**Captain Miller is Dhanush's most rugged and raw film cinematically with promising conflicts and spectacular staging from Arun Matheswaran**
My Score : 78/100
Captain Miller is undoubtedly the most jagged and gritty staging of Dhanush in a long time. Arun Matheswaran rightfully integrates dacoity, fight for independence and well staged conflicts within the film. He has added brutal gunfights and action choreography is well done throughout while keeping the core emotions elevated at rightful intervals. The presentation of Britishers is pretty stereotypical and repetitive but we can't complain. The music by GV Prakash Kumar is gripping and the background score is efficiently edited into the screenplay. Captain Miller song and its timing is a piece of mass we crave for. The film's runtime is a bit long at 160mins which could have been crisply edited to make more impact. However the cameos are the highlight which sets us up for a rewarding climax.
Dhanush is presented as a resilient ruffian against the Britishers who has done his job brilliantly. He has presented all his emotions be it rage , agony, fear and his insecurities with such conviction that he still stays in my list of most hard-work actors of this generation. He is spectacular in the action scenes and equally magical in his vulnerable scenes. Shivrajkumar even though present for short screentime is given the magical staging he deserves. Sundeep Kishan underutilized but solid while he is on screen. Priyanka Arul Mohan gives an promising performance with scope for improvement. John Kokken seriously needs acting lessons as he was very distracting and annoying.
Overall, Captain Miller is a promising start for Arun Matheswaran antiques in mass movies. His excellence lies in how well he establishes conflicts and stages raw violence in his films without going overboard. Dhanush's 3 year long sweat is undoubtedly worthy of a watch as this is just the beginning of a devil that Britishers haven't fathomed. The best is yet to come. Kudos to rooted and grounded cinema by Arun which deserves applause.
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Amaran is a moving tribute to Major Mukund Varadarajan and it’s a commercial action film that was wonderfully progressed with an emotional touch. The movie where Sivakarthikeyan and Sai Pallavi lead the cast points towards the struggles of soldiers and their families and the main focus is on ‘Mukund’s wife ‘Indhu.’
From the time I watched Amaran, I noticed the real emotions put into this movie, but equally Sai Pallavi. The movements through the lens embraced the tidewater essence of Kashmir and sharpened the film’s lovers’ themes of the price of love. They did not make me feel like I was doing something I can usually do with the movies I watch at home or even with the games I play on my PlayStation., but the emotional story of the film kept me glued to my seat.
Under all these facts, one can note that Amaran successfully maintains respect and honor towards the main hero and reveals an interesting story that keeps the viewer engaged after the end of the film.
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Basically the film shows about a person on changing his character for the true love and affection,where the director has included few of the comedy scenes which made audience to laugh and enjoy the movie.

A film by SSRajamouli, which is one of 4 movies made by SSRajamouli for Jr. NTR and all of which are critical and box-office successes. Much like other Jr. NTR movies that focuses on actions and has shades of Rakhi in the storylines, this one delivers a twist in the same vein as in Bahubali the Beginning, with a trusted person doing the traitorous deed on the hero, and who has a secondary character as Singamalai. Jr. NTR's physique here tend to distract the viewer and therefore suspends one's belief of a powerful person who is young and chubby at the same time. Story and acting-wise, this is a good movie, delivering several reveals that one isn't even anticipating about and gives a plain satisfaction in the end. NTR is a really good actor and this somehow manages to make NTR the superstar he is right now even after a string of Box Office disappointments.

Superb movie of this season

Honeymoon Express is a Telugu romantic comedy that attempts to explore the complexities of marriage through the journey of a young couple. My experience watching the film was a mix of mild amusement and frustration, as it presented a familiar storyline but struggled to deliver an engaging narrative.
The film revolves around a couple who, feeling disillusioned with their married life, decide to take a second honeymoon in hopes of rekindling their relationship. While the premise has potential, I found the execution lacking, with inconsistent writing and a predictable plot that failed to keep my interest. The performances by Chaitanya Rao and Hebah Patel were decent, but they couldn't elevate the material significantly.
The music by Kalyani Malik added some charm to the film, enhancing certain scenes, but it wasn't enough to save it from its overall shortcomings. The pacing felt uneven, and some comedic moments fell flat, leaving me wishing for more depth and originality.
Overall, Honeymoon Express is an underwhelming experience that may appeal to those looking for light entertainment but ultimately leaves much to be desired in terms of storytelling and character development. It’s a forgettable addition to the rom-com genre that didn’t quite resonate with me.
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Hi Nanna is such a heartwarming watch. Holds your attention from the first frame and surprises you with the twists & turns through the narrative. Has the heart at its right place, evokes laughter, makes you emotional and finally leaves you on a happy note.
Nani, Mrunal Thakur and Baby Kiara Khanna deliver a formidable performance, that stays with you. It's a love story that will live with the audience for years to come.
It's a MUST watch!

