romance, and this amusing fun-and-games yarn that gets somewhat out of hand. So grab this chance for varied and quality entertainment in our multilingual city of Calvin. GAME NIGHT *** Rachel McAdams and Jason Bateman make the perfect couple […]
FILM: ISLE OF DOGS – a quirky animated tale of dog exile
13 April 2018. ISLE OF DOGS ***1/2 If you’re a Wes Anderson fan (“The Royal Tenenbaums”, “The Darjeeling Limited”, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”), you’re going to love his latest work. Once again a quirky tale, this time he’s done it in animation with some of the most distinctive voices in show business – Bill Murray, […]
FILM: DON’T WORRY, HE WON’T GET FAR ON FOOT – bittersweet film about a severe alcoholic.
6 April 2018. DON’T WORRY, HE WON’T GET FAR ON FOOT *** The multifaceted director Gus Van Sant (among his 48 works – “My Own Private Idaho”, “Good Will Hunting”, “Milk”) is back, this time with an intimate, bittersweet film about a severe alcoholic. Through a wild night of too many drinks with a reckless […]
FILM: PETER RABBIT – an Easter movie that will make you feel as high as a kite
30 March 2018. PETER RABBIT ***1/2 All is right with the world…as long as we get films like this which make us feel as high as a kite, warm in our hearts and as optimistic as Peter himself! American director Will Gluck (“Friends with Benefits”, “Annie”) has gone British (the classic bunny tale, the setting […]
FILM: HUMAN FLOW – Ai Weiwei’s documentary on refugees
23 March 2018. HUMAN FLOW *** The very political Chinese artist Ai Weiwei has decided to go to the root of the worst tragedy of our times – the refugee problem. To imagine that there are 65 million people who are displaced around the world today due to wars, famine, and racial and religious discrimination […]
FILM: THE DISASTER ARTIST – about an awful film that became a cult comedy
9 March 2018. THE DISASTER ARTIST ***1/2 James Franco proves here once again that he is an incredibly prolific, versatile artist. A born Californian, he started off in films at 19 and has till now 149 roles, 39 directorial, and some 25 writing credits under his belt – and he is only 39 years old! […]
FILM: WAJIB – best film at last year’s Locarno film festival
2 March 2018. WAJIB **** (vo Arabic, Hebrew, English) This auteur work by Palestinian director Annemarie Jacir was the best film at last year’s Locarno film festival. Its touching story of a father/son moment when the son comes home to Palestine from Rome for his sister’s wedding is a superb portrait of family love, duty […]
FILM: THE SHAPE OF WATER – the very essence of love
23 February 2018. THE SHAPE OF WATER **** This pre-Oscar season has been a rich one indeed – DARKEST HOUR, THREE BILLBOARDS…, THE POST (The Pentagon Papers), PHANTOM THREAD, LADYBIRD, DUNKIRK, and Woody’s WONDER WHEEL (unfortunately not in the awards lineup)… every one of them exceptional and Oscar-worthy. And then I saw THE SHAPE OF […]
FILM: PHANTOM THREAD – with the inimitable Daniel Day-Lewis. Not to be missed
PHANTOM THREAD **** Any film with the inimitable Daniel Day-Lewis should not be missed. Remember MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDERETTE, MY LEFT FOOT, THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS, LINCOLN? This versatile actor has won three Oscars and may win his fourth with this film by Paul Thomas Anderson, with whom he also collaborated in THERE WILL BE […]
