The Boy and the Heron: visual virtuosity can’t compensate for a tired formulaic plot and dubious motifs
Hayao Miyazaki, “The Boy and the Heron” (2023) A decade after “The Wind Rises”, the
British Films | North American Films
Saltburn: black comedy thriller send-up of British elites and modern British culture
Emerald Fennell, “Saltburn” (2023) Arriving in Sydney with little fanfare, “Saltburn” initially presents as a
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah’s Speech on Martyr’s Day (11 November 2023): the most important weapons are patience and time
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah’s Speech on Martyr’s Day (11 November 2023) November 11 is celebrated by
French and French-language Films
Mon Crime: screwball comedy is a sly satire on male privilege and how societies deal with uncomfortable issues and truth
François Ozon, “Mon Crime / The Crime is Mine” (2023) On the surface, “Mon Crime”
Labyrinth: coming-of-age fantasy film let down by music and the passage of time
Jim Henson, “Labyrinth” (1986) A film very much of its time, “Labyrinth” has not aged
Killers of the Flower Moon: character study with themes of political, social and moral corruption
Martin Scorsese, “Killers of the Flower Moon” (2023) At nearly three-and-a-half hours in length, “Killers
Essays | Multi-media Presentations
Vladimir Putin’s Valdai Speech (2023) / Q&A Session
Vladimir Putin’s Valdai Speech at the XX Meeting (Final Plenary Session) of the Valdai International
Vladimir Putin’s Valdai Speech (2023): looking back 20 years and looking forward to a multi-polar future
Vladimir Putin’s Valdai Speech at the XX Meeting (Final Plenary Session) of the Valdai International
Godland: a snapshot of Denmark’s treatment of Iceland as a colony in the 19th century
Hlynur Palmason, “Volaða land / Vanskabte Land / Godland” (2022) Its plot looks simple enough,
A Haunting in Venice: behind the storm and the haunted house, a formulaic plot appears
Kenneth Branagh, “A Haunting in Venice” (2023) For his third outing as Belgian police detective