Topkapi: an uneven and slight heist film possessed of zest, colour and joy
Jules Dassin, “Topkapi” (1964) His heist film “Rififi” proved to be such a classic that it ended up being spoofed as well as imitated so US…
Comedy
Galaxy Quest: affectionate homage and spoof maintains the values of altruism, quest for knowledge and defending the underdog
Dean Parisot, “Galaxy Quest” (1999) Conceived as a homage to and spoof of the famous science fiction TV series “Star Trek” and of the obsessive fan…
Dead Sushi: wacky comedy horror film takes pot-shots at corporate culture and greed, and food obsessions
Noboru Iguchi, “Dead Sushi” (2012) In the tradition of wacky Japanese comedy horror flicks comes this little number that takes a bizarre concept (bloodthirsty monster sushi)…
French and French-language Films
Supervenus: a 3-minute critique on Western standards of female pulchritude and the damage they cause
Frédéric Doazan, “Supervenus” (2013) This 3-minute debut effort for writer / director Frédéric Doazan is a devastatingly critical comment on modern standards of female beauty as they have…
My Winnipeg: an intriguing blend of memoir, documentary and surreal dark fantasy in a paean to a little city on the prairie
Guy Maddin, “My Winnipeg” (2007) An unusual blend of memoir, documentary and dark fantasy, Guy Maddin’s “My Winnipeg” probably does more to promote his home city,…
RoboGeisha: a quirky and outrageous sci-fi film with a message of love, connection and reconciliation
Noboru Iguchi, “RoboGeisha” (2009) For a film about two sisters and their love-hate relationship, “RoboGeisha” offers more than just the usual floods of tears, emotional declamations…
Arabic-language Films, Middle Eastern Films
Wadjda: a heart-warming film about a girl’s desire for freedom and how she thwarts social and political restrictions to achieve it
Haifaa al Mansour, “Wadjda” (2012) A heart-warming film on one girl’s desire for freedom, especially the freedom to be true to herself, “Wadjda” is remarkable for…
Cold Souls: a dull, flat and unsatisfying comedy about materialism and the nature of identity and existence
Sophie Barthes, “Cold Souls” (2009) In the vein of Charlie Kaufman’s “Being John Malkovich” but without that film’s sprightly tone, “Cold Souls” is a metaphysical comedy…
French and French-language Films
In the Beginning: interplay of social realism and individual psychologies results in a film of self-renewal and fulfillment
Xavier Giannoli, “À l’Origine” / “In the Beginning” (2009) It’s rather too long by 30 minutes and a couple of sub-plots, one involving Gérard Depardieu sleepwalking through…
Italian and Italian-language Films
God Willing: a brisk slapstick comedy opposing self-complacency and arrogance against humility and faith
Edoardo Maria Falcone, “God Willing / Se Dio Vuole” (2015) A gentle slapstick comedy, Falcone’s “Se Dio Vuole” won its director top directing honours in Italy’s…