Hi Nanna is a reaffirming tale of love & resilience which is heartwarming and endearing throughout
My Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (86/100)
Hi Nanna is a poignant journey of a single father which is heartfelt and feel good in its entirety. Director Shouryuv 's debut film and he has done a marvelous job in telling a well written story. The most beautiful part of the film is it's rich music, scored by Hesham Abdul Wahab. His work definitely enhanced the emotional journey. The screenplay is well done, but many unnecessary scenes seemed forced, just like that idiotic Shruti Hasan song but Nani holds the fort which a charming and magnetic performance and the raw emotions make it a difficult film to dislike.
Nani is truly admirable because his choices of film needs a lot of praise. He is commendable, be it scenes of him being excited in love or being practical about his situation he shines in all the frames he comes in. The little kid Kiara Khanna cuteness and her innocence is what the film scores high on too. She is just adorable throughout. Mrunal has done a commendable job as for someone who doesn't know the language, her lip sync with the Telugu artist is extremely believable. Priyadarshi and Jayaram fantastic supporting performances.
Overall, Hi Nanna is no masterpiece nor a film with minimal flaws, but what it strives to achieve is entertain the audience with a wholesome emotional story and it's does that quite well. Urge you to watch this, if dramatic family movies with romance is your liking. I was pleasantly surprised.
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**_Salaar_**: A **Blockbuster** That Redefines Action Cinema
**Rating: ★★★★½**
_When you think of a cinematic experience that blends raw intensity, gripping storytelling, and larger-than-life action sequences, "**_Salaar_**" stands tall as a modern marvel. Directed by the visionary Prashanth Neel, and starring none other than the Megastar Prabhas, this film hits all the right notes to redefine the action genre in Indian cinema._
From the very first frame, Salaar grips you with its dark, gritty undertones. The film transports you into a world where chaos reigns and morality is constantly in question. Prabhas as Salaar is an unstoppable force—a man of few words but with a presence that commands every scene he's in. His transformation into a ruthless yet charismatic rebel is nothing short of spectacular, delivering one of the most power-packed performances of his career.
Prashanth Neel’s direction shines throughout the movie. If you're familiar with his previous works like KGF, you know what to expect—action that is stylized yet grounded, massive set pieces, and a deep emotional core. Salaar is no different, but it feels fresh, offering a darker, more intense narrative. The film’s pacing keeps you on the edge of your seat, and while the screenplay dives deep into a complex plot, it never loses the audience.
The action choreography is the heart of this movie, and it's nothing short of breathtaking. Brutal yet beautiful, the fight sequences are designed to send adrenaline through your veins. Prabhas’ stunts and hand-to-hand combat scenes are among the best you’ll see, executed with finesse and raw power. The cinematography captures every punch, kick, and explosion with razor-sharp precision, while Ravi Basrur's background score elevates the tension and stakes with each scene.
But Salaar isn’t just about relentless action. It has a strong emotional core. The relationships and backstory are deeply layered, especially between Salaar and his close allies. Shruti Haasan, playing the female lead, offers grace and strength to the narrative, though her role could have had more depth.
The film's production value is top-notch, from its detailed set design to the larger-than-life world-building. The dark and brooding atmosphere is complemented perfectly by its intense dialogues and powerful performances by the supporting cast, including Jagapathi Babu, who delivers an unforgettable antagonist performance.
The only minor drawback is that the complexity of the plot can occasionally feel overwhelming, and certain subplots are left underdeveloped. However, those minor hiccups don’t take away from the overall grandeur and scale that Salaar offers.
In conclusion, Salaar is a cinematic event you simply cannot miss. It's a perfect amalgamation of action, emotion, and thrill, making it a blockbuster in every sense of the word. Prabhas has once again proven why he is a pan-Indian superstar, while Prashanth Neel's directorial brilliance cements his place as one of the most talented filmmakers in the industry today.
**Salaar is not just a movie—it’s an experience. And if you're a fan of heart-pounding action and gripping drama, prepare to be blown away.**

