It has been a few weeks since the festival, so if I remember the movie at all, that is a good sign. (I saw 26) I tend towards picking films that might not come back into general release. It is unfortunate that there are many great non English language films that just never get picked up by a North American distributor. At the same time, I sometimes also pick films that are sure to come back but are done by directors or actors I am happy to see. Generally, I just pick to get as much use as I can from my Day Pass.
These are not in any special order, just by categories:
Recommended:
Bright Star
directed by the Australian Jane Campion ( The Piano ). It is a quietly unfolding movie about the poet John Keats and a young woman who was his neighbour and was in love with him up to the time he left for Italy, where he died at the age of 25. Not an overblown costume drama, but charming, with nice performances.
Bran Nue Dae
The first ever Australian Aboriginal musical, based on a stage musical that has been touring Oz for 20 yrs. It is about a young Aboriginal student in a boarding school, who leaves it and tries to return to his roots in the outback. Very light and fun. It features Academy Award winner Geoffrey Rush.
Vision
by the German director Margaretta von Trotta. About the medieval mystic and nun Hildegard of Bingen. It has some of her music, but it mainly tells the story of how her influence developed as a confidante and friend of many of the greatest minds of the Middle Ages. Also beautiful to watch.
Creation
an interesting bio-pic about the family life of Charles Darwin, and the difficulty he had finishing up his magnum opus. Full of Victorian earnestness and gray English days....good performances by Jennifer Connolly and Paul Bettany.
Eyes Wide Open
an interesting gay love story set in a Hasidic community in Jerusalem. A young yeshiva student falls in love with a married butcher. An interesting perspective on personal freedom in a closed community.
The Wind Journeys
A great road movie from Colombia. An old accordian player travels upcountry to return the accordian to its rightful owner. A younger man decides to travel along with him to learn about the instrument. A fascinating journey into parts of the country most Colombians never even see.
Partir
One of those intense French love affairs. A doctor's wife falls in love with the Spanish handyman. The wife risks everything for passion. With the brilliant Kristin Scott Thomas and Sergi Lopez.
Wheat
A Chinese story set in the warring Middle Ages. Two deserters from one side find themselves rescued by women on the other side. The women have been left behind by their men who have gone off to war. The women think the men are the heros from their side. Well done and beautiful to look at.
Giulia Doesn't Date at Night
An Italian writer is infatuated with his daughter's swimming instructor, and then discovers she is a convicted murderer and is only let out of jail during the day to coach swimming. An affair ensues. Lots of stuff about the stories we tell ourselves.
I, Don Giovanni
by the esteemed Spanish director Carlos Saura. It is about the making of the opera Don Giovanni, and focuses on the life and role of the librettist, Lorenzo Da Ponte. Lots of music and very colourful.
Together
A Norwegian film about how a father and 12 yr old son cope after the death of the wife. Very intense and well done.
Triage
A gripping film about an Irish photo journalist ( Colin Farrell ) who is working with a friend on the front lines in Kurdistan. The friend leaves to return to Ireland. By the time Farrell's character gets back to Dublin, he learns that his friend never returned. The rest of the movie is about solving that mystery. Very well done.
Get Low
An enjoyable low key American comedy. Set in the 30's, Robert Duvall plays a hermit in the hills who comes into town to plan his funeral, that he wants to have before he dies, so he can hear what people say about him. The funeral director is played by Bill Murray. Also with Sissy Spacek.
Mao's Last Dancer
This won 2nd in the People's Choice awards. By the Australian director Bruce Beresford. It is based on a true story and is about a Chinese ballet dancer who gets a summer scholarship with the Houston Ballet, and then wants to defect.
Blessed
An Australian movie about troubled kids and runaways. It interweaves four or five stories, first from the kids' perspectives, then from the mothers. Intense.
Scheherezade, Tell Me a Story
An Egyptian movie about a female talk show host who decides to focus on telling the stories of women in Egyptian society. There is a touch of melodrama, but basically it works well.
Worth Checking Out ( although I have qualifications for each)
My Tehran for Sale
About a young female artist, and how she survives in modern day Tehran.
Mr Nobody
An international co-production set in the UK and Canada. Very hip. About how a small decision in life can change everything. Lots of music.
Women Without Men
from Iran, set at the time of the Shah's overthrow of democratic government. It focuses on the lives of various women and how that time affected them.
Hotel Atlantico
A Brazilian road movie. A young artist travels through southern Brazil.
Men on the Bridge
A Turkish film that explores the lives of various men who work on the bridge across the Bosphorus in Istanbul. Clue: the bridge is a metaphor. An interesting insight into ordinary lives there.
