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*Anon*’s Film Reviews

202 Films have been rated or reviewed by *Anon*.

Petite MamanPetite Maman (2021)Recommended
4 stars (Very Good) Quiet & intense; very stripped–down. Much is left unsaid during pauses. I liked the way the girls don't directly answer questions – a very realistic script. The Sanz twins are great! This beautiful movie is a gem, worth many viewings; haunting.
DVD $29.95
Paris, 13th DistrictParis, 13th District (Les Olympiades, Paris 13e) (2021)Aro Favourite
4 stars (Very Good) Relaxing b&w sexually–explicit "The Young & the Restless", w/terrific photography & electronic music. Pacey, with lots of graphic sex but not much love. A relief from other recent French movies. Fascinating, larger–than–life characters, well–acted.
DVD $29.95
BrokerBroker (2022)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) Not about human trafficking, but addresses complex social issues. Oblique, subtle with a very clever script overlying the tricky plot. I was expecting comedy – but this is so much more! Serious but amusing – very unique – a work of genius.
DVD $29.95
What's Love Got to Do With it?What's Love Got to Do With it? (2022)
4 stars (Very Good) Lively, amusing and very up–to–date! Great camera–work. Fast, witty dialogue. Wonderful acting esp. by the beautiful Lily James – subtle & strong – a terrific part!
Stealing BeautyStealing Beauty (1995)Recommended
3 stars (Good Enough) Very beautiful. Idyllic landscapes. Very decadent and indulgent, rather reminiscent of the 70s. I liked the nuanced Jeremy Irons character by far the most & also Sinead Cusack. Liv Tyler certainly had a hard row to hoe...
Definitely, MaybeDefinitely, Maybe (2008)
5 stars (Exceptional) Great fun, very witty & even serious in parts. Perfectly balanced entertainment. Film even has wisdom! Recommended.
Passion of Joan of ArcPassion of Joan of Arc (1928)Aro Favourite
5 stars (Exceptional) Stunning! Especially for 1928. Falconetti's performance is for all time. Watching with the great music added eased the pain. English subtitles not needed for those who can read simple French intertitles; but I also watched with the helpful commentary.
Both Sides Of The BladeBoth Sides Of The Blade (Avec amour et acharnement) (2022)
1 star (Turkey) Even Binoche can't lift this film from mediocrity! A dull movie made for dull people in the time of Covid. Half–truths? Not convincing. Incoherent plot & motivations.
Louder Than BombsLouder Than Bombs (2015)
5 stars (Exceptional) Brilliant & intense...acting through the roof! Totally outstanding in every respect – structure, pace, photography. Exceptional & profound. All characters played with great power and restraint. Excellent subtle music.
DVD $29.95
Pawnbroker, ThePawnbroker, The (1965)Recommended
4 stars (Very Good) All time must–see classic! Dark & complex...
Return of the Secaucus 7Return of the Secaucus 7 (1980)Aro Favourite
3 stars (Good Enough) A brilliant script indeed, as always with Sayles! Worth watching for that alone. Lightweight, amusing fun!
Ties, TheTies, The (Lacci) (2020)
4 stars (Very Good) Sad, realistic, fast–paced. Long–term effects of betrayal are rarely explored, as here. Sexual betrayal may certainly haunt relationships, but later scenes suggest that Aldo doesn't much like Vanda. Role of friendship vs. sex is too rarely explored.
DVD $29.95
Mr. Morgan's Last LoveMr. Morgan's Last Love (Last Love) (2013)
2 stars (Good Try) Slow–moving & predictable but pleasant entertainment. Drifts to a weak & unconvincing ending, however. Acting OK, but plot weak.
Breaking and EnteringBreaking and Entering (2006)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) Very great acting by all, a terrific plot, and very interesting. Fascinating & convincing. A great movie, strongly recommended!
GeorgiaGeorgia (1995)Aro Favourite
3 stars (Good Enough) Jennifer Jason–Leigh is just stunning & very convincing, but it was sad to see her 'burning' & 'crashing', even if just acting. Unbelievable! Raw talent; very moving. A good watch...
Full TimeFull Time (A Plien Temps) (2021)Aro Favourite
4 stars (Very Good) Impressively realistic & very up–to–date. Extremely fine acting (especially by Laure Calamy, perhaps best–known for "Antoinette in the Cevennes" – but she's much more convincing here!) & breathless plot. Moving!!
DVD $29.95
Words and PicturesWords and Pictures (2013)
5 stars (Exceptional) Very unusual and very good. Smarter than you'd guess. Two great actors, Clive Owen & Juliette Binoche do the heavy lifting. Binoche reveals her personal skills in English and in painting; impressive. Special Feature: "Behind the Scenes" is a must–see.
Last Exit to BrooklynLast Exit to Brooklyn (1989)Recommended
2 stars (Good Try) This Korean War epic is dated. It's a parody of the real complexities of working–class life then, or now. The use of Hollywood types acting trashy was unconvincing. John Sales' use of many local people, as in his Indie film Matewan (1987) is way better.
EnigmaEnigma (2001)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) Hugely underrated! Excellent acting & gripping screenplay, from Britain's top playwright. Captures the cheek of expert codebreakers well & the unique atmosphere at Bletchley really well. The stupidity of the military is very evident and was real.
Washington SquareWashington Square (1997)
5 stars (Exceptional) Great dialogue & interesting characters, well–cast. A powerful & moving story. Stella performance by Jennifer Jason Leigh and great direction by Holland.
Hitcher, TheHitcher, The (1986)Aro Favourite
1 star (Turkey) Almost without plot or dialogue, this silly movie is very boring. Tom Howell can't act; his hysteria is more convincing that his supposed fear. If you enjoy old police cars bursting into flames you might enjoy parts of the movie! Avoid.
Mrs. Parker and the Vicious CircleMrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle (1994)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) Very stylish, as you'd expect from Altman & Rudolph. A very likeable & amusing film that never flags. Parallels café culture in Paris in the same era. Many lovely touches. Fabulously witty & highly recommended!
Three Colours: BlueThree Colours: Blue (1993)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) Very complex and intense – a work of art. Binoche is magnificent. She carries it all. A classic!
JindabyneJindabyne (2006)Aro Favourite
4 stars (Very Good) Memorable. Top Australian drama!
Ill Met By MoonlightIll Met By Moonlight (1957)
The true account of famous writer Patrick Leigh Fermor's experiences in Crete during WW2.
EmilyEmily (2022)
3 stars (Good Enough) Worthwhile but despite Mackey's glamour, lacked conviction.
DVD $29.95
AmateurAmateur (1995)
3 stars (Good Enough) Very abstract – not funny in the usual sense, but deeply amusing without being profound. Not as funny as some of Hartley's other films. The film is carried by great acting from Huppert and Lowensohn & the commentary by Huppert is interesting.
