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Subgenre Sampler

 
Emilia PerezEmilia Perez (2025) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jacques Audiard
Feat. Zoe Saldana, Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez
Set in Mexico but made in France, this exciting Trans–Gangster–Musical has polarized audiences but is best appreciated as a modern…
CuckooCuckoo (2024) Recommended
Dir. Tilman Singer
Feat. Hunter Schafer, Dan Stevens, Marton Csokas
A truly strange and unpredictable horror movie that sustains an off–kilter and discombobulating atmosphere throughout its runtime. American…
Out of SeasonOut of Season (2024) Aro Favourite
Dir. Stéphane Brizé
Feat. Guillaume Canet, Alba Rohrwacher
A richly layered French romantic drama starring Guillaume Canet (playing a famous actor much like himself) and Alba Rohrwacher as former lovers who…
Àma GloriaÀma Gloria (Ama Gloria) (2023) Aro Favourite
Feat. Louise Mauroy-Panzani, Ilça Moreno Zego
Centred by an extraordinary child performance, this is an exquisite French drama bathed in the milk of human kindness in the face of…
Anatomy of a FallAnatomy of a Fall (2023) Aro Favourite
Dir. Justine Triet
Feat. Sandra Huller, Swann Arlaud, Jehnny Beth
An extraordinary, multi–layered dramatic thriller from France that deservingly won the Palm D'or at Cannes. For the past year, Sandra, a…
Boy and the Heron, TheBoy and the Heron, The (Kimitachi wa Do Ikiru ka) (2023) Recommended
Dir. Hayao Miyazaki
Feat. Robert Pattinson, Dave Bautista, Mark Hamill
A 12–year–old boy, struggles to settle in a new town after his mother's death. However, when a sinister talking heron informs him that…
Difficult Year, ADifficult Year, A (2023)
Dir. Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano
Feat. Pio Marmaï, Noémie Merlant, Mathieu Amalric
A pair of compulsive over–spenders are up to their necks in debt. As pay–day looms, they seize an opportunity to scam a group of social…
DivertimentoDivertimento (2023)
Dir. Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar
Feat. Oulaya Amamra, Lina El Arabi, Niels Arestrup
A biopic of Zahia Ziouani, one of the few worldwide renowned female conductors. Classical symphonic music is everything for 17–year–old…
Fallen LeavesFallen Leaves (2023) Recommended
Dir. Aki Kaurismaki
Feat. Jussi Vatanen, Alma Pöysti
Director Aki Kaurismaki returns with a deadpan romantic crowd–pleaser about two lost souls in Helsinki on a bumpy road to finding each…
Godzilla Minus OneGodzilla Minus One (2023) Aro Favourite
Dir. Takashi Yamazaki
Feat. Ryunosuke Kamiki, Sakura Ando
Hailed by some as the greatest Godzilla film since the monster's sombre genesis in 1954. As with the original, a wartime subtext and some genuinely…
Goodbye JuliaGoodbye Julia (2023) Aro Favourite
An outstanding drama from Sudan about two women – a retired Muslim singer and a Southern Sudanese widow – who forge an unusual friendship…
Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal PersonHumanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person (2023) Recommended
Dir. Ariane Louis-Seize
Feat. Sara Montpetit, Félix-Antoine Bénard, Marie Brassard
A delightfully deadpan French–Canadian comedy about a doleful adolescent vampire who is too compassionate to kill for her special dietary…
La ChimeraLa Chimera (2023) Recommended
Dir. Alice Rohrwacher
Another delight from dir. Alice Rohrwacher that completes a trilogy (after The Wonders and Happy as Lazzaro) about Italy's relationship with its…
Let the River FlowLet the River Flow (2023) Aro Favourite
Dir. Ole Giaever
Feat. Ella Marie Haetta Isaksen, Ivar Beddari, Gard Emil
A superbly–crafted and moving indigenous rights drama about a young teacher whose repressed Sami heritage is awakened by a protest group who…
Mars ExpressMars Express (2023) Recommended
Dir. Jérémie Périn
A high–concept animated sci–fi from France that depicts an ultra–sleek 23rd Century future with far–out ideas that seems…
MonsterMonster (Kaibutsu) (2023) Recommended
Dir. Kore-eda Hirokazu
Feat. Sakura Ando, Eita Nagayama, Soya Kurokawa
Director Hirokazu Kore–eda returns home with his first Japanese film since the Palm d'Or–winning "Shoplifters" (2018) with this…
NovemberNovember (Novembre) (2023)
Dir. Cédric Jimenez
Feat. Jean Dujardin, Anaïs Demoustier, Sandrine Kiberlain
A captivating thriller that dramatizes one of the most incredible manhunts in European history in the aftermath of the 2015 attacks across Paris. Led…
Perfect DaysPerfect Days (2023) Recommended
Dir. Wim Wenders
Feat. Koji Yakusho
The irrepressibly handsome Kôji Yakusho stars as a solitary man who cleans public lavatories for a living but seems to have a rich inner life…
RadicalRadical (2023) Recommended
Dir. Christopher Zalla
Feat. Eugenio Derbez
A quality, engaging drama based on the true story of a teacher in a neglected Mexican border town that tries a radical new method to unlock his…
The Three Musketeers: D'ArtagnanThe Three Musketeers: D'Artagnan (2023) Recommended
Dir. Martin Bourboulon
Feat. Romain Duris, Eva Green, Vincent Cassel
The first of the two–part French blockbuster treatment of Alexandre Dumas’ oft–filmed and beloved novel of 1844, set in early 17th…
The Three Musketeers: MiladyThe Three Musketeers: Milady (2023) Recommended
Dir. Martin Bourboulon
Feat. Eva Green, Romain Duris, Vincent Cassel
A ravishing Eva Green takes centre stage in this follow–on from the events in THE THREE MUSKETEERS: D’ARTAGNAN, the second chapter of Martin…
There's Still TomorrowThere's Still Tomorrow (2023) Recommended
Dir. Paola Cortellesi
Feat. Paola Cortellesi, Valerio Mastandrea, Vinicio Marchioni
An audacious, bittersweet comedy–drama that swept the Italian Oscars and broke domestic box–office records. Directed, co–written…
Zone of Interest, TheZone of Interest, The (2023) Recommended
Dir. Jonathan Glazer
Feat. Christian Friedel, Sandra Huller
A Holocaust film quite unlike any other, The Hoss family have moved into their new home in Poland. The camera objectively documents their daily life…
Annie's FireAnnie's Fire (Annie Colère) (2022) Recommended
Dir. Blandine Lenoir
Feat. Laure Calamy, Pascale Arbillot, Josiane Balasko
Laure Calamy again proves she's one of the most likeable actresses in French cinema as a working mother who finds her people among those offering…
Between Two WorldsBetween Two Worlds (2022)
Dir. Emmanuel Carrere
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Helene Lambert, Louise Pociecka
Juliette Binoche plays a well–known author who goes to live in northern France to research her new book on the subject of job insecurity.…
Blue Caftan, TheBlue Caftan, The (2022) Recommended
Dir. Maryam Touzani
Feat. Lubna Azabal, Saleh Bakri, Ayoub Missioui
A rare peek into Moroccan culture, and the dying craft of hand–made caftans that are painstakingly embroidered with a needle and thread. And…
Both Sides Of The BladeBoth Sides Of The Blade (Avec amour et acharnement) (2022)
Dir. Claire Denis
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Vincent Lindon, Grégoire Colin
Jean and Sara have been living together for 10 years. When they first met, Sara was living with François, Jean’s best friend and an admirer from…
BrokerBroker (2022) Recommended
Dir. Kore-eda Hirokazu
Feat. Kang-ho Song, Doona Bae
Master Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore–eda turns to South Korea for the first time for this drama starring Cannes–winning actor Song…
CloseClose (2022) Recommended
Dir. Lukas Dhont
Feat. Eden Dambrine, Léa Drucker, Kevin Janssens
Another closely–observed Belgian drama that, along with "Playground", explores a traumatic rite–of–passage. Here the protagonists…
Decision To LeaveDecision To Leave (2022) Recommended
Dir. Park Chan-Wook
Feat. Hae-il Park, Wei Tang
An exquisite and mysterious melodrama from Korean maestro Park Chan–Wook (Old Boy, Thirst, The Handmaiden), ostensibly about a detective who…
EOEO (2022) Recommended
Dir. Jerzy Skolimowski
Veteran Polish director Jerzy Skolimowski returns with this Cannes Jury Prize–winner — a unique, visually expressive and sometimes bleak…
GodlandGodland (2022) Recommended
Dir. Hlynur Pálmason
Feat. Elliott Crosset Hove, Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson
A masterly work of slow cinema from Iceland, inspired by 19th–Century period photography in both narrative and style, and the contemporary…
Holy SpiderHoly Spider (2022) Aro Favourite
Dir. Ali Abbasi
Feat. Zar Amir Ebrahimi, Mehdi Bajestani, Arash Ashtiani
An astonishing new film from Ali Abbasi, who makes good on the promise of his head–turning Danish troll drama “Border” (2018). This one…
KompromatKompromat (2022)
Dir. Jérôme Salle
Feat. Gilles Lellouche, Joanna Kulig
Mathieu is a gregarious and dedicated diplomat who accepts a posting to Irkutsk as the head of Siberia’s Alliance Française. He hopes the change…
MaigretMaigret (2022) Recommended
Dir. Patrice Leconte
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Jade Labeste, Aurore Clement
Gérard Depardieu brings to remarkable life one of the most beloved characters from 20th–century crime fiction in this crime drama from…
Night of the 12th, TheNight of the 12th, The (La Nuit du 12) (2022) Recommended
Dir. Dominik Moll
Feat. Bastien Bouillon, Bouli Lanners, Anouk Grinberg
Another intelligent and thought–provoking French crime drama from the director of Aro Favourite, “Only the Animals” (2019). It’s more…
Notre Dame on FireNotre Dame on Fire (2022)
Dir. Jean-Jacques Annaud
A documentary retracing how on April 15, 2019, heroic men and women put their lives on the line to accomplish the awe–inspiring rescue of…
One Fine MorningOne Fine Morning (Un Beau Matin) (2022) Aro Favourite
Dir. Mia Hansen-Love
Feat. Léa Seydoux, Pascal Greggory, Melvil Poupaud
Lea Seydoux is French movie star royalty but she keeps it real in this sublime film from Mia Hansen–Løve (Bergman Island), one of Europe’s…
Prison 77Prison 77 (2022)
Dir. Alberto Rodriguez
Feat. Miguel Herrán, Javier Gutiérrez, Fernando Tejero
Spanish prison drama set in Barcelona's Modelo prison (and filmed in the real location), during Spain's transition to democracy in the 1970s. The…
Project Wolf HuntingProject Wolf Hunting (2022)
Whist being transported across international waters inside a locked cargo ship, a group of infamous criminals unites to stage a coordinated escape.…
Saint OmerSaint Omer (2022) Aro Favourite
Dir. Alice Diop
Feat. Guslagie Malanda, Kayije Kagame
Inspired by real events, this devastating fictional drama from French–Senegalese director Alice Diop delivers a formally brilliant treatise on…
Shin UltramanShin Ultraman (2022)
Feat. Hidetoshi Nishijima, Takumi Saito, Masami Nagasawa
When the SSSP kaiju defence taskforce finds itself in the midst of a particularly ghastly kaiju encounter, a giant silver robot descends from the sky…
The Origin of EvilThe Origin of Evil (2022) Recommended
Dir. Sebastien Marnier
Feat. Laure Calamy
A black comedy thriller from France about riches, bitches and patriarchal pricks, because when it comes to money all bets are off and all knives come…
The Teachers' LoungeThe Teachers' Lounge (Des Lehrerzimmer) (2022) Recommended
Dir. Ilker Catak
Feat. Leonie Benesch
A bracing drama about an idealistic maths teacher caught in the pressure–cooker environment of a contemporary German high school. Leonie…
Two Tickets To GreeceTwo Tickets To Greece (2022) Recommended
Dir. Marc Fitoussi
Feat. Laure Calamy, Olivia Cote, Kristin Scott Thomas
A sunlit escapist comedy set in Les Cyclades (the original French title) starring Laure Calamy and Olivia Côte as long–estranged childhood…
Another WorldAnother World (2021) Recommended
Dir. Stéphane Brizé
Feat. Vincent Lindon, Sandrine Kiberlain, Anthony Bajon
Vincent Lindon plays a factory boss going through a painful divorce while managing a painful downsize at his company which has been taken over by a…
Big Hit, TheBig Hit, The (Un Triomphe) (2021) Recommended
Dir. Emmanuel Courcol
Feat. Kad Merad, David Ayala, Lamine Cissokho
Inspired by remarkable true events, this French Film Festival favourite follows a dedicated out–of–work actor (indelibly played by the…
Drive My CarDrive My Car (2021) Recommended
Dir. Ryusuke Hamaguchi
Feat. Hidetoshi Nishijima, Masaki Okada, Toko Miura
This winner of the Best International Feature at the 2022 Academy Awards is a slow–burn, methodical drama about a grieving stage actor and…
EiffelEiffel (2021)
Dir. Martin Bourboulon
Feat. Romain Duris, Emma Mackey, Pierre Deladonchamps
Handsomely mounted biopic set in the 1880's, telling the story of Parisian civil engineer Gustave Eiffel (Romain Duris) and his design of the Eiffel…
Escape from MogadishuEscape from Mogadishu (2021) Recommended
Dir. Ryoo Seung-Wan
Feat. Yoon-seok Kim, In-sung Zo, Joon-ho Huh
A gritty action–thriller based on true events following a diplomatic skirmish between North and South Korea that breaks out on the African…
FleeFlee (2021) Recommended
Dir. Jonas Poher Rasmussen
Stunning animated documentary based on the story of Amin Nawabi, an Afghan refugee who grapples with a painful secret he has kept hidden for 20…
Full TimeFull Time (A Plien Temps) (2021) Aro Favourite
Dir. Eric Gravel
Feat. Laure Calamy, Genevieve Mnich, Anne Suarez
A cracker of a French drama that teeters on the edge of a thriller throughout because it’s all about the pressure cooker that is modern life.…
HatchingHatching (2021) Recommended
Dir. Hanna Bergholm
Feat. Siiri Solalinna, Sophia Heikkilä, Jani Volanen
Hanna Bergholm's feature debut has finally put Finland on the horror film map – an enchanting pubescent allegory about a 12–year–old…
I'm Your ManI'm Your Man (2021) Aro Favourite
Dir. Maria Schrader
Feat. Dan Stevens
A fabulously entertaining high concept comedy from Germany about a skeptical scientist who agrees to a three week product test of a humanoid robot…
LambLamb (2021) Recommended
Dir. Valdimar Johannsson
Feat. Noomi Rapace, Hilmir Snaer Gudnason, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson
An Icelandic folk horror of haunting, pastoral beauty with Noomi Rapace and Hilmir Snaer Gudnason playing a couple who live on a remote farm with…
Lost IllusionsLost Illusions (2021)
Dir. Xavier Giannoli
Feat. Benjamin Voisin, Xavier Dolan, Cecile De France
An all–star cast dazzles in the spectacular adaptation of Balzac’s classic novel about a young idealist who learns that anything can be…
Next DoorNext Door (2021)
Dir. Daniel Bruhl
Feat. Daniel Bruhl, Peter Kurth, Rike Eckermann
A dark and witty German comedy exploring gentrification and social inequality in Berlin, marking the directorial debut of accomplished actor Daniel…
Paris, 13th DistrictParis, 13th District (Les Olympiades, Paris 13e) (2021) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jacques Audiard
Feat. Noémie Merlant, Makita Samba, Lucie Zhang
Jacques Audiard’s film charts the interwoven relationships between four twenty–somethings, beautifully played by Lucie Zhang, Makita Samba,…
Passengers of the Night, ThePassengers of the Night, The (Les passagers de la nuit) (2021) Recommended
Dir. Mikhaël Hers
Feat. Charlotte Gainsbourg, Noée Abita, Emmanuelle Beart
Left by her husband, Elisabeth finds herself alone, responsible for the day–to–day care of her two children. She picks up a job on a…
Petite MamanPetite Maman (2021) Recommended
Dir. Céline Sciamma
Feat. Nina Meurisse, Joséphine Sanz, Gabrielle Sanz
Master filmmaker Céline Sciamma is back with a captivating coming of age story that explores childhood and a mother–daughter relationship that…
Tale of Love and Desire, ATale of Love and Desire, A (2021) Recommended
Dir. Leyla Bouzid
Feat. Sami Outalbali, Zbeida Belhajamor
Ahmed, an 18–year old Frenchman of Algerian origin, meets Farah, a young Tunisian girl. He discovers a collection of sensual and erotic Arab…
Three FloorsThree Floors (Tre Piani) (2021)
Dir. Nanni Moretti
Feat. Alba Rohrwacher, Riccardo Scamarcio, Nanni Moretti
Nanni Moretti's all–star ensemble drama about three families who reside in the same apartment complex in Rome’s stylish Prati neighbourhood.
To ChiaraTo Chiara (A Chiara) (2021) Recommended
Dir. Jonas Carpignano
Feat. Swamy Rotolo, Claudio Rotolo, Giorgia Rotolo
A rites–of–passage drama in the Italian neo–realist tradition that examines the impact of Mafia activity on those in the close…
Wheel of Fortune and FantasyWheel of Fortune and Fantasy (Guzen to Sozo) (2021)
Dir. Ryusuke Hamaguchi
An unexpected love triangle, a failed seduction trap and an encounter that results from a misunderstanding, the director of DRIVE MY CAR explores…
Worst Person in the World, TheWorst Person in the World, The (2021) Aro Favourite
Dir. Joachim Trier
Feat. Renate Reinsve, Anders Danielsen Lie, Herbert Nordrum
Gloriously provocative and richly perceptive comedy drama from talented Norwegian director Joachim Trier (THELMA), which follows an unpredictable,…
A Friendly TaleA Friendly Tale (Le bonheur des uns) (2020)
Dir. Daniel Cohen
Feat. Bérénice Bejo, Vincent Cassel, François Damiens
A charming four–hander from the director of LE CHEF in which a sparkling cast play two forty–something couples whose professional and…
Another RoundAnother Round (Druk) (2020) Recommended
Dir. Thomas Vinterberg
Feat. Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Magnus Millang
Another cheeky yet bittersweet provocation from Dogme 95 alumni Thomas Vinterberg that won the Oscar for Best International Feature Film. The…
Antoinette in the CevennesAntoinette in the Cevennes (2020)
Dir. Caroline Vignal
Feat. Laure Calamy, Benjamin Lavernhe, Olivia Cote
A warm hearted French comedy from writer director Caroline Vignal, starring Laure Calamy as a school teacher on a journey of self–discovery in…
AppearancesAppearances (Les apparences) (2020)
Dir. Marc Fitoussi
Feat. Karin Viard, Benjamin Biolay, Lucas Englander
French–Belgian psychological thriller about a happily married couple living in Vienna whose lives are disrupted when one suspects the other of…
BeginningBeginning (Dasatskisi) (2020) Recommended
Dir. Déa Kulumbegashvili
Feat. Ia Sukhitashvili, Rati Oneli
A devout women of the Jehovah's Witness faith undergoes a profound personal crisis in this triumphant cinematic achievement for Georgian…
Botticelli, Florence and the MediciBotticelli, Florence and the Medici (2020)
Dir. Marco Pianigiani
A documentary exploring Renaissance Florence and its astonishing art and culture, centering around the life of revolutionary artist Sandro Botticelli…
Bye Bye MoronsBye Bye Morons (2020)
Dir. Albert Dupontel
Feat. Virginie Efira, Albert Dupontel, Nicolas Marie
A French black comedy about a 43–year–old hairdresser who goes looking for her adopted son after finding out she is terminally ill.…
County, TheCounty, The (2020)
Dir. Grimur Hakonarson
Feat. Arndis Hronn Egilsdottir, Sveinn Olafur Gunnarsson
A quintessentially Icelandic serio–comedy from the director of RAMS about one woman’s fight against a monopolistic co–op stifling the…
De GaulleDe Gaulle (2020)
Dir. Gabriel Le Bomin
Feat. Lambert Wilson, Tim Hudson, Isabelle Carré
Spectacularly mounted biographical drama depicting a crucial period in the life of French army officer Charles de Gaulle, a famous figure in modern…
Everything Went FineEverything Went Fine (2020) Recommended
Dir. Francois Ozon
Feat. Sophie Marceau, Andre Dussollier, Géraldine Pailhas
When André, 85, has a stroke, Emmanuelle hurries to her father’s bedside. Sick and half–paralyzed in his hospital bed, he asks Emmanuelle to…
How to Be a Good WifeHow to Be a Good Wife (2020)
Dir. Martin Provost
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Yolande Moreau, Noemie Lvovsky
Feather lite French comedy set in 1968, with the predictably scene–stealing Juliette Binoche playing an immaculate and morally upright teacher…
LimboLimbo (2020) Recommended
Dir. Ben Sharrock
Feat. Amir El-Masry, Vikash Bhai, Ola Orebiyi
A moving cross–cultural comedy about the refugee experience, set on a remote Scottish island where a promising young Syrian musician is waiting…
Man in the Hat, TheMan in the Hat, The (2020)
Dir. Stephen Warbeck, John-Paul Davidson
Feat. Ciaran Hinds, Stephen Dillane, Maïwenn
Road–trip comedy–musical about a man who sets off from Marseilles in a small Fiat 500, with five angry men in a Citroën Dyane…
MinariMinari (2020) Recommended
Dir. Lee Isaac Chung
Feat. Steven Yeun, Han Ye-ri, Alan Kim
Winner of the Grand Jury and Audience Awards at Sundance, this delicately drawn, sweeping story follows a Korean–American family in search of…
Never Gonna Snow AgainNever Gonna Snow Again (2020)
Dir. Malgorzata Szumowska
Feat. Alec Utgoff, Maja Ostaszewska, Agata Kulesza
Assured Polish Oscar contender about a Ukrainian immigrant who unexpectedly develops a cult–like following while working as a masseur in a…
Painter and the Thief, ThePainter and the Thief, The (2020) Recommended
Dir. Benjamin Ree
A astonishing art documentary about the Czech painter Barbora Kysilkova, who tracked down and met the criminal who stole her paintings. What…
Quo Vadis, Aida?Quo Vadis, Aida? (2020) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jasmila Zbanic
Feat. Jasna Djuricic, Johan Heldenbergh
A devastating, personal account of a nightmarish dilemma for a wife and mother working as a translator between the UN, the Serbian aggressors and…
Rosa's WeddingRosa's Wedding (2020) Recommended
Feat. Candela Pena, Sergi Lopez, Nathalie Poza
Delightful Spanish comedy about a hard–working seamstress in her mid–40's who decides to turn her life around after spending years…
Rose Maker, TheRose Maker, The (La fine fleur) (2020)
Dir. Pierre Pinaud
Feat. Catherine Frot, Olivia Cote, Rukkmini Ghosh
Gentle French comedy with Catherine Frot (THE MIDWIFE) playing a rose maker on the verge of financial ruin, who hires three hapless misfits with no…
StrayStray (2020)
Dir. Elizabeth Lo
A companion piece of sorts to KEDI (2016), the popular film about the stray cats of Istanbul, that this time presents the dog’s eye–view of…
Ties, TheTies, The (Lacci) (2020)
Dir. Daniele Luchetti
Feat. Alba Rohrwacher, Luigi Lo Cascio, Laura Morante
Naples, early 1980s. The once–happy union between Aldo and his wife Vanda is ruptured one evening when Aldo admits, unprompted, that he has…
TigersTigers (2020)
Dir. Ronnie Sandahl
Feat. Erik Enge, Alfred Enoch, Johannes Bah Kuhnke
Sports biopic telling the true story of Swedish football talent Martin Bengtsson, an 18–year–old whose dreams turned into nightmares when…
Train to Busan Presents: PeninsulaTrain to Busan Presents: Peninsula (2020)
Dir. Sang-ho Yeon
Feat. Dong-won Gang, Jung-hyun Lee, Re Lee
A standalone sequel to the 2016 action–horror hit TRAIN TO BUSAN, with director Yeon Sang–ho returning for a less focused but no less…
Translators, TheTranslators, The (Les Traducteurs) (2020) Recommended
Dir. Régis Roinsard
Feat. Riccardo Scamarcio, Lambert Wilson, Olga Kurylenko
A multi–lingual literary thriller centering around nine international translators, one of whom may be leaking pages of a highly anticipated…
Wedding Speech, TheWedding Speech, The (Le discours) (2020)
Dir. Laurent Tirard
Feat. Kyan Khojandi, Sara Giraudeau, Benjamin Lavernhe
Smart and sophisticated crowd–pleaser from French director Laurent Tirard (NICHOLAS ON HOLIDAY), following an anxiety–ridden man who is…
WildlandWildland (2020)
Dir. Jeanette Nordahl
Feat. Sandra Guldberg Kampp, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Joachim Fjelstrup
Powerful coming–of–age Scandi–noir about a Danish teenager who becomes embroiled in the ruthless criminal life of her aunt and…
19171917 (2019) Recommended
Dir. Sam Mendes
Feat. Dean-Charles Chapman, George MacKay, Daniel Mays
Immersive epic war film from director Sam Mendes (JARHEAD) which evokes the impression of a continuous take to follow two British soldiers on a…
A White, White DayA White, White Day (2019) Recommended
Dir. Hlynur Pálmason
Feat. Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson, Ida Mekkin Hlynsdottir, Hilmir Snaer Gudnason
Aesthetically striking Icelandic drama which plunges the viewer deep into the psyche of a tortured former police officer who suspects a neighbour…
All the Sins (TV Series)All the Sins (TV Series) (2019)
Dir. Mika Ronkainen
Feat. Johannes Holopainen, Maria Sid, Matti Ristinen
Compulsive Nordic noir miniseries following a detective who returns to his home town in Northern Finland to investigate two murders, while…
An Unexpected LoveAn Unexpected Love (El amor menos pensado) (2019)
