Surrogates: film with interesting sci-fi concept never quite feels genuine
Jonathan Mostow, “Surrogates” (2009) “Surrogates” has an interesting sci-fi concept with potential for philosophical speculation
British Films | Russian and Soviet Films
A tale of two countries, the question of independence and misrepresentation of the truth on “Sputnik: Orbiting the World with George Galloway (Episode 17)”
George Galloway and Gayatri Pertiwi, “Sputnik: Orbiting the World with George Galloway (Episode 17)” (RT.com,
Australian and New Zealand Films | Southeast Asian Films
Beatriz’s War: Timor-Leste’s first film is a story of hope, determination and perseverance
Bety Reis and Luigi Acquisto, “A Guerra da Beatriz / Beatriz’s War” (2013) A major
Latin American Films (Spanish language)
El Aura: a complicated heist noir film of spooky mystery, escape and reinvention
Fabián Bielinsky, “El Aura / The Aura” (2005) While promoting this film, Fabián Bielinsky died from a
French and French-language Films
Frantic: a cool and not at all frantic lightweight homage to Hitchcock
Roman Polanski, “Frantic” (1988) For a film proclaiming itself “Frantic”, this suspense thriller is surprisingly
The Wind Rises: a dishonest, cowardly film that supports current Japanese militarism
Hayao Miyazaki, “The Wind Rises / Kaze tachinu” (2013) Miyazaki’s swansong film is a fictional
Topaz: lacking in the suave Hitchcockian style but still its director’s offspring in theme and motifs
Alfred Hitchcock, “Topaz” (1969) Coming towards the tail-end of a long and illustrious career in
Dogville: failing to understand complexities and contradictions of American people, culture and history
Lars von Trier, “Dogville” (2003) First in a series of films on American culture from
Apocalypse Now (Redux): an illustration of how war fashions society and individuals in its own image
Francis Ford Coppola, “Apocalypse Now (Redux)” (2001) The actual plot is very basic: sometime during
The War on Bugs: a study of “Starship Troopers” as a satire on American and Western fascism and cultural brainwashing
Rob Ager, “The War on Bugs” (2012) Researched, written, edited and narrated by Rob Ager,