What is all this bitching about "Volver" being inferior to Pedro Almodovar's previous movies? Personally, I think it is one of Almodovar's very best. Ignore the critics and judge for yourself!

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Since last year the European Film Festival joined forces with Filmvondsten, the summer event of the Royal Belgian Film Archive, which holds a similar view on cinema. As usual, many Cannes premieres will be shown during the first week of July. This is my personal selection before I move southwards :

THE WAY I SPENT THE END OF THE WORLD (Catalin Mitulescu)

Dorotheea Petra (Eva) won the prize for Best Actress in the Un Certain Regard section at this year's Cannes film festival

12:08 EAST OF BUCHAREST (Corneliu Porumboiu)

winner of the prestigious Caméra d'Or Award for best debut at the latest edition of the Cannes film festival

IKLIMLER (Nuri Bilge Ceylan)

I'm counting the days to see the third film by this brilliant Turkish director (remember "Uzak")

TO GET TO HEAVEN FIRST YOU HAVE TO DIE (Djamshed Usmonov)

After "Angel on the Right," the new film from Djamshed Usmonov featuring Dinara Kroukarova

SEHNSUCHT (Valeska Grisebach)

Officiel Selection from the last Berlinale 2006

LUXURY CAR (Wang Chao)

from the maker of "The Orphan of Anyang" and recipient of the 'Un certain regard' prize at the latest Cannes festival

FANTASMA (Lisandro Alonso)

the third feature from Lisandro Alonso after the amazing "La Libertad" and the brilliant "Los Muertos"

SOLNTSE (Alexander Sokurov)

the master of contemporary Russian cinema with his latest masterpiece

I hope I will still have some time left for record reviews and packing my bags...

Full Frontal Attack

BATTLESHIP's debut album "Presents Princess" on Mitch Cardwell's Raw Deluxe label was one of my favourite records of 2004 so when I read about an upcoming European tour a couple of months ago, I immediately contacted my pals at the mighty Pit's. "Presents Princess" was limited to 500 vinyl copies, sold out a long time ago and was released on CD a couple of months ago by On/On Switch. A few weeks ago a new 7" called "To Give, Not A Gift" has been released on Double Negative Records and Greg "Gris Gris" Ashley finished recording the new album. After witnessing Battleship on the shitty Pit's stage yesterday, I think the new album is going to be a totally different experience than the first one. Live, the band blasted out some maniacal spazzcore in the vein of Melt Banana and The Locust, gone were the Gang Of Four-like rhythms of the first record. Still curious about it though...