Dir. Juan Vera
Feat. Ricardo Darín, Mercedes Morán
Argentinian romantic comedy exploring the lives of a couple who, after 25 years of marriage, decide to explore being single, with hilarious and…
BacurauBacurau (2019) Recommended
Dir. Kleber Mendonca Filho, Juliano Dornelles
Feat. Sonia Braga, Udo Kier, Bárbara Colen
Fiercely political and utterly distinctive film blending elements of neo–western, ethnography, gonzo and horror, set in a fictional Brazilian…
Berlin, I Love YouBerlin, I Love You (2019)
Dir. Peter Chelsom, Fernando Eimbcke, Claus Clausen
Feat. Helen Mirren, Keira Knightley, Mickey Rourke
Anthology film continuing the "Cities of Love" franchise (PARIS, JE T'AIME, NEW YORK, I LOVE YOU) set in the German capital where ten sugary stories…
BuoyancyBuoyancy (2019)
Dir. Rodd Rathjen
Feat. Sarm Heng, Mony Ros, Thanawut Kasro
A 14–year old who works in the Cambodian rice fields with his family decides to escape illegally to Thailand, but finds instead that he has…
CollectiveCollective (2019) Recommended
Dir. Alexander Nanau
A blistering Romanian documentary following a heroic team of journalists from the newspaper Gazeta Sporturilor who attempt to uncover the country's…
Dogs Don't Wear PantsDogs Don't Wear Pants (Koirat eivät käytä housuja) (2019)
Dir. J.-P. Valkeapää
Feat. Krista Kosonen
Finnish erotic drama about a lonely dad who is traumatized by the loss of his wife in a drowning accident, and stumbles into ecstasy via a powerful…
EmaEma (2019) Recommended
Dir. Pablo Larrain
Feat. Mariana Di Girolamo, Gael Garcia Bernal, Santiago Cabrera
A bold and distinctive film from director Pablo Larrain (NO), with newcomer Mariana Di Girolamo playing a young dancer who is coping with an adoption…
Extraordinary, TheExtraordinary, The (The Specials, Hors normes) (2019)
Dir. Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano
Feat. Vincent Cassel, Reda Kateb, Helene Vincent
From the French directing team behind THE INTOUCHABLES comes this astute dramatisation of the true story of Stephane Benhamou (played by Vincent…
Farewell to the NightFarewell to the Night (L'adieu à la nuit) (2019)
Dir. Andre Techine
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Kacey Mottet Klein, Oulaya Amamra
Catherine Deneuve anchors this French drama about a horse farmer whose grandson comes to visit, revealing that he has been radicalised by Islamic…
First LoveFirst Love (Hatsukoi) (2019)
Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Masataka Kubota, Nao Omori, Shota Sometani
Crime thriller from prolific Japanese auteur director Takashi Miike set over a single night in Tokyo, where a down–on–his luck boxer and…
Hermitage: The Power of ArtHermitage: The Power of Art (Ermitage. Il potere dell'arte) (2019)
Dir. Michele Mally
A documentary about the Hermitage in St Petersburg, a vast museum boasting the largest collection of paintings in the world. Explores the daily life…
Heroic LosersHeroic Losers (2019) Recommended
Dir. Sebastian Borensztein
Feat. Ricardo Darín, Luis Brandoni, Chino Darin
Winning underdog comedy from Argentinian director Sebastian Borensztein (CHINESE TAKEAWAY) based on the novel by Eduardo Sacheri (THE SECRET IN THEIR…
HoneylandHoneyland (2019) Recommended
Dir. Tamara Kotevska, Ljubomir Stefanov
Feat. Hatidže Muratova
Sublime environmental documentary set in the remote mountainous village of Bekirlija, North Macedonia, where a wild bee keeper is quietly observed…
I Feel GoodI Feel Good (2019)
Dir. Benoit Delepine, Gustave Kervern
Feat. Jean Dujardin, Yolande Moreau
Oscar winner Jean Dujardin (THE ARTIST) stars in this quirky French comedy about a man with a ridiculous get–rich–quick scheme involving…
In the Name Of The LandIn the Name Of The Land (2019)
Dir. Edouard Bergeon
Feat. Guillaume Canet, Veerle Baetens, Anthony Bajon
Following the life of a stoic farmer across four decades, this bittersweet and deeply moving drama marks the directorial debut of French…
Ip Man 4: The FinaleIp Man 4: The Finale (2019)
Dir. Wilson Yip
Feat. Donnie Yen, Scott Adkins, Danny Kwok-Kwan Chan
Grand finale to ground breaking and beloved martial arts series, with Donnie Yen reprising his role as the legendary Wing Chun master, who travels to…
It Must Be HeavenIt Must Be Heaven (2019) Recommended
Dir. Elia Suleiman
Feat. Elia Suleiman, Tarik Kopty, Kareem Ghneim
Brilliantly absurdist comedy of errors following a Palestinian filmmaker who leaves his country for the West and the promise of a new and better…
Jean Paul Gaultier: Freak and ChicJean Paul Gaultier: Freak and Chic (2019)
Dir. Yann L’Henoret
An all access look behind the scenes into the glamorous world of visionary French fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier, as he prepares an outrageous…
Les MiserablesLes Miserables (2019) Recommended
Dir. Ladj Ly
Feat. Damien Bonnard, Alexis Manenti, Djebril Zonga
This impressive feature debut from French director Ladj Ly is set in the French criminal underworld in aftermath of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, when…
Martin EdenMartin Eden (2019)
Dir. Pietro Marcello
Feat. Luca Marinelli, Carlo Cecchi, Jessica Cressy
A dazzling adaptation of Jack London's semi–autobiographical 1909 novel about a sailor who abandons his working class roots to pursue an…
MonosMonos (2019) Aro Favourite
Dir. Alejandro Landes
Feat. Julianne Nicholson, Moises Arias, Sofía Buenaventura
A dark contemporary fable inspired by Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, set in a remote and mountainous region of Columbia, where a group of teenage…
My Days of GloryMy Days of Glory (Mes jours de gloire) (2019)
Dir. Antoine de Bary
Feat. Vincent Lacoste, Emmanuelle Devos, Christopher Lambert
French comedy about a self–absorbed, unemployed twenty–something who shamelessly sponges off his parents after his promising career as a…
Mystery of Henri Pick, TheMystery of Henri Pick, The (Le mystère Henri Pick) (2019) Recommended
Dir. Rémi Bezançon
Feat. Fabrice Luchini, Camille Cottin, Alice Isaaz
Delectable literary–themed French comedy caper based on the book of the same name by David Foenkinos. The titular Henri Pick is a…
Of Love and LiesOf Love and Lies (2019)
Dir. Julien Rappeneau
Feat. François Damiens, Andre Dussollier, Maleaume Paquin
Uplifting French dramedy about a diminutive but spirited 12–year old boy who challenges his lonely disillusioned dad into embracing life again…
Only the AnimalsOnly the Animals (Seules les bêtes) (2019) Aro Favourite
Dir. Dominik Moll
Feat. Denis Ménochet, Laure Calamy, Damien Bonnard
A superb psychological thriller set in rural France that uncovers a twisted web of deceit concerning five people who are all linked to the…
Pain and GloryPain and Glory (Dolor y gloria) (2019) Recommended
Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Antonio Banderas, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Penelope Cruz
A more restrained, but no less pretty and witty outing for septuagenarian director Pedro Almodóvar, which narrates evocative vignettes from the life…
ParasiteParasite (2019) Aro Favourite
Dir. Joon-ho Bong
Feat. Kang-ho Song, Sun-kyun Lee, Yeo-jeong Cho
An unemployed family with a bleak future systematically ingratiate themselves into the lives of a wealthy family in this brilliant,…
PerfumesPerfumes (2019)
Dir. Gregory Magne
Feat. Emmanuelle Devos, Gregory Montel
Anne (Emmanuelle Devos) was once the star of her industry – a perfumer whose ability to produce enticing new fragrances was second to none. She…
PinocchioPinocchio (2019)
Dir. Matteo Garrone
Feat. Federico Lelapi, Roberto Benigni, Rocco Papaleo
A new, live–action imagining of the iconic fairytale that focuses on the authentic roots of the Carlo Collodi story. Shot in stunning Italian…
Portrait of a Lady on FirePortrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) Recommended
Dir. Céline Sciamma
Feat. Noémie Merlant, Adele Haenel
Céline Sciamma (GIRLHOOD) directs this devastatingly good, exquisitely executed lesbian period drama. Set in France in the 18th century, where a…
ProximaProxima (2019) Recommended
Dir. Alice Winocour
Feat. Eva Green, Matt Dillon, Lars Eidinger
Eva Green plays a French astronaut enrolled in a demanding program at the European Space Agency in Cologne, struggling to maintain a relationship…
Room 212Room 212 (Chambre 212, On a Magical Night) (2019)
Dir. Christophe Honore
Feat. Chiara Mastroianni, Vincent Lacoste, Camille Cottin
Playful French rom–com from acclaimed writer–director Christophe Honore (MA MERE, DAN PARIS). Set over the course of one night, where…
SebergSeberg (2019)
Dir. Benedict Andrews
Feat. Kristen Stewart, Jack O'Connell, Margaret Qualley
Kristen Stewart is riveting as French New Wave actress Jean Seberg, in this drama set in the 1960's, when she passionately involved herself in the…
Spread Your WingsSpread Your Wings (Donne-moi des ailes) (2019)
Dir. Nicolas Vanier
Feat. Jean-Paul Rouve, Mélanie Doutey, Louis Vazquez
A gorgeous boys' own eco–adventure from France, based on the true story of a visionary scientist and his 14–year–old son who bond…
Truth, TheTruth, The (2019) Aro Favourite
Dir. Kore-eda Hirokazu
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Juliette Binoche, Ethan Hawke
Dazzling modern family drama from master auteur Kore–eda Hirokazu (SHOPLIFTERS), pairing French screen icons Catherine Deneuve and Juliette…
Twin (TV Series)Twin (TV Series) (2019)
Feat. Kristofer Hivju, Rebekka Nystabakk
Intriguing eight–part Norwegian crime drama series starring "Game of Thrones" actor Kristofer Hivju as identical twin brothers living…
We'll End Up TogetherWe'll End Up Together (Nous finirons ensemble) (2019)
Dir. Guillaume Canet
Feat. Francois Cluzet, Marion Cotillard, Gilles Lellouche
From the writer/director of the LITTLE WHITE LIES comes another chic French take on the formula of THE BIG CHILL, with the entire cast returning to…
Weathering with YouWeathering with You (2019)
Dir. Makoto Shinkai
Touching Japanese animated romance doubling as an eco–fable, about a high school boy who befriends a girl who can manipulate the weather. From…
While at WarWhile at War (2019)
Dir. Alejandro Amenabar
Feat. Karra Elejalde, Eduard Fernandez, Santi Prego
From Alejandro Amenabar, acclaimed director of THE SEA INSIDE, comes this drama set in Spain in 1936 on the cusp of the Spanish Civil…
Who You Think I AmWho You Think I Am (Celle que vous croyez) (2019) Recommended
Dir. Safy Nebbou
Feat. Juliette Binoche, François Civil, Nicole Garcia
Juliet Binoche is outstanding at the helm of this elegant psychological thriller, playing a French literature professor and middle–aged…
Wild Goose Lake, TheWild Goose Lake, The (Nan fang che zhan de ju hui) (2019)
Dir. Diao Yinan
Feat. Ge Hu, Fan Liao, Lun-Mei Kwei
Chinese noir thriller with impeccable visual flair, following the fates of a rogue gangster and the prostitute he meets whilst on the run from the…
A Faithful ManA Faithful Man (L'homme fidèle) (2018)
Dir. Louis Garrel
Feat. Louis Garrel, Laetitia Casta, Lily-Rose Depp
Romantic farce with a whimsical, French new–wave sensibility directed by and starring Louis Garrel. A dashing journalist finds his life…
A Man in a HurryA Man in a Hurry (Un homme pressé) (2018)
Dir. Hervé Mimran
Feat. Fabrice Luchini, Leïla Bekhti
French comic–drama based on the life of the former head of Peugeot, Christian Stieff, a high profile businessman who has let his personal life…
Asterix: The Secret of the Magic PotionAsterix: The Secret of the Magic Potion (2018)
Dir. Alexandre Astier, Louis Clichy
Another delightful Roman–era adventure adapted from the beloved French comic books. Asterix and Obelix embark on a quest across Gaul to find a…
Birds of PassageBirds of Passage (2018) Recommended
Dir. Ciro Guerra, Cristina Gallego
Feat. Natalia Reyes, Carmina Martinez, Jose Acosta
Intelligent and engrossing narco–thriller set in Columbia in the 1960's, following an indigenous Wayuu man and his family as they turn to drug…
BorderBorder (Gräns) (2018) Recommended
Dir. Ali Abbasi
Feat. Eva Melander, Eero Milonoff, Jörgen Thorsson
Remarkable Swedish black comedy about a customs officer with an extraordinary sense of smell who sniffs out a suspicious–looking traveller with…
BurningBurning (2018) Recommended
Dir. Chang-Dong Lee
Feat. Yoo Ah-in, Jeon Jong-seo, Steven Yeun
Beautifully crafted film following a young aspiring novelist who reconnects with a childhood neighbour, before events take an unexpectedly sinister…
By the Grace of GodBy the Grace of God (Grâce à Dieu) (2018)
Dir. Francois Ozon
Feat. Melvil Poupaud, Denis Ménochet, Swann Arlaud
Hard–hitting French–Belgian drama about three sexual abuse victims who attempt to the to justice the Catholic priest who was…
CapharnaumCapharnaum (2018) Recommended
Dir. Nadine Labaki
Feat. Zain Al Rafeea
A uniquely humanistic portrayal of tragic poverty in Beirut from the perspective of an extraordinarily gutsy 12 year old Lebanese boy. After…
Claire DarlingClaire Darling (La dernière folie de Claire Darling) (2018)
Dir. Julie Bertuccelli
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Chiara Mastroianni, Alice Taglioni
Catherine Deneuve plays a reclusive millionaire who unexpectedly decides to get rid of all her belongings in a yard sale on the lawn of her mansion.…
ClimaxClimax (2018)
Dir. Gaspar Noe
Feat. Sofia Boutella, Kiddy Smile, Roman Guillermic
A dance movie like you're never seen, legendary provocateur Gaspar Noe helms this brilliant and intoxicating ensemble piece. Set in an abandoned…
Cold WarCold War (2018) Recommended
Dir. Pawel Pawlikowski
Feat. Joanna Kulig, Tomasz Kot
The director of 'Ida' (2013) follows up with a deeply romantic, immaculately composed tale of a Polish concert pianist and a charismatic singer who…
Divine Order, TheDivine Order, The (2018)
Dir. Petra Biondina Volpe
Feat. Marie Leuenberger
A passionate drama set in Switzerland, following a mother and housewife who campaigns for a referendum on the right of women to vote – in 1971…
DogmanDogman (2018) Aro Favourite
Dir. Matteo Garrone
Feat. Edoardo Pesce, Marcello Fonte
The director of GOMORRAH and TALE OF TALES expertly helms this gripping urban Italian crime noir about a mild mannered and diminutive dog groomer who…
DonbassDonbass (2018)
Dir. Sergey Loznitsa
Feat. Tamara Yatsenko, Irina Zayarmiuk, Grigory Masliuk
A 13–part exploration of the conflict between Ukraine and the Russian–supported Donetsk People's Republic throughout the…
Everybody KnowsEverybody Knows (Todos Lo Saben) (2018)
Dir. Asghar Farhadi
Feat. Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem, Ricardo Darín
Iranian maestro Asghar Farhadi assembles a powerhouse cast for this Spanish–language about a mother–of–two who returns from Buenos…
GirlGirl (2018) Recommended
Dir. Lukas Dhont
Feat. Victor Polster
This Belgian drama was a hit at Cannes owing to it's grace and emotional depth. Transsexual teenager Lara is committed to becoming a professional…
Girls of the SunGirls of the Sun (Les filles du soleil) (2018)
Dir. Eva Husson
Feat. Golshifteh Farahani
Powerful wartime film following a Kurdish female battalion who are fighting against ISIS extremists to take back control of their village. Stars…
Guilty, TheGuilty, The (Den skyldige) (2018) Recommended
Feat. Jakob Cedergren, Jessica Dinnage
A nail–biting Danish thriller that maximises tension from minimal means in which a desk–bound police officer answers an emergency call…
Happy as LazzaroHappy as Lazzaro (2018) Recommended
Dir. Alice Rohrwacher
Feat. Adriano Tardiolo, Nicoletta Braschi, Sergi Lopez
It's summer at Inviolata, an isolated rural estate, where an extended family of tobacco farmers toil under the rule of a domineering marchesa, and…
Heiresses, TheHeiresses, The (2018)
Dir. Marcelo Martinessi
Feat. Ana Brun, Margarita Irún, Anna Ivanova
Slow–burn drama from Paraguay about a privileged middle–aged lesbian couple whose new found financial hardship results in one being…
Ideal Palace, TheIdeal Palace, The (L'incroyable histoire du facteur Cheval) (2018)
Dir. Nils Tavernier
Feat. Jacques Gamblin, Laetitia Casta, Florence Thomassin
Affectionate biographical drama based on the extraordinary real–life story of a simple French postman who spent 33 years building a magnificent…
In The AislesIn The Aisles (In den Gängen) (2018) Recommended
Dir. Thomas Stuber
Feat. Franz Rogowski, Sandra Huller
A German wholesale supermarket is the setting for this gentle romantic drama following a reclusive blue–collar shelf stacker (Andreas Leupold,…
In Your HandsIn Your Hands (Au bout des doigts) (2018)
Dir. Ludovic Bernard
Feat. Lambert Wilson, Kristin Scott Thomas, Jules Benchetrit
A young delinquent with a talent for the piano captures the attention of the Director of the National Conservatory of Music in this feel–good…
Keeper, TheKeeper, The (Trautmann) (2018)
Dir. Markus Rosenmüller
Feat. David Kross, Freya Mavor
Biographical drama telling the story of Bert Trautmann, the German soldier who escapes a POW camp to become a footballing icon, marrying the daughter…
LoroLoro (2018)
Dir. Paolo Sorrentino
Feat. Toni Servillo, Elena Sofia Ricci, Riccardo Scamarcio
The director of THE GREAT BEAUTY returns with another tale of Italian decadence and corruption, this time based on the life and times of the infamous…
Mother is Wrong (TV Mini-series)Mother is Wrong (TV Mini-series) (Maman a tort) (2018)
Feat. Anne Charrier, Pascal Elbé
French thriller following a detective who, despite being already consumed by a major robbery, takes on the chilling case of a child who tells her his…
My Big Gay Italian WeddingMy Big Gay Italian Wedding (2018)
Dir. Alessandro Genovesi
Feat. Cristiano Caccamo, Salvatore Esposito, Monica Guerritore
Enjoyable silly comedy adaptation of the off–Broadway play about a gay couple in Berlin who decide to get married in a small village in Italy,…
My Brilliant Friend (TV Mini-series)My Brilliant Friend (TV Mini-series) (L'amica geniale) (2018) Recommended
Dir. Saverio Costanzo
Feat. Valentina Acca, Annarita Vitolo
Evocative Neapolitan drama adapted from the international best–selling novel by Elena Ferrante, following an elderly woman as she recounts her…
Never Look AwayNever Look Away (Werk ohne Autor) (2018) Recommended
Dir. Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Feat. Tom Schilling, Sebastian Koch, Paula Beer
The director of THE LIVES OF OTHERS helms this drama spanning three eras of German history to tell the story of an artist who survives the Nazi…
Non-FictionNon-Fiction (Non Fiction) (2018)
Dir. Olivier Assayas
Feat. Guillaume Canet, Juliette Binoche, Vincent Macaigne
Buoyant drama set in the Parisian publishing world, with acclaimed director Olivier Assayas reuniting with actors Juliette Binoche and Guillaume…
Normandy NudeNormandy Nude (Normandie nue, Naked Normandy) (2018)
Dir. Phillippe Le Guay
Feat. Francois Cluzet, Toby Jones, François-Xavier Demaison
Francois Cluzet leads a sizeable cast of mostly non–actors in this warm–hearted French comedy from the dir. of THE WOMEN ON THE 6TH FLOOR…
PhotographPhotograph (2018)
Dir. Ritesh Batra
Feat. Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sanya Malhotra
A charming romance from the director of THE LUNCHBOX set in Mumbai, where a struggling street photographer convinces a shy stranger to pose as his…
Plague, The (TV Series)Plague, The (TV Series) (La Peste) (2018)
Dir. Alberto Rodriguez
Feat. Pablo Molinero, Paco Leon, Manolo Solo
CONTRABAND TITLE. Not legally available for sale, rent or trade in New Zealand unless submitted for approval to the NZ Office of Film & Literature…
Purity of Vengeance, ThePurity of Vengeance, The (Journal 64) (2018)
Dir. Christoffer Boe
Feat. Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Fares Fares
The fourth and final installment in the Danish 'Department Q' detective series initiated by The KEEPER OF LOST CAUSES is a conspiracy thriller…
RomaRoma (2018) Aro Favourite
Dir. Alfonso Cuaron
Feat. Yalitza Aparicio, Marina de Tavira
Another masterclass in storytelling from Mexican maestro Alfonso Cuarón, about a year in the life of a middle–class family's maid in Mexico…
ShopliftersShoplifters (Manbiki kazoku) (2018) Recommended
Dir. Kore-eda Hirokazu
Feat. Lily Franky, Sakura Ando, Mayu Matsuoka
Charming, funny and heartbreaking all at once, this drama from the Japanese master of humanism Kore–eda is set in Tokyo and follows a group of…
Sink or SwimSink or Swim (Le grand bain) (2018)
Dir. Gilles Lellouche
Feat. Mathieu Amalric, Guillaume Canet, Benoit Poelvoorde
A group of 40–something guys, all on the verge of a mid–life crisis, decide to form their local pool's first ever synchronized swimming…
Sorry AngelSorry Angel (2018)
Dir. Christophe Honore
Feat. Pierre Deladonchamps, Vincent Lacoste, Denis Podalydes
Articulate and powerful love story set in Paris in the 90's, where a worldly writer falls for a younger, carefree university student.
Third Wife, TheThird Wife, The (2018)
Dir. Ash Mayfair
Feat. Tran Nu Yen-Khe
Haunting and devastating period drama set in 19th century rural Vietnam, where a 14–year old girl is married off to a wealthy landowner and…
TransitTransit (2018)
Dir. Christian Petzold
Feat. Franz Rogowski
Distinguished wartime melodrama from Christian Petzold (BARBARA, PHOENIX) following the plight of a holocaust survivor who assumes the identity of a…
Trouble With You, TheTrouble With You, The (En liberté!) (2018)
Dir. Pierre Salvadori
Feat. Adele Haenel, Pio Marmaï, Audrey Tautou
Sparkling, action filled rom–com from director Pierre Salvadori (PRICELESS, WILD TARGET) where a principled detective on the French Riviera is…
Water Lilies of Monet: The Magic of Water and LightWater Lilies of Monet: The Magic of Water and Light (2018)
A journey through the masterpieces and obsessions of the "Genius of Impressionism", with Ross King, author of Mad Enchantment: Claude Monet and the…
Woman at WarWoman at War (2018) Aro Favourite
Dir. Benedikt Erlingsson
Feat. Halldóra Geirharðsdóttir
A droll yet heroic tale of a fifty–year–old environmental activist who is secretly waging a one–woman–war on the local…
Working WomanWorking Woman (2018) Recommended
Dir. Michal Aviad
Feat. Liron Ben-Shlush
Workplace drama capturing the spirit of the "Me Too" movement to tell the story of a smart and capable mother of three who returns to the workforce…
World Is Yours, TheWorld Is Yours, The (Le monde est à toi) (2018)
Dir. Romain Gavras
Feat. Karim Leklou, Isabelle Adjani, Vincent Cassel
French comedy thriller about a small time drug dealer who attempts to go straight by becoming the official distributor of Mr. Freeze ice pops in…
YuliYuli (2018)
Dir. Iciar Bollain
Feat. Carlos Acosta, Santiago Alfonso, Keyvin Martinez
Rousing biopic of the Cuban ballet superstar Carlos Acosta, nicknamed Yuli by his father, who saw recognised his talent for dance and sent him to…
A Bag of MarblesA Bag of Marbles (Un sac de billes) (2017)
Dir. Christian Duguay
Feat. Dorian Le Clech, Batyste Fleurial
The experience of the French occupation during WWII is told uniquely using a child's perspective in this latterday adaptation of the book by Joseph…
A Fantastic WomanA Fantastic Woman (Una mujer fantástica) (2017) Aro Favourite
Dir. Sebastián Lelio
Feat. Daniela Vega, Francisco Reyes, Luis Gnecco
Another supremely elegant, substantive and compassionate character study from the director of GLORIA that this time focuses on a transgender woman in…
AuroreAurore (I Got Life!) (2017)
Dir. Blandine Lenoir
Feat. Agnes Jaoui, Thibault de Montalembert, Pascale Arbillot
Actress and co–writer Jaoui is the heart and soul of this witty if overly–familiar rom–com as the eponymous 50–year–old…
Babylon Berlin (TV Series)Babylon Berlin (TV Series) (2017) Recommended
A German neo–noir television series based on novels by Volker Kutscher that takes place in Berlin during the Weimar Republic, starting in 1929.…
Back to BurgundyBack to Burgundy (Ce qui nous lie) (2017)
Dir. Cedric Klapisch
Feat. Pio Marmaï, Ana Girardot, François Civil
Sumptuous French family saga which will be a special treat for oenophiles, as three siblings attempt to save the family vineyard in picturesque…
Belle and Sebastian: Friends for Life Belle and Sebastian: Friends for Life (Belle et Sebastien 3) (2017)
Dir. Clovis Cornillac
Feat. Félix Bossuet, Tcheky Karyo, Clovis Cornillac
Third installment of the delightful French film series about an orphan and his friendship with a wild mountain dog during the upheaval of WWII.