Poster (F) $9.95
Three DollarsThree Dollars (2005)
4 stars (Very Good) Could do with SDH. Terrific camerawork; very realistic. Distinct style vs. UK, US & French films. Intelligent, with much more edge than you might expect in this genre. A surreal urban tragedy. Author Perlman's commentary is the most interesting.
DVD $29.95
Happiest SeasonHappiest Season (2020)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) SDF. Classic American relationship comedy – very funny. Very American, excellent, but a perfect spoof. Terribly funny, but with an edge. Very likeable characters! Good, in any season.
MinariMinari (2020)Recommended
4 stars (Very Good) Lovely, initially quiet sensitive movie, but not for long! Wholesome, family–oriented entertainment. Set, in fact, in Oklahoma!
DVD $29.95 | Blu-Ray $34.95
Holiday, TheHoliday, The (2006)
3 stars (Good Enough) Pleasant enough TV romance
Hideous KinkyHideous Kinky (1999)
1 star (Turkey) Rubbish!
MatewanMatewan (1987)Aro Favourite
5 stars (Exceptional) Historically accurate & filmed in West Virginia near where the strike and shootings occurred in 1921. A heart–wrenching story conveyed by seriously good actors. Exploitation of non–violent protest by gangsters hired by the Stone Mtn Co. Needs subtitles.
Casa de los BabysCasa de los Babys (2003)Recommended
3 stars (Good Enough) A bit weird & lightweight – the North/South contrasts are very passé! Both national groups are rather stereotyped, which is why, perhaps, Susan Lynch's character stands out. Ultimately superficial; a disappointment from Sayles.
LovesongLovesong (2016)Aro Favourite
2 stars (Good Try) Realistic & beautiful, well–acted. Small–scale, like ordinary lives. And thus rather dull! I felt the weak script let it down.
LiannaLianna (1983)Aro Favourite
4 stars (Very Good) Amazing wall & door colours may detract from a brilliant script. Sayles is, above all, a wonderful storyteller. None of his films (stories) follow a predictable trajectory. Or a 'he says'/'she says' sort of dialogue, like most NZ melodramas. Very fine
ParasiteParasite (2019)Aro Favourite
5 stars (Exceptional) Great plot & superb comedic acting by top performers! Brilliant surreal political satire – sheer genius! Parodies too numerous to mention. Unmissable!
DVD $29.95 | Blu-Ray $34.95
Interview, TheInterview, The (1998)Recommended
3 stars (Good Enough) Director's Commentary EXTRA essential. Here, subtly, the supposed criminal becomes the interviewer. Production blunders at the cabin fire confuse – day or night? Whiffs of melodrama contaminate script, as in most Australian dramas & almost all NZ ones.
Sunshine StateSunshine State (2002)Recommended
4 stars (Very Good) Great characters & great lines! "Comedy" with an edge, American–style. Kinda real. Maybe just too many characters with complex individual stories – but this is Sayles in his element! I liked the alligator...
Visitor, The Visitor, The (2007)Aro Favourite
5 stars (Exceptional) A very fine film, brilliantly acted. Well shows the fear & circumstances of illegal immigrants in the USA – in this case Syrian. The inflexible bureaucrats are very realistic. Educated Americans have little clue to what their govt. does to people.
Look Both WaysLook Both Ways (2005)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) Great music! Terrific plot & acting. Moving and, in its way, profound. Justine Clarke is brilliant! Recommended.
DVD $19.95 $14.95
AnnetteAnnette (2021)Recommended
3 stars (Good Enough) A seriously weird musical! Amazing visuals and sound quality. The start is good, but it's over–extended. Spectacular, but lacking in worthwhile ideas.
DVD $29.95, $34.95
Wendy and LucyWendy and Lucy (2008)Aro Favourite
3 stars (Good Enough) Quiet & moving. Life as a vagrant in the Pacific northwest. Slow. Sure shows how inhospitable most Americans are, compared with most other cultures. Money is the thing that matters most, to poor or rich, its the same. A "Great Society" – yeah, right!
Quiet Girl, TheQuiet Girl, The (An Cailín Ciúin) (2022)Aro Favourite
5 stars (Exceptional) Intense, economical. Great subtlety. Wonderfully captures the view of a child. Every frame a perfect one – even the domestic interiors. A small, but perfect film.
DVD $29.95
Official CompetitionOfficial Competition (Competencia Oficial) (2021)Recommended
2 stars (Good Try) Stylish in the extreme, but pretentious; not really a comedy. Fluctuates wildly from farce to melodrama. Surrealistically good acting, especially by Cruz & Banderas. The hilarious Press Conference is a highlight!
Bound for GloryBound for Glory (1976)Aro Favourite
4 stars (Very Good) Slightly dated style but wonderfully done. Interesting story, never flags, of a USA that is unfamiliar today. Worth it just to see the many vintage vehicles of all kinds, though I don't recall that trousers were that tight in the 30s. Very informative.
Passion FishPassion Fish (1992)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) Underplayed, as usual. Sayles has incredible imagination & the movie is filled with unforgettable characters. Sayles is a genius & this is a truly great movie with subtlety at many levels.
CalCal (1984)
3 stars (Good Enough) Not a romance but a political thriller. Complex, but subtitles would have helped. A very sad film, well–showing the dev. of the system underpinning Ulster. Unusual, unpredictable, gripping. Well made & acted ; plot has gruelling aspects
Harlan County USAHarlan County USA (1976)Aro Favourite
5 stars (Exceptional) Totally unique, with unmissable extras! 70% of the coal companies were owned by big oil companies. They had many chances to express their views. A key page in the Women's Movement occurred when wives & daughters took over the barricades.
Secret of Roan Inish, TheSecret of Roan Inish, The (1994)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) Staggeringly good! Literally an enchanting story. Wonderful acting by three of the main players, for whom this was their first movie. Enormous credit to Sayles. Scenery also lovely. Not enough stars!
Lone StarLone Star (1996)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) Astonishingly original with a cracking script that lifts it into the exceptional. Casting perfect. Complicated & sophisticated. I had to watch it twice to fit all the pieces together. Unusually, it was even better the 2nd time. Highly recommended!
Honest ThiefHonest Thief (2020)
3 stars (Good Enough) Rather silly, but good fun!
HoneydripperHoneydripper (2007)
4 stars (Very Good) Great music, but all the brand–new pastel shirts are somewhat disconcerting! Terrific must–watch extras show just how much hard work goes into making such a movie. Really interesting!