K amui
Japanese. A live action version of the kind of stories you see in Ninja Anime, Beautiful to look at.
Well, that's it. There were a few others, but I have major qualifications about them, so I won't list them. If you have any questions, email me.
These are not in any special order, just by categories:
Recommended:
Bright Star
directed by the Australian Jane Campion ( The Piano ). It is a quietly unfolding movie about the poet John Keats and a young woman who was his neighbour and was in love with him up to the time he left for Italy, where he died at the age of 25. Not an overblown costume drama, but charming, with nice performances.
Bran Nue Dae
The first ever Australian Aboriginal musical, based on a stage musical that has been touring Oz for 20 yrs. It is about a young Aboriginal student in a boarding school, who leaves it and tries to return to his roots in the outback. Very light and fun. It features Academy Award winner Geoffrey Rush.
Vision
by the German director Margaretta von Trotta. About the medieval mystic and nun Hildegard of Bingen. It has some of her music, but it mainly tells the story of how her influence developed as a confidante and friend of many of the greatest minds of the Middle Ages. Also beautiful to watch.
Creation
an interesting bio-pic about the family life of Charles Darwin, and the difficulty he had finishing up his magnum opus. Full of Victorian earnestness and gray English days....good performances by Jennifer Connolly and Paul Bettany.
Eyes Wide Open
an interesting gay love story set in a Hasidic community in Jerusalem. A young yeshiva student falls in love with a married butcher. An interesting perspective on personal freedom in a closed community.
The Wind Journeys
A great road movie from Colombia. An old accordian player travels upcountry to return the accordian to its rightful owner. A younger man decides to travel along with him to learn about the instrument. A fascinating journey into parts of the country most Colombians never even see.
Partir
One of those intense French love affairs. A doctor's wife falls in love with the Spanish handyman. The wife risks everything for passion. With the brilliant Kristin Scott Thomas and Sergi Lopez.
Wheat
A Chinese story set in the warring Middle Ages. Two deserters from one side find themselves rescued by women on the other side. The women have been left behind by their men who have gone off to war. The women think the men are the heros from their side. Well done and beautiful to look at.
Giulia Doesn't Date at Night
An Italian writer is infatuated with his daughter's swimming instructor, and then discovers she is a convicted murderer and is only let out of jail during the day to coach swimming. An affair ensues. Lots of stuff about the stories we tell ourselves.
I, Don Giovanni
by the esteemed Spanish director Carlos Saura. It is about the making of the opera Don Giovanni, and focuses on the life and role of the librettist, Lorenzo Da Ponte. Lots of music and very colourful.
Together
A Norwegian film about how a father and 12 yr old son cope after the death of the wife. Very intense and well done.
Triage
A gripping film about an Irish photo journalist ( Colin Farrell ) who is working with a friend on the front lines in Kurdistan. The friend leaves to return to Ireland. By the time Farrell's character gets back to Dublin, he learns that his friend never returned. The rest of the movie is about solving that mystery. Very well done.
Get Low
An enjoyable low key American comedy. Set in the 30's, Robert Duvall plays a hermit in the hills who comes into town to plan his funeral, that he wants to have before he dies, so he can hear what people say about him. The funeral director is played by Bill Murray. Also with Sissy Spacek.
Mao's Last Dancer
This won 2nd in the People's Choice awards. By the Australian director Bruce Beresford. It is based on a true story and is about a Chinese ballet dancer who gets a summer scholarship with the Houston Ballet, and then wants to defect.
Blessed
An Australian movie about troubled kids and runaways. It interweaves four or five stories, first from the kids' perspectives, then from the mothers. Intense.
Scheherezade, Tell Me a Story
An Egyptian movie about a female talk show host who decides to focus on telling the stories of women in Egyptian society. There is a touch of melodrama, but basically it works well.
Worth Checking Out ( although I have qualifications for each)
My Tehran for Sale
About a young female artist, and how she survives in modern day Tehran.
Mr Nobody
An international co-production set in the UK and Canada. Very hip. About how a small decision in life can change everything. Lots of music.
Women Without Men
from Iran, set at the time of the Shah's overthrow of democratic government. It focuses on the lives of various women and how that time affected them.
Hotel Atlantico
A Brazilian road movie. A young artist travels through southern Brazil.
Men on the Bridge
A Turkish film that explores the lives of various men who work on the bridge across the Bosphorus in Istanbul. Clue: the bridge is a metaphor. An interesting insight into ordinary lives there.
K amui
Japanese. A live action version of the kind of stories you see in Ninja Anime, Beautiful to look at.
Well, that's it. There were a few others, but I have major qualifications about them, so I won't list them. If you have any questions, email me.
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