The Revenant (2015)

Directed by Alejandro G. Iñarritu
Country: USA

Movie Review: The illustrious screenwriter and film director, Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu, has been shown unlimited resources in different genres in a meritorious career spanned for more than 15 years. He’s the author of memorable films that were able to resist the difficult test of time, cases of the stylish drama-thrillers, “Amores Perros” and “21 Grams”, the pungent dramas, “Babel” and “Biutiful”, and the deliciously weird black comedy, “Birdman”, with which he won the Academy’s prestigious prizes for best picture, original screenplay, and best director. All of them exhibit a superior quality that allows me to consider him an essential contemporary filmmaker. His new cinematic creation, “The Revenant”, a riveting wintry western, set in the 1980's and partly based on Michael Punke's 2002 novel of the same name, confirms all that has been said, combining the best of the old westerns with the pure spectacle of the modern visuals. Leonardo DiCaprio, even groaning most of the time with a slashed throat, is excellent as Hugh Glass, an explorer and fur trader who miraculously survives a brutal bear attack, but is ingloriously abandoned alive by two of his men, thrown into the grave that had been dug for him. The phenomenal Tom Hardy is John Fitzgerald, the religious villain responsible for this cruel decision. He plays it so confidently that we can easily detect an uncontrollable madness in his eyes and the evil nature in every little move he makes and word he says. Brilliantly directed and evincing an ingenious camerawork, “The Revenant” is simultaneously a murky revenge tale and a rewarding survival odyssey that held my attention from the first to the last minute. Thus, it’s not the traditional cowboys-and-indians flick (there are also mischievous French soldiers trying to profit), even considering that the excitement of those is present along the powerful, primitive story that unfolds with action and tension. The protagonist, not only came to the conclusion that ‘revenge is in God’s hands’, as he had heard before from a responsive Pawnee Indian who had lost his family (killed by the belligerent Sioux), but he also realizes that his path and deliverance were works of heaven. In addition to the rewarding script (by Mark L. Smith and Iñárritu), first-rate direction, and robust acting, we come up with the admirable cinematography by Emmanuel Lubezki, retrieved from “Birdman”, and the profound musical score by the Japanese Ryuichi Sakamoto, another retrieval, this time from “Babel”, in collaboration with Bryce Dessner and Alva Noto.

Tu Dors Nicole (2014)

Directed by: Stéphane Lafleur
Country: Canada

Movie Review: One of the most wonderful surprises of this year is undoubtedly the Canadian drama “Tu Dors Nicole”, which has much to be appreciated. Exhibiting indolent tones and a leisured pace, the film grabbed me in a very satisfying way both in terms of script, whose creativity, spontaneity and even some surrealistic elements (like a kid talking with an absurdly deep voice) successfully enraptured me, and in terms of the engrossing black-and-white visuals, which were capable of making me feel the warm breeze and the relaxed ‘dolce fare niente’ of the summertime in a quiet, small Quebecois town. Julianne Côté, whose outstanding performance deserves all the accolade she can get, embodies Nicole, a young student who seems to be enjoying her time alone at home, a consequence of her parents’ absence for a prolonged vacation. The scene that first introduces her is illuminating - when she wakes up in the bed of a guy and responds in an indifferent manner to his question if they’re going to see each other again. Back at home, she receives a phone call from her father, reminding her of the home tasks to be completed, and finds an envelope in the mailbox with a credit card in her name. What a joy! This was exactly what she needed to fight the boredom of the hot days, mostly spent doing nothing special in the company of her best friend, Veronique (Catherine St-Laurent). Both are planning to leave their fastidious jobs and make a trip to Iceland, an idea that is reinforced when Nicole’s contentious brother, Remi (Marc-André Grondin), suddenly appears at home, bringing his longtime pal, Pat (Simon Larouche), and a new friend, the flirtatious JF (Francis La Haye), respectively bassist and drummer of his indie rock trio, to rehearsal. The multiple interactions among these characters suddenly change the airs from undisturbed to weighty. Directed with delicacy, intelligence, and insight by Stéphane Lafleur, who completely avoids one-dimensional characters, “Tu Dors Nicole” has this sort of mood that many emerging directors would like to bring into their cinema. It’s so effective and simple in its processes, so mature in depicting the human relationships, and so deliciously funny in its sometimes-offbeat posture and dialogue, that the result is an extraordinary modern gem not to be missed.