Private Practices: The Story of a Sex SurrogatePrivate Practices: The Story of a Sex Surrogate (1985)
3 stars (Good Enough) Award–winning doco. A serious & sensible film, not at all pornographic. The therapist is very good. Today the job would be harder because of the obesity of all ages & genders. Interesting colours Maureen wears to signal her mood.
Truth, TheTruth, The (2019)Aro Favourite
5 stars (Exceptional) Very interesting insights. Very brilliant acting – hard to believe it's a film! It breaks down reality and builds an alternative...fascinating! Very intense & complex.
DVD $29.95
LimboLimbo (1999)Aro Favourite
5 stars (Exceptional) Entertaining & interesting from the first frame. Totally gripping & convincing. And it just gets steadily better. Great acting, terrific plot, fascinating Alaska landscapes...
Another WorldAnother World (2021)Recommended
2 stars (Good Try) Underplayed but convincingly realistic. Maybe too realistic, as it gets tiresome.
DVD $29.95
First CowFirst Cow (2019)Aro Favourite
5 stars (Exceptional) A real slow–burner! But it never flags for an instant. The fur–trappers live with Indians in the Oregon forest, captured beautifully. The movie is very quiet, but gripping. It's wonderfully simple –but totally unique!
DVD $29.95
King RichardKing Richard (2021)Recommended
4 stars (Very Good) Terrific acting by Saniyya Sidney & Demi Singleton & their tennis–playing doubles. Will Smith convincing in this serious role; not easy to play without being heroic or cloying. But we don't discover the contents of the famous "78–page plans". Gripping.
LimboLimbo (2020)Recommended
4 stars (Very Good) A brilliant opening to an engaging movie. It is hard to find humour in the refugee experience, but here it is...and the sadness, too. Fine acting, very moving, intense. A sad, brave film lightened by the imagination & quirky Scots humour of the Director.
DVD $29.95
On the Basis of SexOn the Basis of Sex (2018)
4 stars (Very Good) Great CANADIAN drama! Excellent acting & tight plotting. Right to focus only on her 1st major courtroom victory. Lazy set dressing led to ridiculous blunders e.g. speed of typing not matching dictation, no books in rooms, plastic garment bags in 1959!
Monsieur HireMonsieur Hire (1988)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) Haunting account of deep betrayal. Intense, subtle. DVD a superb copy of 1988 film including previously omitted material. Spectacularly beautiful, great photography and outstanding performances. Entrapment by Alice is hidden by her bewitching eyes & smile
Le WeekendLe Weekend (2013)
5 stars (Exceptional) Terrific casting & acting and a great plot. Jim Broadbent and Lindsay Duncan are wonderfully subtle and so well–paired!
TracksTracks (2013)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) Mia Wasikowska & her loyal & smart Diggity remain plump & well–groomed, with very white teeth, almost throughout. But they are great and the film gradually becomes magisterial towards the end. Wonderfully underplayed. Great soundtrack!
Only the AnimalsOnly the Animals (Seules les bêtes) (2019)Aro Favourite
4 stars (Very Good) Quirky & different! A riveting French thriller. Less said the better – just watch it & see! Very clever!
DVD $29.95
Worst Person in the World, TheWorst Person in the World, The (2021)Aro Favourite
5 stars (Exceptional) Reinsve rightly won the 'Best Actress' award at Cannes for this performance. Very intelligent & clever and exceptional subtitles make it fun. No Hollywood melodrama here! Very realistic. Stunning, overall!
DVD $29.95
RidiculeRidicule (1996)Recommended
2 stars (Good Try) Overrated. Beautifully produced. But the facile relationships are so tiresome! Why do so many modern French movies lack substance?
Recorder: The Marion Stokes ProjectRecorder: The Marion Stokes Project (2019)Recommended
4 stars (Very Good) Power of US mass media results in the current polarisation & lack of meaningful dialogue in US society. Very intelligent & sensitive editing of the vast amount of material recorded by Marion 1977–2012 & now safely digitized in SF. Fascinating!
Lunchbox, TheLunchbox, The (2013)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) Very gentle & subtle; so subtle that the end is inferred rather than shown! Very well–acted and a great script. I loved it!
DVD $19.95
Love it Was NotLove it Was Not (2020)
4 stars (Very Good) Incredible story of Helena based on Auschwitz photos, interviews w/survivors & w/Helena herself. She lived in a privileged store where looted goods were sorted & Franz provided for her. Defied Israel in testifying on behalf of Franz in 1972.
BekasBekas (2012)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) Exceptional! Outstanding photography of Kurdish landscapes, villages and people. Really great acting by the two boys – very convincing. Funny & sweet, if a bit corny in places. Much input from the high–class Swedish team as well as Kurds.
Fight ClubFight Club (1999)Recommended
3 stars (Good Enough) Clever & amusing – certainly a cult! But very silly...
Non-FictionNon-Fiction (Non Fiction) (2018)
5 stars (Exceptional) Densely textured & very intelligent. Every character firmly sketched and rang true, like a bell. A challenge for the marionettes of Hollywood. Very contemporary. A must for anyone interested in books & publishing. Brilliant script. And fun!
DVD $29.95
East / WestEast / West (Est / Ouest) (1999)Recommended
3 stars (Good Enough) A very strange film, sinister & dated, yet scarily relevant today. Mostly made in Russia & Bulgaria, the easily corrupted Russian character is evident. Sandrine's inimitable smile fortunately lights up most scenes. Not comparable with INDOCHINE.
Capital in the Twenty-First CenturyCapital in the Twenty-First Century (2019)Aro Favourite
3 stars (Good Enough) Fails to cut new ground & drags in places. Like so many kiwi films, focuses on the past, rather than the uncertain future. Worth watching, but could have been better. I haven't read Piketty's book, however.
Gully-ites, TheGully-ites, The (1992)
3 stars (Good Enough) Well–done. A gem! A vital piece of Wellington's history preserved. Unfortunately it focuses solely on old inhabitants, rather than also on new arrivals, who keep this wee community vibrant. I lived here 60 years ago.
PhotographPhotograph (2018)
4 stars (Very Good) Beautifully shot, every frame a brilliantly–lit painting. A very gentle film, with great music. Wonderful characters. Sanya Malhotra has the stunning, perfect beauty & poise of youth.
DVD $29.95
Justice of Bunny King, TheJustice of Bunny King, The (2021)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) Fine acting, but very realistic. The 'well–trodden path' is no less devastating for being so well–trodden; this is no mere 'entertainment' but the reality of class in NZ today; a shameful disgrace! A truly great NZ movie – one of the best ever.
DVD $29.95
Van GoghVan Gogh (1991)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) A superb print of this sustained masterpiece. Economical & gripping from the start. Fine acting by both major & minor characters.Only Pialat – a painter – could have made this. Ravishing, but portrayed with a curious lack of class distinction.