Blade of the ImmortalBlade of the Immortal (2017) Recommended
Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Takuya Kimura, Sugisaki Hana, Fukushi Sota
Japanese uber–director Miike Takashi’s 100th feature, based on a popular manga series about a vengeful swordsman with an uncanny ability to…
Bolshoi, TheBolshoi, The (Bolshoy) (2017)
Dir. Valery Todorovsky
Feat. Margarita Simonova, Alisa Freindlikh, Valentina Telichkina
Russian drama about a young and talented ballet dancer from the provinces who is determined to find success on stage at the Bolshoi Theatre in…
BPMBPM (Beats Per Minute) (2017)
Dir. Robin Campillo
Feat. Nahuel Pérez Biscayar, Arnaud Valois, Adele Haenel
Remarkable and inspiring drama by the director of EASTERN BOYS, set in 1990's France and following a group of passionate AIDS activists who take on…
Bridge, The - Series 4 (TV Series)Bridge, The - Series 4 (TV Series) (Bron/Broen) (2017)
Feat. Sofia Helin, Thure Lindhardt
Fourth series of the enormously popular Danish–Swedish murder mystery is set two years after the conclusion of Series 3 with the central…
C'est La VieC'est La Vie (Le sens de la fête) (2017) Recommended
Dir. Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano
Feat. Jean-Pierre Bacri, Gilles Lellouche, Jean-Paul Rouve
An archetypically bubbly, if not quite champagne quality, French comedy from the creators of THE INTOUCHABLES in which an irritable veteran wedding…
Call Me By Your NameCall Me By Your Name (2017) Aro Favourite
Dir. Luca Guadagnino
Feat. Armie Hammer, Timothée Chalamet, Michael Stuhlbarg
Completing the "Desire" trilogy with I AM LOVE and A BIGGER SPLASH, this coming–of–age drama is set in Northern Italy in 1983, where a 17…
Captain, TheCaptain, The (Der Hauptmann) (2017)
Dir. Robert Schwentke
Feat. Max Hubacher, Frederick Lau, Bernd Holscher
Gripping historical drama about German soldier Willi Herold, who was fighting for survival against the Nazis until he found the uniform of a Nazi…
CustodyCustody (Jusqu'à la garde) (2017) Aro Favourite
Dir. Xavier Legrand
Feat. Léa Drucker, Denis Ménochet
Astonishing French drama charting a family struggling with the embittered fallout of divorce, and the resulting impact on the two children. The…
Double LoverDouble Lover (L'amant double) (2017)
Dir. Francois Ozon
Feat. Jacqueline Bisset, Jeremie Renier, Marine Vacth
Sexually–charged, stylized thriller from director Francois Ozon about a fragile young model who moves in with her psychoanalyst, only to…
Dr. KnockDr. Knock (Doctor Knock) (2017)
Dir. Lorraine Levy
Feat. Omar Sy
Popular French actor Omar Sy (THE INTOUCHABLES) stars in this feelgood comedy about a former thug turned doctor who moves to a small French town and…
Faces PlacesFaces Places (2017) Recommended
Dir. Agnes Varda, JR
Feat. Agnes Varda, JR
Charming French documentary created by and starring beloved new wave director Agnes Varda, who recruits a charismatic young photographer/muralist…
FireworksFireworks (Fireworks: Should We See It from the Side or The Bottom?) (2017)
Dir. Nobuyuki Takeuchi
Beautifully romantic Japanese anime set during a school summer vacation, based on Shunji Iwai’s 1993 TV series, “Fireworks”. Refreshingly…
FoxtrotFoxtrot (2017) Recommended
Dir. Samuel Maoz
Feat. Lior Ashkenazi, Sarah Adler
The impressive sophomore effort of director Samuel Maoz (LEBANON) is a perceptive and bold exploration of war and grief. An affluent couple living in…
Gauguin: Voyage de TahitiGauguin: Voyage de Tahiti (2017)
Dir. Edouard Deluc
Feat. Vincent Cassel
Vincent Cassel delivers a committed, absorbing performance as French painter Paul Gauguin. Set in 1891, when Gauguin exiled himself to Tahiti to…
Good MannersGood Manners (2017)
Dir. Juliana Rojas, Marco Dutra
Feat. Isabél Zuaa, Marjorie Estiano
A genre–defying Portuguese film which artfully blends social satire and horror to tell the story of a nanny called Clara, who works for Ana, a…
Happy EndHappy End (2017)
Dir. Michael Haneke
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Mathieu Kassovitz
Michael Haneke lends his impeccably chilly style to this blackest of comedies about the disintegration of family relationships amidst the enduring…
I Am Not a WitchI Am Not a Witch (2017) Recommended
Dir. Rungano Nyoni
Full of joy and tragedy in the equal measure, this assured debut from Zambian writer–director Rungano Nyoni follows the story of 9–year…
I Know Who You Are (TV Series)I Know Who You Are (TV Series) (Sé quién eres) (2017)
Feat. Francesc Garrido, Blanca Portillo, Aida Folch
CONTRABAND TITLE. Not legally available for sale, rent or trade in New Zealand unless submitted for approval to the NZ Office of Film & Literature…
In the FadeIn the Fade (2017)
Dir. Fatih Akin
Feat. Diane Kruger, Johannes Krisch
Diane Kruger's momentous performance is central to this drama about a woman called Katja from Hamburg, whose husband and son are killed in a…
Insult, TheInsult, The (2017) Recommended
Dir. Ziad Doueiri
Feat. Adel Karam, Kamel El Basha
An exchange on a Beirut street between a Palestinian construction worker and a Lebanese Christian escalates into a passionate dispute that opens…
Ismael's GhostsIsmael's Ghosts (2017)
Dir. Arnaud Desplechin
Feat. Mathieu Amalric, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Marion Cotillard
The always impressive Mathieu Amalric (DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY) anchors this ambitious and narratively complex story of a film maker whose life…
Jeune FemmeJeune Femme (Montparnasse Bienvenüe) (2017)
Dir. Léonor Sérraille
Feat. Lætitia Dosch
Drama set in Paris, following a spirited yet struggling woman in her 30's in the wake of a difficult break up with her wealthy boyfriend. A…
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is UnbreakableJoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable (2017)
Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Ryunosuke Kamiki, Kento Yamazaki
Frenetic and boundlessly wacky live–action adaptation of the manga, with a head spinning plot involving psychic avatars who plot to bring down…
Just To Be SureJust To Be Sure (Otez-moi d'un doute) (2017)
Dir. Carine Tardieu
Feat. François Damiens, Cecile De France, Andre Wilms
A delightful French comedy–of–errors following a grounded 45–year old widower whose life changes abruptly when he learns that the…
Le RedoutableLe Redoutable (Godard, Mon Amour) (2017)
Dir. Michel Hazanavicius
Feat. Louis Garrel, Stacy Martin
Louis Garrel is perfectly cast as the giant of the French New Wave, in this whimsical biopic of Jean–Luc, set during the shoot for LA CHINOISE.…
Legacy, The - Series 3 (TV Series)Legacy, The - Series 3 (TV Series) (Arvingerne) (2017) Recommended
Feat. Trine Dyrholm, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, Lene Maria Christensen
The excellent Danish family saga continues with the four siblings – Gro, Signe, Frederick and Emil entangled in emotional and financial…
Let the Sunshine InLet the Sunshine In (2017)
Dir. Claire Denis
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Xavier Beauvois, Philippe Katerine
Juliette Binoche is radiant as a Parisian artist and divorced mother who bravely searches for sexual fulfillment and companionship in middle age.…
LovelessLoveless (2017) Recommended
Dir. Andrei Zvyagintsev
Feat. Matvey Novikov, Maryana Spivak, Aleksey Rozin
Exquisitely austere Russian drama by modern master Zvyagintsev (LEVIATHAN, ELENA) which offers a dissection of a failed relationship against the…
Mary and the Witch's FlowerMary and the Witch's Flower (2017)
Dir. Hiromasa Yonebayashi
Beautiful Japanese animation telling the coming–of–age story of a boisterous girl whose summer holiday with her great aunt leads her to…
Midwife, TheMidwife, The (Sage femme) (2017)
Dir. Martin Provost
Feat. Catherine Frot, Catherine Deneuve
Two of French cinema's most beloved actors, Catherine Deneuve and Catherine Frot, team up in this rich character study by the director of SERAPHINE.…
Mr. Stein Goes OnlineMr. Stein Goes Online (Un profil pour deux) (2017)
Dir. Stéphane Robelin
Feat. Pierre Richard
Old–fashioned French farce where a reclusive widower enters the world of online dating, using the profile photo of his young computer tutor to…
One Cut of the DeadOne Cut of the Dead (Kamera wo tomeruna!) (2017)
Dir. Shinichiro Ueda
Feat. Takayuki Hamatsu, Yuzuki Akiyama, Harumi Shuhama
Ridiculously fun and gleefully inventive movie–within–a–movie where the crew of a low–budget zombie film are terrorised by…
Other Side of Hope, TheOther Side of Hope, The (2017) Recommended
Dir. Aki Kaurismaki
Feat. Sakari Kuosmanen, Sherwan Haji, Ville Virtanen
This Finnish take on the European migrant crisis – proclaimed to be last directed by auteur Aki Kaurismäki – is a poignant yet typically…
Pop AyePop Aye (2017) Recommended
Dir. Kirsten Tan
Feat. Thaneth Warakulnukroh
Quietly uplifting road trip dramedy following a disillusioned Bangkok architect who embarks on a trek across the idyllic Thai countryside with the…
RodinRodin (2017)
Dir. Jacques Doillon
Feat. Vincent Lindon, Izia Higelin
Austere drama set in Paris in 1880, where Auguste Rodin, widely considered the founder of modern sculpture, received his first state commission and…
ScrewedScrewed (Pihalla) (2017)
Dir. Nils-Erik Ekblom
Feat. Mikko Kauppila, Sanna Majuri, Valtteri Lehtinen
Sweet–natured Finnish coming–of–age drama about two teenage boys who fall in love during a summer in the countryside.
See You Up ThereSee You Up There (Au revoir là-haut) (2017)
Dir. Albert Dupontel
Feat. Albert Dupontel, Nahuel Pérez Biscayar, Laurent Lafitte
French film adaptation of the ambitious novel set a few days before the 1918 Armistice, where, among the ruins of WWI, a genius draftsman and a…
Square, TheSquare, The (2017) Recommended
Dir. Ruben Östlund
Feat. Claes Bang, Elisabeth Moss, Dominic West
A smart and ambitious art world satire from the director of FORCE MAJEURE set in and around a cutting–edge contemporary art museum, where a…
Summer 1993Summer 1993 (2017) Recommended
Dir. Carla Simón
Feat. Laia Artigas, Paula Robles, Bruna Cusí
An evocative and affecting autobiographical depiction of Catalan writer–director Carla Simón's childhood. Set in 1993, 6–year old Frida…
TerrifiedTerrified (Aterrados) (2017) Recommended
Dir. Demián Rugna
Feat. Maxi Ghione, Elvira Onetto, Norberto Gonzalo
Supremely creepy yet thoughtful Argentine horror–drama set in a Buenos Aires neighbourhood plagued by paranormal occurrences. Stacked with…
ThelmaThelma (2017) Recommended
Dir. Joachim Trier
Feat. Eili Harboe, Henrik Rafaelsen, Kaya Wilkins
A gracefully unsettling Nordic thriller about a painfully shy young woman whose oppressed, conservative upbringing and burgeoning passion for a…
Tokyo GhoulTokyo Ghoul (2017)
Dir. Kentaro Hagiwara
Feat. Masataka Kubota, Fumika Shimizu
A live–action adaptation of the manga series by Sui Ishida. In modern day Tokyo, flesh–eating ghouls live among humans, and after…
Valkyrien (TV Series)Valkyrien (TV Series) (2017)
Feat. Sven Nordin, Pål Sverre Hagen
CONTRABAND TITLE. Not legally available for sale, rent or trade in New Zealand unless submitted for approval to the NZ Office of Film & Literature…
Wajib - The Wedding InvitationWajib - The Wedding Invitation (Wajib) (2017)
Dir. Annemarie Jacir
Feat. Mohamed Bakri
Wryly comedic drama set in Nazareth in the lead–up to Christmas, where a conservative father and his estranged hipster son attempt to reconcile…
WesternWestern (2017)
Dir. Valeska Grisebach
Feat. Meinhard Neumann, Reinhardt Wetrek, Syuleyman Alilov Letifov
As foreign construction workers build a dam in a rural Bulgarian village, a German man has a series of personal encounters with the local landscape…
Wound, TheWound, The (Inxeba) (2017) Recommended
Dir. John Trengove
Feat. Nakhane Toure
An unforgettable South African drama following a closeted relationship between two Xhosa men participating in a coming–of–age initiation…
A Conspiracy of FaithA Conspiracy of Faith (2016)
Dir. Hans Petter Moland
Feat. Pål Sverre Hagen, Fares Fares, Nikolaj Lie Kaas
Following THE KEEPER OF LOST CAUSES and THE ABSENT ONE, this third entry in the coal–black "Department Q" series of feature films has cold case…
A Silent VoiceA Silent Voice (Koe no katachi) (2016)
Dir. Naoko Yamada
Feat. Miyu Irino
Unique Japanese anime following a deaf girl called Shoko, who is bullied at school by a boy who grows up to be tormented by his past behavior, and…
After the StormAfter the Storm (Umi yori mo mada fukaku) (2016) Recommended
Dir. Kore-eda Hirokazu
Feat. Hiroshi Abe, Kirin Kiki, Yôko Maki
After the death of his father, a morally bankrupt private detective struggles to find child support money and reconnect with his son and…
Age of Shadows, TheAge of Shadows, The (2016)
Dir. Ji-woon Kim
Feat. Kang-ho Song, Gong Yoo, Han Ji-min
Elegantly crafted spy thriller set in Japanese occupied Seoul in the 1920's, in which a Korean–born police captain in the Japanese police force…
AquariusAquarius (2016) Recommended
Dir. Kleber Mendonca Filho
Feat. Sonia Braga, Maeve Jinkings, Irandhir Santos
Gratifying portrait of a 65–year–old widow and retired music critic who battles a development company to retain her residency at the…
Country Doctor, TheCountry Doctor, The (Irreplaceable) (2016)
Dir. Thomas Lilti
Feat. Francois Cluzet, Marianne Denicourt
Genteel drama starring François Cluzet (THE INTOUCHABLES) as a devoted doctor in a rural French town who himself is diagnosed with a serious illness…
Dancer, TheDancer, The (La danseuse) (2016)
Dir. Stéphanie Di Giusto
Feat. Soko , Gaspard Ulliel, Mélanie Thierry
Dazzling rags–to–riches biopic following the true story of Loïe Fuller and Isadora Duncan, two dancers who together pioneered modern…
Death of Louis XIV, TheDeath of Louis XIV, The (La mort de Louis XIV) (2016)
Dir. Albert Serra
Feat. Jean-Pierre Leaud
A master of minimalist portraits of historical figures, Albert Serra directs French New Wave doyen Jean–Pierre Léaud as Louis XIV during the…
DheepanDheepan (2016)
Dir. Jacques Audiard
Feat. Antonythasan Jesuthasan
A Sri Lankan refugee in France finds himself posing as the father and husband of two other refugees in order to gain asylum status. An unflinchingly…
Eagle Huntress, TheEagle Huntress, The (2016) Recommended
A 13–year–old nomadic Mongolian girl breaks a 2,000 year–old gender barrier to follow her father and train hunting eagles in this…
ElleElle (2016) Recommended
Dir. Paul Verhoeven
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Laurent Lafitte, Anne Consigny
Controversial, unflinching drama closely following the perspective of a woman who is repeatedly raped by the same masked intruder, but whose…
FrantzFrantz (2016) Recommended
Dir. Francois Ozon
Feat. Pierre Niney, Paula Beer
A young woman in small–town Germany is mourning the death of her fiance in the wake of WWI, and forms an unexpected bond with an enigmatic and…
Frozen Dead, The (TV Series)Frozen Dead, The (TV Series) (Glacé) (2016)
Feat. Charles Berling, Julia Piaton, Pascal Greggory
Chilly crime thriller set in the French Pyrenees that unravels after the discovery of a headless body of a horse hanging suspended from the edge of a…
Graduation Graduation (Bacalaureat) (2016) Aro Favourite
Dir. Cristian Mungiu
Feat. Adrian Titieni, Maria-Victoria Dragus
Subtly engrossing drama follows the moral dilemmas of a well–meaning and respected doctor who succumbs to Romania's endemic corruption in order…
Handmaiden, TheHandmaiden, The (2016) Recommended
Dir. Park Chan-Wook
Feat. Min-hee Kim, Tae-ri Kim, Jung-woo Ha
Delicious erotic thriller from the brilliant Park Chan–Wook, who lends his impeccable style to a provocative potboiler of lesbian love and…
Happy HourHappy Hour (2016) Recommended
Dir. Ryusuke Hamaguchi
Feat. Tanaka Sachie, Kikuchi Hazuki, Mihara Maiko
Intelligent and novelistic drama exploring the private and professional lives of four Japanese women in their 30's across an ambitious, but…
HeadshotHeadshot (2016)
Dir. Kimo Stamboel, Timo Tjahjanto
Feat. Iko Uwais, Chelsea Islan
Iko Uwais (star of THE RAID) returns in this impossibly violent Indonesian martial arts feast. An overused plot device of an elite fighter who wakes…
Innocents, TheInnocents, The (Agnus Dei) (2016) Recommended
Dir. Anne Fontaine
Feat. Lou de Laâge, Agata Kulesza, Agata Buzek
In Poland after World War II, a young French Red Cross intern who is sent to assist the survivors of the German camps discovers several nuns in…
JulietaJulieta (2016) Recommended
Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Emma Suarez, Adriana Ugarte
The complexities of a woman's past are unraveled after a chance encounter, in this loose adaptation of three short stories by Alice Munro. More…
KediKedi (2016) Recommended
Dir. Ceyda Torun
An enchanting profile of an ancient city of Istanbul and its people, as told through the separate stories of seven roaming cats whose mysterious,…
King's Choice, TheKing's Choice, The (2016)
Dir. Erik Poppe
Feat. Jesper Christensen, Anders Baasmo
Vibrant war–time drama set during the three days in 1940 when German forces occupied Oslo and King Haakon VII and his family went into hiding.…
Like CrazyLike Crazy (La Pazza Gioia) (2016)
Dir. Paolo Virzi
Feat. Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Micaela Ramazzotti
Gratifying comedy–drama following two women, one a troubled introvert, one an impassioned mythomaniac, who break out of a psychiatric facility…
Lost in ParisLost in Paris (Paris pieds nus) (2016) Aro Favourite
Dir. Dominique Abel, Fiona Gordon
Feat. Emmanuelle Riva, Pierre Richard, Dominique Abel
Another gem from husband–and–wife team, Abel & Gordon, featuring a roster of typically clever sight gags that follows the trail of a…
Mermaid, TheMermaid, The (2016)
Dir. Stephen Chow (Chiao)
Feat. Chao Deng, Lin Yun, Zhang Yuqi
Madcap comic fantasy that marks a return to form for director Chow tells the tale of a beautiful mermaid who falls for the property developer she was…
My Life as a ZucchiniMy Life as a Zucchini (Ma Vie de Courgette) (2016) Recommended
Dir. Claude Barras
Expressive, bittersweet French stop–motion animated feature about a boy (Courgette) who must adjust to life in a foster home of orphans, who…
NerudaNeruda (2016) Recommended
Dir. Pablo Larrain
Feat. Gael Garcia Bernal, Luis Gnecco, Mercedes Morán
Universally acclaimed biographical drama about poet and communist senator Pablo Neruda, who was forced into hiding with his artist wife when the Cold…
Odyssey, TheOdyssey, The (L'odyssée) (2016) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jérôme Salle
Feat. Lambert Wilson, Pierre Niney, Audrey Tautou
A shimmering yet unvarnished biopic of pioneering Frenchman Jacques Cousteau, who invented the aqualung and went on to become a world–famous…
Olive Tree, TheOlive Tree, The (El olivo) (2016)
Dir. Iciar Bollain
Feat. Anna Castillo, Javier Gutiérrez, Pep Ambros
Spanish actor–director Iciar Bollain and Ken Loach's regular screenwriter Paul Laverty join forces for this warm and sometimes humorous road…
Penny PincherPenny Pincher (Radin!) (2016)
Dir. Fred Cavaye
Feat. Dany Boon, Laurence Arné, Noémie Schmidt
Farcical French comedy starring Dany Boon as a gifted violinist and secret "penny pincher" – obsessed with saving money at all costs, he leads…
Perfect StrangersPerfect Strangers (Perfetti sconosciuti) (2016) Aro Favourite
Dir. Paolo Genovese
Feat. Giuseppe Battiston, Anna Foglietta, Marco Giallini
A clever comedy of manners for the iphone–era, this Italian award–winner follows a dinner party debacle that unfolds after seven…
Personal ShopperPersonal Shopper (2016) Recommended
Dir. Olivier Assayas
Feat. Kristen Stewart, Lars Eidinger, Anders Danielsen Lie
Utterly beguiling psychological horror closely following a troubled personal shopper to a fashion–world celebrity, who attempts to make contact…
PlanetariumPlanetarium (2016)
Dir. Rebecca Zlotowski
Feat. Natalie Portman, Lily-Rose Depp, Emmanuel Salinger
Natalie Portman and Lily–Rose Depp play two American sisters in pre–war France with apparent psychic abilities that engage the interest…
PolinaPolina (2016)
Dir. Valérie Müller, Angelin Preljocaj
Feat. Anastasia Shevtsova, Veronika Zhovnytska, Juliette Binoche
Elegant, methodical drama about a gifted Russian dancer who gives up the chance to join the prestigious Bolshoi Ballet when she moves to France to…
RamsRams (2016) Recommended
Dir. Grimur Hakonarson
Feat. Sigurour Sigurjonsson, Theodor Juliusson
Distinctively woolly Nordic tale of two estranged sheep–farming brothers as they attempt to save their flocks from pending eradication in a…
RawRaw (Grave) (2016)
Dir. Julia Ducournau
Feat. Garance Marillier , Ella Rumpf
A bright young veterinary student and ardent vegetarian is unexpectedly subjected to a series of cruel hazing rituals in her first week at college,…
Red Turtle, TheRed Turtle, The (2016) Recommended
Dir. Michaël Dudok de Wit
The first non–Japanese film to be produced by Studio Ghibli follows a nameless shipwrecked man who meets a giant red turtle on a deserted…
Rosalie BlumRosalie Blum (2016) Recommended
Dir. Julien Rappeneau
Feat. Noemie Lvovsky, Alice Isaaz, Kyan Khojandi
An intriguing and relatable French rom–com that tells the same story of romantic serendipity from three different points of view. Based on a…
Saint AmourSaint Amour (2016)
Dir. Benoit Delepine, Gustave Kervern
Feat. Benoit Poelvoorde, Gerard Depardieu
Warm–hearted road movie following a disheartened cattle breeder who embarks on a wine trail through France with his father (Depardieu) and a…
Salesman, TheSalesman, The (Forusande‎) (2016) Recommended
Dir. Asghar Farhadi
Feat. Shahab Hosseini, Taraneh Alidoosti
Another subtle yet powerful drama from the celebrated director of THE SEPARATION and THE PAST that replays his signature themes of fear, guilt and…
Sami BloodSami Blood (2016) Recommended
Dir. Amanda Kernell
Feat. Lene Cecilia Sparrok , Hanna Alström
Emotionally powerful female coming–of–age movie set in 1930's Sweden, where a reindeer–herding teenager, an indigenous Sami child,…
Shin GodzillaShin Godzilla (2016)
Dir. Hideaki Anno
Feat. Hiroki Hasegawa, Satomi Ishihara, Yutaka Takenouchi
Terrifying resurgence of the Godzilla franchise from director Hideaki Anno (EVANGELION), taking inspiration from the Fukushima and Tōhoku…
Slack BaySlack Bay (Ma Loute) (2016)
Dir. Bruno Dumont
Feat. Fabrice Luchini, Juliette Binoche, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi
In a Northern French coastal town in 1910, a family of bourgeois eccentrics are holidaying in a picturesque cliff–top villa. But when tourists…
Teacher, TheTeacher, The (Ucitelka) (2016) Recommended
Dir. Jan Hrebejk
Feat. Zuzana Mauréry
Black comedy set in 1983 Bratislava, where a school teacher takes advantage of Communist traditions, manipulating the parents of her students into…
Terraformars: The MovieTerraformars: The Movie (2016)
Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Rinko Kikuchi, Rila Fukushima, Kane Kosugi
A team of human exterminators are on a mission to wipe out a ridiculous cockroach infestation that plagues the red planet, after a terraforming…
Things to ComeThings to Come (L'avenir) (2016)
Dir. Mia Hansen-Love
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Andre Marcon, Roman Kolinka
A passionate and intelligent philosophy professor experiences a crisis of identity in this exquisitely detailed drama with Huppert terrific in the…
Toni ErdmannToni Erdmann (2016) Aro Favourite
Dir. Maren Ade
Feat. Peter Simonischek, Sandra Huller, Ingrid Bisu
Brilliant, unclassifiable German comedy where a stern, career–focused woman is followed around a series of mundane board meetings and vapid…
Train to BusanTrain to Busan (2016) Recommended
Dir. Sang-ho Yeon
Feat. Gong Yoo, Kim Soo-Ah, Jung Yu-mi
Breakout Korean zombie–thriller sensation in which a group of terrified passengers fight their way through a viral outbreak while trapped on a…
Two is a FamilyTwo is a Family (Demain tout commence) (2016)
Dir. Hugo Gélin
Feat. Omar Sy, Clemence Poesy
An elegantly crafted, crowd–pleasing comedy–drama in fine French tradition, following a bachelor (Omar Sy, THE INTOUCHABLES) who enjoys a…
Under the ShadowUnder the Shadow (2016) Recommended
Dir. Babak Anvari
Feat. Narges Rashidi, Avin Manshadi, Bobby Naderi
As a mother and daughter struggle to cope with the terrors of the post–revolution, war–torn Tehran of the 1980s, a mysterious, oppressive…
Untamed, TheUntamed, The (La región salvaje) (2016) Recommended
Dir. Amat Escalante
Feat. Ruth Ramos, Simone Bucio, Jesús Meza
Unforgettable psycho–sexual horror featuring a multi–tentacled alien which becomes the source of obsession for members of a Mexican…
Up For LoveUp For Love (Un homme à la hauteur) (2016)
Dir. Laurent Tirard
Feat. Jean Dujardin, Virginie Efira
Warm hearted French rom–com about a lawyer who unexpectedly falls for a man with short stature (Jean Dujardin, star of THE ARTIST and the OSS…
Wailing, TheWailing, The (Goksung) (2016) Recommended
Dir. Hong-jin Na
Feat. Kwak Do-won, Hwang Jung-min, Chun Woo-hee
A bumbling police officer in a rural South Korean town investigates a series of horrific murders in this deeply immersive occultist thriller by the…
War, AWar, A (Krigen) (2016) Recommended
Dir. Tobias Lindholm
Feat. Pilou Asbæk, Søren Malling
The director and leading cast of A HIJACKING turn their attention to the dilemmas of modern warfare in this gripping account of an unexpected tragedy…
Where Am I Going?Where Am I Going? (Quo vado?) (2016)
Dir. Gennaro Nunziante
Feat. Checco Zalone
Currently the highest grossing film in Italian cinema history, this refreshing comedy follows the fate of a comfortable middle–aged slacker…
Witnesses (TV Mini-series)Witnesses (TV Mini-series) (2016)
Dir. Herve Hadmar
Feat. Thierry Lhermitte, Marie Dompnier, Laurent Lucas
Crime drama set in the north of France centred around a resilient female cop who investigates a wave of strange murders linked to a retired crime…
Your NameYour Name (Kimi no na wa) (2016) Recommended
Dir. Makoto Shinkai
Another exquisite animated drama from Makoto Shinkai, an increasingly beloved and notable voice in the world of Japanese anime. The story is based on…
13 Minutes13 Minutes (2015)
Dir. Oliver Hirschbiegel
Feat. Christian Friedel, Katharina Schüttler, Burghart Klaussner
The director of DOWNFALL returns to World War Two with this tense depiction of Georg Elser's efforts to assassinate Hitler, and the aftermath of his…
A Man Called OveA Man Called Ove (En man som heter Ove) (2015) Recommended
Dir. Hannes Holm
Feat. Rolf Lassgard, Bahar Pars, Filip Berg
Endearing Swedish hit about a grumpy 59–year–old widower who was deposed as president of the condominium association, but still presides…
Acquitted (TV Series)Acquitted (TV Series) (Frikjent) (2015) Recommended
Feat. Nicolai Cleve Broch, Lena Endre, Anne Marit Jacobsen
High quality Norwegian crime drama centred around a high–flying executive who returns to his hometown twenty years after he was cleared of the…
Angelby (TV Series)Angelby (TV Series) (Ängelby) (2015)
Feat. Mia Skaringer, Goran Ragnerstam, Amanda Ooms
Unsettling Swedish mystery series about a wife–and–mother who is forced to take a job in a small remote city of Ängelby where she…
Arabian NightsArabian Nights (2015) Recommended
Dir. Miguel Gomes
Feat. Crista Alfaiate
Wildly original and ambitious triptych of films set in modern–day Portugal but structured on the sprawling Arabic fairy–tale collection…
As it is in Heaven 2: Heaven on EarthAs it is in Heaven 2: Heaven on Earth (Heaven on Earth) (2015)
Dir. Kay Pollak
Feat. Frida Hallgren, Niklas Falk, Jacob Oftebro
Sequel to the beloved Swedish classic, follows on after the death of conductor Daniel Darius, where the soprano and love of his life expects his…
Assassin, TheAssassin, The (2015) Recommended
Dir. Hou Hsiao-Hsien
Feat. Shu Qi, Chen Chang, Satoshi Tsumabuki
Acclaimed director Hou Hsiao–Hsien returns with a breathtaking martial–arts epic in which an assassin accepts a dangerous mission to kill…
Bang Gang (A Modern Love Story)Bang Gang (A Modern Love Story) (2015)
Dir. Eva Husson
Feat. Finnegan Oldfield
A refreshingly non–judgemental account of female promiscuity, following a group of adolescents in a sleepy French town who start a sex party…
BaskinBaskin (2015)
Dir. Can Evrenol
Feat. Mehmet Cerrahoglu, Görkem Kasal, Ergun Kuyucu
A police squad inadvertently wander into hell in this terrifying tour–de–force feature debut from Turkish director Can Evrenol, which…
Belle and Sebastian: The Adventure ContinuesBelle and Sebastian: The Adventure Continues (Belle et Sebastien 2 - L'aventure Continue) (2015)
Dir. Christian Duguay
Feat. Félix Bossuet, Tcheky Karyo, Thierry Neuvic
Sequel to the delightful 2013 French adventure about an orphan and his friendship with a wild mountain dog during the upheaval of WWII.