Prashant Neil has once again proven himself as a maestro of the action genre with his latest cinematic offering. This adrenaline-pumping spectacle is a rollercoaster ride from start to finish, leaving audiences on the edge of their seats and hungry for more.
From the very first frame, Neil's signature style is evident – a perfect blend of heart-pounding action, gripping storytelling, and stunning visuals. The narrative is tight, keeping the audience engaged and invested in the characters' journeys. Neil's directorial prowess shines through as he effortlessly weaves together a complex plot with well-developed characters, creating a movie experience that is as emotionally resonant as it is action-packed.
The action sequences are nothing short of breathtaking. Neil's keen eye for detail and his commitment to practical effects elevate every fight scene to a jaw-dropping display of choreography and intensity. The stunt work is impeccable, and the cinematography captures the fast-paced action with precision, ensuring that every punch, kick, and explosion is felt in the pit of your stomach.
Prashant Neil's choice of cast deserves applause, with each actor delivering a compelling performance. The lead not only embodies the physicality required for the role but also brings depth to the character, making them relatable and adding layers to the overall narrative. The supporting cast is equally impressive, providing the perfect complement to the protagonist and elevating the movie to new heights.
The film's pacing is spot-on, never allowing a dull moment to creep in. The musical score complements the action perfectly, enhancing the overall cinematic experience. Neil's attention to detail is evident in every frame, and his ability to create tension and excitement is truly commendable.
In summary, Prashant Neil's latest action extravaganza is a triumph in every aspect. It's a pulse-pounding, heart-racing adventure that will leave you breathless and craving more. If you're a fan of intense action, compelling storytelling, and top-notch filmmaking, this movie is an absolute must-see. Neil continues to solidify his place as a master of the action genre, and I eagerly anticipate his next cinematic triumph. ⚡️🎬

Salaar is an Epic "Miss Fire"!
This movie has very weak & generic story, screenplay is colorless, pretentious direction and totally cringe/amateur acting from lead actor. Enough with the too many slow-motion scenes. Salaar is totally disappointment. Don't Waste your money on this.
Salaar is not a cease fire it`s a "Miss Fire."

They say it’s never too late to do the right thing. But how far does that extend? Does it include, for example, atoning for the heinous crimes of a ruthless warlord responsible for the brutal murders of entire villages? Or must such a monster be forced to pay heavily for his crimes? And, in the midst of a debate like this, what would Jesus say? Those are the heady questions raised in this gripping drama about an African woman (Babetida Sadjo) who escapes the vicious atrocities of a cold-blooded strongman after he kills her family and starts her life over as a chef at a nursing home in France. But, when a new priest (Souleymane Sy Savane) unexpectedly shows up at the senior facility, she’s thrown back into the terror of her past when she recognizes the cleric as the man who took her life away from her. What is she to do? How is she to cope? And how will she handle the situation? That’s the story that plays out in writer-director Ellie Foumbi’s brilliant debut feature, a gripping tale that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats. The picture’s mutilayered narrative keeps viewers (and characters) guessing, almost as if both are being toyed with by the filmmaker, but this is carried out so skillfully that one can’t help but remain riveted. The story is effectively fleshed out by the film’s superb ensemble cast (especially the two leads), backed by inventive cinematography, exceedingly clever film editing, a fine background score, an array of subtle touches and a surprising amount of strategically placed, well-executed comic relief. Admittedly there are some modest pacing issues in the middle, but they’re usually employed to set up one of the picture’s many smartly developed plot twists. This 2022-23 Independent Spirit Award nominee for best feature, as well as the recipient of many film festival award wins and nominations, is a well-kept cinematic secret that genuinely deserves wider attention, both as a thoughtful meditation and as an engaging drama. It’s playing in limited release, but it’s well worth the effort to search it out.

"Paul" (Edouard Dermithe) is a young man who comes off rather badly after a snowball fight; one finds it's mark necessitating a visit from their doctor who advises bedrest - on a pretty permanent basis! He is to be looked after by his sister "Elisabeth" (Nicole Stéphane) with whom he shares a room. What now ensues is a hybrid of the sibling and the marital as their love to hate to love relationship, bordering on the incestuous (but never actually more than bordering) evolves. Both characters are handsome to look at, there are undercurrents of homosexuality and depravity - moral, certainly, physical less so - but I have to say I found the whole thing just a bit on the sterile side. It's not that their relationship together, nor with the rather unattractive "Dargelos" (Renée Cosima) needed any sort of visual consummation - it doesn't; but there is little if any chemistry to raise this above a rather statically, though beatifically crafted, story of people who can't live with, or without, each other. i am certainly no expert on Cocteau on Melville, but I ought not to have to be - this film should be able to stand it's own merits, and for me it is just a rather extended, unremarkable family squabble, with occasionally pithy but all to frequently petulant dialogue that 70 years after lacks any real potency.