Hairdresser's Husband, TheHairdresser's Husband, The (1991)
4 stars (Very Good) Very funny, very sensual, very silly; but convincing. A likeable quiet film. Jean Rochefort is unforgettable here; Anna is also fine. Visiting a lady hairdresser can never be the same! Contains scenes cut from the Film Festival release.
MalenaMalena (2000)
2 stars (Good Try) A very crass treatment of a lonely woman in wartime Sicily. Well made & well–acted. Somewhat funny in places, but not from the point of view of a woman. I found it hurtful & uninformative.
L'Homme du TrainL'Homme du Train (Man on the Train) (2002)Recommended
3 stars (Good Enough) Jean Rochefort is excellent as always in this intriguing and unusual film. Good fun!
Duke, TheDuke, The (2020)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) Excellent, fun–filled diversion!
FleeFlee (2021)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) Brilliant, true profound story of the refugee experience. Very sensitive & believable in all respects. Interposed contemporary footage grounds the account with actual events. A movie created with vast skill & much love. Outstanding!
DVD $29.95
Final AccountFinal Account (2020)
5 stars (Exceptional) [War Crime] perpetrators are not born, but made. A great documentary showing this & putting Putin's fear of Europe into context. Hans Werk brighter and more aware of his crimes than other ex–SS men. None understood the judgements @ Nuremberg.
Never EverNever Ever (Circle of Passion) (1998)
1 star (Turkey) Unpleasant 2D characters, difficult to relate to, except Sandrine. Script appalling – a silly melodrama. Movie is aptly titled – avoid it!
PolicePolice (1985)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) Fine, complex film. Very dense. Screenplay by Pialat & Breillat, who has strong views on their different roles. Depardieu & Marceau are subtly complementary. Pialat gets more from his actors than other 20thC French directors.
Under the Sun of SatanUnder the Sun of Satan (Soues Le Soleil De Satan) (1987)Recommended
3 stars (Good Enough) Pialat's films are not entertainments or diversions – they are profound explorations of the psyche. A difficult film for modern Protestants. Best extra is 2003 interview of Depardieu on Disc 1. He says, "Pialat is a warrior of conscience...I love him".
I'm Your ManI'm Your Man (2021)Aro Favourite
5 stars (Exceptional) The nature of love. Strangely like a real affair, which surges forward & back, like the tide. Brilliant acting & sets. Gradually becomes increasingly complex & sophisticated. Clever touches e.g. snoring. Cigarettes a bit passe!Recommended
DVD $29.95
À Nos AmoursÀ Nos Amours (To Our Loves) (1983)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) Reprocessed Disc 2: Supplement has great material in The Inner Eye (1999) – esp. writer Arlette Langmanns' explanations, + also really fascinating interviews with Bonnaire, Breillat (what makes a great film) & Gorin.
Blonde VenusBlonde Venus (1932)
5 stars (Exceptional) Marlene at her most vampish! This 1982 reprocessed print (full screen, Dolby sound) is very good & almost modern in feel. NYC looks good w/out the Twin Towers & with Cary Grant & Dietrich, seductive. A heartbreaking story that doesn't lose it's punch.
Last Night in SohoLast Night in Soho (2021)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) Outstanding, cleverly plotted & amazingly well–made. Stylish & pacey. Thomasin is just marvellous – perfect! Her mother & gran must be very proud of her. It's about exploitation – very 'Me, too' & rightly so. Scary. Viewing the bonuses is a must.
Secret DefenseSecret Defense (1998)Recommended
2 stars (Good Try) Disappointing even for Rivette enthusiasts, like me. Long, repetitive, & ponderous. Even Sandrine Bonnaire cannot make this sparkle. Rivette should stick to his wonderful "surreal excursions", like "Celine & Julie go Boating"
Fanny Lye Deliver'dFanny Lye Deliver'd (The Delivered) (2019)Recommended
4 stars (Very Good) Very unusual, beautiful & realistic – except for the sawn wood picket fence in front of the house & barn. Extraordinarily grim, moving and interesting to contemplate the rise of the Quaker Movement. However, this is not a true story.
DVD $29.95
La CeremonieLa Ceremonie (Judgement in Stone, A) (1995)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) Huppert is brilliant! Bonnaire is a totally illiterate housekeeper & her story is heart–breaking. Very realistic. Totally gripping throughout. Based on a Ruth Rendell novel. Extra with the genius Chabrol is a lot of fun!
Intimate StrangersIntimate Strangers (Confidences trop intimes) (2004)Recommended
4 stars (Very Good) An intriguing plot, rather funny! Never a dull moment. Very well–acted and clever. Recommended.
LoulouLoulou (1980)
4 stars (Very Good) Depardieu & Huppert are geniuses in this noisy fun film. In an 'EXTRA' Huppert praises the great naturalism if Pialat's movies. "The unfolding of time is very unequal", she says & his films avoid labels and stereotypes. Pialat's films are unique.
County, TheCounty, The (2020)
4 stars (Very Good) Everyday life on an Icelandic farm in midwinter. We need brave 'Ingas' in NZ to battle the banks, supermarkets, and electricity companies. Quiet but powerful movie. When I visited, Eskifjordur was 550 km E. of Reykjavik, though it looked much the same.
DVD $29.95
Light, TheLight, The (L'Équipier) (2004)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) Complex plot subtly explores the verges of deep love & deep pain very convincingly. Sandrine Bonnaire is outstanding with her nuanced passion, as always. Very spectacular landscape & fine camerawork on Ile d'Ouessant off the western tip of Brittany.
Stephen Fry and the Gutenberg PressStephen Fry and the Gutenberg Press (2009)
4 stars (Very Good) Complex – does not oversimplify the process but presents in an interesting way. Fry & Co assemble amazingly sophisticated engineering to replicate the original, lost for 500 years. Limits of vellum vs. paper well–explained.
DVD $24.95
TessTess (1982)
4 stars (Very Good) Won 3 Oscars in 1991. Nastassja Kinski is (as usual) riveting); a quiet but very sad film, well reflective of Thos.Hardy's novel. It certainly destroys any romantic fantasies concerning the lives of young women in the 19thC Wessex countryside
VagabondVagabond (1985)Recommended
4 stars (Very Good) Sandrine Bonnaire & Dir. Agnes Varda combine in a fine reprocessed film from 1985. Yolande Moreau also stars. Sandrine went on to make great films with Pialat, Téchiné, Leconte, Rivette, Chabrol etc. Here she lives on the edge of society.
Pompeii: Sin CityPompeii: Sin City (2020)
4 stars (Very Good) NEXO digital. Beautifully made. The complex relationship between the Romans and their Gods contrasts with the comparative simplicity of Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism & Islam. It shows how different life was in the Roman world, more than we can guess.