Blind DateBlind Date (2015)
Dir. Clovis Cornillac
Feat. Melanie Bernier, Clovis Cornillac, Philippe Duquesne
Frothy French comedy follows the escalating conflict between two lonely neighbours whose thin walls give them plenty of opportunity to annoy each…
BoomerangBoomerang (2015)
Dir. François Favrat
Feat. Laurent Lafitte, Mélanie Laurent, Audrey Dana
Proficient French thriller from the author of SARAH'S KEY concerns a pair of siblings and their pursuit for the truth behind their mother's death.
Brand New Testament, TheBrand New Testament, The (2015)
Dir. Jaco Van Dormael
Feat. Benoit Poelvoorde, Catherine Deneuve, François Damiens
Fantastical comedy in which God's teenage daughter gets fed up up with her overbearing father – who never gets off the computer – and…
Bridge, The - Series 3 (TV Series)Bridge, The - Series 3 (TV Series) (Bron/Broen) (2015)
Feat. Sofia Helin, Thure Lindhardt
Third series of the steely Danish–Swedish murder mystery finds the partnership broken up and the killing of a prominent gender activist leads…
Bureau, The (TV Series)Bureau, The (TV Series) (Le Bureau des Legendes) (2015)
Feat. Mathieu Kassovitz
After six years of undercover work in Syria, French intelligence officer Malotru returns home, where he struggles to forget his undercover identity,…
Cemetery of SplendourCemetery of Splendour (2015) Recommended
Dir. Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Feat. Jenjira Pongpas Widner
Mesmerising film in the director's indefinable style, set in and around a rural Thai hospital which may be haunted. A group of soldiers…
Clan, TheClan, The (2015) Recommended
Dir. Pablo Trapero
Feat. Guillermo Francella, Peter Lanzani, Lili Popovich
Swaggering portrait of the Argentina's notorious Puccio Clan who's ruthless kidnap and ransom operation that both terrorized and fascinated the…
CourtedCourted (2015) Recommended
Dir. Christian Vincent
Feat. Fabrice Luchini, Sidse Babett Knudsen
Denmark's Sidse Babett Knudsen (BORGEN) stars in this quietly accomplished French romantic drama as a juror who's shared past with a judge is…
DecadenceDecadence (Decadencia) (2015)
Dir. Joaquin Rodriguez
Feat. Nataly Umaña, Alejandro Estrada
Over–heated eroticism from Mexico with a young woman falling for a rich entrepreneur after he nearly runs her over with his car.
DesiertoDesierto (2015)
Dir. Jonás Cuarón
Feat. Gael Garcia Bernal, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Diego Cataño
Tense B–movie style thriller set in the borderlands between Mexico and the U.S.A, with Bernal as an illegal immigrant who must find a way to…
Deutschland 83 (TV Series)Deutschland 83 (TV Series) (2015) Recommended
Feat. Jonas Nay, Maria Schrader, Ulrich Noethen
Compelling German television series about a 24–year–old native of East Germany who in 1983 is sent to West Germany as an undercover spy…
Disappearance, The (TV Series)Disappearance, The (TV Series) (Disparue) (2015)
Dir. Charlotte Brändström
Feat. François-Xavier Demaison, Pierre-François Martin-Laval, Alix Poisson
French whodunnit crime series based around the disappearance of a 17–year–old girl, the trauma faced by the family and the slowly…
Embrace of the SerpentEmbrace of the Serpent (El abrazo de la serpiente) (2015) Recommended
Dir. Ciro Guerra
Feat. Nilbio Torres, Jan Bijvoet, Antonio Bolivar
A breathtaking cinematic odyssey through the Amazon, following the quests of two European explorers (one in 1909 and the other in the 1940s).…
Fencer, TheFencer, The (Miekkailija) (2015)
Dir. Klaus Haro
Feat. Märt Avandi
An accomplished Estonian fencer returns to his homeland after fleeing from the Russian secret police during WWII. He quickly becomes a role model and…
Francisco: The Man Behind The PopeFrancisco: The Man Behind The Pope (Francis:Pray for Me) (2015)
Dir. Beda Docampo Feijóo
Feat. Darío Grandinetti, Silvia Abascal, Leticia Bredice
Somewhat fawning look at the life of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, form his early childhood days in Argentina to his becoming Pope Francis.
FrancofoniaFrancofonia (2015) Aro Favourite
Dir. Alexandr Sokurov
Feat. Louis-Do de Lencquesaing, Benjamin Utzerath
A richly evocative and insightful historical cine–essay from celebrated dir. Alexander Sokurov (RUSSIAN ARK) that charts the relationship…
God WillingGod Willing (Se Dio Vuole) (2015)
Dir. Edoardo Maria Falcone
Feat. Marco Giallini, Alessandro Gassmann, Laura Morante
Hit Italian comedy about a heart surgeon whose staunch atheism is challenged when his family comes under the influence of a charismatic young priest.
Heat WaveHeat Wave (Coup de chaud) (2015)
Dir. Raphaël Jacoulot
Feat. Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Gregory Gadebois
A peaceful French hamlet is turned upside down when a deranged local starts harassing the the villagers and causing hostilities to rise dangerously.…
Heavy Water War, TheHeavy Water War, The (The Saboteurs) (2015) Aro Favourite
Dir. Per-Olav Sørensen
Feat. Espen Klouman-Høiner, Soren Pilmark, Anna Friel
Thrilling Norwegian mini–series tells the story behind Hitler's plan for obtaining the atomic bomb during WW2, and the heavy water sabotages in…
Idealist, TheIdealist, The (2015)
Dir. Christina Rosendahl
Feat. Peter Plaugborg, Søren Malling
An intriguing and methodical Cold War thriller based on a book by Poul Brink, a Danish radio journalist who exposed an international 20–year…
Idol, TheIdol, The (Ya tayr el tayer) (2015)
Dir. Hany Abu-Assad
Feat. Tawfeek Barhom, Kais Attalah, Hiba Attalah
Comedy–drama based on the true story of an aspiring Palestinian musician who sets about overcoming the extraordinary goal of competing on the…
In the Shadow of WomenIn the Shadow of Women (L'ombre des femmes) (2015)
Dir. Philippe Garrel
Feat. Clotilde Courau, Stanislas Merhar, Lena Paugam
Romantic drama from Philippe Garrel, a prolific French auteur whose work is rarely available outside of France and often deal with the subject of…
Ip Man 3Ip Man 3 (2015)
Dir. Wilson Yip
Feat. Donnie Yen, Lynn Hung, Mike Tyson
Bone–crunching continuation of the blockbuster martial art series has Donnie Yen fighting to save the city from evil property developer Mike…
It's Only the End of the WorldIt's Only the End of the World (2015)
Dir. Xavier Dolan
Feat. Nathalie Baye, Vincent Cassel, Marion Cotillard
French–Canadian prodigy Xavier Dolan returns with this Cannes–winning melodrama about a terminally ill gay writer who returns to his…
IxcanulIxcanul (Volcano) (2015) Recommended
Dir. Jayro Bustamante
Feat. Maria Mercedes Coroy, Maria Telon
Rare Guatemalan drama set on the slopes of an active volcano, where a marginalised Mayan community prepare for the arranged marriage of a…
Jordskott (TV Series)Jordskott (TV Series) (2015)
Feat. Moa Gammel, Goran Ragnerstam
CONTRABAND TITLE. Seasons 1 and 2 are not legally available for sale, rent or trade in New Zealand unless submitted for approval to the NZ Office of…
Klown ForeverKlown Forever (Klovn Forever) (2015)
Dir. Mikkel Nørgaard
Feat. Casper Christensen, Frank Hvam, Mia Lyhne
Sequel to the Danish bromance KLOWN which doubles down on the same schtick, with both original comedians returning to play fictionalised versions of…
La Belle SaisonLa Belle Saison (Summertime) (2015)
Dir. Catherine Corsini
Feat. Cecile De France, Izia Higelin, Noemie Lvovsky
Two women strike up a passionate affair against a backdrop of the feminist movement in early–1970's France, but struggle to reconcile of…
Land of MineLand of Mine (Under sandet) (2015) Recommended
Dir. Martin Zandvliet
Feat. Roland Møller, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard
Multi award–winning historical drama following a unit of captured German soldiers who are put to work disabling Hitler's munitions by an…
Legacy, The - Series 2 (TV Series)Legacy, The - Series 2 (TV Series) (Arvingerne) (2015) Recommended
Feat. Trine Dyrholm, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, Lene Maria Christensen
Second season of the gripping drama in which the death of a matriarch brings forgotten secrets out into the open and causes a prolonged battle for…
Line of Separation (TV series)Line of Separation (TV series) (Tannbach) (2015-2018) Recommended
Feat. Heiner Lauterbach, Nathalia Worner, Martina Gedeck
A German village attempts to cope with the new world during the post–war years of 1945 to 1961.
Long Way NorthLong Way North (Tout en haut du monde) (2015)
Dir. Rémi Chayé
Feat. Christa Theret, Féodor Atkine
Beautiful hand–drawn animation by the director of THE SECRET OF KELLS, telling the story of a 15–year old Russian aristocrat called Sasha…
LoveLove (Love 3D) (2015)
Dir. Gaspar Noe
Feat. Aomi Muyock, Karl Glusman, Klara Kristin
French cinema's enfant–terrible Gaspar Noe finds some more envelopes to push in this explicit adult drama. An American living in Paris enters a…
Lure, TheLure, The (2015) Recommended
Dir. Agnieszka Smoczynska
Feat. Marta Mazurek
Utterly beguiling musical horror set in Poland in the 1980's, following the fate of a pair of mermaid sisters as they struggle to integrate into a…
Made in FranceMade in France (2015)
Dir. Nicolas Boukhrief
Feat. Malik Zidi, Dimitri Storoge, François Civil
Eerily predicting the November 2015 Paris attacks, this crime–thriller follows a journalist infiltrating a jihadist cell that plans to…
MargueriteMarguerite (2015) Recommended
Dir. Xavier Giannoli
Feat. Catherine Frot, Andre Marcon, Michel Fau
Touching French version of the story inspired by the life of Florence Foster Jenkins, a socialite who believed she was in possession of a beautiful…
Modus (TV Series)Modus (TV Series) (2015-2017)
Feat. Melinda Kinnaman, Greg Wise, Kim Cattrall
Swedish psychological thriller series following the work of a criminal psychologist and profiler who has previously assisted both the Swedish police…
Murders at BarLume (TV Series)Murders at BarLume (TV Series) (2015)
Feat. Filippo Timi, Carlo Monni, Massimo Paganelli
Crime series set on the Tuscan sea–side featuring a glamorous cop, a cynical bar–owner and a priceless cast of old Italian men who hang…
MustangMustang (2015) Aro Favourite
Dir. Deniz Gamze Ergüven
Feat. Gunes Senoy, Doga Doguslu, Elit Iscan
Sublime female coming–of–age story set in a remote Turkish village, where five sisters face the stifling expectations of their…
My MotherMy Mother (Mia Madre) (2015)
Dir. Nanni Moretti
Feat. Margherita Buy, John Turturro, Nanni Moretti
Affecting character study of a director in the middle of an film–making crisis who has to deal with the inevitable yet still unacceptable loss…
Neon BullNeon Bull (Boi neon) (2015) Recommended
Dir. Gabriel Mascaro
Feat. Vinícius de Oliveira, Juliano Cazarré
Transgressive and beguiling drama set in the Brazilian world of the vaquejada, a traditional style of rodeo, as seen through the eyes of a gender…
No Second Chance (TV Series)No Second Chance (TV Series) (Une chance de trop) (2015)
Feat. Alexandra Lamy, Pascal Elbé
CONTRABAND TITLE. Not legally available for sale, rent or trade in New Zealand unless submitted for approval to the NZ Office of Film & Literature…
Norskov (TV Series)Norskov (TV Series) (2015)
Feat. Thomas Levin, Claus Riis Ostergaard, Jacob Lohmann
CONTRABAND TITLE. Season 1 is not legally available for sale, rent or trade in New Zealand unless submitted for approval to the NZ Office of Film &…
One Wild MomentOne Wild Moment (2015)
Dir. Jean-François Richet
Feat. Vincent Cassel, Francois Cluzet, Alice Isaaz
Exotic romantic comedy with Cassel and Cluzet as two friends who bring their daughters with them on a beach vacation and find themselves in an…
Our Little SisterOur Little Sister (Umimachi Diary) (2015) Recommended
Dir. Kore-eda Hirokazu
Feat. Haruka Ayase, Masami Nagasawa, Kaho
Another exquisite domestic drama from Kore–eda Hirokazu that revolves around the loves and working lives of three sisters who accommodate their…
Passion of Augustine, ThePassion of Augustine, The (2015)
Dir. Lea Pool
Feat. Céline Bonnier, Lysandre Ménard, Valérie Blais
A warm, intelligent drama set in a convent school in Quebec in the late 1960's, where women are given the opportunity to learn music regardless of…
Professor T. (TV Series)Professor T. (TV Series) (2015)
Feat. Koen De Bouw
CONTRABAND TITLE. Not legally available for sale, rent or trade in New Zealand unless submitted for approval to the NZ Office of Film & Literature…
Second Mother, TheSecond Mother, The (Que Horas Ela Volta?) (2015) Recommended
Dir. Anna Muylaert
Feat. Regina Case
An intelligent, touching and funny film exploring the complexities of class structure in Brazil. Tensions arise when a wealthy family allows their…
Son of SaulSon of Saul (2015) Aro Favourite
Dir. László Nemes
Feat. Géza Röhrig, Levente Molnár, Urs Rechn
Masterful, but deeply disturbing glimpse into the horror of Auschwitz seen through the perspective of a prisoner forced to burn the corpses of his…
SuburraSuburra (2015) Recommended
Dir. Stefano Sollima
Feat. Pierfrancesco Favino, Elio Germano, Claudio Amendola
Enthralling crime saga follows a gangster named Samurai as he attempts to turn the waterfront of Rome into an Italian Las Vegas.
Team, The (TV Series)Team, The (TV Series) (2015)
Feat. Lars Mikkelsen, Veerle Baetens, Jasmin Gerat
CONTRABAND TITLE. Not legally available for sale, rent or trade in New Zealand unless submitted for approval to the NZ Office of Film & Literature…
Tehran TaxiTehran Taxi (2015)
Dir. Jafar Panahi
Ingenious documentary from Iranian director Jafar Panahi who, while banned from making movies by his government, poses as a taxi driver to reflect on…
Trapped (TV Series)Trapped (TV Series) (2015)
Dir. Baltasar Kormakur
Feat. Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Ilmur Kristjánsdóttir
Icelandic television mystery series created by Baltasar Kormákur (JAR CITY, EVEREST) that follows a chief of police in a remote town who tries to…
TrumanTruman (2015) Recommended
Dir. Cesc Gay
Feat. Ricardo Darín, Javier Camara
Spanish cinema stars Ricardo Darin and Javier Camara team up for this sensitive comedy as childhood friends who reunite after many years when one of…
UmrikaUmrika (2015) Recommended
Dir. Prashant Nair
Feat. Suraj Sharma, Tony Revolori, Prateik Babbar
Gently satisfying comedy set in a small village in 1970's India where the inhabitants hear tales of life in America ("Umrika") through letters sent…
VictoriaVictoria (2015) Aro Favourite
Dir. Sebastian Schipper
Feat. Laia Costa, Frederick Lau, Max Mauff
Dazzling, propulsive thriller shot entirely in one continuous 134 minute take through multiple locations in the city of Berlin has a Spanish woman's…
Wait, TheWait, The (L'attesa) (2015)
Dir. Piero Messina
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Lou de Laâge, Giorgio Colangeli
Juliette Binoche plays a mother who slowly draws a connection to her son's fiancée while they await his arrival at a beautiful Sicilian villa.
Wave, TheWave, The (2015)
Dir. Roar Uthaug
Classy Norwegian entry into the catastrophe drama genre, this white knuckle thriller mines the beauty and terror of Norway's Northwestern fjord land…
ZoomZoom (2015)
Dir. Paulo Morelli
Feat. Gael Garcia Bernal, Alison Pill, Jason Priestley
A multi–dimensional interface between a comic book artist, a novelist, and a film director. Each lives in a separate reality but authors a…
1864 (TV Series)1864 (TV Series) (2014)
Dir. Ole Bornedal
Feat. Pilou Asbæk, Jacob Oftebro, Sidse Babett Knudsen
The most expensive Danish TV series made to date, this lavish historical war drama is based on two books by Tom Buk–Swienty about the Second…
A Chance EncounterA Chance Encounter (Quantum Love) (2014)
Dir. Lisa Azuelos
Feat. Sophie Marceau, Francois Cluzet, Lisa Azuelos
High–concept romantic comedy which blends fantasy with reality as a a married man's encounter with another woman develops into a mutual…
Absent One, TheAbsent One, The (2014)
Dir. Mikkel Nørgaard
Feat. Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Fares Fares, Pilou Asbæk
Diverting second entry in the Department Q series, following on from THE KEEPER OF LOST CAUSES. This time Mørck and Assad are investigating the…
Beauty And The BeastBeauty And The Beast (2014)
Dir. Christophe Gans
Feat. Vincent Cassel, Léa Seydoux, Andre Dussollier
Opulent re–telling of the fairytale romance that blossoms between the youngest daughter of a merchant who has fallen on hard times and the…
Belier Family, TheBelier Family, The (2014) Recommended
Dir. Eric Lartigau
Feat. François Damiens, Karin Viard, Louane Emera
Heart–warming French comedy about a hearing–impaired couple who's teenage daughter displays a remarkable flair for music.
Beloved SistersBeloved Sisters (2014)
Dir. Dominik Graf
Feat. Hannah Herzsprung, Henriette Confurius, Florian Stetter
Acclaimed period drama depicts the unconventional romance between two aristocratic sisters and a rebellious poet who took the European literary world…
Connection, TheConnection, The (2014)
Dir. Cédric Jimenez
Feat. Jean Dujardin, Gilles Lellouche, Celine Sallette
Stylish French thriller that doubles a knowing throwback to the Belmondo crime flicks of the seventies as well as many American antecedents. Jean…
CourtCourt (2014) Recommended
Dir. Chaitanya Tamhane
Feat. Vira Sathidar, Vivek Gomber
A strikingly confident directorial debut that exposes the antiquity of the Indian legal system through the court trial of an ageing protest singer…
Crow's Egg, TheCrow's Egg, The (Kaakkaa Muttai) (2014) Recommended
Dir. M. Manikandan
Feat. Ramesh , J. Vignesh, Iyshwarya Rajesh
Affecting Tamil comedy set in a Chennai slum follows two mischievous and resourceful brothers as they witness the opening of a local pizza shop, and…
Dead Snow 2: Red vs. DeadDead Snow 2: Red vs. Dead (2014)
Dir. Tommy Wirkola
Feat. Vegar Hoel, Martin Starr
Direct sequel to the wintery zombie hit features more undead Nazis, Russkie POWs and other WWII foes.
DiplomacyDiplomacy (2014) Recommended
Dir. Volker Schlondorff
Feat. Andre Dussollier, Niels Arestrup, Burghart Klaussner
A thematically rich and expertly staged historical drama that depicts the relationship between Dietrich von Choltitz, the German military governor of…
EdenEden (2014) Recommended
Dir. Mia Hansen-Love
Feat. Félix de Givry, Pauline Etienne, Vincent Macaigne
Peculiarly affecting drama set in the underground "garage" dance subculture of early–nineties Paris, where a teenager forms a DJ collective…
Eyewitness (TV Series)Eyewitness (TV Series) (Øyevitne) (2014)
Dir. Jarl Emsell Larsen
CONTRABAND TITLE. Not legally available for sale, rent or trade in New Zealand unless submitted for approval to the NZ Office of Film & Literature…
Far from MenFar from Men (2014) Recommended
Dir. David Oelhoffen
Feat. Viggo Mortensen, Reda Kateb
Viggo Mortensen stars in this existential western adapted from an Albert Camus' short story. Set in Algeria in the fifties, Mortensen is charged with…
Folies BergèreFolies Bergère (Paris Follies) (2014)
Dir. Marc Fitoussi
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Michael Nyqvist
Isabelle Huppert stars in this lighty comic French tale as a as a farmer’s wife who takes off to Paris on a whim and finds romance in unexpected…
Fool, TheFool, The (Durak) (2014)
Dir. Yuri Bykov
Feat. Artyom Bystrov, Boris Nevzorov, Natalia Surkova
An idealistic Russian plumber discovers a building is about to collapse, and when he alerts the authorities of the need to evacuate the residents…
Force MajeureForce Majeure (Turist) (2014) Aro Favourite
Dir. Ruben Östlund
Feat. Johannes Kuhnke, Lisa Loven Kongsli, Kristofer Hivju
A barbed and incisive Swedish black comedy of gender politics, centred around a family on a skiing holiday in the French Alps who face a recognizable…
Get Well SoonGet Well Soon (2014)
Dir. Jean Becker
Feat. Gerard Lanvin, Fred Testot, Jean-Pierre Darroussin
Gentle French comedy about a middle–aged curmudgeon whose enforced stay in hospital forces him to re–evaluate his life.
Giovanni's IslandGiovanni's Island (2014)
Dir. Mizuho Nishikubo
Affecting anime drama in the mould of GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES set in the Kuril Islands during the aftermath of WWII where a friendship blossoms…
Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, AGirl Walks Home Alone at Night, A (2014) Recommended
Dir. Ana Lily Amirpour
Feat. Sheila Vand, Arash Marandi, Marshall Manesh
A languid and luscious Iranian immigrant take on the vampire myth set in the ghost–town of Bad City (filmed in California), where the remaining…
GirlhoodGirlhood (2014) Recommended
Dir. Céline Sciamma
Feat. Karidja Touré, Assa Sylla, Lindsay Karamoh
Potent coming–of–age drama set on the margins of Paris that follows a 16–year–old girl whose poor prospects tempt her to join…
Gomorrah (TV Series)Gomorrah (TV Series) (2014)
Feat. Marco DAmore, Salvatore Esposito, Maria Pia Calzone
Euro–crime TV series set in the Scampia neighbourhood of Naples, where a brutal war breaks out between rival gangs in the criminal underworld.…
Goodnight MommyGoodnight Mommy (Ich seh ich seh) (2014)
Dir. Severin Fiala, Veronika Franz
Feat. Lukas Schwarz, Elias Schwarz, Susanne Wuest
A sleek, uncompromising psycho–thriller from the Michael Haneke school of Austrian austerity centred around twin boys whose perception of their…
HaemooHaemoo (2014)
Dir. Sung-Bo Shim
Feat. Yun-seok Kim, Yoo-chun Park, Ye-ri Han
Harrowing account of a fishing–boat crew that takes on a dangerous commission to smuggle a group of illegal immigrants from China to Korea.
Hidden AwayHidden Away (A escondidas) (2014)
Dir. Mikel Rueda
Feat. German Alcarazu, Adil Koukouh, Joseba Ugalde
Spanish romantic drama filmed in neighbourhoods throughout Bilbao, exploring themes of sexual awakening, racism and deportation through the story of…
Hour of the Lynx, TheHour of the Lynx, The (I lossens time) (2014)
Dir. Søren Kragh-Jacobsen
Feat. Sofie Grabol, Frederik Christian Johansen, Signe Egholm Olsen
Nordic thriller following a priest (Sofie Gråbøl of THE KILLING) and a psychology student who team up to solve the mystery behind a deranged…
I Am Happiness on EarthI Am Happiness on Earth (2014)
Dir. Julien Hernandez
Feat. Hugo Catalan, Gabino Rodriguez, Andrea Portal
Gay–themed Mexican film about the infatuation a commitment–phobic film director has for a talented dancer. Director Julian Hernandez…
In Order of DisappearanceIn Order of Disappearance (2014)
Dir. Hans Petter Moland
Feat. Stellan Skarsgard, Bruno Ganz, Pål Sverre Hagen
Stellan Skarsgård reunites with the director of ZERO KELVIN and A SOMEWHAT GENTLE MAN for this blackly comic Nordic noir. He plays a somewhat…
KillersKillers (2014)
Dir. Kimo Stamboel, Timo Tjahjanto
Feat. Oka Antara, Rin Takanashi, Katzuo Kitamura
A serial killer from Japan and Indonesia compete in a twisted game of one–upmanship by posting their latest sadistic crimes online in this…
Labyrinth of LiesLabyrinth of Lies (2014) Recommended
Dir. Giulio Ricciarelli
Feat. Alexander Fehling, Johannes Krisch, Friederike Becht
Thought–provoking drama set in 1950's Germany in which an ambitious young prosecutor's pursuit of an Auschwitz commandant exposes the…
Last Diamond, TheLast Diamond, The (2014)
Dir. Eric Barbier
Feat. Yvan Attal, Bérénice Bejo, Jean-Francois Stevenin
Slick heist film with an ex–con battling gangsters and ruthless killers in the race to pull off a daring diamond heist.
