German and German-language Films
Cargo (dir. Ivan Engler): too much cargo taken on board in the plot and characters wreck a visually fine film
Ivan Engler, “Cargo” (2009) Debut full-length directorial feature for Ivan Engler, “Cargo” is a bloodless
Eraserhead: fascinating and hilarious dark horror film about social and religious pressures on struggling families
David Lynch, “Eraserhead” (1977) Five years in the making from 1971 to 1976, “Eraserhead” was
Blue Velvet: satirising American suburbia as cartoony more important than plot, characters and issues of exploitation
David Lynch, “Blue Velvet” (1986) A beautiful film to watch with noirish elements and a
Symbol (dir. Hatoshi Matsumoto): polished and slick slapstick comedy on nature of the universe
Hatoshi Matsumoto, “Symbol” (2009) A slapstick comedy about interrelationships and the impact one person can
Secret Agent (dir. Alfred Hitchcock): morality of espionage is questioned in an ordinary film lacking suspense
Alfred Hitchcock, “Secret Agent” (1936) The surprising thing about this film is that lead actor
Aelita, Queen of Mars: a multi-plot story with a moral about living in fantasy versus living in reality
Yakov Protazanov, “Aelita, Queen of Mars” (1924) This silent Soviet film from the mid-1920’s can be
Frostbiten: comedy/horror vampire story lacking in teeth
Anders Banke, “Frostbiten” (2006) ‘Tis a Swedish vampire movie that begins with a shot of
Corruption, authoritarianism, oppression of women and intolerance are a hidden presence in “Häxan: Witchcraft through the Ages”
Benjamin Christensen, “Häxan: Witchcraft through the Ages” (1922) Intended as a study on how superstition
Assassin of Youth: “educational” soap opera that titillates with flashes of sordid behaviour
Elmer Clifton, “Assassin of Youth” (1937) It’s a laughable anti-marijuana screed but “Assassin of Youth”
French and French-language Films
Rififi: godfather of heist movies with a morality tale of redemption
Jules Dassin, “Rififi” (1955) A film about a technically perfect crime, only for its participants