Taxi (2015)

Directed by: Jafar Panahi
Country: Iran

Movie Review: One can wonder how is it possible that the Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, who was sentenced by the authoritarian regime of his country to 20 years without making cinema, still manages to direct clandestine masterpieces with a disarming simplicity, emotional truthfulness, social-political awareness, and delightfully humorous situations. Well, my theory is the following: if you really love what you do and have something to say, there’s nothing that can stop you. After his professional banishment, Panahi has directed critically acclaimed films that mix reality and fiction, thoroughly mirroring what he was experiencing at each of those well-defined time slots of his existence. If “This is Not a Film” was a raw documentary that aimed to denounce the humiliating deprivations he was subjected to, “Close Curtain” introduced a lot more fictional elements to build up an imaginative plot. These two films were made when he was under house arrest. In his latest, “Taxi”, the most direct, enjoyable, and accessible documentary-like film from the currently censored phase, Panahi leaves home to show us a factual slice of today’s Tehran. He pretends to be a taxi driver who calmly rides throughout the city, interacting with a variety of passengers (real or fictional) in engrossing situations that tell us much about what his people think and how they feel, (re)act, and live. Not a single passenger is futile and the set fits perfectly the filmmaker’s intentions. Among them, we have a short man who illegally sells foreign movies, a wounded man who wants to change his will before dying, two superstitious ladies carrying a fish bowl, Panahi’s talkative niece who’s trying to make a ‘screenable’ short film for school, a conversation with a desolated childhood friend, and a fortuitous encounter with the affable ‘flower lady’ - another victim of the censorship. With an approach that is similar to Kiarostami’s “Ten” and a few references to Panahi’s old films, the unmissable “Taxi” is one of those cinematic wonders you want to prolong. Mr. Panahi’s only sin was not having more characters to ride – maybe because at the end some motorcyclist broke into his taxi. After this movie, I wouldn’t be surprised if, once again, he was considered a serious threat to the Iran’s security and banned from driving in the country.

Eden (2014)

Directed by: Mia Hansen-Love
Country: France

Movie Review: “Eden” is a poignant drama that plausibly evokes the Parisian electronic dance music of the 90’s, being the fourth feature from the creative and always interesting filmmaker Mia Hansen-Love, who co-writes with her DJ brother, Sven, loosely based on his experiences. Félix de Givry responds with resolution to his first main role, playing Paul Vallée, a teenager who gives up finishing his studies to become an established DJ in the Paris underground dance scene, environment that offers him as much drugs and girls as he wants. Adopting the Chicago’s garage style (a blend of house and disco), Paul and his friend Stan form a duo called ‘Cheers’, supported by the depressive Cyril who draws the covers for their records, while other two friends start the acclaimed group ‘Daft Punk’. Regardless being a sensation, the reckless super-hip nightlife boy, unable to control his outgoings, falls into debt and becomes a cocaine addict, ultimately resorting to his mother’s financial help to get back on the right track. Among his numerous girlfriends, which include an American who decides to return to NY and a party-lover bourgeois who wants to spend the money he doesn’t have, there is one that keeps returning over and over – Louise, a flirty girl who never hid her attraction for Paul. However, jealousy, stagnation, and instability frustrate the chances of a more serious commitment. As hypnotic and contagious as the rhythms we listen to, “Eden” evinces an astounding realism, incorporating the characters, images, and music with zest, and ultimately composing a slice of real life whose course takes us from the euphoria of a successful youth to the sadness of its disappearance, together with the awareness that it’s time to grow up and assume responsibilities. By the end, in one of the strongest scenes, Paul, already clean of drugs, looks at a young female DJ with stupefaction and nostalgia. The siblings Hansen-Love assured that the time hops in the narrative work out seamlessly.

The Tribe (2014)

