L'Âge d'Or/Filmvondsten 2010 (part 5)

EASTERN DRIFT (**)

There are more dialogues in Sharunas Bartas’ latest film than in all his previous ones together. Unfortunately, the hypnotising effect of his previous work is also gone in this Russian mafia gangster flic. A sad conclusion.


CHANTRAPAS (**)

A comedy about the trials and tribulations a Georgian filmmaker endures at home and in exile in France. I prefered Otar Iosseliani’s previous 3 films over his latest one.


OCTUBRE (***1/2)

A delightful and impressive feature debut from Peruvian co-helming brothers Daniel and Diego Vega about a bitter moneylender who’s forced to care for an abandoned baby. Read more about it here and go see this little gem if you get the chance!

L'Âge d'Or/Filmvondsten 2010 (part 4)

HOW I ENDED THIS SUMMER (****)

Majestic psychological drama about two men isolated at a meteorological station on an Arctic island. One day one of them picks up a radio message with tragic news that he doesn’t dare to communicate to the other. Winner of three Silver Bears (for both lead actors and cinematography) at the 2010 Berlin Film Festival.


DES FILLES EN NOIR (***)

Intense drama about the suicide pact between two French gothic girls. Extra points for the sublime ending.


EL VUELCO DEL CANGREJO (*1/2)

Unexceptional docu-style film about a young man who arrives in a remote seaside village and lives among the impoverished people while he waits for a boat.

L'Âge d'Or/Filmvondsten 2010 (part 3)

MYNA SE VA (**1/2)

Shocking low-budget video about a young illegal immigrant woman who babysits an injured young boy and gets brutally raped by a doctor. The 33-minutes violent sex scene is definitely not for the faint-hearted! Disconcerting but sincere.


O ESTRANHO CASO DE ANGÉLICA (***)

101-year-old Portuguese director Manoel de Oliveira shows no sign of fading out. “All of recent De Oliveira is here: the static long takes with purposely stiff acting and artificial dialogue; the ultra-dry, almost arid, humor; the superb cinematography and impeccable mise-en-scene; the subtle attacks on the stuffy bourgeoisie; the preoccupation with the poetic imagination; and so on. In this film, all is pleasantly leavened with a gorgeous and ethereal piano score.” (The Hollywood Reporter)


NOSTALGIA DE LA LUZ (***1/2)

Compelling film that links astronomy and archaeology with Pinochet’s political repression thirty years ago. Another essential documentary by Patricio Guzmán!

L'Âge d'Or/Filmvondsten 2010 (part 2)

NÉNETTE (***)

An inspired documentary about a 40-year-old Borneo-born orangutan who has been living for the past 37 years at the Paris Gardens of Plants Zoo. Nénette is shown in closeup from the visitor’s side of the glass while unseen visitors and zookeepers discuss her history and habits. A nice experiment!


BOXING GYM (***)

Joyous documentary from the 80-year-old veteran Frederick Wiseman about a small boxing gym in Austin, Texas where people from all age groups and walk of life come to exercise. No interviews nor voiceovers which is a true delight since Wiseman lets the images speak for themselves.


MY JOY (***)

Challenging film feature debut by renowned Belarus-born documaker Sergei Loznitsa, set in a violence-filled & corrupt countryside. Excellent visual style!

L'Âge d'Or/Filmvondsten 2010

THE ANCHORAGE (0)


An extremely dull documentary-style film that follows an elderly woman who lives isolated on a remote Swedish island. Every morning, she walks to the sea where she (unfortunately for the viewer) bathes naked, goes shopping with her boat, catches fish and listens to the radio. Totally uninspiring and at times rather pretentious. An art house turd to avoid!

THE PORTUGUESE NUN (**)


I really loved Eugène Green’s previous feature LE PONT DES ARTS but found his new film rather disappointing. His baroque theatre simply doesn’t enchant this time. A half-baked ode to Manoel de Oliveira, filmed in Lissabon.

NOTHING PERSONAL (**)


Another writer-director from Holland who tries to make an art house hit and makes me yawn. A manipulating plot and inept character development although I must admit that the latter is probably due to the film reels being played in the wrong order. Still, I found this film artificial (I hated the intertitles) and rather implausible although the cameraman really succeeds in capturing the austere beauty of western Ireland on lens.