DVD $29.95
MisbehaviourMisbehaviour (2020)
3 stars (Good Enough) Shows the formation of UK Women's Liberation Movement at University College, London, in 1970. Keira Knightley is convincing as ever but stood out from the other activists & Miss World types but gave sponsor Bob Hope a run for his money.
Botticelli, Florence and the MediciBotticelli, Florence and the Medici (2020)
4 stars (Very Good) A NEXO digital masterpiece – but less well structured and more repetitive than others. Contemporary footage enlivens the formality of art. Wonderful, passionate commentaries by deeply knowledgeable curators. Cleverly makes Botticelli still relevant.
DVD $29.95
Antoinette in the CevennesAntoinette in the Cevennes (2020)
4 stars (Very Good) Very enjoyable. The sunny irrepressible Laura Calamy is a welcome addition to the great stable of French actresses but she most loves her donkey, Patrick, and is certainly under–dressed and overloaded with luggage for the Cevennes!
DVD $29.95
BelfastBelfast (2021)Recommended
4 stars (Very Good) Superb acting all round especially young Jude Hill filmed in beautiful b & w. 1960s Belfast is lovingly re–created along with the tensions and affections. I especially liked the outdoor loo. Very enjoyable and a great sound–track.
No Time to DieNo Time to Die (2021)Recommended
3 stars (Good Enough) Disappointing compared with SKYFALL.
American WomanAmerican Woman (2018)Recommended
4 stars (Very Good) Superbly acted all round. Very American of course, but a very real portrait of the lives of so many Americans, the so–called "white trash". Convincing, moving and very well scripted, with good camera–work. Sienna Miller is just terrific!
Honeymoon Killers, TheHoneymoon Killers, The (1970)Aro Favourite
1 star (Turkey) I guess I'm not a trash fan!
KajillionaireKajillionaire (2020)Recommended
4 stars (Very Good) A very bizarre comedy about people who live on the streets, partly by the goodwill of their nutty friends. This is a very attractive movie in so many ways and not easily forgotten. Far from Hollywood fluff!
Soundtrack for a RevolutionSoundtrack for a Revolution (2009)
5 stars (Exceptional) Importance of black music for the Civil Rights movement incl. great current footage & memories of living leaders. Not just music but the whole story esp. the early days at Montgomery, Alabama. White violence is made more bearable by great songs. Moving.
Glorias, TheGlorias, The (2020)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) Superb portrait of feminist Gloria Steinem uses actors of different age to play aspects of her life & personality. A must–see for anyone interested in the the Women's Movement. The courage & humour of the struggle is well carried by great acting by all.
Judas and The Black MessiahJudas and The Black Messiah (2021)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) Heartbreaking, true, unforgettable, convincing. Based on thorough research of the 'War on Blacks' in America in 1968, between the killing of Dr King and BLM. Subtly acted & plotted. Violence breeds violence, a truth that America cannot understand.
DVD $19.95 $14.95
A Bump Along the WayA Bump Along the Way (2019)
4 stars (Very Good) Not a topic often filmed. Great film on the mysteries & complexities of birth & family. Great camera angles & very well–paced. Increasingly moving. Needs subtitles for the hard of hearing, like me. Lola Petticrew is also extremely good; subtle.
KandaharKandahar (2001)Recommended
4 stars (Very Good) Haunting illus. Afghan life 20 years ago when Taliban came. Shows US invasion achieved nothing. Makhmalbaf's abstract style used as in Gabbeh. The last day of school for girls for a generation. Canadian–Afghan Nafas enters as fake 4th wife & caught.
Harry Belafonte: Sing Your SongHarry Belafonte: Sing Your Song (2011)
4 stars (Very Good) Audio–account from Belafonte's work in Civil Rights & apartheid to famine; Haiti; $1.1–million “fact–finding” trips – Ethiopia & Sudan, https://www.latimes.com/archives/la–xpm–1985–07–07–ca–9327–story.html; Watts Riots LA; Kragen was the real hero.
Courier, TheCourier, The (Ironbark) (2020)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) Well–done; convincing. Terrific acting + excellent script. Tiny glitch; newly–recruited spies cannot dictate terms; so a bit of Bond crept into the Le Carre...but excellent!
Waste LandWaste Land (2010)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) Uplifting & wholly unique DVD. Art is used to bridge the gulf between the haves & have–nots. Catadores revealed to be of beauty & integrity. Unlike 'Slumdog Millionaire', it's real & true. Vik is a visionary photographer who creates miracle montages.
Water Lilies of Monet: The Magic of Water and LightWater Lilies of Monet: The Magic of Water and Light (2018)
5 stars (Exceptional) Nex Digital. Very insightful. Loved the fine commentaries on his beloved landscapes. I've seen most of his paintings but never Giverny. I won't miss that next time! I'm curious as to how many gardeners Monet could afford – not 10, as now, I imagine.
DVD $29.95
Leap YearLeap Year (2010)
4 stars (Very Good) HBO. Light romantic comedy, well–acted. Subtle in places.
PinaPina (2011)Aro Favourite
5 stars (Exceptional) A very unusual visual feast, but strictly art. Exceptional photography & sound. Slender dancers of great discipline lack body hair. Amazing choreography & camera–work. A film of genius.
Blu-Ray $24.95 $18.70
BurningBurning (2018)Recommended
2 stars (Good Try) Great camera–work & atmospheric, but slow & boring in places. Needs plot development & is thus superficial. Deadly slow!
DVD $29.95
Girls Can't SurfGirls Can't Surf (2020)
4 stars (Very Good) A cheery diversion & a great feminist movie, focussing on a small but fired–up group. Filmed in Australia, California, S. Africa, France & Hawaii. Once admitted, the prizes for women were half those of men. Full acceptance took 20 years.
DVD $29.95
Children of MenChildren of Men (2006)Aro Favourite
5 stars (Exceptional) Hatred of refugees in England well–captured in this frightening but not unconvincing vision of the future. Exceptional extras on disc 2, especially the last: "The Possibility of Hope" by James Lovelock etc. Convincing must–watch predictions.
Hope GapHope Gap (2019)
4 stars (Very Good) A beautiful & moving film, finely paced. Great acting, script and camera work. Sensitive.
SidewaysSideways (2004)Aro Favourite
3 stars (Good Enough) Very American and very dated – a bad combination. Quite a good script, though. Few Pinots are grown in the area shown, so for a wine drinker, uninformative.
DVD $14.95 $11.20
DonbassDonbass (2018)
1 star (Turkey) Confusing and very depressing. The 'humour' in it had no appeal for me
Romantic RoadRomantic Road (2017)
4 stars (Very Good) Sensitive, intelligent, amusing & beautiful. A lovely, eccentric true film. Intelligent & witty Indian, Nepali & Bangladeshi characters enliven the whole movie, as in real life.
