French and French-language Films
Normandy Nude: a light-hearted if flat comedy with a message about exploiting people and land for profit
Philippe le Guay, “Normandy Nude / Normandy Nue” (2018) One of a distinctly French genre
Tag: Comedy
The Seagull (dir. Michael Mayer): a film adaptation of Chekhov’s play lacking good characters and direction
Michael Mayer, “The Seagull” (2018) Quite why this film adaptation of the famous play by
Adam Ruins Everything (Season 2, Episode 4: Adam Ruins Dating): everything else except the institution of dating put under the spotlight
Tim Wilkime, “Adam Ruins Everything (Season 2, Episode 4: Adam Ruins Dating)” (2017) If ever
BlacKkKlansman: use of race politics demeans the achievement of a black police officer in exposing the Ku Klux Klan’s evil
Spike Lee, “BlacKkKlansman” (2018) Filmed as a blaxsploitation-styled comedy drama, this work revolves around a
Tokyo Godfathers: a heart-warming if fussy Christmas movie on the importance of family in assuring survival and resilience
Satoshi Kon, “Tokyo Godfathers” (2003) No, this ain’t no cult yakuza film – though yakuza
Evil under the Sun: a minor crime caper classic portraying a self-contained, self-absorbed world of the rich at play
Guy Hamilton, “Evil under the Sun” (1981) Even when he’s holidaying in an apparently perfect
Adam Ruins Everything (Season 2, Episode 2: Adam Ruins Weight Loss): tackling the symptoms, not the problem behind losing weight
Matthew Pollock, “Adam Ruins Everything (Season 2, Episode 2: Adam Ruins Weight Loss)” (2017) A
Australian and New Zealand Films
Ten Canoes: morality tale, comedy and demonstration of traditional Yolngu values, beliefs and worldview rolled into one
Rolf de Heer and Peter Djigirr, “Ten Canoes” (2006) An engrossing story of another story,
French and French-language Films
Back to Burgundy: a family melodrama beset by cliches and stereotypes blessed by a celebration of viticulture
Cedric Klapisch, “Back to Burgundy / Ce qui nous lie” (2017) An otherwise rather ho-hum
Australian and New Zealand Films | Russian and Soviet Films
Exposing and satirising British news media propaganda idiocy in “The Hooligans: Joining the Kremlin’s Football Army”
Pavel Serezhkin, “The Hooligans: Joining the Kremlin’s Football Army” (2018) Here’s a very funny mockumentary