Legacy, The - Series 1 (TV Series)Legacy, The - Series 1 (TV Series) (Arvingerne) (2014) Recommended
Feat. Trine Dyrholm, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, Lene Maria Christensen
From the creators of BORGEN and THE KILLING comes this gripping drama in which the death of a matriarch brings forgotten secrets out into the open…
LeviathanLeviathan (2014) Recommended
Dir. Andrei Zvyagintsev
Feat. Aleksey Serebryakov, Elena Lyadova, Vladimir Vdovichenkov
A bleak but compelling allegory of modern Russia is lensed through a fisherman's struggle against bureaucracy, corruption and demons of his own as he…
Love at First FightLove at First Fight (Les Combattants) (2014) Recommended
Dir. Thomas Cailley
Feat. Adele Haenel, Kevin Azais, Antoine Laurent
An intensely physical take on the romantic comedy, with an awkward summer romance taking place at a French survivalist camp between a…
Mafia Kills Only in Summer, TheMafia Kills Only in Summer, The (2014)
Dir. Pierfrancesco Diliberto
Feat. Cristiana Capotondi, Pierfrancesco Diliberto, Alex Bisconti
Italian black comedy set in Palermo follows a young boy from childhood to maturity, and examines the pervasive influence the Cosa Nostra holds over…
Mammon (TV Series)Mammon (TV Series) (2014)
Feat. Jon Øigarden, Terje Strømdahl, Ingjerd Egeberg
Norwegian thriller in which a newspaper journalist revealing fraud in a large multinational company, finds his family involved, ruining his career…
MarshlandMarshland (2014) Aro Favourite
Dir. Alberto Rodriguez
Feat. Javier Gutiérrez, Raúl Arévalo, Maria Varod
A brooding, exceptionally controlled thriller set in an unsettled post–Franco Spain of 1980 in which two homicide detectives who appear to be…
MommyMommy (2014)
Dir. Xavier Dolan
Feat. Anne Dorval, Suzanne Clément, Antoine-Olivier Pilon
Xavier Dolan directs this piercing account of a widowed single mother, raising her violent son alone, who finds new hope when a mysterious neighbor…
Mystery of Happiness, TheMystery of Happiness, The (2014)
Dir. Daniel Burman
Feat. Guillermo Francella, Ines Estevez, Fabián Arenillas
Light comedy that charts the shock waves that result when an outwardly content businessman abandons his wife and best friend.
New Girlfriend, TheNew Girlfriend, The (Une Nouvelle Amie) (2014)
Dir. Francois Ozon
Playful and stylish exploration of gender identity and eroticism based on a short story by Ruth Rendell, in which a grieving widower begins dressing…
Nicholas on HolidayNicholas on Holiday (2014) Recommended
Dir. Laurent Tirard
Feat. Valérie Lemercier, Kad Merad, Mathéo Boisselier
Delightful Gallic family comedy based on the popular series of Little Nicholas children's books. This time our titular hero gets caught up in a…
Over Your Dead BodyOver Your Dead Body (Kuime) (2014)
Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Ko Shibasaki, Ebizo Ichikawa, Miho Nakanishi
Takashi Miike takes his cues from the art of Kabuki in this chilly tale of how fiction begins to bleed into reality for actors as they rehearse a…
Parasyte: Part OneParasyte: Part One (2014)
Dir. Takashi Yamazaki
Feat. Shota Sometani, Eri Fukatsu, Ai Hashimoto
Based on a long running Manga, this horror–comedy offers up Cronenbergian thrills in a world under attack from parasitic worm–like…
PhoenixPhoenix (2014) Recommended
Dir. Christian Petzold
Feat. Nina Hoss, Ronald Zehrfeld, Nina Kunzendorf
The director of YELLA and BARBARA reunites with his ingenue Nina Hoss for this romantic tale of deception about a concentration camp survivor who…
Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence, APigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence, A (2014)
Dir. Roy Andersson
Feat. Holger Andersson, Nils Westblom
Absurdist comedy that follows two hapless novelty salesman on a picaresque tour of the human condition.
Raid 2, TheRaid 2, The (2014) Recommended
Dir. Gareth Evans
Feat. Iko Uwais, Yayan Ruhian, Julie Estelle
Picking up from where it last left off, this epic sequel to the best martial arts movie in recent memory combines gangland melodrama (reminiscent of…
Ronja, The Robber's Daughter (TV Series)Ronja, The Robber's Daughter (TV Series) (2014-2015)
Dir. Goro Miyazaki
Goyo Miyazaki, son of Hayao, directs this Ghibli animated TV series based on the novel by Astrid Lindgren (Creator of Pippi Longstockings). A ten…
Saint LaurentSaint Laurent (2014)
Dir. Bertrand Bonello
Feat. Gaspard Ulliel, Jeremie Renier, Louis Garrel
A decadent alternate portrait of the iconic fashion designer covering the peak of his career from 1967 to 1976. From the dir. of HOUSE OF PLEASURES.
SambaSamba (2014)
Dir. Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano
Feat. Omar Sy, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Tahar Rahim
The creative force behind THE INTOUCHABLES return with this inspirational drama centered on the redeeming relationship between a Senegalese…
Second Chance, ASecond Chance, A (2014)
Dir. Susanne Bier
Feat. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Thomas Bo Larsen
Susanne Bier directs a haunting melodrama about the contrasting lives of two police officers, whose lives take a dark turn after finding a neglected…
Sex, Love and TherapySex, Love and Therapy (The Missionaries) (2014)
Dir. Tonie Marshall
Feat. Sophie Marceau, Patrick Bruel, Andre Wilms
Frothy sex comedy with Patrick Bruel as a marriage counsellor and recovering sex addict whose abstinence is tested by the discovery that his new…
Silent HeartSilent Heart (2014)
Dir. Bille August
Feat. Ghita Norby, Paprika Steen, Jens Albinus
Earnest chamber drama about three generations of a family coming together over a weekend. A sick mother's wish to die before her disease worsens gets…
Someone You LoveSomeone You Love (2014)
Dir. Pernille Fischer Christensen
Feat. Mikael Persbrandt, Trine Dyrholm, Birgitte Hjort Sørensen
Danish drama about an aging singer whose recording process is interrupted by the arrival of a grandson he's never met.
Thicker Than Water (TV Series)Thicker Than Water (TV Series) (Tjockare än vatten) (2014)
Feat. Björn Bengtsson, Joel Spira, Aliette Opheim
CONTRABAND TITLE. Not legally available for sale, rent or trade in New Zealand unless submitted for approval to the NZ Office of Film & Literature…
TimbuktuTimbuktu (2014)
Dir. Abderrahmane Sissako
Feat. Abel Jafri, Hichem Yacoubi
A powerful and subtle drama set in the city of Timbuktu in Mali, West Africa. The city has been occupied by Jihadists, and the citizens are suffering…
Tokyo TribeTokyo Tribe (2014)
Dir. Sion Sono
Feat. Akihiro Kitamura, Ryôhei Suzuki, Hitomi Katayama
Dystopian action–musical set in an alternate Japan where territorial street gangs form opposing factions collectively known as the Tokyo Tribes.
Two Days, One NightTwo Days, One Night (2014)
Dir. Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne
Feat. Marion Cotillard, Fabrizio Rongione, Catherine Salee
Marion Cotillard stars as a young mother, discovers that her workmates have opted for a significant pay bonus, in exchange for her dismissal. She has…
What Now? Remind MeWhat Now? Remind Me (2014)
Dir. Joaquim Pinto
Extraordinary documentary portrait written, directed by and staring the acclaimed Portuguese director, producer and sound designer Joaquim Pinto. At…
Wild TalesWild Tales (Relatos Salvajes) (2014) Aro Favourite
Dir. Damian Szifron
Feat. Ricardo Darín, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Darío Grandinetti
Exhilarating anthology film combining six tales of revenge provides an ambitious smorgasbord of thrills, spills and blackly humorous gags that are…
Winter SleepWinter Sleep (2014) Recommended
Dir. Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Feat. Haluk Bilginer, Melisa Sozen, Demet Akbag
Winner of the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes this provocative drama follows a local celebrity who runs a small hotel with his wife. In winter…
Wonders, TheWonders, The (Le Meraviglie) (2014) Recommended
Dir. Alice Rohrwacher
Feat. Alba Rohrwacher, Maria Alexandra Lungu, Sam Louwyck
A Tuscan family of beekeepers find their household disrupted by the arrival of a silently troubled teenage boy and a reality TV show intent on…
Yves Saint LaurentYves Saint Laurent (2014)
Dir. Jalil Lespert
Feat. Pierre Niney, Charlotte Le Bon, Guillaume Gallienne
A look at the life and loves of famed French designer Yves Saint Laurent.
100 Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared, The100 Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared, The (Hundred Year Old Man, the) (2013) Recommended
Dir. Felix Herngren
Feat. Robert Gustafsson
A spirited Swedish comedy – think a twilight FORREST GUMP – about a plucky 100–year–old man whose addiction to blowing things…
11.611.6 (2013)
Dir. Philippe Godeau
Feat. Francois Cluzet, Bouli Lanners
A bitter security guard makes off with an armoured van carrying 11.6 million euros in this everyman heist movie. Based on a true story.
A Touch of SinA Touch of Sin (2013) Recommended
Dir. Jia Zhang-ke
Feat. Wu Jiang, Baoqiang Wang, Zhao Tao
Another striking modern tale of urban discontent from leading Chinese auteur Jia Zhang–ke, one which remains as perceptive and…
Age of Uprising: The Legend of Michael KohlhaasAge of Uprising: The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas (2013)
Dir. Arnaud des Pallières
Feat. Mads Mikkelsen, Mélusine Mayance, David Kross
Mads Mikkelsen plays a Robin Hood–esque horse trader who rallies against an oppressive regime in 16th century France. A stern medieval tale…
Attila MarcelAttila Marcel (2013)
Dir. Sylvain Chomet
Feat. Guillaume Gouix, Bernadette Lafont, Anne Le Ny
Offbeat French comedy about a thirty–something pianist who forms a bond with his eccentric neighbour which results in long buried memories…
Back in CrimeBack in Crime (2013)
Dir. Germinal Alvarez
Feat. Jean-Hugues Anglade, Mélanie Thierry, Philippe Berodot
Offbeat police thriller with Anglade as an obsessive cop who finds himself inexplicably transported back in time.
Berlin File, TheBerlin File, The (2013)
Dir. Ryoo Seung-Wan
Feat. Jung-woo Ha, Gianna Jun
After an illegal arms deal in Berlin is disrupted by unknown assailants, a South Korean intelligence agent finds himself embroiled in a vast…
Blind DetectiveBlind Detective (2013)
Dir. Johnnie To
Feat. Andy Lau, Sammi Cheng, Yuanyuan Gao
Dir. Johnnie To has a bob each way with this entertaining policier, effortlessly combining action, comedy and slapstick romance. Andy Lau plays the…
Blue is the Warmest ColourBlue is the Warmest Colour (2013) Recommended
Dir. Abdellatif Kechiche
Feat. Léa Seydoux, Adele Exarchopoulos
The Cannes Palm D'Or–winning drama that explores, in a series of elongated sequences, a young woman's blossoming sexuality and maturity when…
Borgen - Series 3 (TV Series)Borgen - Series 3 (TV Series) (2013) Aro Favourite
Feat. Sidse Babett Knudsen, Birgitte Hjort Sørensen, Pilou Asbæk
Further episodes from the Bafta–winning Danish political drama in which an idealistic prime minister's rise to power brings with it a web of…
BorgmanBorgman (2013) Recommended
Dir. Alex Van Warmerdam
Feat. Jan Bijvoet, Jeroen Perceval , Hadewych Minis
Unforgettably creepy home–invasion thriller from Dutch director Alex van Warmerdam, where a rural vagrant preys on an arrogant upper class…
Brats, TheBrats, The (Les gamins) (2013)
Dir. Anthony Marciano
Feat. Alain Chabat, Max Boublil, Sandrine Kiberlain
Something of a French take on the Judd Apatow school of middle–aged stupor, this finds a dissatisfied married man bromancing his daughter's…
Bridge, The - Series 2 (TV Series)Bridge, The - Series 2 (TV Series) (Bron/Broen) (2013) Aro Favourite
Feat. Sofia Helin, Kim Bodnia, Dag Malmberg
Further episodes in this steely Danish–Swedish murder mystery, with series two investigating the mystery surrounding an abandoned coastal…
Broken Circle Breakdown, TheBroken Circle Breakdown, The (2013) Recommended
Dir. Felix Van Groeningen
Feat. Veerle Baetens, Johan Heldenbergh, Nell Cattrysse
Dynamic and sexy musical romance set in the Flemish region of Belgium over seven years of poignant love and loss, and featuring a magnificent…
Camille Claudel, 1915Camille Claudel, 1915 (2013) Recommended
Dir. Bruno Dumont
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Jean-Luc Vincent
Another acting masterclass from the formidable Juliette Binoche intensifies this clear–sighted portrait of misunderstood sculptress Camille…
Child's PoseChild's Pose (2013)
Dir. Calin Peter Netzer
Feat. Luminita Gheorghiu, Vlad Ivanov
A manipulative mother contrives to keep her adult son out of prison following a manslaughter charge in this gripping character drama from the…
Chinese PuzzleChinese Puzzle (2013)
Dir. Cedric Klapisch
Feat. Romain Duris, Audrey Tautou, Cecile De France
Cédric Klapisch's cosmopolitan trilogy wraps up with this breezy reunion of the characters first introduced in THE SPANISH APARTMENT, now…
Crimes of Passion (TV Series)Crimes of Passion (TV Series) (2013)
Feat. Linus Wahlgren, Ola Rapace, Tuva Novotny
Scandi–crime goes period! Post–war Sweden is the backdrop for this immaculately dressed series of mysteries and whodunnits, based on the…
CupcakesCupcakes (2013)
Dir. Eytan Fox
Feat. Efrat Dor, Dana Ivgy
Six Tel Aviv friends who delight in ridiculing the Eurovision song contest video a parody of themselves performing a make–believe number, only…
Death of a Pilgrim (TV Mini-Series)Death of a Pilgrim (TV Mini-Series) (2013)
Feat. Rolf Lassgard
Fascinating Scandi–conspiracy thriller centred on the assassination of Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme in 1986, a murder that to this day…
Dicte (TV Series)Dicte (TV Series) (2013-2016)
Feat. Iben Hjejle
CONTRABAND TITLE. Not legally available for sale, rent or trade in New Zealand unless submitted for approval to the NZ Office of Film & Literature…
Eastern BoysEastern Boys (2013) Recommended
Dir. Robin Campillo
Feat. Olivier Rabourdin, Kirill Emelyanov, Danil Vorobyev
Unconventional thriller explores the shifting dynamics in a relationship between an older man and a young immigrant male hustler.
Father Brown (TV Series)Father Brown (TV Series) (2013)
Feat. Mark Williams, Hugo Speer, Sorcha Cusack
A reboot of the 1970's British television detective period drama about the eponymous Roman Catholic priest who solves crimes in a fictional Cotswold…
Finishers, TheFinishers, The (De toutes nos forces) (2013)
Dir. Nils Tavernier
Feat. Jacques Gamblin, Alexandra Lamy, Fabien Héraud
Inspiring tale of a father's attempt to bond with his cerebral palsy–afflicted son by participating in an Ironman endurance contest. A real…
FirestormFirestorm (2013)
Dir. Alan Yuen Kam-Lun
Feat. Andy Lau, Yao Chen
Exhilarating action thriller where a crew criminals manage to pull off a car heist in broad daylight on the streets of Honk Kong, and a hardboiled…
French Minister, TheFrench Minister, The (Quai d'Orsay) (2013)
Dir. Bertrand Tavernier
Feat. Thierry Lhermitte, Niels Arestrup, Julie Gayet
A cutting political satire set in the world of French diplomacy, about the relationship between a young speechwriter and the Minister of Foreign…
Friends From FranceFriends From France (Les interdits) (2013)
Dir. Philippe Kotlarski, Anne Weil
Two cousins pose as an engaged couple on a tour to Odessa in order to help liberate persecuted Jews in this suspenseful Iron Curtain thriller.
Garden of Words, TheGarden of Words, The (2013) Recommended
Dir. Makoto Shinkai
Feat. Miyu Irino, Kana Hanazawa
Another gorgeous animated romance from the director of 5 CENTIMETRES PER SECOND, centred on the poignant relationship between a sensitive teenager…
German Doctor, TheGerman Doctor, The (2013)
Dir. Lucía Puenzo
Feat. Àlex Brendemühl, Natalia Oreiro
Chilling domestic thriller centred on the Argentine family who lived unknowingly with Josef Mengele, the notorious Auschwitz physician, after he fled…
Gilded Cage, TheGilded Cage, The (2013) Recommended
Dir. Ruben Alves
Feat. Rita Blanco, Joaquim De Almeida, Roland Giraud
A beloved migrant family who service an exclusive apartment block in Paris decide to return to Portugal, though not if the residents have a say in…
GloriaGloria (2013) Aro Favourite
Dir. Sebastián Lelio
Feat. Paulina García, Sergio Hernández
Another superb Chilean drama in the wake of the previous year's NO, Paulina Garcia plays a free–spirited 58–year–old divorcee who…
Grandmaster, TheGrandmaster, The (Yi dai zong shi) (2013)
Dir. Wong Kar-Wai
Feat. Tony Leung (Chiu-wai), Zhang Ziyi
Wong Kar–Wai's typically sumptous version of the life of martial–arts master Ip Man, the man who trained Bruce Lee.
Great Beauty, TheGreat Beauty, The (2013) Recommended
Dir. Paolo Sorrentino
Feat. Toni Servillo, Carlo Verdone, Sabrina Ferilli
This Academy–Award winner for Best Foreign Language Film has dir. Paolo Sorrentino's regular frontman Toni Servillo as an aging Roman…
Hard To Be A GodHard To Be A God (2013) Recommended
Dir. Aleksey German
Feat. Leonid Yarmolnik
A group of scientists are sent to the planet Arkanar to give aid to the local civilization, which is in the Medieval phase of its own history, in…
Heart of a LionHeart of a Lion (2013)
Dir. Dome Karukoski
Feat. Laura Birn, Peter Franzén
Thoughtful character study of an ultranationalist skinhead whose racist attitudes soften through his desire for a family – specifically his…
HomelandHomeland (2013) Recommended
Dir. Mohamed Hamidi
Feat. Tewfik Jallab, Jamel Debbouze
In this affecting tale of self–discovery, a French law student visits his father’s village in Algeria for the first time, only to have his…
Hunting ElephantsHunting Elephants (2013)
Dir. Reshef Levi
Feat. Sasson Gabai, Moni Moshonov, Patrick Stewart
Three old timers, with the aid of a genius grandson, plot to rob a bank in this enjoyable Israeli heist comedy.
I'm So Excited!I'm So Excited! (Los amantes pasajeros) (2013)
Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Javier Camara, Cecilia Roth, Lola Dueñas
This campy, featherweight sex comedy set almost entirely on an aeroplane is but a mere footnote in the career of living legend, Pedro Almodovar.
IdaIda (2013) Aro Favourite
Dir. Pawel Pawlikowski
Feat. Agata Trzebuchowska, Agata Kulesza
The ghosts of the Holcaust and Stalinism haunt this modern masterpiece about a young nun, who on the verge of taking her vows, visits her only…
In BloomIn Bloom (2013) Recommended
Dir. Nana Ekvtimishvili
Feat. Lika Babluani, Mariam Bokeria
Set in the newly independent state of Georgia in the wake of the Soviet regime, this powerful story follows two young girls as they courageously…
Ip Man: The Final FightIp Man: The Final Fight (2013)
Dir. Herman Yau
Feat. Anthony Wong, Eric Tsang, Anita Yuen
The most authentic Ip Man film yet recounts the legendary grandmaster's exploits as a revered teacher of Wing Chun in Hong Kong during the 50s and…
JappeloupJappeloup (2013)
Dir. Christian Duguay
Feat. Guillaume Canet, Marina Hands, Daniel Auteuil
A workmanlike rendering of the feats of Jappeloup, a diminutive horse who went to triumph against the odds at the 1988 Seoul games, becoming a French…
Journey to the WestJourney to the West (Conquering The Demons) (2013)
Dir. Stephen Chow (Chiao), Chi-kin Kwok
Feat. Shu Qi, Zhang Wen, Bo Huang
Stephen Chow directs this entertaining Monkey legend spoof with imagination and an eye for the ridiculous. Centred on a Buddhist's unpredictable road…
Just a SighJust a Sigh (2013)
Dir. Jérôme Bonnell
Feat. Emmanuelle Devos, Gabriel Byrne
Emmanuelle Devos and Gabriel Byrne experience a brief encounter as an actress and a professor who trade glances on a Paris–bound train. A…
Keeper of Lost Causes, TheKeeper of Lost Causes, The (Kvinden i buret) (2013)
Dir. Mikkel Nørgaard
Feat. Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Troels Lyby, Per Scheel Kruger
Danish thriller that finds a cynical detective, put in charge of the "Department Q"– devoted to "filing" cold cases, investigating the…
Like Father, Like SonLike Father, Like Son (2013) Recommended
Dir. Kore-eda Hirokazu
Feat. Masaharu Fukuyama, Machiko Ono, Yôko Maki
Two divergent families struggle to cope with the revelation that their young sons were swapped at birth in this moving domestic drama from dir.…
Living is Easy with Eyes ClosedLiving is Easy with Eyes Closed (2013)
Dir. David Trueba
Feat. Javier Camara, Natalia de Molina, Francesc Colomer
Award–winning Spanish comedy concerning a Beatles–obsessed school teacher on a quest to meet John Lennon, picking up two teenage runaways…
Mood IndigoMood Indigo (2013) Recommended
Dir. Michel Gondry
Feat. Romain Duris, Audrey Tautou, Gad Elmaleh
Audrey Tautou and Romain Duris star in this wild interpretation of Boris Vian’s cult novel 'Froth on the Daydream' from dir. Michel Gondry.
New WorldNew World (2013)
Dir. Hoon-jung Park
Feat. Jung-Jae Lee, Min-sik Choi
Essentially INFERNAL AFFAIRS transposed to the Korean underworld, this brutal gangster flick revolves around an undercover cop whose loyalty to the…
Nightingale, TheNightingale, The (2013) Recommended
Dir. Phillippe Muyl
Feat. Baotian Li, Xiaoran Li, Xin Yi Yang
Gentle drama that draws together an elderly farmer and his spoiled urban grand–daughter on a lengthy pilgrimage through beautiful…
Noble Family, TheNoble Family, The (2013)
Dir. Gary Alazraki
Feat. Gonzalo Vega, Luis Gerardo Mendez, Karla Souza
The most successful Mexican film of all time is a broad comedy of familial dysfunction. Three privileged adult children must fend for themselves…
Norte, The End of HistoryNorte, The End of History (2013) Recommended
Dir. Lav Diaz
Feat. Sid Lucero
Epic Dostoyevskian themes of cultural memory, national guilt and the origin of evil are translated to a modern–day Phillipines setting in this…
NymphomaniacNymphomaniac (Nymphomaniac: Vol. I & II) (2013)
Dir. Lars Von Trier
Feat. Charlotte Gainsbourg, Stellan Skarsgard, Stacy Martin
The controversy–baiting director Lars Von Trier's wild and poetic opus detailing a woman’s erotic journey from birth to middle age as told by…
Of Horses and MenOf Horses and Men (2013)
Dir. Benedikt Erlingsson
Feat. Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson, Charlotte Bøving, Kristbjörg Kjeld
A series of comic vignettes of life in a rural Icelandic community, which shows the intertwined lives of humans and horses in sometimes awkward…
OmarOmar (2013) Recommended
Dir. Hany Abu-Assad
Feat. Adam Bakri, Leem Lubany
This gripping new film from the dir. of PARADISE NOW concerns a Palestinian freedom fighter who is tricked into becoming an informant for the Israeli…
On My WayOn My Way (2013)
Dir. Emmanuelle Bercot
Feat. Catherine Deneuve
A fine late–life outing for the ageless Catherine Deneuve, here playing a free–spirited grandmother who takes to the road with her…
On the JobOn the Job (2013)
Dir. Erik Matti
Feat. Joel Torre
A hard–hitting, hard–edged Filipino thriller reminiscent of THE RAID (particularly its sequel), based on a real life scandal concerning…
Paradise: HopeParadise: Hope (Paradise Hope) (2013)
Dir. Ulrich Seidl
Feat. Melanie Lenz, Joseph Lorenz
Austrian provocateur Ulrich Seidl dispatches a typically unvarnished portrait of institutional ritual with this concluding chapter to his PARADISE…
Past, ThePast, The (2013) Aro Favourite
Dir. Asghar Farhadi
Feat. Bérénice Bejo, Tahar Rahim, Ali Mosaffa
Dir. Asghar Farhadi's follow–up to the acclaimed A SEPARATION centres on a man who must face the complications of divorce after he leaves his…
Protector 2, TheProtector 2, The (Tom yum goong 2) (2013)
Dir. Prachya Pinkaew
Feat. Tony Jaa, Marrese Crump, RZA
ONG–BAK superstar Tony Jaa punches below his weight in this undercooked sequel to the 2005 Sydney–set action romp about a country boy who…
RealReal (2013)
Dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Feat. Takeru Sato, Haruka Ayase, Joe Odagiri
A misstep, though an interesting one, from dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa (CURE), here crafting an uneven story of a grieving man who employs a neurosurgical…
Rock the CasbahRock the Casbah (2013)
Dir. Laïla Marrakchi
Feat. Morjana Alaoui, Nadine Labaki, Lubna Azabal
Culturally–specific family comedy in which three women reunite in Morocco to mourn in accordance with Muslim tradition following the death of…
Rocket, TheRocket, The (2013) Recommended
Dir. Kim Mordaunt
Feat. Sitthiphon Disamoe
The uplifting story of a cursed boy who strives to prove himself by building a giant rocket for the occasion of Laos' famous Rocket Festival.
Salamander (TV Series)Salamander (TV Series) (2013-2018) Recommended
Dir. Frank van Mechelen
Feat. Filip Peeters, Koen De Bouw, Mike Verdrengh
A compelling Flemish–Belgian spin on the Euro–crime template in which an incorruptible, old–school police inspector becomes the…
Say Yes!Say Yes! (2013)
Dir. Leste Chen
Feat. Godfrey Gao, Hailu Qin, Bo Huang
A Mainland spin on popular Japanese television series “101st Proposal”, about an eternally unsuccessful blind dater who finally meets the girl of…
Shield of StrawShield of Straw (2013)
Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Takao Ohsawa, Nanako Matsushima, Kishitani Goro
The prolific Takashi Miike returns with a tale of a team of cops who must protect an accused killer with a billion–yen bounty on his head.
