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Nazi Literature in the Americas: Bolano novel could have been shorter and better
Robert Bolano, “Nazi Literature in the Americas” (translated from the Spanish by Chris Andrews), Picador,
French and French-language Films
La Fille du Rer: film of connections that doesn’t quite connect
Andre Techine, “La fille du RER (The Girl on the Train)”, Strand Releasing (2009) Not
French and French-language Films
Playtime: Tati celebrates human values but needed machine values to make it
Jacques Tati, “Playtime”, Madman Cinema / The AV Channel, DVD (1967) Source: www.lauradors.com
French and French-language Films
Belle de Jour: Bunuel turns a trashy soap opera plot into rich satire
Luis Buñuel, “Belle de Jour” (1967) It’s got a trashy premise – a rich doctor’s
Let Me In: Reeves “lets the right one in” to smother his version’s potential
Matt Reeves, “Let Me In”, Hammer Films / Overture Films (2010) Once upon a time
Buried: film just manages to avoid burying itself with gimmicks and diversions
Rodrigo Cortes, “Buried” (2010) For a one-trick pony in which the trick is one man
The Life of Oharu: unsentimental historical drama of one woman’s downfall
Kenzo Mizoguchi, “The Life of Oharu”, Shintoho (1952) This is an excellent film about a
Mother (by Bong Joonho): force of nature that can’t be pigeon-holed
Bong Joonho, “Mother” (2008) There aren’t many good movies these days where the central character
The Housemaid (dir. Im Sang-soo) delivers high-gloss soap opera entertainment
Im Sang-soo “The Housemaid” (2010) How do you remake an old film regarded as a
Rosemary’s Baby: does it reflect women’s oppression by modern life?
Roman Polanski, “Rosemary’s Baby” (1968) Who doesn’t envy young couples these days who dream of having