Decent enough French swashbuckler adventure movie and while I liked the performance from Jean-Paul Belmondo, his character came off as a jack-ass, especially at the end, as he pursues the king's wife despite having a gorgeous wife, named Venus no less. I don't know, his actions left a sour taste. On the plus side, Claudia Cardinale was wonderful (and looking at her IMDb still steadily working) and the fight sequences for the most part were entertaining. **3.0/5**

There are two pivotal women in this film, and it's not going to be easy for the young and impressionable "Olivia" (Marie-Claire Olivia) to decide in which camp to put her feet! She is an English lass who has arrived at a posh finishing school in France where she is welcomed by the school's charismatic and enigmatic "Miss Julie" (Edwige Feuillère) with whom she forms an instant attachment. Then there's the more cutely manipulative "Miss Cara" (Simone Simon) who has some sort undefined illness that sees half the school constantly pampering her and indulging her every need. She, too, is fascinated by their tutor and doesn't take at all kindly to the idea of this visiting, foreign, interloper... To put it mildly there's now an enjoyable frisson developing that has a very slight sexual change to it, too, as the women square up nicely in the most dignified and ladylike of fashions of course. Sure, there are some coming of age elements to the plot, but actually it's the rather subtly played games of jealousy that I liked here. There are few male characters to clutter up the toxicity of the dynamic of longing, yearning and back-stabbing and it proves that some clever writing and decent photography can convey tension and raw desire far more potently than nudity and profanity ever could. Ninety minutes flies by, and it's worth a watch.

By now, we know that "Antoine Doinel" (Jean-Pierre Léaud) is a bit of a scoundrel and the first few scenes here illustrate that to a T! The ink is barely dry on his divorce from "Christine" (Claude Jade), when he is leaving new gal "Sabine" (Dorothée) to meet up with their son "Alphonse". This behaviour rather epitomises the problem for "Sabine" who yearns for just a little more commitment from her flaky boyfriend. He, on the other hand, is continuing to juggle the plates to nobody's particular satisfaction and that's depicted in this entertainingly stitched together drama using a series of flashbacks and contemporaneous storylines that only become more complex when he runs into his original infatuation "Colette" (Marie-France Pisier) - and him without a train ticket, too! For "Antoine" it's all a maelstrom of emotions that surround and immerse him, frequently leaving him flailing, but who might make him happy? Whom might he actually make happy if he stops being selfish long enough? Could he ever be that selfless? There's a fine chemistry here between Léaud and both Pisier and Dorothée as the comedy veers perilously close to slapstick at times, but it does stay just the on right side as his character raises laughs of both empathy and shame as his escapades see his life unravel before us. Truffaut keeps it moving along quickly and there's some observational wit amidst a script that quite poignantly sums up a man I reckon it'd be better not to know - especially if you're a woman.

Godawful opening and closing credits song apart, this final entry into the Antoine Doinel Saga is an enjoyable experience. Fairly briskly paced during the first twenty minutes or so, the film later sinks into a series of unnecessarily lengthy flashbacks, filmed in various aspect ratios.
Jean-Pierre Leaud is his usual charming self and the main reason to watch 'Love on the Run'. One only wishes Truffaut hadn't cannibalized his earlier works to beef up the film's running time.

This film includes some graphic scenes that in any other picture would likely feel extremely gratuitous. And yet, Rendez-vous is so well executed that that isn't the case here. Mind you, the scenes are still very graphic, but they don't feel gratuitous; rather, they feel like a natural and necessary element of the story.
Focusing on a young woman who has moved to Paris to become an actor, the story follows her as she suffers through a range of extremely trying and tumultuous experiences. She is young and vibrant, and sexually free, and yet - perhaps as a direct result of this unguarded personality - she is exploited, taken advantage of, and preyed upon at every moment by the various men who move in and out of her life. The emotional toll this takes on her is plainly evident, and the way that her care-free spirit is slowly stripped away is tragic to witness as the story progresses.
The emotional transformation of Nina is brought to life by Juliette Binoche, in a truly fearless and superb performance. She deserves much credit for this film; she is physically and emotionally exposed throughout, and the authenticity of her performance is never in question. The supporting roles in this film are stellar as well, but not one performance can match that of Binoche. This is her film, through and through.
I found this movie to be quite unique. Paris has never looked more foreboding and working-class as it does here (perhaps save for 400 Blows), the graphic depictions of sex never come across as unnecessary or gratuitous, and the story at the heart of the film feels genuine and tragic. Though I don't know that I would recommend it to anyone but unapologetic cinemaphiles, that in no way diminishes its quality.

Ha! Talk about having your cake and eating it! "François" (Jean-Claude Drouot) is happily married to "Thérèse" (Claire Drouot) and living in a small apartment with their two children "Pierrot" and "Gisou". They are a loving couple and seem perfectly content with life. Then "François" is despatched to do some work away from home and when calling his boss from the post office encounters "Émilie" (Marie-France Boyer) with whom he swaps a smile. That's just the beginning as the two chat a little, flirt a little and then... Now he isn't a bad man in any malevolent sense, he genuinely loves his wife and makes it clear to his new friend that she will always take priority - a situation that "Émilie" appears to be quite willing to accept - albeit reservedly. Thing is, on a family picnic he decides that it's only fair that his wife know the truth. On the face of it, at least that's an half way honest thing to do but, well you'll have to watch and see. there's something unnervingly inconclusive about this film. Nobody is inherently bad or evil or even deliberately thoughtless, yet he is possibly one of the most selfish people I've ever seen (benignly) portrayed in cinema. He genuinely thinks his cherry-picking, almost like a job-share, arrangement will satisfy these women. That because they are enough (for now, presumably) for him that they will be content to share him! It's tightly cast with a sufficient minimum of dialogue to augment a story that is surprisingly thought-provoking to watch. Maybe a little over-scored but well worth eighty minutes before a denouement that might make you want to look your own partner in the eye! Or maybe into a mirror...?

