A personal journal of film and documentary reviews, and reviews of anything else that intrigues me.
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…
Chinese and Chinese-language Films
Zhang Yimou, “Hero” (2002) If one needs proof that a visually gorgeous film with a good cast can ultimately be undone and wasted by a demoralising…
French and French-language Films
Chris Marker, “Sans Soleil” (1983) Picture yourself receiving a letter from a long-time friend who has been living and travelling for many years in Japan, Iceland…
French and French-language Films
Luis Buñuel, “That Obscure Object of Desire” (1977) Between two full buckets of cold water that the main characters dump on each other unfolds (for the…
Australian and New Zealand Films
Andrew Ruhemann and Shaun Tan, “The Lost Thing” Adapted from co-director Shaun Tan’s picture book written for children, the beguiling “The Lost Thing” seems a very…
Kenji Mizoguchi, “Ugetsu” (1953) Two interwined morality plays about peasants blinded by thoughts of personal fame and glory are the basis for an exploration of love,…
German and German-language Films
Tommy Tykwer, “Lola rennt / Run Lola Run” (1998) A mundane plot set in Berlin about a young couple who have to replace a stash of…
Tadashi Imai, “Yuki: Snow Fairy” (1981) In the hands of Tadashi Imai, notable as a director of social realist films in Japan in the 1950s /…
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,…
French and French-language Films, Japanese Films
Michaël Dudok de Wiet, “The Red Turtle” (2016) God save us all from pretty packages with lots of high gloss finish and finicky attention to detail…