Directed by: Miroslav Slaboshpitsky
Country: Ukraine / Netherlands

Movie Review: Cannes’ last sensation, “The Tribe”, is a praiseworthy, brutal piece of speechless cinema, a product of the mind of first-time writer-director, Miroslav Slaboshpitsky. Set in a sunless Ukrainian city, the drama follows a deaf-mute teenager who arrives at a specialized boarding school for people in the same conditions, being immediately incorporated in a ruthless gang of students dedicated to robbery and prostitution. Unsurprisingly, the latter activity has a teacher as the leader, and soon the newcomer is assigned to pimp two of the teen girls that are used to beat the truck parking lot during nighttime. He slowly gains the trust of his fellows but irredeemably falls for one of the prostitutes. When this girl realizes her pregnancy, no other option is ever considered beyond the abortion, which is done in a private house by an austere, creepy woman. This is probably the most disturbing scene of the film (disputing with the maniacal finale), where in a horrible environment and with precarious sanitary conditions, she’s tied with ropes like an animal, bravely enduring the pain inflicted on her. The young man, madly in love, starts stealing in order to pay for her time, putting himself in a perilous position. The situation reaches even bigger proportions after he realizes she’s about to be taken to Italy. As a sign language film, communication was never a problem in “The Tribe”, which was very perceptible, and even persuasive on the dramatic level. There are no words to express how brilliant was the deaf-mute cast, so genuine and powerful at all levels. Mr. Slaboshpitsky sparked confidence, filming with insistent assertiveness, and revealing a shocking realism, bestial violence, and raw sex scenes in its plenitude. Words? For what?

Selma (2014)

Directed by: Ava DuVernay
Country: USA

Movie Review: Already exhibiting an enlightened sense of filmmaking in “I Will Follow” and “Middle of Nowhere”, Ava DuVernay, now sees herself taking an outstanding position in the modern cinema with this powerful historical drama about Dr. Martin Luther King’s sacrifices and efforts to achieve civil rights for black people in a hostile atmosphere. The film, solidly written by debutant Paul Webb, has in its base the three Selma-Montgomery marches that took place in 1965 Alabama, chronicling the last three months of the pacific campaign. “Selma” starts with Dr. King (David Oyelowo) receiving the Nobel Peace prize, and approaching the president Lyndon Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) in order to make something to stop the violent crimes of white men who have the protection of a tendentious judicial system, especially in the South. By making his point of view clear, King’s non-violent movement works according to three principles: negotiate, demonstrate, resist. With this fundamental posture, his political ideas will make the impossible, uniting blacks and whites in a memorable victory towards social and civic equality. Tension is as strong as the emotional impact that comes out from its beautifully shot scenes, pulsing energy even in serene moments. DuVernay was able to surprise me whenever I thought the film would slow down, managing to move into the right direction and never falling in banality. This is a film where we can really sense the courage of actions and the power of words, while getting sad and appalled with the intolerance and abuses of power perpetrated by the state troopers. Thoughtful approach, efficient narrative and a magnificent casting, makes “Selma”, a film not to be missed.

Leviathan (2014)

Directed by: Andrey Zvyagintsev
Country: Russia

Movie Review: Russian cult director, Andrei Zvyagintsev, doesn’t stop to astonish me with precise contemporary tales set in his country of origin. “Leviathan”, presents the same quality as his three previous masterpieces - “The Return”, “The Banishment” and “Elena” – this time introducing some mythological tones, inspired on the Book of Job, and moving in the same measured way, to rub hard in our faces the hypocrisy, injustice and corruption of a rusty, yet dangerous Russian system composed by unscrupulous politicians, dishonest cops and selfish representatives of the church. In order to cope with these shameful realities, the common people drown themselves in vodka, whether to forget the miseries of life, or to celebrate a relaxed time together. The script, co-written by Zvyagintsev and his habitual partner, Oleg Negin, is centered in Kolya, an ordinary man who is ordered to leave his house, located in a remote peninsula, since the dishonored mayor has other plans for that piece of land. His last hope is the arrival of Dmitri, an old friend from the times when he served in the army, now turned into a respected lawyer with good connections in Moscow. When the case was evolving favorably, Kolya finds out that his wife, Lylia, is having an affair with Dmitri. He eventually forgives her, to notice afterward that it’s Roma, his depressed son, who seems to require the most urgent attention. Not neglecting some humor, the grim “Leviathan” strikes us with its landscapes, truths and symbolism, leaving us frozen in our chairs but boiling inside with all the cynicism and terrifying procedures of Mr. Putin’s regime and his vassals. Oddly, the film counted with the support of the Russian Ministry of Culture but didn’t get a screening permit in the country.