Alain Delon is near his best as the eponymous, rather odious, art dealer quite happily fleecing the terrified Jewish community of their precious possessions at cut race prices as they make preparations to try and flee the Nazi occupation of Paris. It's when one such victim is leaving his elegant apartment one day that "Klein" notices a Jewish newspaper at his door - with his name on it! He goes to the police to make it clear that he is not the "Robert Klein" on the address, but do they believe him? Do they think that perhaps he is trying to pull the wool over their eyes too? He concludes that the only way he can be certain is to track down the real doppelgänger before he ends up suffering the same dispossession and deportation as those he had thus far all too readily exploited. One can never have enough of Jeanne Moreau and her role as the enigmatic "Florence" is a little undercooked here, but as the rest of this complex thriller builds up steam we see Joseph Losey using Delon, and our own appreciation of just how terrifying it must have been for most during the occupation let alone the Jewish population, as weapons to potently reveal that terror and to ultimately maybe even humanise - as well as, perhaps, ridicule - this most venal and shallow of men. Is he now the hunted? Can he escape with his life? The more he thinks he has swum away from danger, the more the maelstrom seems to embrace him - and that catch 22 scenario is enthralling to watch play out here. It's cleverly photographed with a score that augments our own - and his - sense of increasing peril and frustration and though it's perhaps just a little slow at the start, it turns into a cracker.

I did really quite enjoy Philippe Noiret's performance here, but I couldn't help but wonder if Sir Peter Ustinov wouldn't have had fun with this part too. It's all set in French West Africa just before the start of WWII. His town is a small, largely agrarian and provincial one where "Cordier" is the local cop. To be fair, he's a bit of an hopeless case and everyone from his wife "Hugette" (Stéphane Audran) downwards takes him for a fool. Suddenly though, something snaps. His attitude changes to one of an avenging angel who discovers that he does actually quite enjoy killing people - and he knows full well that nobody cares about the law. His new found, emboldened, character also embarks on a bit of a fling with "Rose" (Isabelle Huppert) and guess what, she's quite keen on getting in on his new community strategy too! It's comedic, yes - but very darkly so as it deals with issues of colonial superiority. Not just with the locals but amongst an hierarchy of their own community that is riddled with double-standards, hypocrisy and odious contradictions. As the story develops, we see an entertaining vision of the obnoxious pursuing the ghastly and just about everyone gets their just desserts. The writing (even via subtitles) is really quite imaginatively pithy; Noiret and Audran have one of those hate/hate relationships that it's a joy to watch, albeit it from a safe distance. It does lose it's way a little towards the end. Bernard Tavernier seems to have run out of steam and has no obvious way of concluding things in as pacy a fashion as the first ninety minutes or so of the story. Still, it uses a degree of satire to cast some delightful aspersions on the colonial classes and I quite enjoyed it.

Most media coverage about the war in Ukraine – where most of us get our news about the conflict – comes down to a recitation of facts and figures, with the biggest and most dramatic stories receiving virtually all of the attention. But how does the war impact the nation’s citizens at the personal level? What’s more, we hear so much about the unity of Ukraine’s residents in combatting their Russian foes, but in what ways does that commitment materialize? Those are the questions that French writer-director-philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy has sought to address in his thoughtful new first-person documentary about how the hostilities have affected the country’s civilians, soldiers, laborers and spiritual leaders. Through these individual stories, viewers learn of their triumphs, tragedies, hopes and dreams, not to mention their unwavering faith that Ukraine will emerge victorious, especially in the wake of a growing number of battlefield successes. Told as a sort of travelogue through the nation’s various hot spots, including many on the front lines of the conflict, Lévy chronicles what has happened across Ukraine since the war’s onset in February 2022, oftentimes brought down to a touching, intimately personal level. This is enhanced by the filmmaker’s poetic narration, which, despite an occasional tendency to get a little too flowery and obscure in nature, puts these events into meaningful perspective, both in terms of what they mean for individuals and in larger terms morally and geopolitically. These observations draw significantly from history, showing parallels between the events in Ukraine and those that have unfolded on other conflict stages over the years, reminding us once again of the importance of learning from the past. When taken together, these elements combine to create a documentary that doesn’t fit the standard mold but that enlightens us to a far greater degree than many other films addressing the subject of warfare. “Slava Ukraini” provides valuable insight into an event that has the potential to leave a significant and long-lasting impact not just on the residents of Ukraine and its neighbors but on the totality of humanity as well.

