Bruce says: “Twenty two directors join together for twenty short stories about love, each set in a different arrondissmont in Paris. The directors approach love from different angles. Some are dead serious, some bittersweet and others, quite amusing. By the
Jason says: “That star rating generally indicates that PAPRIKA is a nearly perfect film, which I’ll admit isn’t the case. Here’s the thing, though – there is just so much good stuff crammed into it that I’m willing to overlook that.
The Orphanage (Spain/Mexico; 105 min.) directed by: Juan Antonio Bayonastarring: Belén Rueda; Fernando Cayo; Roger Princep; Mabel Rivera; Montserrat Carulla; Andrés Gertrúdix Julie says: “I’m not much one for ghost stories, but this incredibly well made Spanish film was excellent.
Bruce says: “THE OPTIMISTS is a series of five vignettes about those who more or less take advantage of the situation rather than rise to the occasion. The first is about a hypnotist who visits a peasant village. The hapless
Bruce says: “This film is a rarity because it features a central character that is not particularly likeable yet his story is funny and illustrative of a major problem facing communities worldwide – what to do with the aged. “Lucien
Jason says: “The late 1960s were a tumultuous time in Korea’s history (but what part of the 20th Century wasn’t?). That’s a non factor through much of ONCE IN A SUMMER, which is a likable if kind of lightweight romance…
Bruce says: “Curious how such a film could become a critic’s darling. Using two non-professional actors John Carney tells a story about songwriters who meet on the streets of Dublin and connect in more ways than one. Or do they?
Bruce says: “Critics of the Bush Administration’s war in Iraq have been quick to disagree with almost every important decision made along the way. Dismissed as naysayers and accused of lacking patriotism, the critics had difficulty disproving decisions for the
Michael says: “The Provincetown International Film Festival kicked off with a misstep with this cloying, clumsily scripted film about an Indian family living in Scotland. Nina returns to Glasgow from London for her father’s funeral after fleeing her family and
Bruce says: “The African films I’ve seen recently have all been quite melodramatic; THE NARROW PATH is no exception. Awero (Sola Asedeko), a young village girl is beautiful and much in demand as a potential wife for men in neighboring
Bruce says: “**Spoilers** “Nathalie Baye is billed as ‘cast against type’ in MY SON. One wonders who might have been the right type for the psychotic nightmare of a mother, other than Isabelle Huppert, of course. Ms. Baye proves that
Bruce says: “MURDERERS (MEURTRIÈRES) is a pointless film – it’s not a character study, cautionary tale, or sociological study. It has been given the air of a mystery or possibly a thriller but it fall flat in those departments as
Bruce says: “Mr. Vig is 82. His ‘old ambition is to create something enduring’ and to that end he has decided to give his estate, Hesbjerg Castle, to a Russian Orthodox religious order. As the film begins, Sister Ambrosija arrives
Michael says: “That MO got made is something to admire, at the very least. Making a feature film is no easy thing, and even though the subject clearly means a lot to director Brian Lederman, it takes more than one
Bruce says: “Tracking down home movies and combining them with other (usually professional) archival footage is an intriguing way of telling a story, creating a verité effect while providing a history lesson. Péter Forgács is a founder of the Private
Jason says: “For all I know, the most amusing part of “IN THE LAND OF MERRY MISFITS won’t even be included when it finally gets whatever sort of distribution it winds up getting. The festival screening opened with a rapid-fire summarization
Jason says: “The subject that inspired Gary Marino’s MILLION CALORIE MARCH – both the documentary and the event itself – is certainly worth the audience’s attention; adult and child obesity is a major problem in the United States. As a
Bruce says: “Anyone glued to the nightly news during the saga of journalist Daniel Pearl knows the sad ending of his harrowing kidnapping story. A MIGHTY HEART is based on the writings of his wife Mariane, herself a journalist. Daniel
Jay says: “Do people still actually say ‘metrosexual?’ In today’s internet-speed environment, pop culture memes have an average half-life of about six months, and ‘metrosexual’ peaked two or three years ago. Not that it really matters; the title character’s metrosexuality
Meanwhile (Argentina/France; 90 min.) directed by: Diego Lermanstarring: Valeria Bertuccelli, Maria Merlino, Claudio Quinteros Bruce says: “‘Meanwhile’ has two meanings – ‘during the interval’ and ‘at the same time’ – either of which are appropriate for Diego Lerman’s second
