Crash (dir. David Cronenberg): dark comedy satire on Western obsession with technology and material culture
David Cronenberg, “Crash” (1996) Based on the eponymous 1973 novel by J G Ballard, this film can be viewed as a companion to it rather than…
Science Fiction Films
Pumzi: short film with powerful message of preserving resources, freedom and human imagination and dignity
Wanuri Kahiu, “Pumzi” (“Breath”) (2009) Just over 20 minutes long, this movie short from Kenya is set in a post-apocalyptic future where a global war has rendered the…
German and German-language Films
Cargo (dir. Ivan Engler): too much cargo taken on board in the plot and characters wreck a visually fine film
Ivan Engler, “Cargo” (2009) Debut full-length directorial feature for Ivan Engler, “Cargo” is a bloodless effort set in the distant future when the Earth has become…
Eraserhead: fascinating and hilarious dark horror film about social and religious pressures on struggling families
David Lynch, “Eraserhead” (1977) Five years in the making from 1971 to 1976, “Eraserhead” was David Lynch’s full-length directing debut feature. Based on his experiences in…
Symbol (dir. Hatoshi Matsumoto): polished and slick slapstick comedy on nature of the universe
Hatoshi Matsumoto, “Symbol” (2009) A slapstick comedy about interrelationships and the impact one person can have on events around the world, “Symbol” is the second full-length…
Aelita, Queen of Mars: a multi-plot story with a moral about living in fantasy versus living in reality
Yakov Protazanov, “Aelita, Queen of Mars” (1924) This silent Soviet film from the mid-1920’s can be seen in nine parts on Youtube.com thanks to contributor Ishexan. Most…
Profound themes of evolution, maturity, cycles of life and death, and Japan’s modern history in Katsuhiro Otomo’s “Akira”
Katsuhiro Otomo, “Akira” (1988) In an alternative but parallel universe in 1988, a scientific experiment using young children as test subjects for research into superhuman mental…
French and French-language Films
Delicatessen: amusing dystopian black comedy that overdoes the oddball edge and comes out looking twee
Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro, “Delicatessen” (1991) How to describe this droll French movie that tackles cannibalism in a light-hearted manner? It’s at once a dystopian…
Blade Runner: movie remarkable chiefly for visual impact and theme
Ridley Scott, “Blade Runner” (1982) The curious thing with this movie is that as it recedes back in time – 2012 will be its 30th anniversary!…
Alien: Resurrection (dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet): more a lame rehash than a revival
Jean-Pierre Jeunet, “Alien: Resurrection” (1997) The idea behind this movie was to give new life to the Alien movie franchise but despite some interesting ideas about…