Foxcatcher (2014)

Directed by: Bennett Miller
Country: USA

Movie Review: “Foxcatcher” tells the vile story that, in the 90’s, involved the golden-medal wrestler brothers, Mark and Dave Schultz, and a manipulative schizophrenic millionaire coach, John du Pont, who wanted more credits than he actually deserved, after sponsoring and bringing them to his private Foxcatcher Center in order to prepare the American team for the Olympics. Constantly seeking in vain for his mother’s recognition, du Pont was also a philanthropist, ornithologist, philatelist, ultra-patriotic, sporadic cocaine consumer, and sufficiently insane to kill Dave with three gunshots, after the deterioration of their relationship. Du Pont had already created several problems with Mark, so important to promote the Foxcatcher team, but ultimately discarded after the arrival of his older brother. The fraudulent coach slyly took advantage from the fact that Mark feels himself inferior to his brother, a true model both as a family man and athlete. Scrupulously built, the narrative absorbs our attention since the first minutes and leaves us appalled in its conclusion. Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo were great as the doomed brothers, but it was Steve Carell, as the self-centered paranoid, who shone with a phenomenal, Oscar-worthy performance. Bennett Miller, a distinguished filmmaker who already had gained our respect with “Capote” and “Moneyball”, remarkably handled the bizarre happenings of this sad case, which put a black stain in the American sports history. Among all the real-life stories that are constantly being released on film, the hauntingly atmospheric “Foxcatcher”, assuredly deserves a place on the podium.

Whiplash (2014)

Directed by: Damien Chazelle
Country: USA

Movie Review: “Whiplash” is one of the greatest movies of the year, period. This indie musical drama was superbly controlled by writer-director Damien Chazelle, and had on the actors Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons the perfect vehicle to triumph. Andrew (Teller) is a 19-year-old drummer who enrolls in a demanding NY music school with the goal of being the best. Simultaneously, he invites Nicole (Melissa Benoist), an employee of the cinema where he usually goes with his father, to get out with him. Things seem to run smoothly and Andrew is even chosen by the intimidating jazz musician and professor, Terence Fletcher (Simmons), to be part of his immaculate band. Fletcher plays a major key in the story, since he seems to admire Andrew’s way of playing, pushing him to his limits, but in the next minute he’s breaking the kid apart, discouraging him with nasty words. Andrew ends up losing Nicole for the sake of jazz, missing the chance of having a happy life with her. When he wanted to go back, it was too late. Learning well this lesson, he will not blow his last chance to show what he’s capable on drums, even with the vindictive Fletcher standing up on stage and trying to embarrass him in front of a perceptible audience. The film spreads a contagious energy through all the pores of the skin, never losing nerve, balance, or the capacity to canalize completely our attention to what is being told. There are so many lessons to be learned here, for both students and teachers. In addition to a great finale, “Whiplash” is a monumental drama replete of raging jazz beats that reach the deepest of our souls. Unmissable!!

Stray Dogs (2013)

Directed by: Tsai Ming Liang
Country: Taiwan / France

Movie Review: This is not the first time that the acclaimed filmmaker, Tsai Ming Liang, accurately depicts the desolation of some miserable lives that wander on Taipei’s shore. From all his past movies, “The Hole” from 1998 is the one that gets closer to “Stray Dogs”, not in terms of plot, but in its visuals, where the constant heavy rain, muddy landscapes, and places in ruins, compose the background of a picture whose center is an alcoholic man who struggles to feed his two children. During the day, he earns some money holding up a signboard that advertises luxury apartments, while the kids spend the day in a supermarket trying to get food samples. Watching the father making an effort to stay away of alcohol by entrusting all his money to the older son, was really heartbreaking, or the satisfaction of the belly-pinched family eating at the end of the day, somewhere on a dark street. But the days in which the father changes his mind and asks for the money to drink, a deep sadness hits the heart of the kids, who unexpectedly become the protégés of a solitary woman, employee of the supermarket where they try their luck. Super-long shots with steady camera, a huge pain reflected in the characters’ eyes and captured through intense close-ups, and the gift to compose the anguish and wretchedness, are sharp arrows pointed straight to our hearts, in a way that only Ming Liang knows how to do it. In spite of my words of praise, be aware that the style demonstrated here requires some effort from the viewer. It's a powerful, intoxicating raw cinema, showing that not everybody is blessed with a good life.