DVD $29.95
Kite Runner, TheKite Runner, The (2007)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) Upper–class Afghans in the 70s. Great story & scenery, made in Chinese Sinkiang (Kashgar & Tashkurgan). Part–funded by China, but a great film and accurate. Few shots of Kabul now ruined, just like Sinkiang. SFO is real. Taliban hatred of Hazari is real.
DVD $20 $15
I Am GretaI Am Greta (2020)
3 stars (Good Enough) Not really a glimpse of her inner life. Rather a portrait of one driven by her father's ambition. I think she's a hero, but here she is a puppet. The film doesn't do justice to this brave girl, nor does it explain how she is such a brilliant speaker.
DVD $29.95
Far from VietnamFar from Vietnam (1967)
4 stars (Very Good) Brilliant, but challenging. Very French perspective. Highlights for me were the scenes of war–torn Hanoi & interview with Fidel Castro advising that US technological superiority can never enable victory against guerrillas. Protest scenes in DC too long.
Echo in the CanyonEcho in the Canyon (2018)
3 stars (Good Enough) Good–quality sound & about music, not personalities. Goes back to the first bands from there successfully melding folk & rock, an initiative surprisingly taken from The Beatles. Contemporary musicians mostly front, led by Dylan's lacklustre son, Jakop.
A White, White DayA White, White Day (2019)Recommended
4 stars (Very Good) Great acting & style. I went to Hofn, SE Iceland, where the house is, & Oddasskard, further east, before the road came. 'House' built as telco centre 1992 but as landlines removed, bought by Hofn–born Dir. as an Arts Centre. Mist from nearby Gulf Stream
DVD $29.95
Tintoretto: A Rebel in VeniceTintoretto: A Rebel in Venice (2019)
4 stars (Very Good) Nexo Digital. Work of this vastly prolific artist is mostly still in Venice. Unique paintings of muscular women (except his daughter) based on men, as X–rays show. Hughes' better film GOYA focuses more on essences. Lovely city views.
DVD $29.95
Up The YangtzeUp The Yangtze (2007)Aro Favourite
5 stars (Exceptional) Spectacular & very interesting. Sharp contrast between the upwardly mobile Middle Classes & rural poor poor, living on the margins, but all believe in education for their kids. Vividly expresses the varied personal character of the Chinese people.
Van Der Valk (TV Series)Van Der Valk (TV Series) (1972-1992)
1 star (Turkey) Sadly dated. I read many of the Freeling novels 1962–1967 & enjoyed them at the time. But pace and cleverly–plotted thrillers have vastly improved since 1970 when these first two series were made.
DVD $109.95
Erin BrockovichErin Brockovich (2000)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) Perfect tight scripting, cast & acting shows what Hollywood is capable of. A really important film; no fantasy this but gritty reality, as relevant here as in California. It's a great film, serious and funny. Watch the extras too – meet the real Erin!
DVD $14.95 $11.20
Into the LabyrinthInto the Labyrinth (L'uomo del labirinto) (2019)
2 stars (Good Try) Scary & very weird, but overly complex.
Translators, TheTranslators, The (Les Traducteurs) (2020)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) Quite unique & totally brilliant – from "whoa–to go"! A very witty thriller, both gripping and extremely funny, in an intelligent way. And packed full of extra literary jokes, for good measure. Bizarre and different & highly recommended.
DVD $29.95
Notebook, TheNotebook, The (2004)Recommended
3 stars (Good Enough) A good old–fashioned US romance. Rich girls & poor boys. A fine study of "class–less" America in year two of WW2, not that you'd notice. And everyone seems to have a well–tuned car. The insularity of US society and ignorance of the world is very eviden
Control RoomControl Room (2004)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) Great US doco. Shows vital role of media in modern warfare. Al Jazeera, with an audience of 50 million is, along with BBC News, is ranked as the top news channel in the world today. The many 'Extras' on this DVD are also a must–watch.
DVD $20 $10
Roman J. Israel, Esq.Roman J. Israel, Esq. (2017)Aro Favourite
5 stars (Exceptional) 122 min. This extraordinary movie is, I fear, rather accurate. Roman Israel is very likeable. A complex, moving account of racism in American today. Exceptionally informative & gripping. Examines moral transgressions like no other similar film.
DVD $20 $15
Baby DoneBaby Done (2020)Recommended
3 stars (Good Enough) Very funny and interesting. Classic Matafeo. I loved the Kiwi reality!
DVD $29.95
Room 212Room 212 (Chambre 212, On a Magical Night) (2019)
1 star (Turkey) A sort of sex comedy; the usual French floss. Very Middle–class, but quite an interesting plot. Too many cigarettes & not enough sleep cause this syndrome. Drags towards end, with a ridiculous finale.
DVD $29.95
John Pilger's Return TicketJohn Pilger's Return Ticket (South Africa: Apartheid Did Not Die; Frontline: In Search Of Truth In Wartime; Vietnam: The Last Battle) (1988-1995)Aro Favourite
4 stars (Very Good) John Pilger has much of great value to say and his films are always interesting. Way better than 'Downton Abbey'!
New Zealand Wars, TheNew Zealand Wars, The (1999)Recommended
3 stars (Good Enough) A great way to learn about our history if you are interested in understandings.
DVD $24.95 $18.70, $69.95 $50
Noam Chomsky: Power and Terror In Our TimesNoam Chomsky: Power and Terror In Our Times (2002)
4 stars (Very Good) One man who really does make a difference! Pity that most other Americans are ignorant and deeply self–centered.
DVD $19.95 $10
Amandla!Amandla! (A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony) (2002)Recommended
4 stars (Very Good) Great music, brave times! well worth watching/keeping. They are mostly all dead now, but certainly not forgotten.
Fog of War, TheFog of War, The (2003)Aro Favourite
4 stars (Very Good) Wisdom of hindsight, indeed! Overpaid & coddled US officials need to get a lot closer to 'ground zero' before playing 'God' in poor countries. McNamara has said a lot of sensible things since, but at the time he made cruel & evil decisions.
DVD $19.95 $14.95
Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill, TheWild Parrots of Telegraph Hill, The (2004)Recommended
3 stars (Good Enough) Indulgent, but interesting if you a fan of the now supremely unaffordable Haight–Ashbury area, still full of delights.
DVD $20 $15
Crude Awakening, ACrude Awakening, A (Oil Crash) (2006)
3 stars (Good Enough) Worth watching!
Fire in BabylonFire in Babylon (2010)
3 stars (Good Enough) Worth watching, even for non–cricket fans. The Australian team are absolute beasts. Well captures the undertow of racism in sport and the courage of coloured folk to compete.
