How to Make a Killing: light satirical absurdist comedy misses out on greatness
John Patton Ford, “How to Make a Killing” (2026) Inspired by and loosely based on the 1949 British crime comedy caper “Kind Hearts and Coronets’, notable…
British Films, North American Films
Glimmer of hope and rebirth in a desperate world in “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple”
Nia DaCosta “28 Years later: The Bone Temple” (2025) At the end of the first film in this trilogy, we saw young Spike (Alfie Williams) being…
Brazilian Films, Portuguese-language Films
O Agente Secreto: confronting past crimes and suppressed history and memory to heal trauma
Kleber Mendonça Filho, “O Agente Secreto / The Secret Agent” (2025) Folks anticipating a fast-paced spy thriller might be disappointed to discover this film is actually…
No Other Choice: how late-stage global capitalism moulds its victims to turn on one another
Park Chanwook, “No Other Choice” (2025) Behind a convoluted plot in which a paper industry expert, unceremoniously retrenched after 25 years of giving his all to…
Round-up of Films seen in 2025
Round-up of Films seen in 2025 Dear USE Readers, The good news is that I managed to see more films than I thought I would in…
French and French-language Films
En Fanfare!: celebrating the power of community action and support against hostile corporate and government forces
Emmanuel Courcol, “En Fanfare!” (English title: “My Brother’s Band”) (2024) Initially the advertising for “En Fanfare!” suggested this was going to be fairly straightforward light-hearted fare…
Japanese Films, North American Films
Rental Family: a heartfelt film on loneliness and connection in a socially conservative society
Hikari, “Rental Family” (2025) Beginning in the 1990s, rental family services offering actors to stand in for family members, spouses, friends, co-workers or companions at weddings,…
The History of Sound: a slow-burning story of loss, regret and the preservation of memory
Oliver Hermanus, “The History of Sound” (2025) Based on two short stories by US writer Ben Shattuck who also wrote the screenplay, “The History of Sound”…
Kokuho: a sumptuous work weakened by a patchy plot
Lee Sang-il, “Kokuho” (2025) An ambitious and sumptuous work, paying homage to Japan’s kabuki theatre, its craft and performers, “Kokuho” centres around the conflicts and contradictions…
Nuremberg: a simplified and shallow portrayal of the Nuremberg trials
James Vanderbilt, “Nuremberg” (2025) Combining elements of the psychological and legal thriller genres, James Vanderbilt’s “Nuremberg” follows the Nuremberg trials that were held by the victorious…