Love is Strange (2014)

Directed by: Ira Sachs
Country: USA / France

Movie Review: If “Keep the Lights On” from two years ago had already given a considerable boost in Ira Sachs’ directorial career, “Love is Strange”, co-written with Mauricio Zacharias, has the merit of being a near-perfect drama that takes into a higher dimension. John Lithgow and Alfred Molina are amazing as a gay couple who are together for almost forty years. They go through several financial problems after one of them has been fired right after getting married. This setback forces them to sell their beautiful apartment located in one of the best areas of New York city, and live temporarily apart with friends and family, while looking for a new place. The two men will have different experiences: George (Molina) stays with two gay cops who live in the lower floor and constantly give parties all night long, while Ben (Lithgow) goes to his nephew’s in Brooklyn, affecting deeply the professional life of his nephew’s wife, Kate (Marisa Tomei), as well as the private life of their teen son, Elliott. The film feels incredibly real and was conceived with superior cleverness. There’s so much sensitivity in every interaction without resorting to sentimental tricks, and every relationship is crafted with such confidence by the actors, that “Love is Strange” becomes one of the most accomplished and comprehensible dramas of the year. It depicts complexity in a simple way, and how people are vulnerable to abrupt changes in their lives. Funny, straightforward, involving at all occasions, tragic, and finally rewarding, we stand before a mature, modern narrative in which love is the only factor that is not in question.

Let the Fire Burn (2013)

Directed by: Jason Osder
Country: USA

Movie Review: “Let the Fire Burn” sharply exposes how some controversial and contradictory decisions made by the Philadelphia Police Department conjointly with politicians in charge, were in the basis of a big fire that, in 1985, killed eleven members of a small urban group known as MOVE. This radical movement was founded by John Africa, a charismatic leader whose followers compared him to Jesus Christ. They believed in a non-aggressive posture, ‘green’ politics and a simple way of living, exposing the lie of the political system, as well as opposing to technology and science. This pacific behavior changed radically after a baby has been killed during a police raid, with the members of the group arming themselves with guns from that time on. In 78, a police attempt to vacate the reactionaries from their headquarters ended in a shootout that victimized a police officer. Nine MOVE members were sentenced, while the impressionable brutal violence used by the police remained unpunished. In their new headquarters, on Osage Ave., MOVE people became provocative and were subjected to several complains regarding child neglect, sanitation issues and harassment. All was finished on May 13, 1985, when the authorities decided to drop a bomb on their roof. Using exclusively old footage together with a superior form of narration, the disturbing “Let the Fire Burn” confronts every aspects without come to a conclusion (except for the police incompetence). Outlaws or innocent victims? Well-intentioned or terrorist cult? You decide!

Ida (2013)

Directed by: Pawel Pawlikowski
Country: Poland / Denmark

Movie Review: After his first four fictional feature films have been made in UK, Polish born filmmaker Pawel Pawlikowski returns to his country of birth to shoot “Ida”, a simple, sad, and mesmerizing drama set in the 60’s about a young nun of Jewish origin who tries to find out what happened to her missing family. Anna was raised in an orphanage since childhood and is about to take her vows. In spite of the letters sent along the years to her aunt Wanda Gruz, her only living relative, she never got any reply back. Impelled by her prioress she leaves the convent to meet Wanda, a decadent former state prosecutor for the Poland’s Stalinist regime, who discloses that Anna’s real name is Ida Lebenstein, and her parents have no graves, since their bodies lie buried in the middle of some woods or lake. Together, they will look for the truth about Ida’s parents, an atrocious reality that will also disclose Wanda’s own secret. I was glad to see Pawlikowski returning to the right track and compelling stories after the misstep “The Woman in the Fifth”, since Ida’s story is not just about the past of her family but also the final disappointment with the exterior world. Deep silences and a highly aesthetical black-and-white cinematography take us to the European cinema of other times – from Bresson to Bergman (presence of religion), adorned with a score that had its peak with a live version of Coltrane’s “Naima”, and distinct performances. With great sensibility, Pawlikowski presents us one of the best works of his career, a modern treasure in tones of classic.

Ilo Ilo (2013)