Shooter, TheShooter, The (2013)
Dir. Annette K. Olesen
Feat. Trine Dyrholm, Kim Bodnia, Nikolaj Lie Kaas
The Scandinavian crime wave continues with this high tension thriller about an eco–terrorist whose grand designs are incited by a journalist…
SiddharthSiddharth (2013) Recommended
Dir. Richie Mehta
Feat. Rajesh Tailang, Tannishtha Chatterjee
Another bracing neo–realist drama from the director of AMAL about a tea–seller from Delhi who travels across India in search of his…
Stranger by the LakeStranger by the Lake (2013) Recommended
Dir. Alain Guiraudie
Feat. Pierre Deladonchamps, Christophe Paou, Patrick d'Assumçao
An unnerving, sexually frank thriller set around an idyllic gay cruising spot, where two lovers strike up a heated romance that threatens to turn…
Suspect, TheSuspect, The (Yong-eui-ja) (2013)
Dir. Won Shin-yun
Feat. Gong Yoo, Park Hee-soon
Explosive action film following a betrayed North Korean special agent who defects to the South to seek revenge on his family's killer.
TangerinesTangerines (2013) Recommended
Dir. Zaza Urushadze
Feat. Lembit Ulfsak, Elmo Nüganen
Immeasurably moving drama set durng the war in Georgia in which an Estonian man stays behind to harvest tangerines and care for a wounded fighter.
TattooTattoo (Tatuagem) (2013)
Dir. Hilton Lacerda
Feat. Irandhir Santos, Jesuíta Barbosa, Rodrigo Garcia
Singular Brazilian film set in the 70's, where the leader of a debaucherous cabaret theatre troupe falls in love with a soldier, and is torn between…
Tour de ForceTour de Force (2013)
Dir. Laurent Tuel
Feat. Clovis Cornillac, Bouli Lanners, Elodie Bouchez
French cycling comedy tells the unlikely tale of a forlorn cycling fanatic attempting to win back his wife's affections by entering the Tour de…
Turning TideTurning Tide (2013)
Dir. Christophe Offenstein
Feat. Francois Cluzet, Samy Seghir, Virginie Efira
Francois Cluzet stars as an intrepid solo round–the–world yacht racer battling the elements, a crippled ship, and an immigrant boy…
Venus in FurVenus in Fur (2013) Recommended
Dir. Roman Polanski
Feat. Emmanuelle Seigner, Mathieu Amalric
Roman Polanski masterfully adapts David Ives' play–within–a–play about an actress who goes to great lengths to convince a director…
VioletteViolette (2013)
Dir. Martin Provost
Feat. Emmanuelle Devos, Sandrine Kiberlain, Olivier Gourmet
Emmanuelle Devos is hypnotic as Violette Leduc, the French writer whose fearless memoirs, championed by Simone de Beauvoir, broke new boundaries for…
Vive la FranceVive la France (2013)
Dir. Michael Youn
Feat. Michael Youn, Jose Garcia
This on–the–nose French farce centres on two naive country shepherds who have been ordered by their government to blow up the Eiffel…
Volcano, TheVolcano, The (Eyjafjallajökull) (2013)
Dir. Alexandre Coffre
Feat. Dany Boon, Valérie Bonneton
When the eruption of an Icelandic volcano diverts their flight plans to Greece, a squabbling ex–couple must hit the road together if they are…
We Are the BestWe Are the Best (Vi är bäst!) (2013) Recommended
Dir. Lukas Moodysson
Feat. Mira Grosin, Mira Barkhammar, Liv LeMoyne
Endearing portrait of teenage experimentation set in early '80s Stockholm where two decidedly unmusical 13–year–old girls decide to form…
WetlandsWetlands (2013)
Dir. David Wnendt
Feat. Carla Juri, Christoph Letkowski, Marlen Kruse
Provocative comic tale of an eccentric girl who has strange attitudes towards hygiene and sexuality longs for the reunion of her divorced parents.
Why Don't You Play in Hell?Why Don't You Play in Hell? (Jigoku de naze warui) (2013)
Dir. Sion Sono
Feat. Kunimura Jun, Shin'ichi Tsutsumi, Fumi Nikaido
Described by its creator as "an action film about the love of 35mm", this frenzied fanboy fiction from Shion Sono bears his trademark excess and…
Wrestling QueensWrestling Queens (Les Reines du Ring) (2013)
Dir. Jean-Marc Rudnicki
Feat. Marilou Berry, Nathalie Baye, Andre Dussollier
Broad French sports spoof with Nathalie Baye as an under–appreciated mother who recruits her working class friends to train to be wrestling…
16121612 (2012)
Dir. Vladimir Khotinenko
Feat. Pyotr Kislov
Bloated Russian 'historical' epic renders the 17th century civil war that ravaged the divided country as a Peter Jackson–esque battle fantasy.…
7 Boxes7 Boxes (2012)
Dir. Juan Carlos Maneglia, Tana Schembori
Feat. Celso Franco, Victor Sosa, Lali Gonzalez
Well–plotted chase movie follows a young delivery boy who receives an unusual proposal to carry seven boxes of unknown content through Market…
A Gun in Each HandA Gun in Each Hand (2012)
Dir. Cesc Gay
Feat. Javier Camara, Ricardo Darín, Jordi Molla
A talk–em–up as opposed to a shoot–em–up, this lively portmanteau follows the dissatisfied lives of eight middle–aged…
A HijackingA Hijacking (2012) Recommended
Dir. Tobias Lindholm
Feat. Mikkel Hartmann, Pilou Asbæk, Søren Malling
A Danish cargo ship is hijacked off the coast of Somalia in this gripping, intense maritime adventure that cuts out all the action heroics usually…
A Lady in ParisA Lady in Paris (2012)
Dir. Ilmar Raag
Feat. Jeanne Moreau, Laine Mägi, Patrick Pineau
An Estonian woman bereft of loved ones moves to France to care for an elderly expatriate who still obsessively pines for a former younger lover. An…
A Royal AffairA Royal Affair (2012) Recommended
Dir. Nikolaj Arcel
Feat. Mads Mikkelsen, Alicia Vikander, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard
18th Century Denmark is the backdrop for this high–costumed drama about the love affair between Queen Caroline Matilda and her royal physician…
Ace AttorneyAce Attorney (2012)
Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Hiroki Narimiya, Takumi Saito
Takashi Miike churns out this preposterous video game adaptation, about a cocksure lawyer who agrees to defend his courtroom rival in a murder trial,…
After MayAfter May (Something in the Air) (2012)
Dir. Olivier Assayas
Feat. Lola Créton, Clément Métayer
Hatched from dir. Olivier Assayas' personal experiences, this bittersweet evocation of the leftist fervour that caught hold of young Europeans in the…
AmourAmour (2012) Aro Favourite
Dir. Michael Haneke
Feat. Jean-Louis Trintignant, Emmanuelle Riva, Isabelle Huppert
An octogenarian couple find their love put to the ultimate test when one of them suffers a stroke in this devastating humanist drama from master…
Another Woman's LifeAnother Woman's Life (2012)
Dir. Sylvie Testud
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Mathieu Kassovitz, Aure Atika
Juliette Binoche is typically radiant in this otherwise slight variation on the time–leap genre. She plays a well–to–do woman who…
Asterix and Obelix in BritainAsterix and Obelix in Britain (God Save Britannia) (2012)
Dir. Laurent Tirard
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Edouard Baer, Valérie Lemercier
Another big–budget, live action outing for the Franco comic duo, here aligning with the British to repel the Julius Caesar's invading Roman…
AugustineAugustine (2012)
Dir. Alice Winocour
Feat. Vincent Lindon, Soko , Chiara Mastroianni
Romantic drama speculating on a relationship (that in reality did not occur) between the 19th Century French neurologist Jean–Martin Charcot…
BarbaraBarbara (2012) Aro Favourite
Dir. Christian Petzold
Feat. Nina Hoss, Ronald Zehrfeld, Rainer Bock
A doctor who dreams of defecting from 1980's East Germany is banished to a country medical clinic under the possible watch of Stasi informants in…
BekasBekas (2012) Recommended
Dir. Karzan Kader
Feat. Zamand Taha, Sarwar Fazil
Two Iraqi orphans fantasize about travelling to America and summoning the help of Superman in this simple yet stirring childhood adventure, one that…
Beyond OutrageBeyond Outrage (2012)
Dir. Takeshi Kitano
Feat. Takeshi Kitano, Ryo Kase
A straightforward sequel to Takeshi Kitano's late return to the yakuza genre, continuing the bloody battle between police and rival gangs. As with…
Beyond the HillsBeyond the Hills (2012)
Dir. Cristian Mungiu
Feat. Cosmina Stratan, Cristina Flutur
Cristian Mungiu directs this engrossing companion piece to his Cannes–winning 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS AND 2 DAYS, about the test of closeness between…
Black's GameBlack's Game (2012)
Dir. Óskar Thór Axelsson
Feat. Thor Kristjansson, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson
A young opportunist is drawn into Reykjavik's underworld of gangsters and drug pushers in this hardcore Scandi–crime, an eye–catching if…
BlancanievesBlancanieves (2012) Recommended
Dir. Pablo Berger
Feat. Daniel Giménez Cacho, Angela Molina, Maribel Verdu
The legend of Snow White is transposed to the bullfighting, flamenco dancing netherworld of the Spanish provinces in this beautiful and beguiling…
Bullet Vanishes, TheBullet Vanishes, The (2012)
Dir. Chi-Leung Law
Feat. Nicholas Tse, Lau Ching-wan
In 1930s China, two eccentric detectives are summoned to solve a series of murders caused by a phantom killer in a bullet factory. A superb Holmesian…
Camille RewindsCamille Rewinds (2012)
Dir. Noemie Lvovsky
Feat. Noemie Lvovsky, Yolande Moreau, Denis Podalydes
A jilted 40–something woman drowns her sorrows to the point of oblivion, sending herself back in time to her sixteenth birthday where she gets…
Dangerous LiaisonsDangerous Liaisons (2012)
Dir. Jin-ho Hur
Feat. Cecilia Cheung, Jang Dong-Gun, Zhang Ziyi
A sumptuous new adaptation of Choderlos de Laclos' famous novel, relocating the grand sexual conspiracy to opulent 1930s Shanghai, where two wealthy…
Dead SushiDead Sushi (2012)
Dir. Noboru Iguchi
Feat. Rina Takeda
An innkeeper proficient in both karate and sushi making must fend off a hoard of flesh–eating California Rolls after one of her guests injects…
Doomsday BookDoomsday Book (2012)
Dir. Ji-woon Kim, Pil-Sung Yim
Feat. Doona Bae, Joon-ho Bong, Kang-woo Kim
A trilogy of short sci–fi stories imagining mass extinction on planet earth, directed by two of Korean cinema's leading lights. Oscillating…
Drug WarDrug War (2012) Recommended
Dir. Johnnie To
Feat. Louis Koo, Honglei Sun, Yi Huang
Another great Johnnie To suspenser, with the master director at the top of his game helming this exciting police procedural set around an elaborate…
EscapeEscape (2012)
Dir. Roar Uthaug
Feat. Isabel Christine Andreasen, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal
A thrilling medieval chase movie, set in the aftermath of the Black Plague, about a captive teenage girl who escapes a bloodthirsty clan. Pursed…
Everybody Has a PlanEverybody Has a Plan (2012)
Dir. Ana Piterbarg
Feat. Viggo Mortensen, Soledad Villamil
A man dissatisfied with his life assumes the identity of his twin brother in this brooding Argentinian thriller.
Farewell, My QueenFarewell, My Queen (2012)
Dir. Benoît Jacquot
Feat. Diane Kruger, Léa Seydoux, Virginie Ledoyen
Benoît Jacquot’s film goes behind the scenes of Louis XVI and — more specifically — Marie Antoinette’s court during…
Fill the VoidFill the Void (2012)
Dir. Rama Burshtein
Feat. Hadas Yaron, Yiftach Klein
A young woman negotiates the fraught rite of arranged marriage in this austere insight into rituals of an Orthodox Hassidic family in Tel Aviv.
Fly Me to the MoonFly Me to the Moon (Un plan parfait) (2012)
Dir. Pascal Chaumeil
Feat. Diane Kruger, Dany Boon, Alice Pol
The French churn out another dispensable yet dishy rom–com, this time centred on a woman (Diane Kruger, she of the supermodel looks) who…
Fourth State, TheFourth State, The (2012)
Dir. Dennis Gansel
Feat. Moritz Bleibtreu, Kasia Smutniak, Max Riemelt
Another stylish outing from the dir. of THE WAVE and WE OWN THE NIGHT, this time involving a journalist who gets caught up in a terrorist plot in…
Granny's FuneralGranny's Funeral (2012)
Dir. Bruno Podalydes
Feat. Denis Podalydes, Valérie Lemercier
A pharmacist's mid–life crisis is deepened when his grandmother kicks the bucket in this routine French comedy.
Hamilton: In the Interests of the NationHamilton: In the Interests of the Nation (2012)
Dir. Kathrine Windfeld
Feat. Mikael Persbrandt, Pernilla August, Jason Flemyng
Scandi–crime goes gung–ho in this Swedish espionage thriller centred on a special agent who infiltrates the Russian mafia to bust a…
Hamilton: Not if it Concerns Your DaughterHamilton: Not if it Concerns Your Daughter (2012)
Dir. Tobias Falk
Feat. Mikael Persbrandt
Scandi super agent Carl Hamilton returns for a second mission of international intrigue and deep espionage. Here, he must go rogue to track down the…
Hannah ArendtHannah Arendt (2012) Recommended
Dir. Margarethe von Trotta
Feat. Barbara Sukowa, Janet McTeer, Julia Jentsch
Barbara Sukowa portrays famed German–American political theorist Hannah Arendt during her response to the 1961 trial of ex–Nazi Adolf…
Happiness Never Comes AloneHappiness Never Comes Alone (2012)
Dir. James Huth
Feat. Gad Elmaleh, Sophie Marceau
French romantic fodder, with Gad Elmaleh as a commitment–phobic playboy who, against his constitution, falls head over heels for a divorced…
Haute CuisineHaute Cuisine (2012)
Dir. Christian Vincent
Feat. Catherine Frot, Hippolyte Girardot
A heavenly food biopic of the life of Danièle Delpeuch, celebrated private chef to the French president, François Mitterrand.
Hellfjord (TV Series)Hellfjord (TV Series) (2012)
Feat. Zahid Ali, Stig Frode Henriksen, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal
Off–beat Scandi original from the writer of DEAD SNOW centres around the misfortunes a policeman who, after an unfortunate incident involving…
Holy MotorsHoly Motors (2012) Recommended
Dir. Leos Carax
Feat. Denis Lavant, Edith Scob, Eva Mendes
Leos Carax's first feature in over a decade is an unclassifiable romp through the streets of Paris, led by a world–weary actor (Denis Lavant)…
Hunt, TheHunt, The (2012) Recommended
Dir. Thomas Vinterberg
Feat. Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen
A hard–hitting moral drama of everyday persecution from dir. Thomas Vinterberg, starring Mads Mikkelsen as a teacher whose life is shattered by…
Hypnotist, TheHypnotist, The (2012)
Dir. Lasse Hallstrom
Feat. Tobias Zilliacus, Mikael Persbrandt, Lena Olin
Dir. Lasse Hallström returns to Sweden to helm this knotty thriller centred on a detective and a psychologist who team up to extract vital…
In the FogIn the Fog (2012)
Dir. Sergey Loznitsa
Feat. Vladislav Svirskiy, Vladislav Abashin
Intense, slow burning Russian drama exploring the moralities of war through the story of a man wrongly accused of collaboration with the German…
In the HouseIn the House (2012)
Dir. Francois Ozon
Feat. Fabrice Luchini, Kristin Scott Thomas, Emmanuelle Seigner
Set in a literary milieu, this deliciously warped meta drama from dir. Francois Ozon concerns the writings of a precocious 16–year–old…
Inch'AllahInch'Allah (2012) Recommended
Dir. Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette
Feat. Evelyne Brochu, Sabrina Ouazani, Sivan Levy
A French Canadian doctor working in Ramallah experiences the conflict of the Israel–Palestine divide firsthand in this powerful…
Italian Film Festival Collection, The - 2012: Volume OneItalian Film Festival Collection, The - 2012: Volume One (2012)
Comprehensive box–set collection of 16 of the best Italian films featured at the 'Italian Film Festival 2012' spread over 5 discs. Films…
Italian Film Festival Collection, The - 2012: Volume TwoItalian Film Festival Collection, The - 2012: Volume Two (2012)
Comprehensive box–set collection of 14 of the best Italian films featured at the 'Italian Film Festival 2012' spread over 5 discs. Films…
JackieJackie (2012)
Dir. Antoinette Beumer
Feat. Carice Van Houten, Jelka van Houten, Holly Hunter
Two Dutch sisters (played by real life siblings Carice and van Houten) trek from the Netherlands to mid–west America in aid of a mother they've…
Killing, The - Series 3 (TV Series)Killing, The - Series 3 (TV Series) (Forbrydelsen) (2012) Recommended
Feat. Sofie Grabol, Søren Malling
Final episodes in the ripping, immensely popular Danish homicide serial weaves a third plot exploring a death linked to the global financial crisis…
Kon-TikiKon-Tiki (2012)
Dir. Espen Sandberg, Joachim Roenning
Feat. Pål Sverre Hagen
A rousing dramatisation of the 1947 voyage of the legendary Kon–Tiki, a balsa–wood raft lead across the Pacific by Norwegian explorer…
Last Dragon Master, TheLast Dragon Master, The (The Last Tycoon) (2012)
Dir. Wong Jing
Feat. Chow Yun-Fat, Sammo Hung, Francis Ng
Chow Yun–Fat lends his charismatic presence to this sumptuous gangster picture detailing the rise of a legendary Shanghai mobster at the turn…
Last Sentence, TheLast Sentence, The (2012)
Dir. Jan Troell
Feat. Jesper Christensen, Pernilla August
Anchored by a superb Jesper Christensen, this serious and sombre biopic accurately reflects Swedish journalist Jesper Christensen's stubborn…
Last WillLast Will (Nobel's Last Will) (2012)
Dir. Peter Flinth
Feat. Malin Crepin, Bjorn Kellman, Leif Andree
Based on the novel by Liza Marklund, this brisk addition to the "Scandi–crime" canon has unfortunate journalist Annika Bengtzon witnessing a…
Laurence AnywaysLaurence Anyways (2012)
Dir. Xavier Dolan
Feat. Melvil Poupaud, Suzanne Clément, Nathalie Baye
Young French–Canadian actor/director Xavier Dolan stays behind the camera of his third film (made at 23 years of age, no less), an assured…
Le ChefLe Chef (Comme un chef) (2012) Recommended
Dir. Daniel Cohen
Feat. Jean Reno, Michael Youn, Santiago Segura
Tangy French comedy, with Jean Reno as a pretentious culinary master whose renowned restaurant is threatened by a young chef specializing in…
Le Grand SoirLe Grand Soir (The Big Night) (2012)
Dir. Benoit Delepine, Gustave Kervern
Feat. Benoit Poelvoorde, Albert Dupontel, Yolande Moreau
A wrinkling middle–aged punk and his soon–to–be–unemployed middle–class brother attempt to spark a cultural revolution…
Lesson of EvilLesson of Evil (Lesson of the Evil) (2012)
Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Yamada Takayuki, Mitsuru Fukikoshi, Hideaki Ito
Another manga adaption from director cult Takashi Miike based on the seinen manga on the same name. A successful English teacher who is secretly a…
Looking for HortenseLooking for Hortense (2012)
Dir. Pascal Bonitzer
Feat. Jean-Pierre Bacri, Kristin Scott Thomas, Isabelle Carré
This bittersweet comedy of manners finds familiar May–December pleasures in the mid–life journey of an unhappily married professor who…
LoreLore (2012) Recommended
Dir. Cate Shortland
Feat. Saskia Rosendahl
A satisfyingly ambitious and haunting drama from the Australian dir. of SOMERSAULT, set in Europe in the aftermath of WWII. Following the arrest…
Man Who Laughs, TheMan Who Laughs, The (2012)
Dir. Jean-Pierre Améris
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Marc-André Grondin, Emmanuelle Seigner
Victor Hugo's classic tale of two orphans – one disfigured, one blind – who become popular entertainers compels in this handsomely…
MasqueradeMasquerade (2012)
Dir. Chang-min Choo
Feat. Byung-hun Lee
A Chosun Dynasty monarch under threat of assassination recruits a jester who specialises in satrising royals to impersonate him in this richly…
Morden: The Fjallbacka Murders (TV Series)Morden: The Fjallbacka Murders (TV Series) (Fjällbackamorden) (2012)
Feat. Claudia Galli, Richard Ulfsäter
In the wake of a brutal murder, secrets and lies are unearthed by a mystery writer with a nose for the suspicious in this moody Scandi–crime…
MotorwayMotorway (2012)
Dir. Pou-Soi Cheang
Feat. Anthony Wong, Shawn Yue, Josie Ho
China's answer to DRIVE retains much of the crisp understatement and effortless style of its stateside predecessor, pairing the electric nightlife of…
My Straight SonMy Straight Son (Azul y no tan rosa) (2012)
Dir. Miguel Ferrari
Feat. Guillermo Garcia, Nacho Montes, Hilda Abrahamz
Venezuelan drama about a successful gay photographer living in Caracas whose teenage son from a past relationship comes to stay. Unfamiliar with the…
Neighboring SoundsNeighboring Sounds (Neighbouring Sounds) (2012)
Dir. Kleber Mendonca Filho
Feat. Irandhir Santos, Maeve Jinkings, Gustavo Jahn
The striking feature debut of Brazilian director Kleber Mendonça Filho (BACURAU) depicting life on a sheltered prosperous street adjacent to a poor…
NightfallNightfall (2012)
Dir. Roy Chow
Feat. Simon Yam, Nick Cheung, Janice Man
Grisly thriller with a celebrity found brutally murdered, a recently paroled rapist becomes the leading suspect.
NoNo (2012) Aro Favourite
Dir. Pablo Larrain
Feat. Gael Garcia Bernal, Alfredo Castro
Gael Garcia Bernal plays an ad executive who conceives a campaign to defeat Augusto Pinochet in Chile's 1988 referendum in this unique celebration of…
Oh BoyOh Boy (A Coffee in Berlin) (2012)
Dir. Jan Ole Gerster
Feat. Tom Schilling, Katharina Schüttler
A college dropout wanders the streets of Berlin contemplating his place in the world in this ironic portrait of early adulthood.
On AirOn Air (Parlez-moi de vous) (2012)
Dir. Pierre Pinaud
Feat. Karin Viard, Nicolas Duvauchelle
A solid character vehicle for French mainstay Karin Viard, here playing the sophisticated host of a radio talkback show, whose knack for delivering…
Other Son, TheOther Son, The (2012) Recommended
Dir. Lorraine Levy
Feat. Emmanuelle Devos, Pascal Elbé, Jules Sitruk
Two families on either side of the Israeli–Palestinian divide learn that their sons were switched at birth in this moving human drama.
Paradise: FaithParadise: Faith (Paradise Faith) (2012)
Dir. Ulrich Seidl
Feat. Maria Hofstatter, Nabil Saleh, Natalija Baranova
The second installment of Ulrich Seidl's PARADISE trilogy follows Anna Maria, the sister of Teresa (in PARADISE: LOVE), a single woman in her 50s…
Paradise: LoveParadise: Love (Paradise Love) (2012)
Dir. Ulrich Seidl
Feat. Margarethe Tiesel
The first chapter of the Ulrich Seidl's PARADISE trilogy is a provocative take on exotic romance in which a middle–aged Austrian woman plays…
Paris-ManhattanParis-Manhattan (2012)
Dir. Sophie Lellouche
Feat. Alice Taglioni, Patrick Bruel
A Woody Allen–obsessed pharmacist employs the philosophies of her nebbish movie hero in life and in love. Typically, inconsequentially French,…
Patience Stone, ThePatience Stone, The (2012) Recommended
Dir. Atiq Rahimi
Feat. Golshifteh Farahani, Hami Djavadan
Atiq Rahimi's adapts his own bestselling novel about a Muslim woman whose paralyzed husband offers quiet relief amid the sorrows of life in a…
PietaPieta (2012)
Dir. Kim Ki-Duk
Feat. Min-soo Jo, Jung-Jin Lee
Kim Ki–Duk directs this controversial Golden Lion winner, about a debt–collecting thug who is forced to confront his violent ways when a…
PopulairePopulaire (2012)
Dir. Régis Roinsard
Feat. Romain Duris, Deborah Francois, Bérénice Bejo
Full of colour and quick–witted style, this French period comedy plays up the vintage appeal of the 1950s through rose tinted glasses. Deborah…
RealityReality (2012) Recommended
Dir. Matteo Garrone
Feat. Aniello Arena, Loredana Simioli, Nando Paone
A working class scam artist tries out for 'Big Brother' in this bustling, Fellini–esque satire of unrealised dreams from dir. Matteo Garrone…
Red EagleRed Eagle (2012)
Dir. Jose Ramon Ayerra Diaz
Feat. David Janer
Based on a popular Spanish TV show about a dashing teacher, who by night is a sort of Ninja–Zorro, fighting injustice and saving King and…
RenoirRenoir (2012)
Dir. Gilles Bourdos
Feat. Michel Bouquet, Christa Theret, Vincent Rottiers
Sumptuous, sun–kissed art biopic based on the last years of impressionist painter Auguste Renoir (Bouquet) during World War I, and the…
Rita (TV Series)Rita (TV Series) (2012-2015) Recommended
Feat. Mille Dinesen, Lise Baastrup, Carsten Bjørnlund
Danish comedy series following the life of a defiantly outspoken school teacher and single mother who excels in her teaching but struggles in her…
Rurouni KenshinRurouni Kenshin (2012)
Dir. Keishi Otomo
Feat. Takeru Sato, Emi Takei, Teruyuki Kagawa
A gracefully violent adaptation of the popular manga series, about a brilliant shogun who retreats from society during an era of decline for samurai,…
Rust and BoneRust and Bone (2012) Recommended
Dir. Jacques Audiard
Feat. Marion Cotillard, Matthias Schoenaerts, Celine Sallette
Jacques Audiard (A PROPHET) directs this searing drama of a broken woman (Marion Cotillard) who rediscovers the will to live through an itinerant man…
Shadow Men, TheShadow Men, The (Spin; Les Hommes De L'Ombre) (2012) Recommended
Feat. Nathalie Baye, Philippe Magnan, Bruno Wolkowitch
Political drama series follows the actions of a group of spin doctors who each advance their own cause after the assassination of the French…
ShahidShahid (2012)
Dir. Hansal Mehta
Feat. Rajkummar Rao, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Kay Kay Menon
Indian biopic about the life of lawyer and human rights activist Shahid Azmi, who was assassinated in 2010 by four right wing assailants. Known…
Silent War, TheSilent War, The (2012)
Dir. Felix Chong, Alan Mak
Feat. Tony Leung (Chiu-wai), Xun Zhou, Mavis Fan
Engaging espionage thriller with Tony Leung as a blind piano tuner for a spy mission because of his exceptional hearing.