It’s always frustrating to walk out of a movie and ask yourself afterward, “What did I just watch?” That was my reaction to this scattered, unfocused offering from the writing-directing duo of Dominique Abel and Fiona Gordon, and that’s unfortunate given that this release has some definite strengths in its corner. This tale tells the story of a radical activist (Abel) who’s been on the run since 1986 and has been laying low of late by working as a bartender in a corner dive known as The Falling Star. However, when he’s approached by a mysterious stranger with a malfunctioning prosthetic arm (Bruno Romy) in search of revenge, he must go back into hiding, although this time he does so by putting up an unwitting, easily manipulated lookalike double (also Abel) in his place. It’s an all-too-familiar narrative in which audiences are bound to know in advance that things are going to go very wrong when the plan is implemented. In this case, though, viewers are unlikely to figure on just how wrong they’ll go – and it has nothing to do with the nature of carefully crafted humorous incidents designed to evoke hearty laughs. Rather, the woefully errant plotline unfolds with a series of disjointed, unrelated bits that rarely work and seldom connect. The picture truly plays like a work that was made up as its creators as they went along, taking a pile of comic possibilities and throwing them all at the wall to see what sticks. There’s an especially heavy reliance on slapstick, some of which is admittedly inspired but most of which plays like the dysfunctional routines Woody Allen tried to pull off in some of his early films. And, the further one gets into the story, the more it comes across like a protracted improv exercise, including everything from music video-style dance routines to surreal flashbacks to embarrassingly rampant silliness. There are also some lame attempts at incorporating social commentary, which largely comes out of left field and has only a tangential nexus to the principal story thread. As noted earlier, all of this is regrettable, too, considering the elements that the film does have going for it – a modestly interesting, potential-filled premise, an exquisite production design, a deftly chosen soundtrack and an overall stylish look, especially in the cinematography. However, the filmmakers don’t know how to harness these attributes and fashion them into a cohesive, attention-holding story. The closer this one got to the end, the more I couldn’t wait for it to be over, despite its comparatively short 1:38:00 runtime. Indeed, there are plenty of falling stars in this cinematic disaster, but I have to wonder how many of them were planned by its makers.

"Mounir" (Riz Ahmed) is the Londoner who returns to Paris, the city of his birth, to try and reconnect with his father. This man (Yousfi Henine) arrived from colonial Algeria, changed his name to "Joe" and tried to assimilate into French society. His wife managed to have three kids - by three different men of differing skin colours before she moved to on the UK without him. With a cultural maelstrom both ahead and behind the traveller, we now experience some of his emotions as he reminisces about the past - real and imagined - before meeting "Hafzia" (Souheila Yacoub) who offers him a glimmer of what a future might mean in a city where he has many roots, yet none. There may well be something autobiographical about this short feature from Yann Demange but even so, it's an oddly shallow and meandering wander around the night-spots of Paris accompanied by Ahmed's strained narration. It's telling us all about the contrasting cultures as the Arab meets the Parisian who ends up being a Londoner, but their characterisations offer us little more than you might expect from a romantic "visit Paris" video. Why did we need to know about the colour of his mother's other partners, for example? Isabelle Adjani's cabaret performance adds little but an extra bit of stardom to the credits and I am afraid I just didn't quite see the point of this rather self-indulgent critique of identity.

