A personal journal of film and documentary reviews, and reviews of anything else that intrigues me.
Bo Mathorne, “The Backwater Gospel” (2011) In a total running time of just over nine minutes, this raw and stark animation is a superb comment on…
Tomek Baginski, “The Kinematograph” (2009) Here is a bittersweet story of a lone inventor labouring to produce the first moving picture with sound and colour only…
Martin Scorsese, “The Wolf of Wall Street” (2013) Adapted from the 2007 memoir by the former convicted stockbroker swindler and current motivational speaker Jordan R Belfort,…
Australian and New Zealand Films
Christopher Kezelos, “Zero” (2011) A heart-warming little short that could have been a lot more than it was with a bigger budget and more ambition, “Zero”…
Ethan and Joel Coen, “Inside Llewyn Davis” (2013) Inspired by and based loosely on the life of Dave van Ronk, “Inside Llewyn Davis” follows a week…
Ivan Ramadan, “Tolerantia” (2008) An animated 3D short made in Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2008, “Tolerantia” is a plea for religious tolerance. Set at the end of the…
Middle Eastern Films, Russian and Soviet Films
“The Syrian Diary” (Rossiya 24, 2013) Made for Russian television, this documentary follows Rossiya 24 reporter Anastasia Popova and a Syrian army unit she is attached…
North American Films, Northern European Films
Lars von Trier, “Dancer in the Dark” (2000) Lars von Trier’s one attempt at making a tractor musical is the third and final installment in a…
Yasujiro Ozu, “Floating Weeds” (1959) In the hands of a lesser director, the soap opera plot of this film would have become sensationalist drama, soon to…
Dear Readers, Another year has passed, it’s time for another summary of what I consider to be the best films I’ve seen at the cinema, on…