A personal journal of film and documentary reviews, and reviews of anything else that intrigues me.
French and French-language Films
Alain Resnais, “Last Year at Marienbad / L’Année dernière à Marienbad” (1961) At times hilarious, and at other times maddeningly boring and repetitive, this film is…
Todd Solondz, “Dark Horse” (2011) A bleak comedy expressing despair over the human condition, “Dark Horse” revolves around life’s losers, those who for various reasons are…
Charlie Chaplin, “Modern Times” (1936) In its own way, “Modern Times” is significant as an example of how one actor / director adapted his style from…
Charles Chaplin, “The Gold Rush” (1925, revised 1942) In reality, the 1898 Klondike Gold Rush must have been a harsh, grim and ultimately disappointing experience for…
Masato Harada, “Kakekomi Onna to Kakedashi Otoko” (2015) A light-hearted historical drama set in Japan during the early 1840s, “Kakekomi …” combines comedy with some social…
Kon Ichikawa, “The Makioka Sisters” (1983) Admittedly this is a beautifully shot film and its style is very graceful but even the skill and experience of…
Shohei Imamura, “The Eel / Unagi” (1997) Japan’s boys in blue have an enviable record in obtaining a near 100% rate of criminal convictions and never…
Sacha Gervasi, “Hitchcock” (2012) Fifty years after Alfred Hitchcock released his film “Psycho”, both director and movie alike remain subjects of fascination for many people throughout…
Julie Taymor, “Frida” (2001) A very pretty and colourful film on the life of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo (1907 – 1954), “Frida” plays the artist’s life…
Tanya Wexler, “Hysteria” (2011) A romantic comedy very loosely based on historical fact, “Hysteria” purports to tell how Dr Joseph Mortimer Granville invented the world’s first…