8 November 2024. By Neptune THE SUBSTANCE *** Here it is – the cruel reality of the price of fame and glory, and the pressure on women to be young and beautiful, especially in Hollywood. This film made a huge splash in Cannes, with a glamorous Demi Moore playing here a fading actress who realises […]
FILM: ANORA **** brilliantly written and directed
1 November 2024. By Neptune We are lucky to have exceptional films coming at us in droves, for it’s the season leading up to the award shows. The superb “Conclave” will be out in early December and “Gladiator II” will also be soon released. Take full advantage of these gems. ANORA **** This film is […]
FILM: THE APPRENTICE ***1/2
18 October 2024. By Neptune THE APPRENTICE ***1/2 More controversial and timely than this, you cannot get! And yet, and yet… Despite revealing all his warts and characteristic ambitions, this biopic of Donald Trump’s early years rising in the New York business world feels so honest, so well written and strongly acted that it may […]
FILM: SUPERMAN – The Christopher Reeve Story + THE WILD ROBOT
11 October 2024. By Neptune Five films this week – it’s the autumn rentrée. Run to the good ones! THE WILD ROBOT **** A lost robot, a newly hatched baby goose and a naughty fox make the most wonderful threesome you’ve seen in a long time. This animated film about a robot who is stranded […]
FILM: WHEN AUTUMN COMES ***1/2 (vo French, English subtitles)
4 October 2024. By Neptune WHEN AUTUMN COMES (QUAND VIENT L’AUTOMNE) ***1/2 (vo French, English subtitles) It is such a pleasure to anticipate the latest François Ozon film and have it confirmed – once again – that the man is a master filmmaker and storyteller. He, of such varied delicacies as “Gouttes d’eau sur pierres […]
FILM: MEGALOPOLIS *1/2
27 September 2024. By Neptune MEGALOPOLIS *1/2 It’s sad when a renowned artist loses his touch, his proven talent. At 85, the great Francis Ford Coppola, director of the unforgettable “Godfather” trilogy (the first two were masterworks, the third, a disappointment), and his grandiose “Apocalypse Now”, brought this, his last cinematic extravaganza to Cannes last […]
FILM: NI CHAÎNES, NI MAÎTRE (no chains, no master) ****
20 September 2024. By Neptune We’re lucky to have excellent films coming out this week. But then, it’s autumn and the rebirth of culture is in the air… LES GRAINES DU FIGUIER SAUVAGE **** ( vo Persian) I include below what I wrote about this exceptional film in my 16/8 column on the Locarno film […]
FILM: TATAMI **** an outstanding film
6 September 2024. By Neptune Dear Cinephiles,I was away last week so a few films have piled up, and will be away again next week, but will keep you informed of the exceptional ones. These reviews will necessarily be short. Last week’s releases: LA PRISONNIÈRE DE BORDEAUX *** (vo French) A well-acted, intriguing film about […]
FILM: EMILIA PEREZ **** – not to be missed!
23 August 2024. By Neptune EMILIA PEREZ **** (vo Spanish, some English) This film by the celebrated, multi award-winning French director Jacques Audiard is as varied as his broad body of work. He has made vastly different films such as “Un Prophète” (a César, and a 2009 Grand Prix at Cannes) about a jailbird, “Les […]
THE LOCARNO FILM FESTIVAL AT 77 !
16 August 2024. By Neptune THE LOCARNO FILM FESTIVAL AT 77 ! This week we’ll be covering the biggest film festival in Switzerland which will be ending this Saturday. When one says big, in Locarno one has to think of their BIGGEST draw – the Piazza Grande in the centre of town – which seats […]