Silent YouthSilent Youth (2012)
Dir. Diemo Kemmesies
Feat. Martin Bruchmann, Josef Mattes, Linda Schule
Low key German indie drama offering a story of gay first love, replete with palpable sexual tension and interesting, honest performances. Like so…
SisterSister (2012) Recommended
Dir. Ursula Meier
Feat. Léa Seydoux, Kacey Mottet Klein, Martin Compston
On the slopes of a Swiss ski resort, a resourceful 12–year–old boy steals to support his troubled older sister in this fine…
SuskindSuskind (2012)
Dir. Rudolf van den Berg
Feat. Karl Markovics, Jeroen Spitzenberger
A serious, respectful historical dramatisation of the deeds of Walter Sueskind, a Jewish industrialist in Amsterdam who used his leverage as an…
TabuTabu (2012) Recommended
Dir. Miguel Gomes
Feat. Teresa Madruga, Laura Soveral, Ana Moreira
A retired woman seeks out a man with a secret connection to her past life as a plantation owner in Africa in this a beguiling black and white mystery.
TapedTaped (2012)
Dir. Diederik Van Rooijen
Feat. Barry Atsma, Susan Visser
Exciting Dutch thriller set in Argentina, where a travelling couple witness an execution by a corrupt cop, capture the incident on camera, and are…
Taste of Money, TheTaste of Money, The (2012)
Dir. Sang-soo Im
Feat. Kang-woo Kim, Yoon-sik Baek, Yuh-jung Youn
The dir. of THE HOUSEMAID buffs this heady class critique of Korea's impudent elite to a high sheen, with the lust and corruption of a wealthy family…
Teddy BearTeddy Bear (10 Timer til Paradis) (2012) Recommended
Dir. Mads Matthiesen
Feat. Kim Kold
Real life body–builder Kim Kold stars as a shy and awkward 38 year–old Danish bodybuilder who still lives with his mum, but decides to…
ThaleThale (2012)
Dir. Aleksander Nordaas
Feat. Silje Reinåmo, Erlend Nervold
An artful, serious–minded horror fantasy based on the Norwegian legend of the Hydra – a seductive, shape–shifting Scandanavian…
Thérèse DesqueyrouxThérèse Desqueyroux (Therese Desqueyroux) (2012)
Dir. Claude Miller
Feat. Audrey Tautou, Gilles Lellouche, Anaïs Demoustier
In pre–war France, a free–spirited woman joins a wealthy landowner in a loveless marriage. Audrey Tautou dials down the cute to deliver…
Thieves, TheThieves, The (2012)
Dir. Dong-hun Choi
Feat. Gianna Jun, Hye-su Kim, Yun-seok Kim
This slickly engineered Korean blockbuster (the second highest earning in the country's box office history) plays all the right cards in its…
Third Half, TheThird Half, The (2012)
Dir. Darko Mitrevski
Feat. Katarina Ivanovska, Sasko Kocev
A Macedonian football club hires a German coach to galvanize the team as Nazis prepare to enter the country in this wartime occupation drama.
Two LivesTwo Lives (2012) Recommended
Dir. Georg Maas, Judith Kaufmann
Feat. Juliane Kohler, Liv Ullmann, Rainer Bock
A "war child" of the Nazi regime – the name given to children conceived by German officers and Norwegian women, who were subsequently taken…
Viral Factor, TheViral Factor, The (2012)
Dir. Dante Lam
Feat. Jay Chou, Nicholas Tse
Dante Lam brings the fire once more in this out–and–out grunt fest of special forces action. As to be expected, the corny dramatic…
VulgariaVulgaria (2012)
Dir. Pang Ho-Cheung
Feat. Chapman To, Dada Chan, Suet Lam
Amusingly scattershot showbiz satire of a struggling film producer who turns to making pornography under the financing of a twisted triad…
WadjdaWadjda (2012) Recommended
Dir. Haifaa Al-Mansour
Feat. Waad Mohammed, Reem Abdullah
This humanist triumph is the first ever feature to be shot in Saudi Arabia, centering on a plucky young girl who attempts to raise money for a…
War WitchWar Witch (Rebelle) (2012) Recommended
Dir. Kim Nguyen
Feat. Rachel Mwanza
A remarkable magical realist portrayal of the tragedy of child soldiering in one of Africa’s many civil wars, with the phenomenal Rachel Mwanza as…
Welcome AboardWelcome Aboard (2012)
Dir. Jean Becker
Feat. Patrick Chesnais, Jeanne Lambert, Miou-Miou
No stranger to movies about unlikely friendships, dir. Jean Becker balances sentiment with pathos in this finely drawn character study of a…
Werewolf Boy, AWerewolf Boy, A (2012)
Dir. Sung-Hee Jo
Feat. Joong-ki Song, Bo-yeong Park, Young-nam Jang
One of a kind fantasy in which a teenage girl is sent to the country for her health, where she befriends and attempts to civilize a feral boy she…
What's in a Name?What's in a Name? (2012) Aro Favourite
Dir. Matthie Delaporte, Alexandre de La Patellière
Feat. Patrick Bruel, Valerie Benguigui, Charles Berling
A French "dinner party" comedy par excellence that interrogates the anxiety of impending parenthood and bourgeois politics when a liberal couple find…
White ElephantWhite Elephant (2012)
Dir. Pablo Trapero
Feat. Ricardo Darín, Jeremie Renier, Martina Gusman
Two priests determined to build a hospital in a Buenos Aires shantytown encounter violent resistance from local drug lords in this superb social…
White TigerWhite Tiger (2012)
Dir. Karen Shakhnazarov
Feat. Aleksey Vertkov, Vitaliy Kishchenko, Valeriy Grishko
A Red Army sergeant becomes obsessed with a mysterious white Tiger tank responsible for the destruction of his battalion.
Wu DangWu Dang (2012)
Dir. Patrick Leung
Feat. Vincent Zhao
A rambunctious, action–packed throwback to '80s martial arts flicks and strapping Indiana Jones–style adventure, centred on a famed…
YossiYossi (2012)
Dir. Eytan Fox
Feat. Ohad Knoller
A satisfying, exploratory follow–up to Israeli gay drama YOSSI AND JAGGER, this catches up with the titular Yossi, now ten years older and no…
33D Invader, The33D Invader, The (2011)
Dir. Man Kei Chin
Feat. Macy Wu
A trio of socially inept dweebs hit the jackpot when they encounter a buxom beauty sent from the future; her mission to return to the year 2046…
A Gang StoryA Gang Story (2011)
Dir. Olivier Marchal
Feat. Gerard Lanvin, Tcheky Karyo, Daniel Duval
French cop–turned–filmmaker Olivier Marchal (36 QUAI DES ORFEVRES, MR73) steps over to the other side of the law with this…
A Happy EventA Happy Event (Un Heureux Evenement) (2011)
Dir. Rémi Bezançon
Feat. Louise Bourgoin, Pio Marmaï, Josiane Balasko
Keenly felt depiction of the baby blues as a young couple struggle to come to grips with parenthood.
Against the WindAgainst the Wind (Headwinds) (2011)
Dir. Jalil Lespert
Feat. Benoit Magimel, Isabelle Carré, Bouli Lanners
Quality French drama explores the emotional wreck of a widower who tries to rebuild his life and make sense of his loss in the aftermath of his…
Ages of LoveAges of Love (Manual of Love 3) (2011)
Dir. Giovanni Veronesi
Feat. Robert De Niro, Monica Bellucci, Riccardo Scamarcio
Third installment in the fluffy romantic series has benefits from the presence of De Niro as a visiting professor seduced by his neighbour's…
All Our DesiresAll Our Desires (2011)
Dir. Philippe Lioret
Feat. Marie Gillain, Vincent Lindon
Well–meaning social melodrama from the dir. of WELCOME follows the determined fight by a judge to defend an impoverished woman from ruthless…
American TranslationAmerican Translation (2011)
Dir. Jean-Marc Barr
Feat. Pierre Perrier, Lizzie Brochere, Jean-Marc Barr
Drama exploring the dark and violent obsessions of a sexually ambiguous Frenchman. Plenty of casual sex and casual murder, and a truly memorable lap…
And If We All Lived TogetherAnd If We All Lived Together (2011)
Dir. Stéphane Robelin
Feat. Guy Bedos, Daniel Brühl, Geraldine Chaplin
Five 70–something friends resolve to move in together when faced with life in a retirement home, much to the fascination of a ethnology student…
Arne Dahl (TV Series)Arne Dahl (TV Series) (2011)
CONTRABAND TITLE. Not legally available for sale, rent or trade in New Zealand unless submitted for approval to the NZ Office of Film & Literature…
Art of Love, TheArt of Love, The (2011)
Dir. Emmanuel Mouret
Feat. Emmanuel Mouret, Pascale Arbillot, Ariane Ascaride
The French try their hand at the ensemble romantic comedy with this episodic insight into the dramas, dilemmas, and delights of love between a cast…
Back to StayBack to Stay (2011)
Dir. Milagros Mumenthaler
Feat. María Canale, Martina Juncadella , Ailín Salas
A spare, melancholic film that languidly reveals its narrative secrets as three bickering sisters clash in their neglected Buenos Aires family…
Beginning of the Great RevivalBeginning of the Great Revival (The Founding of a Party) (2011)
Dir. Sanping Han, Jianxin Huang
Feat. Andy Lau, Chow Yun-Fat, Daniel Wu
In the tradition of unashamedly jingoistic cinema comes this state–sanctioned celebration of ninety years of Chinese Communist Party rule.…
BelovedBeloved (2011)
Dir. Christophe Honore
Feat. Chiara Mastroianni, Catherine Deneuve, Ludivine Sagnier
An expressive, cosmopolitan musical about the life and loves of a mother and daughter spanning four decades, played by the Real McCoy, Catherine…
Bomber, TheBomber, The (Ballada o bombere (Ballad Of A Bomber)) (2011)
Dir. Vitaliy Vorobyov
Feat. Nikita Efremov, Ekaterina Astakhova, Aleksandr Davydov
Hum–drum war film – originally a television series – has a Russian aircraft crashing in Nazi occupied territory and the three…
Borgen - Series 2 (TV Series)Borgen - Series 2 (TV Series) (2011) Aro Favourite
Feat. Sidse Babett Knudsen, Birgitte Hjort Sørensen, Pilou Asbæk
Further episodes from the Bafta–winning Danish political drama in which an idealistic prime minister's rise to power brings with it a web of…
Bridge, The - Series 1 (TV Series)Bridge, The - Series 1 (TV Series) (Bron/Broen) (2011) Aro Favourite
Feat. Sofia Helin, Kim Bodnia, Dag Malmberg
The Scandi–crime wave continues with this steely Danish–Swedish murder mystery, centred on the discovery of a body straddling the…
BunohanBunohan (Return to Murder) (2011)
Dir. Dain Said
Feat. Zahiril Adzim, Faizal Hussein, Wan Hanafisu
Somber martial–arts flick with three estranged brothers returning to their hometown to care for their ailing father. Interesting hybrid of…
Café de FloreCafé de Flore (2011)
Dir. Jean-Marc Vallée
Feat. Vanessa Paradis, Kevin Parent
Two parallel stories of love and hope transcend their time difference in this fantastical juggling act from French–Canadian filmmaker…
Children Who Chase Lost VoicesChildren Who Chase Lost Voices (Journey to Agartha) (2011) Aro Favourite
Dir. Makoto Shinkai
This eye–watering love letter to the godfather of anime, Hayao Miyazaki, not only replicates, but in many ways surpasses Studio Ghibli's…
Chinese Ghost Story, AChinese Ghost Story, A (2011)
Dir. Wilson Yip
Feat. Louis Koo, Yifei Liu, Shao-gun Yu
A lowly scholar falls in love with a beautiful ghost, but in order to win her freedom must do battle with the supernatural. Kinetic remake of the…
Chinese TakeawayChinese Takeaway (2011) Recommended
Dir. Sebastian Borensztein
Feat. Ricardo Darín, Muriel Santa Ana, Ignacio Huang
Wry comedy of clashing cultures centres on an unlikely friendship between a curmudgeonly hardware store–owner and a young immigrant.
CircumstanceCircumstance (2011)
Dir. Maryam Keshavarz
Feat. Sarah Kazemy, Nikohl Boosheri, Reza Sixo Safai
A wealthy Iranian family struggles to contain a teenager's growing sexual rebellion and her brother's dangerous obsession in this courageous, if…
Corpo CelesteCorpo Celeste (2011)
Dir. Alice Rohrwacher
Feat. Salvatore Cantalupo, Anita Caprioli
A thirteen–year–old girl moves back to southern Italy with her mother and older sister and struggles to find her place, restlessly…
Declaration of WarDeclaration of War (2011) Recommended
Dir. Valérie Donzelli
Feat. Valérie Donzelli, Jérémie Elkaïm
A young couple go to war for their cancer–stricken child in this galvanizing drama, based on dir. Valérie Donzelli's fight for the life of her…
DelicacyDelicacy (2011)
Dir. David Foenkinos, Stéphane Foenkinos
Feat. Audrey Tautou, François Damiens
Audrey Tautou breezes through yet another whimsical French souffle, here playing a widowed gamine beauty who rediscovers love in the form of a…
Dum Maaro DumDum Maaro Dum (2011)
Dir. Rohan Sippy
Feat. Abhishek Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Bipasha Basu
"Gritty" Bollywood policier with a corrupt cop given permission to clean up drug–infested Goa however he sees fit. Sluggish plot and insipid…
ElenaElena (2011)
Dir. Andrei Zvyagintsev
Feat. Nadezhda Markina, Andrey Smirnov, Aleksey Rozin
An old fashioned mortality play told through the eyes of Russia's new monied class, centred on the wife of a wealthy businessman whose sudden death…
EllesElles (2011)
Dir. Malgorzata Szumowska
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Anaïs Demoustier, Joanna Kulig
Juliette Binoche plays an investigative reporter who becomes entangled in the world of student prostitution in this serious erotic thriller.
Escort in LoveEscort in Love (Nessuno mi può giudicare) (2011)
Dir. Massimiliano Bruno
Riches–to–rags comedy about a superficial, wealthy Italian woman whose husband dies suddenly and leaves her unexpectedly…
EvaEva (2011)
Dir. Kike Maillo
Feat. Daniel Bruhl, Marta Etura, Alberto Ammann
Sensitive Sci–fi drama stars Daniel Brühl as a scientist grappling with the task and the ethics of creating a line of robot children.
Fairy, TheFairy, The (La Fée) (2011)
Dir. Dominique Abel, Fiona Gordon, Bruno Romy
Feat. Dominique Abel, Fiona Gordon, Bruno Romy
Third feature collaboration for husband–and–wife acting/directing team Abel & Gordon is the story of a hotel clerk searching all over the…
Fall of the InnocentFall of the Innocent (The Butcher of Prague) (2011)
Dir. Petr Nikolaev
Feat. Karel Roden, Zuzana Fialova, Zuzana Bydzovska
WWII drama about the Nazi massacre and destruction of the Czech village of Lidice. The main protagonist is a man from the village who is sent to…
Flowers of War, TheFlowers of War, The (2011)
Dir. Zhang Yimou
Feat. Christian Bale, Ni Ni, Paul Schneider
Dir. Zhang Yimou tackles the Nanking massacre with equal parts grim realism and stylish melodrama – befitting of a lavish wartime epic, less so…
Flying Swords of Dragon GateFlying Swords of Dragon Gate (2011)
Dir. Tsui Hark
Feat. Jet Li, Xun Zhou
Tsui Hark is in late–career form, directing this sequel–of–sorts to the oft–filmed 'Dragon Gate Inn' legend with gusto and…
FootnoteFootnote (2011) Aro Favourite
Dir. Joseph Cedar
Feat. Shlomo Bar-Aba, Lior Ashkenazi, Micah Lewnsohn
A father and son's complicated relationship is tested over the award of a vaunted academic prize in their shared field of Talmudic studies in this…
Forgiveness of Blood, TheForgiveness of Blood, The (2011) Recommended
Dir. Joshua Marston
Feat. Tristan Halilaj, Refet Abazi, Zana Hasaj
Dir. Joshua Marston (MARIA FULL OF GRACE) helms this engrossing Albanian drama of family blood feuds and the tensions between tradition and…
FourFour (2011)
Four cutting–edge tales of horror from the creators of ONG BAK and 13: GAME OF DEATH. Clean–up Day Four friends are discussing the…
Front Line, TheFront Line, The (2011)
Dir. Hun Jang
Feat. Ha-kyun Shin, Soo Go
Big battles clash with big themes in this sizable war epic set during the last days of the Korean war, where soldiers from both the North and South…
Gantz 2: Perfect AnswerGantz 2: Perfect Answer (2011)
Dir. Shinsuke Sato
Feat. Ken'ichi Matsuyama, Kazunari Ninomiya
Satisfying finale to the Gantz universe sees protagonists Kei and Masaru edge closer to their kill target, which will liberate them from their…
Giants, TheGiants, The (2011)
Dir. Bouli Lanners
Feat. Zacharie Chasseriaud, Martin Nissen, Paul Bartel
The misadventures of two teenage brothers and a local misfit are engagingly recounted in this balmy Belgium picaresque.
Goodbye, First LoveGoodbye, First Love (2011)
Dir. Mia Hansen-Love
Feat. Lola Créton, Sebastian Urzendowsky
The director of FATHER OF MY CHILDREN turns her nuanced lens on the passionate but slow–maturing romance between a couple who break up in their…
Greetings to the DevilGreetings to the Devil (2011)
Dir. Juan Felipe Orozco
Feat. Édgar Ramírez, Ricardo Vélez, Carolina Gómez
Fast and aggressive Colombian thriller stars the charismatic Édgar Ramírez, fresh off CARLOS, as a former guerrilla forced to hunt down and kill…
Hara-Kiri: Death of a SamuraiHara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai (2011) Aro Favourite
Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Koji Yakusho, Naoto Takenaka
The ever–versatile Takashi Miike changes tack from his rollicking samurai adventure, 13 ASSASSINS, to deliver a restrained and resonant tale of…
HarvestHarvest (Stadt Land Fluss) (2011)
Dir. Benjamin Cantu
Feat. Lukas Steltner, Kai Michael Müller
Muted romance set against a documentary esque background, that tracks the tentative relationship between two young apprentices training on a farm…
HeadhuntersHeadhunters (2011) Recommended
Dir. Morten Tyldum
Feat. Aksel Hennie, Synnove Macody Lund, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
Jo Nesbo's blockbusting crime novel about a corporate headhunter moonlighting as an art thief gets an appropriately energetic treatment, and with its…
HeadshotHeadshot (2011)
Dir. Pen-Ek Ratanaruang
Feat. Nopachai Chaiyanam
Thai new waver Pen–ek Ratanaruang directs this zen–like "Buddist noir" about a hitman who seeks enlightenment after a bullet to the head…
HellHell (2011)
Dir. Tim Fehlbaum
Feat. Hannah Herzsprung, Stipe Erceg, Angela Winkler
Earth has been parched by solar flares in this resourceful variation on the oft–told post–apocalyptic survival tale. Swiss–German…
HimizuHimizu (2011)
Dir. Sion Sono
Feat. Shota Sometani, Tetsu Watanabe, Fumi Nikaido
Bleak coming–of–age story with two teens scraping out an existence in post–tsunami Japan and embarking on a campaign of violence…
House of PleasuresHouse of Pleasures (House of Tolerance) (2011) Recommended
Dir. Bertrand Bonello
Feat. Hafsia Herzi, Jasmine Trinca, Noemie Lvovsky
Richly designed elegy set in a Parisian bordello at the end of the 18th century follows the working lives of its varied inhabitants. Bonello's…
I WishI Wish (2011) Recommended
Dir. Kore-eda Hirokazu
Feat. Koki Maeda, Ohshiro Maeda, Yui Natsukawa
Two brothers living in different cities because of their parents' separation conspire to reunite them through a mythical 'wish' in this delicate,…
Immature, TheImmature, The (2011)
Dir. Paolo Genovese
Feat. Raoul Bova, Barbora Bobulova, Ambra Angiolini
A breezy, feel–good comedy about a group of friends reunited after twenty years, after a formal error forces them to resit their…
In DarknessIn Darkness (2011) Recommended
Dir. Agnieszka Holland
Feat. Robert Wieckiewicz, Agnieszka Grochowska, Kinga Preis
A stirring, endlessly suspenseful wartime resistance drama from dir. Agnieszka Holland (EUROPA, EUROPA), about the ordinary men and women surviving…
Intouchables, TheIntouchables, The (2011) Aro Favourite
Dir. Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano
Feat. Francois Cluzet, Omar Sy, Anne Le Ny
Exemplary feel–good French comedy that details the unlikely friendship between an aristocratic quadriplegic and a young French–African…
Italian Film Festival Collection, The - 2011Italian Film Festival Collection, The - 2011 (2011)
Comprehensive box–set collection of 11 of the best Italian films featured at the 'Italian Film Festival 2011' spread over 5 discs. Film…
Italy: Love It or Leave ItItaly: Love It or Leave It (2011)
Dir. Gustav Hofer, Luca Ragazzi
This thoroughly engaging road trip throughout picturesque Italy doubles as a serious critique of a nation beset by various social, economic, and…
JackpotJackpot (Jo Nesbo's Jackpot) (2011)
Dir. Magnus Martens
Feat. Kyrre Hellum, Mads Ousdal, Henrik Mestad
This second helping of Jo Nesbo's blackly comic tales has the hapless sole survivor of a strip club massacre taken in for questioning where his…
Jewel, TheJewel, The (2011)
Dir. Andrea Molaioli
Feat. Toni Servillo, Remo Girone, Sarah Felberbaum
Mordant morality tale set in the world of big–business with Servillo as a very 'creative' accountant trying everything to keep his company…
Juan of the DeadJuan of the Dead (2011)
Dir. Alejandro Brugués
Feat. Alexis Díaz de Villegas, Jorge Molina
A direct and surprisingly inspired Hispanic take on the SHAUN OF THE DEAD zom–com model that makes nifty use of its unique Cuban locale and…
Kid with a Bike, TheKid with a Bike, The (2011) Recommended
Dir. Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne
Feat. Thomas Doret, Cecile De France, Jeremie Renier
Yet another impressive work of contemporary social realism from Belgian duo Jean–Luc and Pierre Dardenne, this time observing the growing pains…
King of Pigs, TheKing of Pigs, The (2011)
Dir. Sang-ho Yeon
A tough, hard–glancing Korean anime about two adults who recall their violent school days as both purveyors and victims of systemic bullying.…
Kiss MeKiss Me (Kyss mig, aka With Every Heartbeat) (2011) Recommended
Dir. Alexandra-Therese Keining
Feat. Ruth Vega Fernandez, Liv Mjönes, Krister Henriksson
Heartfelt romantic drama about a woman who is engaged to be married when she finds herself falling for her soon–to–be stepmother's…
Lan Kwai FongLan Kwai Fong (2011)
Dir. Wilson Chin
Feat. Shiga Lin
Hong Kong's answer to SEX AND THE CITY set in its central nightlife district, where lust is rampant and love elusive for an ensemble of handsome…
Las AcaciasLas Acacias (2011) Aro Favourite
Dir. Pablo Giorgelli
Feat. Germán de Silva, Hebe Duarte
An improbable gem of the road movie genre, about the slow–forming relationship between a long–haul truck driver and the woman (and…
Le HavreLe Havre (2011) Recommended
Dir. Aki Kaurismaki
Feat. Andre Wilms, Kati Outinen, Jean-Pierre Darroussin
An old–time shoe–shiner befriends a young African refugee in hiding from immigration authorities in this soft–centred comedy from…
Legend of the Millennium DragonLegend of the Millennium Dragon (2011)
Dir. Hirotsugu Kawasaki
An impressively animated young–adult fantasy, centred on a 15–year–old school kid who is transported back to medieval Japan, and…
Life Without PrincipleLife Without Principle (2011)
Dir. Johnnie To
Feat. Lau Ching-wan, Terence Yin, Richie Ren
Hong Kong's master of suspense crafts this swirling triumvirate of stories centred on unraveling lives amidst the global financial crisis. Combing…
LividLivid (2011)
Dir. Alexandre Bustillo, Julien Maury
Feat. Chloé Colloud, Catherine Jacob, Marie Claude-Pietragalla
The directors of the revered French horror film 'Inside' try their hand at the haunted house genre, with predictably savage but also surprisingly…
Lost Bladesman, TheLost Bladesman, The (2011)
Dir. Felix Chong, Alan Mak
Feat. Donnie Yen, Wen Jiang
Yet another big screen reinvention of the 'Three Kingdoms' legend, this time from the perspective of talismanic figure Guan Yu, whose exploits on the…
Love ExposureLove Exposure (2011)
Dir. Sion Sono
Feat. Takahiro Nishijima, Hikari Mitsushima
Notorious cinematic oddity from Japanese director Sion Sono (WHY DON'T YOU PLAY IN HELL), following the adventures of a Catholic teenage boy who…
Man from Beijing, TheMan from Beijing, The (2011)
Dir. Peter Keglevic
Feat. Michael Nyqvist, Suzanne von Borsody
A straightforward Scandi–thriller with a German accent, about the mystery behind the massacre of 18 people in a small Swedish town –…
ManipulationManipulation (2011)
Dir. Pascal Verdosci
Feat. Klaus Maria Brandauer, Sebastian Koch
Sweaty Cold War thriller centred on the cat–and–mouse game between a special agent investigating possible spy moves by a top PR advisor.
MedianerasMedianeras (Sidewalls) (2011)
Dir. Gustavo Taretto
Feat. Javier Drolas, Pilar López de Ayala
Two mournful souls destined for each other conspire to never cross paths despite living directly across from one another in this inventive modern…
MichaelMichael (2011)
Dir. Markus Schleinzer
Feat. Michael Fuith
Brilliant and disturbingly macabre directorial debut from Markus Schleinzer, observing a man who has imprisoned a 10–year old boy in his…
Minister, TheMinister, The (2011)
Dir. Pierre Schöller
Feat. Olivier Gourmet, Michel Blanc, Zabou Breitman
Nuanced political drama follows the daily process of governance from the vantage point of of the French Transport Minister as he negotiates the…
Miss BalaMiss Bala (2011)
Dir. Gerardo Naranjo
Feat. Stephanie Sigman, Irene Azuela, Jose Yenque
A beauty pageant contestant becomes entangled in a Tijuana drug cartel killing spree in this electric Mexican thriller.