Page One: Inside the New York TimesPage One: Inside the New York Times (2011)Aro Favourite
2 stars (Good Try) Interesting but not truly insightful.
Six Minutes to MidnightSix Minutes to Midnight (2020)
3 stars (Good Enough) Quite good.
DVD $19.95 $14.95
Wild Mountain ThymeWild Mountain Thyme (2020)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) Delightful Irish rustic romance. Very imaginative script and direction. One of the most delightful & popular movies of 2020. Don't be put off by the clunky title, this movie is a delight fit to cheer the hearts of everyone. Great acting.
DVD $29.95 | Blu-Ray $34.95
Who You Think I AmWho You Think I Am (Celle que vous croyez) (2019)Recommended
4 stars (Very Good) Terrific– very real & contemporary. Juliette Binoche is brilliant in any role! A very intense, complex psychological thriller – ambitious, & remains in the mind. The loneliness of modern apt. living is very well conveyed.
DVD $29.95
Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My VoiceLinda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice (2019)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) Captures her incredibly wide & moving musical trajectory very well. A fiercely independent woman with enormous talent. I once thought of her as "too commercial" – whatever that means!– but this movie changes all that. Great new childhood footage.
It Must Be HeavenIt Must Be Heaven (2019)Recommended
1 star (Turkey) A very strange film. Unappealing. Stilted.
DVD $29.95
HoneylandHoneyland (2019)Recommended
87 mins.
Vita and VirginiaVita and Virginia (2018)
5 stars (Exceptional) Brilliant casting of the original Bohemians. "Independence has no sex" somehow forgotten in the supposedly progressive 60s. Shows the Bloomsbury set as kind & idealistic – not wholly true. Vita's writing & creative skills underestimated. Terrific actin
Dirty Pretty ThingsDirty Pretty Things (2002)Aro Favourite
5 stars (Exceptional) Fascinating. Deeply likeable characters & complex plots. The underbelly of London society & the difficulties, fear & threats faced in what is usually presented as a tolerant, liberal society. Audrey Tatou is terrific because of her reserve & intensity.
Klimt and Schiele: Eros and PsycheKlimt and Schiele: Eros and Psyche (2018)
5 stars (Exceptional) Spectacular – very intelligent & subtle commentary. Women are no longer contained in this great account of the revolutionary social change that occurred in Vienna in the late 19th & early 20thC, driven by sheer genius. A key era in social perception.
DVD $29.95
ResistanceResistance (2020)
5 stars (Exceptional) 122 mins. Never flags for a second. Horrifying & fascinating. Extremely upsetting in parts. It's a lovely, brave film.rnhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYGcXcX6LMI
In the Name Of The LandIn the Name Of The Land (2019)
3 stars (Good Enough) Pedestrian at first, but with realistic & likeable characters. Then it speeds up & becomes dramatic. The hard father (who mysteriously never ages!) is certainly a typical French farmer from an earlier generation.
DVD $29.95
A Hidden LifeA Hidden Life (2019)
2 stars (Good Try) Dreadfully slow, melodramatic. Weak script & plot. Nazis shot 15,000 objectors, US jailed 6000 & NZ 800. Only accuracy is utter corruption of the Church, still bribed today by German & Austrian taxes. A river of gold to the Vatican (12 b euros, 2020).
Beatles, The: Eight Days a WeekBeatles, The: Eight Days a Week (2016)Aro Favourite
4 stars (Very Good) Heaps of re–processed film from the early days. Well captures the magic & hysteria. 1st disc well–structured, 2nd less so, but FAR more interesting content about what made The Beatles so unique. Loved the footage of teenage girl fans & their reminisces!
Saint JudySaint Judy (2018)
5 stars (Exceptional) Likeable characters; very well–played. Great plot & script keeps you guessing. Very accurately portrays current situation in Afghanistan today with the Taliban. Realistic and very moving. Recommended for anyone who strongly cares about women's lives.
Prado Museum, The: A Collection of WondersPrado Museum, The: A Collection of Wonders (2019)
5 stars (Exceptional) Filmed in Nevo digital & of exceptional visual quality. Great intro. by Jeremy Irons & many experts. Much more than a tour of one of the world's great galleries but also of Spanish history & perceptions. Staggeringly good!
DVD $29.95
Mystery of Henri Pick, TheMystery of Henri Pick, The (Le mystère Henri Pick) (2019)Recommended
4 stars (Very Good) A witty script; fresh & delightfully different. Deflates the literary establishment & at the same time is a curious mystery; a classic film–within–a–film. A spoof on TV reviewers & French regional parochialism; dedicated instead to writers & publishers.
DVD $29.95 $20, $29.95
At Five in the AfternoonAt Five in the Afternoon (Panj é asr) (2003)Recommended
4 stars (Very Good) Unusual. 1st movie of Afghanistan after Taliban. Shows the idealism of young women despite their absolute poverty. Great landscapes & amazing scenes in ruined Presidential Palace. EXTRA with Director is a MUST; also her remarkable hands–on style.
Hitsville: The Making of MotownHitsville: The Making of Motown (2019)
4 stars (Very Good) After STANDING IN THE SHADOWS OF MOTOWN this is hard work knowing how Gordy exploits his musicians & stars. I watched HITSVILLE 3 times to fairly judge Gordy, ruthless in business, but one of few blacks to run a record co. The DVDS complement each other.
ColetteColette (2018)Recommended
4 stars (Very Good) Witty script exploited by the passionate & intelligent acting of Knightley, perfectly suited to the role. It's really about trust. Complaints that the movie is not in French are silly, vs. acceptance of Irish films in English, not Gaelic.
Things to ComeThings to Come (L'avenir) (2016)
1 star (Turkey) I find Isabelle Huppert dully bourgeoise among French actresses. As usual, she dominates, with her rapid movements & staccato speech, which is hard to follow on the inadequate subtitles unless you are fluent in French. Not interesting.
FriskyFrisky (2015)
1 star (Turkey) Maybe the worst SF movie ever made. Only the scenery impresses, with lots of Mexican labor to keep those nice NZ kauri houses immaculate. Unwatchable trivia.
BaitBait (2019)Aro Favourite
4 stars (Very Good) Unusual. Fascinating EXTRAS such as long interview w/Mark Kermode where Jenkin explains his techniques, motives & that most of the 'actors' are his relatives!! WW1 vintage films included incl. promo for the Great Western Railway & other poetic snippets.
RosieRosie (2018)
3 stars (Good Enough) Heartbreaking – but realistic & relevant to NZ today. Courage of all in the face of knock–backs is moving. I wondered whether the bureaucracy could get away with this exploitation of the homeless in the absence of cell phones? Hand–held camera work.
