French and French-language Films
Best Friend: a short comment on loneliness, addiction and substituting virtual reality for the real thing
Nicholas Olivieri, Shen Yi, Juliana De Lucca, Varun Nair, David Feliu, “Best Friend” (2019) In
Tag: Science Fiction Films
All’s Fair at the Fair: a utopian view of materialism, seductive advertising, over-consumption and futuristic trends
Dave Fleischer, “All’s Fair at the Fair” (1938) Best known for their Popeye and Betty
Aniara: a disappointing critique of human society in a spaceship on a doomed voyage
Pella Kagerman, Hugo Lilja, “Aniara” (2018) An ambitious project to bring a poem by the
Chinese and Chinese-language Films
The Hole: an ultimately unsatisfying film about isolation, alienation and yearning for connection
Tsai Ming-liang, “The Hole / Dong” (1998) Its theme of yearning for connection and hope
Japanese Films | North American Films
A stale and confusing plot and dreary characters in “Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars”
Shinji Aramaki, “Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars” (2017) Multiplying not quite as fast as the
Carrying a heavy legacy of numerous interpretations of Batman in “Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders”
Rick Morales, “Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders” (2016) The series of Batman films by
The Quatermass Xperiment: an outdated science fiction / horror film that still has the power to terrify
Val Guest, “The Quatermass Xperiment” (1955) Filmed well over 60 years ago (at this time
The Andromeda Strain: a lesson in how situations and the clash of characters generate drama and tension
Robert Wise, “The Andromeda Strain” (1971) Although made over 45 years ago, this science fiction
The Shape of Water: a magic realist mash-up of several genres lays on the identity politics and self-indulgence thickly
Guillermo del Toro, “The Shape of Water” (2017) Inspired by the famous Hollywood classic “The
“Doctor Who: The Power of the Daleks” – a futuristic setting for a police-state society beset by political rivalries
Charles Norton, “Doctor Who: The Power of the Daleks” (animated version, 2016) Originally filmed in