But dreaming is a lie.
La tête contre les murs (AKA: The Keepers/Head Against the Wall) is directed by Georges Franju and adapted to screenplay by Jean-Pierre Mocky from the book written by Herve Bazin. It stars Mocky, Pierre Brasseur, Paul Meurisse, Anouk Aimée, Charles Aznavour and Jean Galland. Music is by Maurice Jarre and cinematography by Eugen Schüfftan.
François Gérane (Mocky) is seen as a loose cannon by his father and finds himself committed to a mental asylum. Within the walls he finds two doctors who have very different ideas on how to administer psychiatric care. Struggling to keep hold of his sanity, François finds solace in a friendship with fellow patient Heurtevent (Aznavour) and the visits he receives from Stéphanie (Aimée). But will François ever get out? And if so will his sanity be intact?
Jean-Pierre Mocky had initially planned to direct the film himself, but Franju was brought in and it proved to be a superb meeting of minds. Mocky's youthful zest and grasp of the Gérane character's predicament marries up beautifully with Franju's hauntingly poetic leanings.
In core essence the narrative is about the inadequacies of psychiatric care at that period in time, with a clash of ideals between two doctors acting as the axis. The story is actually based on fact, the author of the novel, Herve Bazin, really having been sectioned by his own family. This adds a harrowing air of realism to proceedings, and with Franju firmly cloaking the film with a disquiet atmosphere, the results often feel like being part of some feverish nightmare.
This is what it sounds like when doves fly!
Technically the pic comes close to being a tour de force, the crisp black and white photography magnificently emphasising Franju's eye for off-kilter details. There's is much grim imagery on show, where weird models made by the patients and the hospital cemetery prove particularly eerie. The hospital itself is cold on the inside with chessboard flooring holding the weight of lifeless looking walls. Exterior of the building is ominous, especially at night where it's transformed into a Gothic place of secrets never to be told.
Some scenes stay embedded in the mind, for better or worse as it happens. A suicide, a violent attack, an escape attempt through a burning field, the two doctors arguing about the ethics of their beliefs in front of a cage full of beautiful doves, the reoccurring shots of the poor patients in their surroundings, or the devastating noir finale; both in visual excellence and story denouement, the film consistently arrests your attention. Jarre's musical score is eccentric in the extreme, fluctuating between being creepy, jolly, wistful or just plain weird, it's perfectly at one with the material on the page. While the cast all give quality performances, especially Aznavour. Great film making, smart, challenging and daring. 8/10
The Masters of Cinema DVD release is a beautiful restored print doing justice to Franju and Schüfftan's skills, and the 48 page booklet is most impressive. Unfortunately the extras really don't add up to much. Two videos of interviews with Mocky and Aznavour taken in 2008 add up to just over 13 minutes, with the Aznavour one only 4 minutes and hardly about the film really! The Mocky interview is excellent, some real insights into the making of the film, his thoughts on the pic's importance, and some frightening revelations during filming. But at 9 minutes in run time you can't help but be annoyed there wasn't considerably more of that interview.

The young "Louise" cuts a rather sad figure playing at the rural home of her grandfather. Alone on the swing chasing a butterfly, and trying to sleep at night in a creaky, quite scary, house where she clearly wants to become invisible. Next day, she is to go swimming whilst her granddad fishes. The lake has almost Avalon-like qualities that seem to cause her to further retreat into herself - before she returns home to yet more curious creaking. In the morning, she awakens to discover that this is likely to be her last visit and as we piece together what we have seen over this last ten minutes - well maybe that's no bad thing. It's a classic style of animation, understated and delicate and the message, I thought subtle but clear.

What’s the difference between love and sex? It’s a conundrum that many of us wrestle with (and one that many of us would probably rather not bother with). However, what if it comes up in connection with resolving a sensitive, ongoing problem? That’s what Sandra (Lucie Debay) and her partner Rémy (Lazare Gousseau) must face when it comes to finding an answer to their longstanding infertility problem. They want a child but are having much difficulty getting pregnant. But, after exploring many options, Sandra’s obstetrician (Vincent Lecuyer) proposes an unusual treatment. After having attended a medical conference, he comes away from it believing that the couple is suffering from “Past Love Syndrome,” a psychological condition that’s blocking the physical act of fertilization, a disorder that can be overcome in most cases by each of the partners sleeping with all of their past sex partners. Sandra and Rémy are modestly stunned but nevertheless open to the prospect, but there’s one issue that needs to be addressed – the partners each have drastically different sexual histories. Rémy has only slept with three other women, while Sandra is, shall we say, considerably more “experienced.” This creates something of a disconnect between them, but, in the interest of achieving their goal of getting pregnant, they leave themselves open to the possibilities, a course of action that’s subsequently filled with numerous unexpected surprises, many of them comic, some of them heartfelt, others heartbreaking. And so the process of becoming would-be parents takes off on an unusual odyssey, one punctuated by lots of laughs and a number of intriguingly profound insights about the nature of love, sex, relationships and fidelity (or substitutes therefor). Writer-directors Raphaël Balboni and Ann Sirot have come up with a delightfully charming, funny and endearing story, one that’s nicely paced and presented with inventive cinematography and a sometimes-whimsical, often-colorful production design. This is one of those offbeat romances that pushes viewers to open their eyes – and their minds – to alternative possibilities when it comes to love and how we approach it, showing us that there are many untapped options out there that many of us have never pondered, let alone explored. Indeed, the experience of love need not be a one-size-fits-all exercise as this film so aptly shows. This is a Belgian import truly worthy of a domestic release. Let’s hope it gets one.

