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 […]
FILM: Wonder Wheel – Woody Allen-esque twists of fate and folly on Coney Island
2 February 2018. WONDER WHEEL ***1/2 We had to wait more than a year this time for Woody Allen’s annual gift to us cinephiles and Woody fans, but the wait was worth it. It has the usual Allen-esque features: world-weary wisdom, excellent direction of actors Kate Winslet, James Belushi and Justin Timberlake, plus his mixture […]
FILM: THE POST (The Pentagon Papers) – It could make you a better more hopeful person
26 January 2018. THE POST (The Pentagon Papers) **** Stephen Spielberg must be a good man. It’s simply obvious in his filmography: CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND; SCHINDLER’S LIST; AMISTAD; LINCOLN; SAVING PRIVATE RYAN; BRIDGE OF SPIES; etc. etc. He always has his audience in mind – offering them worthwhile, historical themes, or thrilling […]
FILM: THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI – a mother’s crusade to find her daughter’s killers
19 January 2018. Do not miss the 19th edition of the BLACK MOVIE FESTIVAL (Festival international de films indépendants – Genève) -19-28 January 2018. With 121 innovative films from 30 countries and 4 continents, it offers an incredible view of today’s world, with all its diversities. Centered around the GRUTLI CINEMAS, the CINELUX and the SPOUTNIK, […]
FILM: OTTO BLOOM – a man whose life runs in reverse
12 January 2018. THE DEATH AND LIFE OF OTTO BLOOM **** Australia has a fine culture of exceptional films. As in this fascinating tale of a dazed young man found by the police and brought to a clinic. His strange story – that of a man who goes through time in reverse, from the future […]
FILM: Darkest hour – Churchill, Dunkirk, Gary Oldman…4 stars
5 January 2018. DARKEST HOUR (Les Heures Sombres) **** Churchill, Dunkirk, Gary Oldman…quite a combination, and it all comes out brilliantly, thanks to tight direction from Joe Wright (“Pride and Prejudice”, “Atonement”), and of course a historical event that surpasses any fiction. Oldman is unrecognisable as he becomes Churchill at one of the most difficult […]