DVD $29.95
NomadlandNomadland (2020)Aro Favourite
5 stars (Exceptional) Stunning! Frances McDormand is just amazingly convincing & the real homeless folk filmed have much of interest to say. Amazon takes a well–deserved heavy hit & worth watching just to see how these folk are exploited. Plot moves along at a good clip.
AmmoniteAmmonite (2020)
4 stars (Very Good) Kate & Saoirse are, as usual, marvelous but the plot is rather slow–moving, a bit like the geological processes themselves. These are unexplained because they were not understood until the later time of the great Charles Lyell.
SummerlandSummerland (2019)
5 stars (Exceptional) Outstanding performance by Atherton & a great plot; a truly lovely DVD. Disagree strongly with cynical EMPIRE review.
DVD $29.95
Promising Young WomanPromising Young Woman (2020)Aro Favourite
5 stars (Exceptional) Brilliant performance by Carey Mulligan even though the events depicted are sordid, if real. A wonderful film, not just for women, but for everyone.
Marriage StoryMarriage Story (2019)Aro Favourite
2 stars (Good Try) Wooden acting & predictable script, this Netflix rom–com is narcissistic & parochial. Covers no new ground nor offers any insights except maybe that marriage is stupid. Only Laura Dern's character says anything interesting, but with faux passion.
Under the Same MoonUnder the Same Moon (La Misma Luna) (2007)
4 stars (Very Good) A terrific film full of raw courage, tragedy & humour. A fabulous Mexican film full of love and totally relevant to today's US exploitation of Latin labor.
Reader, TheReader, The (2008)
5 stars (Exceptional) Profound. Kate Winslet & Ralph Fiennes are exceptional. The screenplay by top writer David Hare is powerful. But do Michael's weakness at Hanna's trial suggest that such is widespread in Germany, where appearances count for all? Yes.
David Crosby: Remember My NameDavid Crosby: Remember My Name (2019)
5 stars (Exceptional) The most intimate portrait of any popular musician I have ever seen. Raw in places, but Crosby was always known as "difficult". It's very honest, but he doesn't hide his talent – or love of women. He's now 76. Watch Laurel Canyon first.
DVD $24.95
Jeune FemmeJeune Femme (Montparnasse Bienvenüe) (2017)
1 star (Turkey) Very French, even the irritating background "music'. Perhaps made just to 'showcase' a new young star? The cat, however, is impressively docile. Consists of serial vignettes. Moving extra 'Body' captures the loneliness of the mother.
PersepolisPersepolis (2007)Aro Favourite
5 stars (Exceptional) See Teheran in the last days of the Shah & the rise of the Islamic Republic through the eyes of a child (Satrapi). Both funny/sad, great graphics, very realistic. Learn more of this outstanding Director in her interview w/Rosamund Pike, RADIOACTIVE extra.
RadioactiveRadioactive (2019)
4 stars (Very Good) Rosamund Pike carries this great story. In the EXTRAS her interview with Marjane casts much light on the movie. Her performance, melodramatic in places and elsewhere naïve for such a brilliant woman successfully merges her passion with realism.
Assistant, TheAssistant, The (2019)Aro Favourite
3 stars (Good Enough) Shows the viciously degrading exploitation of dedicated young women staff by many men. For me, a bit too realistic to be interesting. Certainly well shows the inefficiency and aggressive nature of open–plan offices, if nothing else.
Laurel CanyonLaurel Canyon (2020)
5 stars (Exceptional) Rare footage, tightly edited. Dense account of a decade of great music. Well told by Diltz and another photographer, onlookers of the scene. How living there affected Joni Mitchell. Not nostalgia, but a structured analysis.
DVD $29.95
Souvenir, TheSouvenir, The (2019)Recommended
2 stars (Good Try) Sunderland (UK), the town where most people voted for BREXIT because they didn't like Polish migrants. So Nissan moved it's European plant to Poland – surprise! But I found this a weird and dissatisfying film.
Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The BandOnce Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band (2019)
3 stars (Good Enough) Older Robertson looks back. Robbie's fantasies about what was not so smooth. Ronnie Hawkins is good. The Band is impressive after BIG PINK but for me the magic of THE LAST WALTZ is not recaptured.
Last Black Man in San Francisco, TheLast Black Man in San Francisco, The (2019)Recommended
3 stars (Good Enough) Interestingly different, with a rather distinctive humour. A harsh and true criticism of the gentrification of the heart of the residential district of SF so that most ordinary people cannot live there anymore. A lesson for South Auckland?
Eyes of Orson Welles, TheEyes of Orson Welles, The (2018)
5 stars (Exceptional) A stunning Irish paean to the genius & courage of Welles across many fields. Utterly unique. Welles as an artist is a revelation. Sensitive dialogue – I especially liked his 3rd daughter – the "rocker chick". Not to be missed!
Sea FeverSea Fever (2019)
3 stars (Good Enough) Scarily realistic sci–fi made by Scandinavian filmmakers on a traditional Irish fishing vessel with a bright young PhD student on board. A whispery soundtrack makes it hard to follow despite some subtitles.
DVD $24.95
Hermitage: The Power of ArtHermitage: The Power of Art (Ermitage. Il potere dell'arte) (2019)
5 stars (Exceptional) Great cinematography & excellent commentary. Deeply informative & spectacular not only about the Hermitage but also the history of St Petersburg and what makes it so special. Terrific – not boring.
DVD $29.95
Booksellers, TheBooksellers, The (2019)
3 stars (Good Enough) For aficionados, a record of a lost world–thanks to the internet. Unlike the great US & UK docos on vinyl stores struggling on, this is humorless. Substandard cinematography. Simple explanations of why some books have value and others not would help.
DVD $29.95
Mother is Wrong (TV Mini-series)Mother is Wrong (TV Mini-series) (Maman a tort) (2018)
5 stars (Exceptional) Very excellent & gripping policier but all characters realistic & likeable. V. intense & complex, but heartbreaking. Spectacularly shot in Le Havre, which adds a special quality. English subtitles a bit fast. Terrific!
DVD $34.95
Insult, TheInsult, The (2017)Recommended
1 star (Turkey) A tiresome movie. Avoid.
DVD $29.95
WavesWaves (2006)Recommended
4 stars (Very Good) Unique film about Chinese teenage girls gradually adapting to life at HVHS (mostly) & our very different culture. Very realistic; captures the true character of the students and their adaptive strategies. Highly recommended & moving.
BarakaBaraka (1993)Aro Favourite
4 stars (Very Good) Visually stunning, no dialogue; overwhelming as to world population size.
ProximaProxima (2019)Recommended
5 stars (Exceptional) Far more substantial than "Gravity", Eva Green and her screen daughter Stella both act with power and sensitivity. This is a stunning film and very moving.
DVD $29.95

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