She and Her Cat: short visual haiku meditating on doomed romance, loneliness and alienation in an overwhelming industrial world
Makoto Shinkai, “She and Her Cat” (1999) The debut animé film by Makoto Shinkai as
Ghost in the Shell: Arise (1: Ghost Pain): resurrected science fiction series needs new spark to keep alive
Kazuchika Kise, “Ghost in the Shell: Arise – 1: Ghost Pain” (2013) First of a
Garden of Words: small-scale character study of adolescent infatuation is a lesson on desire, loneliness and alienation
Makoto Shinkai, “Garden of Words / Koto no ha no niwa” (2013) Makoto Shinkai is
Brazilian Films | North American Films
Kiss of the Spider Woman: a multi-layered plot and excellent acting and direction create a powerful film classic
Hector Babenco, “Kiss of the Spider Woman” (1985) I had read the Manuel Puig novel
Italian and Italian-language Films
The Case of the Bloody Iris: trashy serial killer entertainment set in a changing Italy during the early 1970s
Giuliano Carnimeo, “The Case of the Bloody Iris” (1971) Known also as “What are those
Shadow of a Doubt: innocence, a happy family and insular small town America menaced by an outside force
Alfred Hitchcock, “Shadow of a Doubt” (1942) A dark film that explores the potential for
The Changing of the Guard: how love conquers social class and restrictions
Wlodzimierz Haupe and Halina Bielinska, “The Changing of the Guard / Zmiana warty” (1958) A
The Seventh Seal: examining a man’s crisis of faith and his quest for meaning to his existence
Ingmar Bergman, “The Seventh Seal / Det Sjunde Inseglet” (1957) Set in Sweden during the
Australian and New Zealand Films
The Hunter: a mix of good acting, stunning cinematography and a forced, unrealistic plot loaded with stereotyping
Daniel Nettheim, “The Hunter” (2011) Based on the novel by Julia Leigh, “The Hunter” is
The Gatekeepers: a powerful indictment of Israel’s obsession with security and use of fear, terror and violence
Dror Moresh, “The Gatekeepers” (2012) An astonishing and powerful documentary about the Israeli internal intelligence