A personal journal of film and documentary reviews, and reviews of anything else that intrigues me.
Latin American Films (Spanish language)
Ana Piterbarg, “Todos tenemos un Plan / Everybody has a Plan” (2012) Ah, don’t we love films about identical twin brothers turning on themes of identity,…
French and French-language Films, German and German-language Films
Jean-Jacques Annaud, “The Name of the Rose” (1986) Based on Umberto Eco’s novel of the same name, this film is a very good if underrated adaptation…
Nick Alhmark / Vice, “Sisa: Cocaine of the Poor” (2013) Distressing to watch, yes, but this is a story that has to be told. VICE reporter…
Eduardo Sanchez and Daniel Myrick, “The Blair Witch Project” (1998) About fifteen years after it was made and the hype surrounding it died down, this hokey…
French and French-language Films
Jean Renoir, “The Grand Illusion” (1934) Jean Renoir’s film is a moving meditation on war and its effects on the traditions of early twentieth century European…
Cy Endfield, “Hell Drivers” (1957) An interesting and very much under-rated example of 1950s British noir / social realism, “Hell Drivers” is probably better known for…
Richard Rowley, “Dirty Wars” (2013) Part documentary, part personal testimony, this is a searing documentary following investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill across the Middle East and the…
Richard Fleischer, “Fantastic Voyage” (1966) Set during the Cold War in the 1960s – or was it the 1990s? – “Fantastic Voyage” has a wonderful premise…
French and French-language Films
Jean Cocteau, “La Belle et La Bête” (1946) A beautiful and sumptuous film, this interpretation of the famous fairy tale by surrealist writer / film-maker Jean…
George Lucas, “Electronic Labyrinth THX1138 4EB” (1967) Precursor to “THX1138”, this short film was made by Lucas while he was a student at the University of…