22 August 2025 SENTIMENTAL VALUE **** (vo English and Norwegian) This poignantly crafted family drama by Norwegian director Joachim Trier unfolds as an intimate exploration of memory and fractured family bonds. The story centers on Nora, a celebrated Oslo stage and television actress and her younger sister Agnes, who live very different lives – Nora, […]
FILM: LOVE – OSLO STORIES *** & Locarno Film Festival highlights
15 August 2025 LOVE – OSLO STORIES *** (vo Norwegian) The Norwegians (and other Nordics) are taking over cinema in talent, discretion and modern relevance! Here’s the third of the Oslo Stories trilogy by Dag Johan Haugerud. No need to describe it. It’s one more immersive and intelligent view of lives and relationships in Oslo, […]
FILM: DREAMS – OSLO STORIES ***
8 August 2025. DREAMS – OSLO STORIES *** (vo Norwegian) Here is the second part of Norwegian writer and filmmaker Dag Johan Haugerud’s trilogy about the intricacies of human feelings and relationships. Last week you may have seen “Sex/Desire”, this week is the turn of “Dreams/Rêves” (which won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film […]
FILM: THE NAKED GUN *** a rare laugh-a-minute comedy
1 August 2025. THE NAKED GUN *** If you’re looking for that rare laugh-a-minute comedy, this is it. Remember the old “Naked Gun” trilogy from 1988 to 1994, with Leslie Nielsen and Priscilla Presley, or that 1980 classic spoof “Airplane” starring everyone from Lloyd Bridges, Nielsen, Peter Graves to Robert Stack? Those were the gold […]
FILM: SORRY, BABY **
25 July 2025. SORRY, BABY ** Coming out of Sundance with an array of enthusiastic reviews, this film reminded me of the far better 1994 work “Oleanna”, based on the play by the great playwright David Mamet. Directed by Mamet himself, it was a brilliant precursor to the hazards of the MeToo movement, as it […]
FILM: Geneva’s well-kept movie secret
18 July 2025. Hello cinephiles! It’s summer, “the living is easy”… and this week’s releases are typical for the season – a horror film and some kids’ animation – nothing to take seriously…. So, let me let you in on a well-kept secret: It’s the delightful outdoor CINETRANSAT at the Perle du Lac, each week […]
FILM: SUPERMAN *** reviews from two generations
11 July 2025. We have a pro and con column this week on the latest D.C. Comics blockbuster, SUPERMAN. And it’s between my son Dirk’s punchy pro, and my own more restrained con. Call it a generational gap. SUPERMAN *** (review written by Dirk) James Gunn’s Superman is faster than a speeding bullet… and funnier […]
FILM: MATERIALISTS *** – a woman torn between two suitors
4 July 2025. MATERIALISTS *** In our torn, sadly deranged world, it’s a pleasure to come upon quality entertainment such as this enticing romcom that is actually more a romantic drama than a comedy. It has all the right ingredients – a story that will have you pondering your own feelings about love and commitment, […]
FILM: F1 – THE FILM ***1/2 – a roaring triumph
27 June 2025. Three super films to catch when you need to escape the heat…don’t miss them. F1 – THE FILM ***1/2 F1 is a roaring triumph. From the opening scream of the engines to the final chequered flag, this film grips you like a tight corner at Silverstone. With breathtaking cinematography, behind-the-scenes access and […]
FILM: ELIO ***1/2 – Pixar never fails
20 June 2025. ELIO ***1/2 It never fails. There is a look and feel to a Pixar animated film that is very special, even if it’s distributed by Disney which owns their name, but not their style. And that style is always very human and personal, along with a subliminal message from the heart. This […]