8.5/10 —> 4.25/5
This was a great film. Very solid filmmaking and acting all around the board, but especially from the lead, Chloé Djandji, an incredible child actor, her first gig as well.
Chloé was stellar at portraying the reserved, shy and traumatized Tinh, showing clear acting abilities in the way she keeps the reserved demeanour, yet shows so much feeling and thought at the same time. We are also seeing things in her perspective and memories, leading to the interesting structure of the film, as well as how we see them. Particularly on their journey away from their home country
I really liked a lot of the camerawork used in this film as well. Lots of broad views and long shots, which is interestingly something I’ve noticed is very common not just in indie cinema, but in Quebec films as well, such as Les Chambres Rouges and Vampire Humaniste; its an interesting stylistic choice that’s more common here than elsewhere, from what I’ve seen. Its very well conceived cinematography as well. One moment I really appreciated was when they are getting onto the boat, and as Tinh struggles to stay afloat, so does the camera, since the film’s in her perspective. That was a great moment of camerawork. I also love all the shots where Tinh is standing and staring, as those are perhaps the most emotionally charged scenes for her, and where Djandji truly shines the brightest.
Tinh and Johanne have the cutest friendship, as well. Even with her still being shy, you can tell how close Tinh feels to Johanne, particularly when they cry together alone towards the ending minutes. Speaking of Johanne, Mali Corbeil-Gauvreau is also great, and has superb acting chemistry with Chloé Djandji.
The whole film is very grounded and raw in its storytelling and dialogue. It takes on a very shy slice of life approach while in Quebec, whereas in Viet Nam and on the way out, it is much more hectic and heavy, again influenced by the perspective of Tinh. Its thanks to this perspective that it all feels so much more visceral and scary. She and her family, as well as many, many others, went through much hardship to emigrate as refugees, and I do also want to note that, though it isn’t an experience I’ve had - it portrays the immigration very well from my life outside knowledge. Others may be able to correct me, but it feels very realistic to me. Particularly for Chloé, it is an immense adjustment - particularly due to language. One moment that hurt my heart was when she asked her mother to speak in their native tongue, but she refused rather coldly, and though we didn’t see Tinh’s face for most of that shot, the hurt was tangible.
I am definitely glad that I saw this one - it was well worth the viewing.
8.5/10

A flock of flightless birds are peacefully nesting when their local, towering, volcano starts to signal that it might be about to erupt. Most of them skedaddle to the safety of the sea, but one pair can't decide what to do with their four eggs. Two each? Well that's the plan until one of them chickens out and leaves the other trying to get all four to the water. Certainly two, maybe even three - but four? Choices, choices... Then, when nature seems at it's most violent, it also appears at it's most practical. This is quite an entertaining short animation made by some French students who tell this story of comic indecision well whilst creating some lively flapping creatures that wouldn't look out of place in an Aardman film.

In 1966 Jean-Luc Godard was approached by producer Georges de Beauregard, who said that he had some money he needed to spend and asked if Godard could make a film on very short notice. Godard said sure, and proposed adapting a pulp crime novel (Donald E. Westlake's "The Jugger"). But when Godard made the film, which would get the title Made in U.S.A., he did everything possible to break out of a straightforward adaptation, using the novel as a mere skeleton over which he could explore other themes that interested him.
Paula (Anna Karina), a journalist, goes to a small town where her estranged boyfriend Richard has died in mysterious circumstances, surely murder. Determined to get to the bottom of things, she takes on the air of a hardboiled detective, wielding a pistol and wearing a Bogartian trenchcoat. She meets the doctor who did the autopsy and has a run-in with the police, but mainly we see her tangled up with two gangsters, played by László Szabó and Jean-Pierre Léaud.
Godard maintains just enough conventional dialogue and action to let the viewer know where we are in the crime novel's plot, but most of what transpires before the camera must be understood as only abstract metaphors for what would have happened in the book. The interaction between his characters mainly has other purposes. They have absurdist conversations with a great deal of wordplay. They allude to French politics in a time when Godard was worried about the compromised values of the French Left and the spectres of fascism and consumer society. The Ben Barka affair, where a Moroccan dissident was murdered in France in 1965 with the apparent involvement of the French security services, looms very large over Made in U.S.A., almost elbowing Westlake's original story out entirely. As if aware that he had stripped the plot down to such a degree that he now had too much time to be filled, he gives little asides like Marianne Faithfull singing "Tears Go By" a cappella in a cameo and Kyôko Kosaka strumming a guitar and singing in Japanese.
This is not one of Godard's best films. For one, Godard reused many of the elements of his masterpiece Pierrot le Fou from the year before. Pierrot le Fou was itself assembled as a sort of a collage of shots from Godard's prior films, which worked well as a wonderful summing up of his early career. But when he does the same with MADE IN U.S.A., it is to greatly diminished effect. But even if this is weak by Godard standards, it is nonetheless a moving experience. Shot in colour and in Cinemascope, this is a feast for the eyes. The very best of what the 1960s had to offer in terms of fashion and product design is on hand here and it just jumps off the screen. The image feels electric. (It is a pity that Criterion's edition is only on DVD, as a Blu-Ray would have yielded even greater pleasures.) Godard's longtime cameraman Raoul Coutard gives us some elaborate long takes that impress. And of course it's Godard's last major celebration of Anna Karina's beauty and poise, which really was something for the ages, still stunning half a century later.