Directed by: Anthony Chen
Country: Singapore

Movie Review: Anthony Chen’s fictional film debut, “Ilo Ilo” is a tremendous drama, set up in Singapore in times of economical crisis and uncertainty about the future, about the relationship between a dysfunctional family and their newly arrived Filipino maid, Teresa, who left her own 12-month baby behind to search for a better life. Realizing how turbulent the lives of these people were, she will have an important role in appeasing the problems of the young Jianle, a troublesome kid who does everything to put her in a bad position. After a hard time of adaptation, Teresa will conquer the heart of the boy with her comprehension and good attitude, fact that will trigger the admiration of his parents but also some jealousy from the mother. Jianle found the attentive mother he was looking for, while Teresa found the son she missed so much. Everyone has to deal with their own problems, in a film where there are no heroes or villains, just life as it is and its complicated processes of learning, sharing, and understanding. Promising helmer/writer Anthony Chen assures great personality in the direction, while the cinematography by Benoit Soler is memorable with its predominant whites and occasionally unfocused images. The plot was magnificently constructed, making us indignant in diverse occasions, but also making us believers of the goodness present in human nature. “Ilo Ilo” collected important prizes at the festivals it competed, including Cannes, Dubai, Golden Horse, Molodist, and Tokyo, among others, and is one of the most compelling dramas to arrive this year.

Snowpiercer (2013)

Directed by: Joon-ho Bong
Country: South Korea / others

Movie Review: Korean helmer Joon-ho Bong’s English-language futuristic action thriller, “Snowpiercer”, lacks the humor of “Memories of Murder” and the psychological quietness of “Mother”, but find other arguments to stand as a dazzling adventure occurred inside a super-tech train that carries the last human survivors, after the outside world has become frozen due to a failed experiment against global warming. Inhabiting the poor tail section of the train, popular leader Curtis (Chris Evans) moves forward with his longtime uprising plan against the violent regime headed by the unapproachable Wilford (Ed Harris), the eternal engine mentor and ruler who unexplainably ordered the kidnapping of two little kids from tail section. Curtis will team with some mates, including Namgoong (Kang-ho Song), a drug addict who was behind the implementation of the doors security system in each of the cars. Surprises and twists will come up as the men advance towards the front. The plot, based on the French graphic novel “La Transperceneige”, was superbly executed in all its technical aspects and precise action moves, which became a delight for the eyes. Assertive, fantastic, and impossible, “Snowpiercer” reveals a deep dark side but doesn’t forget hope, taking the excitement of this trip to its maximum strength. Tilda Swinton’s performance as Wilford’s train-cult devoted, Mason (a somewhat feminine version of Austin Powers), was simply memorable in the most recent action gem of the year.

The Fifth Season (2012)

Directed by: Peter Brosens, Jessica Woodworth
Country: Belgium / others

Movie Review: Belgium-based filmmakers Peter Brosens and Jessica Woodworth (“Khadak”, “Altiplano”) continue their audacious work on writing, production, and direction, with the lyrical and intimidating “The Fifth Season”, a sensational drama about the consequences of nature/climate changes on human beings. Instead of focusing in global chaos, the duo preferred to choose a small and isolated village in Belgian Ardennes whose community struggles to survive. Along four seasons, the viewer witnesses a progressive decadence, with the ‘angered’ Nature refusing to give them the basic needs - the bees fled from the beehives, cows no longer give milk and were taken out by the authorities, while potatoes didn’t germinate as they should. All these aspects are presented together with weird interactions and unexplainable communication among men and animals, along with inherent senses of fear and helplessness that produces deep changes in everyone’s behavior. Another very strong aspect in the film were the rituals, whether presented in the form of traditional parades, whether in form of sect gathering where alienation, sacrifice, or purification, become the new real threats to humanity. “The Fifth Season” was extremely satisfying in its approach, creating great impact through its disturbing score, haunting images, and constantly involving us in its grim story of survival pelted with supernatural forces and symbology. The film collected important prizes at Valladolid and Venice film festivals.

A Touch of Sin (2013)

Directed by: Jia Zhangke
Country: China

Movie Review: Being an admirer of Jia Zhangke’s past works, I must say that “A Touch of Sin” was beyond my expectations. It was less contemplative comparing to the rest of his movies, bringing action scenes to the screen with determination and vigor, to denounce political and social injustices in modern-day China, always with industrial landscapes in the background and a phantasmagoric desolation that remains in our memory. The film is divided in four acts, along different Chinese regions, each of them being a story of despair, loneliness, and revenge (made explicitly violent). The first story follows Dahai who was the only one to defy the atmosphere of fear lived in the mine where he was working in, when he decided to accuse his former schoolmate, and now rich mine owner, of fraud. The second act follows a motorcyclist who briefly appears in the first story, returning home to his wife and son but unable to comply with the rules of society, becoming another renegade, condemned to be an eternal traveler and fugitive. The third act tells the story of a woman struggling to have a stable life with the married man she loves, refusing to act as a prostitute in the spa where she works. The last story showcases family exploitation and the end of a love dream for a young worker of a textile factory. Zhangke’s cinematic rigor, narrative sense, and firmness, allied to the amazing performances and plot’s significance, make “A touch of sin” an unmissable eye-opening drama that deserves a good reflection.

Circles (2013)

Directed by: Srdan Golubovic
Country: Serbia / others

Movie Review: Intelligently written and structured, “Circles” is one of the most valuable contemporary dramas coming from Balkans. The story starts to be told in 1993 Trebinje, Bosnia, hometown of soldier Marko Kovacevic who returns on leave from the front. After having breakfast with his dad, Ranko, he goes to visit his girlfriend, Nada, at work, and then meet with his medic friend, Nebosja. When he witnesses a Muslim shopkeeper, Haris, being savagely beaten up by three military companions, which includes Todor and Rekita, known for spreading confusion and fear on the city streets, he tries to cool them down, but this posture will cost him his life. Twelve years later, in a peaceful Germany, all the living characters mentioned above (or some of their relatives), will cross paths, having the opportunity to forgive or take revenge, depending on the case. The film was set up in a captivating way, employing discernment to put in confrontation the good vs. evil, and showing a complexity of feelings and emotions, that was strong enough to make us conscious and alert. Also visually absorbing, the film counted with an appreciable cinematography and credible performances. Helmer Srdan Golubovic, who, in certain scenes, curiously opted for a moving camera instead of fixed shots, proves that the success achieved with “The Trap” in 2007, wasn’t just a coincidence. “Circles” is an illuminated film composed by small, interconnected stories, which, whether fair or unfair, whether immersed in light or in deep darkness, are indispensable lessons for life.

Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

Directed by: Joel and Ethan Coen
Country: USA

Movie Review: Near-perfect and Cannes’ winner, “Inside Llewyn Davis” brings the story of a homeless folk musician who struggles to survive in Greenwich Village, New York, in the early 60’s. Everything is complicated in Llewyn’s life, and is not just the fact of being broke. People don’t seem to take his work seriously, he lost his friend’s cat, and Jane, one of his married best friends, is pregnant of his child. Every Llewyn’s attempt to get his life straight was felt deeply, along with every search for a decent opportunity and the eagerness of being recognized by his music. The mild soundtrack sometimes creates the illusion of an untroubled atmosphere, however every minute carries a touching sadness and shows a prolonged tiredness that is evident in the main character’s look. Coen brothers had the ability of never falling in sentimentalism or futile scenes to tell their story, so naturally powerful and without artificial elements added. It was amazing how the humor came off so spontaneously, even associated to situations loaded with grief. Oscar Isaac gave his best performance so far, superiorly backed up by the brief, yet significant, appearances of John Goodman and Carey Mulligan. Folk songs are not for my particular taste, but I bow to Coens’ artistry, well grounded by Bruno Delbonnel's luminous cinematography (“Amélie”, “A Very Long Engagement”). As Llewyn stated after playing his folk song: ‘It’s never new, and never gets older’. The same definition applies to this remarkable film.

The Great Beauty (2013)

Directed by: Paolo Sorrentino
Country: Italy

Movie Review: “The Great Beauty” is a sharp, well-observed, critical portrait of contemporary Rome, created through the life of Jep Gambardella (Toni Servillo), a 65-year-old writer who doesn’t write for 40 years when his unique novel attained fame. Since that time, his life consists of interviewing some personalities, night parties, sporadic and inconsequent romances, lively chats with his literary group of friends, and lots of gossip regarding roman society. Jep confesses when he came to Rome with the age of 26 he wanted to be the king of highlife, but lately, he is feeling old and a bit tired of the city, an emptiness that starts to get worse when he observes attentively all his friends and sees old acquaintances dying. Very artistic, both in form and content, “The Great Beauty” is a Fellini-esque satire of a man and the city he lives. And believe me, there is a lot to look at here; so many meaningful scenes and important details projected this film into the limelight. The constant visual changings made by shadows and lights, reinforced the fun and sadness of Jep’s world, with all its pleasures and bohemia. Toni Servillo, who often marks presence in Sorrentino’s films (“The Consequences Of Love”, “Il Divo”), was fantastic in this role, playing with absolute commitment the man who enjoyed life looking for the great beauty to move forward. Sophisticated and elegantly presented, “The Great Beauty” is a true gem that restates Paolo Sorrentino as the most solid representative of modern Italian cinema.