Monk, TheMonk, The (2011)
Dir. Dominik Moll
Feat. Vincent Cassel, Deborah Francois, Sergi Lopez
A devout monk (Cassell) experiences a crisis of faith which in turn manifests into a malevolent force in this abstract, atmospheric horror adapted…
Monsieur LazharMonsieur Lazhar (2011) Recommended
Dir. Philippe Falardeau
Feat. Mohamed Fellag, Sophie Nelisse, Emilien Neron
An asylum seeking Algerian attempts to pass himself off as teacher in a Canadian school bereft after the suicide of a popular teacher.
My Best EnemyMy Best Enemy (2011)
Dir. Wolfgang Murnberger
Feat. Moritz Bleibtreu, Georg Friedrich, Ursula Strauss
A Jewish man switches places with his Nazi best friend in order to survive, in this dark WWII drama.
My KingdomMy Kingdom (2011)
Dir. Xiaosong Gao
Feat. Chun Wu, Geng Han
A commercial, action–inflected rendering of Peking Opera (a la Tsui Hark's PEKING OPERA BLUES), centred on the rivalry between two…
My Piece of the PieMy Piece of the Pie (2011)
Dir. Cedric Klapisch
Feat. Karin Viard, Gilles Lellouche
A Capra–esque satire shot in the mode of a French romantic comedy, replete with clunky political statements and glossy Euro visuals. Karin…
My WayMy Way (2011)
Dir. Kang Je-Gyu
Feat. Jang Dong-Gun, Joe Odagiri, Bingbing Fan
The director of BROTHERHOOD OF WAR raises the stakes with this louder, bloodier, more spectacular WWII epic, centred on the true story of rival…
Once Upon a Time in AnatoliaOnce Upon a Time in Anatolia (2011) Recommended
Dir. Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Feat. Muhammet Uzuner, Firat Tanis, Yilmaz Erdogan
Turkish auteur Nuri Bilge Ceylan directs this masterful long–haul road movie about a convoy of policemen searching for a body on the…
PlayPlay (2011) Recommended
Dir. Ruben Östlund
Ruban Östlund (THE SQUARE) directs this acute observation of bullying based on true events, in which a group of adolescent boys robbed other…
PolicemanPoliceman (2011) Recommended
Dir. Nadav Lapid
Feat. Yiftach Klein
With contemporary Israel as its disquieting backdrop, this sharp and incisive account of revolutionary action, witnessed through the eyes of a…
PolissePolisse (2011) Recommended
Dir. Maïwenn
Feat. Karin Viard, Marina Fois, Nicolas Duvauchelle
A tough, unglamorous insight into the police work of a Parisian Juvenile Protection Unit, whose officers grapple with the moral and personal dilemmas…
QuickQuick (2011)
Dir. Beom-gu Cho
Feat. Min-Ki Lee, Ye-won Kang
A motorcycle courier must complete a series of near–impossible deliveries in order to save his girlfriend whose cycle helmet has been rigged…
Raid, TheRaid, The (The Raid: Redemption) (2011) Aro Favourite
Dir. Gareth Evans
Feat. Iko Uwais
The finest Asian action export since ONG–BAK, pitting an out–of–their–depth SWAT team against a tenement of drug dealers,…
RebellionRebellion (2011)
Dir. Mathieu Kassovitz
Feat. Mathieu Kassovitz, Iabe Lapacas, Malik Zidi
A proficient, airtight geopolitical thriller from dir. Kassovitz, who also stars as the captain of a counterterrorist division sent to New Caledonia…
Salt of Life, TheSalt of Life, The (2011)
Dir. Gianni Di Gregorio
Feat. Gianni Di Gregorio
Gianni Di Gregorio's delightful follow–up to MID–AUGUST LUNCH, about a house husband at the whim of his wife, daughter, neighbour, and…
Sector 7Sector 7 (2011)
Dir. Ji-hun Kim
Feat. Ji-won Ha, Sung-kee Ahn
Produced by the director of tidal wave catastrophe HAEUNDAE, this big budget monster movie (Korea's first in 3D) lurches between hokey character…
Separation, ASeparation, A (2011) Aro Favourite
Dir. Asghar Farhadi
Feat. Peyman Moaadi, Leila Hatami, Sareh Bayat
Winner of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, this masterfully layered domestic drama sees the wheels of justice turn slowly against a…
Sex and Zen - Extreme EcstasySex and Zen - Extreme Ecstasy (2011)
Dir. Christopher Sun Lap Key
Feat. Hiro Hayama, Leni Lan, Saori Hara
Touted as "the first 3D erotic movie", this Ming Dynasty bonk–fest under–performs as both a porny period spectacle, and a randy sex…
ShaolinShaolin (2011)
Dir. Benny Chan
Feat. Andy Lau, Nicholas Tse, Jackie Chan
Feuding warlords threaten to tear China apart and only a group of Shaolin monks stand in the way of annihilation.
Silence, TheSilence, The (Das letzte Schweigen) (2011)
Dir. Baran bo Odar
Feat. Ulrich Thomsen, Katrin Sass, Wotan Wilke Möhring
German thriller set in 2009, 23 years after the unsolved rape and murder of an 11–year old girl, when a remarkably similar crime attracts the…
Skin I Live In, TheSkin I Live In, The (2011) Recommended
Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya, Marisa Paredes
Over twenty years after their last collaboration, a gracefully middle–aged Antonio Banderas returns for Spanish maestro Pedro Almodovar to play…
SkylabSkylab (2011)
Dir. Julie Delpy
Feat. Bernadette Lafont, Emmanuelle Riva, Eric Elmosnino
Julie Delpy directs this nostalgic crowd–pleaser, set around a rowdy family gathering in the summer of 1979, whose youngest member believes…
Sleep TightSleep Tight (2011)
Dir. Jaume Balaguero
Feat. Luis Tosar, Marta Etura, Alberto San Juan
Unsettling portrait of a concierge who's romantic obsession with one of the tenants involves slowly sabotaging every aspect of her life.
Sleepless NightSleepless Night (2011) Aro Favourite
Dir. Frederic Jardin
Feat. Tomer Sisley, Serge Riaboukine, Julien Boisselier
A stonking, white–knuckle French action picture, smartly and tightly wound around a cop's frantic search for a stolen drug stash in order to…
SmugglerSmuggler (2011)
Dir. Katsuhito Ishii
Feat. Satoshi Tsumabuki, Masatoshi Nagase, Yasuko Matsuyuki
An entertainingly schizophrenic black comedy by way of cult Japanese dir. Katsuhito Ishii, whose penchant for the wacky and surreal drives this…
Source, TheSource, The (La Source des femmes) (2011)
Dir. Radu Mihaileanu
Feat. Leïla Bekhti, Hafsia Herzi, Hiam Abbass
A dashing feminist dramedy sprung from the male bias in the Middle East, about a village of women who take up a 'sex strike' after their husbands…
Spark of Life, TheSpark of Life, The (As Luck Would Have It) (2011)
Dir. Alex de la Iglesia
Feat. Jose Mota, Salma Hayek, Blanca Portillo
An aggressive media satire centred around the frenzied bidding war that erupts for a permanently and publicly immobile man's story, with the man…
This Girl is Badass!!This Girl is Badass!! (2011)
Dir. Mum Jokmok
Feat. JeeJa Yanin
Jija Yanin (CHOCOLATE) stars in this martial arts comedy about a girl whose family life is turned upside–down when she gets mixed up with…
This is Not a FilmThis is Not a Film (2011) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jafar Panahi, Mojtaba Mirtahmasb
Persecuted Iranian auteur Jafar Panahi turns the camera on himself in this galvanizing protest film about the physical and creative imprisonment of…
Those Who Kill (TV Series)Those Who Kill (TV Series) (Den som dræber) (2011)
Feat. Laura Bach, Jakob Cedergren, Lars Mikkelsen
CONTRABAND TITLE. Not legally available for sale, rent or trade in New Zealand unless submitted for approval to the NZ Office of Film & Literature…
TomboyTomboy (2011) Recommended
Dir. Céline Sciamma
Feat. Zoé Héran, Malonn Lévana
An androgynous ten–year–old girl passes herself off as a boy during the summer holidays in this tender coming–of–age tale.
Turin Horse, TheTurin Horse, The (2011) Aro Favourite
Dir. Bela Tarr
Feat. Janos Derzsi, Erika Bok
A final, uncompromising vision from Hungarian master Bela Tarr, whose ominous vision of two deathly souls hunkered down during a windstorm takes its…
Turn Me On, Goddamit!Turn Me On, Goddamit! (2011)
Dir. Jannicke Systad Jacobsen
Feat. Helene Bergsholm, Beate Stofring, Malin Bjorhovde
Deadpan sex comedy in a sleepy Norwegian hamlet with a hormone ravaged teen determined to lose her virginity.
War of the ArrowsWar of the Arrows (2011)
Dir. Han-min Kim
Feat. Hae-il Park, Ryoo Seung-beom
A fast–paced period epic centred on the resistance of a group of villagers against the Manchurian invasion of Korea. Like THE HUNGER GAMES, an…
War of the Buttons, TheWar of the Buttons, The (2011) Recommended
Dir. Yann Samuell
Feat. Eric Elmosnino, Mathilde Seigner, Alain Chabat
A spirited adaptation of Louis Pergaud's classic novel, relocated to the 60s where two rival factions of children wage war in provincial…
Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq BaleWarriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale (2011)
Dir. Te-Sheng Wei
Feat. Ching-Tai Lin, Umin Boya, Masanobu Ando
An indigenous clan–based people living in harmony with nature find their way of life threatened when violent interlopers from another culture…
We Have a PopeWe Have a Pope (Habemus Papam) (2011) Recommended
Dir. Nanni Moretti
Feat. Michel Piccoli, Nanni Moretti, Margherita Buy
Michel Piccoli plays a reluctant successor to the recently deceased pope in this comic look inside the Vatican Church.
Well-Digger's Daughter, TheWell-Digger's Daughter, The (2011)
Dir. Daniel Auteuil
Feat. Daniel Auteuil, Kad Merad, Sabine Azema
Daniel Auteuil covets the art house with his directorial debut, a bright, old–fashioned adaptation of a Marcel Pagnol novel centred on a feud…
What Women WantWhat Women Want (2011)
Dir. Daming Chen
Feat. Andy Lau, Gong Li, Russell Wong
Amiable Chinese remake with Andy Lau stepping into Mel Gibson's shoes as a chauvinistic executive who gains the ability to hear what women are really…
WhatsoeverlyWhatsoeverly (Qualunquemente) (2011)
Dir. Giulio Manfredonia
Feat. Antonio Albanese, Sergio Rubini
Irrepressibly Italian satirical comedy film starring comedian Antonio Albanese as his famous character Cetto La Qualunque – a corrupt…
Where Do We Go Now?Where Do We Go Now? (2011) Recommended
Dir. Nadine Labaki
Feat. Nadine Labaki
Nadine Labaki (CARAMEL) directs and stars in this heartfelt Lebanese tale of tensions between Christians and Muslims villagers, and the women who…
Whore, TheWhore, The (2011)
Dir. Hansjörg Thurn
Feat. Alexandra Neldel, Thure Riefenstein
A young woman falsely accused of harlotry on the eve of her wedding, takes up with a group of traveling whores and seeks revenge on those who've…
Woman in the Fifth, TheWoman in the Fifth, The (2011)
Dir. Pawel Pawlikowski
Feat. Ethan Hawke, Kristin Scott Thomas
Intriguing, if ultimately baffling Parisian thriller about a struggling American writer (Ethan Hawke) who embarks on a passionate affair with an…
Women on the 6th Floor, TheWomen on the 6th Floor, The (2011) Recommended
Dir. Phillippe Le Guay
Feat. Fabrice Luchini, Sandrine Kiberlain, Natalia Verbeke
An immensely entertaining comedy of the classes, about an uptight Parisian couple who welcome a gaggle of Spanish maids into their lives for the…
Wu XiaWu Xia (Swordsmen) (2011)
Dir. Peter Chan
Feat. Donnie Yen, Wei Tang, Takeshi Kaneshiro
Oddball homage to ONE ARMED SWORDSMAN, set on the cusp of China's transition to a republic, with a Yen as a gentle papermaker who's killing of two…
WunderkinderWunderkinder (2011)
Dir. Markus Rosenmüller
Feat. Gedeon Burkhard, Natalia Avelon
A history of Germany in broad strokes, this heartrending coming–of–age tale charts the upheaval of WWII through the eyes of three child…
You Will Be My SonYou Will Be My Son (2011) Recommended
Dir. Gilles Legrand
Feat. Niels Arestrup, Lorànt Deutsch
An intense, boldly flavoured father–son melodrama centred on a prestigious French wine label, whose arrogant owner (Arestrup) begins to groom…
13 Assassins13 Assassins (2010) Aro Favourite
Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Koji Yakusho, Yamada Takayuki, Yusuke Iseya
Takashi Miike turns in perhaps his most entertaining and accomplished film yet with this rollicking SEVEN SAMURAI–inspired adventure, centred…
14 Blades14 Blades (2010)
Dir. Daniel Lee
Feat. Donnie Yen, Chun Wu, Sammo Hung
A secret agent of the emperor’s court is betrayed by his colleagues in this spectacular Ming Dynasty–set thriller. Something of a return to…
18 Years Later18 Years Later (Diciotto anni dopo) (2010)
Dir. Edoardo Leo
Feat. Edoardo Leo, Marco Bonini
Picturesque road trip movie following two estranged brothers (played by writer and co–writer/director Marco Bonini and Edoardo Leo) who take a…
20 Cigarettes20 Cigarettes (2010)
Dir. Aureliano Amadei
Feat. Vinicio Marchioni, Carolina Crescentini, Giorgio Colangeli
Wry autobiographical story about an assistant director who receives an offer to fly to Iraq in order to shoot a film, surprisingly sincere.
22 Bullets22 Bullets (L' Immortel) (2010)
Dir. Richard Berry
Feat. Jean Reno, Marina Fois, Richard Berry
Violent gangland thriller has Jean Reno out for revenge after his former friend shoots 22 bullets into him.
33 (Three) (2010)
Dir. Tom Tykwer
Feat. Sophie Rois, Sebastian Schipper, Devid Striesow
Dir. Tom Tykwer energises this simple love story of a forty–something couple who fall for the same man with the frenetic visual and narrative…
A Cat in ParisA Cat in Paris (Une Vie De Chat) (2010) Recommended
Dir. Alain Gagnol, Jean-Loup Felicioli
A delightful, roughly hewn French animation about a mild–mannered family cat who moonlights with a crafty cat burglar via the rooftops of Paris…
A Family on the VergeA Family on the Verge (La bellezza del somaro; Love & Slaps) (2010)
Dir. Sergio Castellitto
Feat. Sergio Castellitto, Laura Morante, Barbora Bobulova
A wry updating of GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER has a successful couple nervously awaiting the arrival of their daughter's new boyfriend. Much…
A Quiet LifeA Quiet Life (2010)
Dir. Claudio Cupellini
Feat. Toni Servillo, Marco D'Amore, Francesco Di Leva
Moody thriller with Servillo –outstanding once again– as a restauranteur who's past resurfaces after a chance encounter with two…
A Somewhat Gentle ManA Somewhat Gentle Man (2010)
Dir. Hans Petter Moland
Feat. Stellan Skarsgard, Bjorn Floberg, Gard B. Eidsvold
A dry, deadpan delight, about a gentle but explosive ex–con (Skarsgard) whose efforts to go straight after a long stint in prison are thwarted…
AbelAbel (2010)
Dir. Diego Luna
Feat. Christopher Ruíz-Esparza, Jose Maria Yazpik
Sweet and satisfyingly unpredictable child fantasy about an imaginative young boy who returns from a psychiatric ward to declare himself the father…
Africa UnitedAfrica United (2010)
Dir. Debs Paterson
Feat. Eriya Ndayambaje, Roger Nsengiyumva
An aspiring Rwandan footballer attracts a throng of like–minded soccer fans on a road trip to Johannesburg for the opening ceremony of the 2010…
AftershockAftershock (2010)
Dir. Feng Xiaoning
Feat. Xu Fan, Daoming Chen, Chen Li
Tear duct busting melodrama of a young mother forced to make a horrifying decision in the wake of the 1976 Tangshan earthquake. Maintaining…
Age of Reason, TheAge of Reason, The (With Love... from the Age of Reason) (2010)
Dir. Yann Samuell
Feat. Sophie Marceau, Marton Csokas, Michel Duchaussoy
A frazzled career woman at breaking point reconnects with her childhood in this soul–searching romantic comedy. More melodramatic, and less…
Angele and TonyAngele and Tony (2010) Recommended
Dir. Alix Delaporte
Feat. Clotilde Hesme, Gregory Gadebois, Evelyne Didi
This quality, character–driven courtship between a prostitute with a past and a plainspoken fisherman successfully plays down obvious emotion…
Angels of EvilAngels of Evil (2010)
Dir. Michele Placido
Feat. Kim Rossi Stuart, Filippo Timi, Valeria Solarino
Taking a leaf from MESRINE's rap sheet, Italy simultaneously glorifies and moralises the story of its own criminal rock star, Renato…
Another WorldAnother World (Un altro Mondo) (2010)
Dir. Silvio Muccino
Feat. Silvio Muccino, Isabella Ragonese, Michael Rainey Jr
Glossy dramedy in which a wealthy slacker who after the death of his father finds himself the legal guardian of a half–brother he never new…
Ao: The Last NeanderthalAo: The Last Neanderthal (Ao: The Last Hunter) (2010)
Dir. Jacques Malaterre
Feat. Simon Paul Sutton, Aruna Shields
Grounded in a semblance of reality and anthropology, this dramatic reimagining of the lives of Neanderthals speculates on the behaviors of homo…
AttenbergAttenberg (2010) Recommended
Dir. Athina Rachel Tsangari
Feat. Ariane Labed, Vangelis Mourikis, Evangelia Randou
Highly original Greek oddity following the surreal antics of two young women who take life inspiration from the wildlife documentaries of David…
Bangkok KnockoutBangkok Knockout (BKO) (2010)
Dir. Panna Rittikrai
Feat. Chatchapol Kulsiriwoottichai, Sarawoot Kumsorn, Sorapong Chatree
Ordinary production values and mediocre performances are beside the point in this off–the–wall Thai martial arts, centred on a motley…
Basilicata: Coast to CoastBasilicata: Coast to Coast (2010)
Dir. Rocco Papaleo
Feat. Alessandro Gassman, Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Paolo Briguglia
Energetic musical about a band and a music journalist who decide to cross the region of Basilicata by foot to attend a music festival.
Beautiful LiesBeautiful Lies (2010)
Dir. Pierre Salvadori
Feat. Audrey Tautou, Nathalie Baye, Sami Bouajila
Sweet and scenic Audrey Tautou confection, about a mother and daughter competing for the same secret admirer.
Beck (TV Series)Beck (TV Series) (2010-2016)
Feat. Peter Haber, Mikael Persbrandt, Kristofer Hivju
CONTRABAND TITLE. Series 5 & 6 are not legally available for sale, rent or trade in New Zealand unless submitted for approval to the NZ Office of…
BedevilledBedevilled (2010)
Dir. Chul-soo Jang
Feat. Yeong-hie Seo, Seong-won Ji
Nasty, though serious–minded Korean horror about a city dweller who, upon returning to the remote island of her youth, discovers her childhood…
BeyondBeyond (2010)
Dir. Pernilla August
Feat. Noomi Rapace, Ville Virtanen, Outi Maenpaa
Bruising family drama of a young woman's childhood (played by the Millennium Trilogy's Noomi Rapace) in a family torn apart by alcoholism and…
Big Picture, TheBig Picture, The (2010) Recommended
Dir. Eric Lartigau
Feat. Romain Duris, Marina Fois, Niels Arestrup
Romain Duris plays a well–off, happily married lawyer whose life is turned upside down with the discovery that his wife is having an affair…
Big Tits ZombieBig Tits Zombie (The Big Tits Dragon) (2010)
Dir. Takao Nakano
Feat. Saori Andô, Sola Aoi
Big, dumb fun born from Japan's recent spate of outrageous splatter comedies, centred on three air–headed strippers who unwittingly unleash an…
BiutifulBiutiful (2010) Recommended
Dir. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
Feat. Javier Bardem, Maricel Álvarez
Proffering a seldom–seen, distinctly un–beautiful view of the city of Barcelona, a dishevelled Javier Bardem ambles its streets as…
Black HeavenBlack Heaven (L'autre monde) (2010)
Dir. Gilles Marchand
Feat. Grégoire Leprince-Ringuet, Louise Bourgoin, Melvil Poupaud
An innocent young man becomes entangled with a suicidal beauty and is lured into a "Black Hole" – an eerie cyberworld of avatars with deadly…
Blades of BloodBlades of Blood (2010)
Dir. Jun-ik Lee
Feat. Seong-hyeon Baek, Seung-Won Cha
The dir. of THE KING AND THE CLOWN returns to the Chosun era with an energetic tale of working class uprising in the shadow of Japanese invasion. A…
Blood Fight: Bang Rajan 2Blood Fight: Bang Rajan 2 (2010)
Dir. Tanit Jitnukul
Though not quite on the scale of the battle–heavy original, this fiery sequel nonetheless charges forth with another succession of brutal,…
Borgen - Complete Series Boxset (TV Series)Borgen - Complete Series Boxset (TV Series) (2010-2013) Aro Favourite
Feat. Sidse Babett Knudsen, Birgitte Hjort Sørensen, Pilou Asbæk
Complete series boxset of the outstanding Danish political drama, in which an idealistic prime minister's rise to power brings with it a web of…
Borgen - Series 1 (TV Series)Borgen - Series 1 (TV Series) (2010) Aro Favourite
Feat. Sidse Babett Knudsen, Birgitte Hjort Sørensen, Pilou Asbæk
Bafta–winning Danish political drama in which an idealistic prime minister's rise to power brings with it a web of consequences, sacrifices and…
Bruce Lee My BrotherBruce Lee My Brother (2010)
Dir. Manfred Wong, Yip Wai-Man
Feat. Tony Leung (Kar-fai), Aarif Rahman, Christy Chung
A rambunctious, rose–tinted chronicle of Bruce Lee’s child and teenhood before departing for the USA to cement his screen legend. Doubling…
CagedCaged (Captifs) (2010)
Dir. Yann Gozlan
Feat. Zoé Félix, Eric Savin, Arié Elmaleh
Standard–issue captivity horror revolves around a humanitarian aid worker who is kidnapped by a group of masked assailants while in Eastern…
CarlosCarlos (Carlos the Jackal) (2010) Aro Favourite
Dir. Olivier Assayas
Feat. Édgar Ramírez, Nora von Waldstätten, Alexander Scheer
An explosive, globe–trotting biopic of Venezuelan terrorist and fugitive Ilich Ramírez Sánchez – aka Carlos the Jackal – whose exploits…
Certified CopyCertified Copy (2010) Recommended
Dir. Abbas Kiarostami
Feat. Juliette Binoche, William Shimell
Juliette Binoche steals the company of an erudite author for an afternoon of conversation and consternation in this breezy, yet cerebral stroll…
ChicasChicas (2010)
Dir. Yasmina Reza
Feat. Carmen Maura, Emmanuelle Seigner, Andre Dussollier
Carmen Maura plays a gracefully aging widower who finds love in the twilight of her life, only for her new companion to be met with cold disapproval…
Chico & RitaChico & Rita (Chico and Rita) (2010) Recommended
Dir. Tono Errando, Javier Mariscal, Fernando Trueba
A date move with a difference, this sensuous animated tale for adults traces the love affair of a big–dreaming piano player and a gifted singer…
City Under SiegeCity Under Siege (2010)
Dir. Benny Chan
Feat. Aaron Kwok, Colin Chou, Wu Jing
One–of–a–kind Hong Kong mash–up has a group of criminals gaining super powers after being infected with a biological weapon,…
Cold FishCold Fish (2010)
Dir. Sion Sono
Feat. Mitsuru Fukikoshi, Denden , Asuka Kurosawa
Japanese 'enfant terrible' Sion Sono's violent (and typically lengthy) tale of a quiet owner of a tropical fish shop whose life and family are taken…
CopacabanaCopacabana (2010)
Dir. Marc Fitoussi
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Aure Atika, Lolita Chammah
Free–spirited and perpetually unemployed Isabelle Huppert must get with the program after learning her newly engaged daughter (played by her…
Dark LoveDark Love (L'amore buio) (2010)
Dir. Antonio Capuano
Feat. Luisa Ranieri, Irene de Angelis, Gabriele Agrio
Drama set in contemporary Naples in the aftermath of a brutal rape of a young woman by three teenage boys. Follows the experiences of both survivor…
Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom FlameDetective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (2010)
Dir. Tsui Hark
Feat. Andy Lau, Tony Leung (Kar-fai), Carina Lau
Historical–whodunit, breathlessly paced, with Andy Lau as the dissident detective racing to hunt down a team of mysterious assassins attempting…
Door, TheDoor, The (2010)
Dir. Anno Saul
Feat. Mads Mikkelsen, Jessica Schwarz, Heike Makatsch
Ethereal time–travel drama with Mikkelsen as a grieving father who discovers a tunnel that leads him back to the day his daughter died and a…
Draquila - Italy TremblesDraquila - Italy Trembles (2010)
Dir. Sabina Guzzanti
Sabina Guzzanti returns once more to do battle with Silvio Berlusconi in this incendiary doc that examines his administration's handling of the…
Easy MoneyEasy Money (Snabba Cash) (2010)
Dir. Daniel Espinosa
Feat. Joel Kinnaman, Matias Varela, Dragomir Mrsic
High–flying Swedish thriller centres on a Stockholm business student who moonlights as a drug runner in order to maintain the illusion of…
El NarcoEl Narco (2010)
Dir. Luis Estrada
Feat. Damian Alcazar, Joaquin Cosio, Ernesto Gomez Cruz
Intense crime drama that offers a hellish version of Mexico and the drug war seen through the eyes of a man returning to his home country after…
Elite Squad: The Enemy WithinElite Squad: The Enemy Within (Elite Squad 2) (2010)
Dir. José Padilha
Feat. Wagner Moura, Andre Ramiro
This riveting sequel to dir. Padilha's blockbuster policier features a more politically engaged storyline, with plenty of new angles on the…
Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec, TheExtraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec, The (Adèle Blanc-Sec) (2010)
Dir. Luc Besson
Feat. Louise Bourgoin, Mathieu Amalric, Gilles Lellouche
Luc Besson helms this outlandish female–scented romp, centred on the tomb raiding escapades of a writer (a fetching Louise Bourgoin) whose…
Fire Of ConscienceFire Of Conscience (For Lung) (2010)
Dir. Dante Lam
Feat. Leon Lai, Richie Ren, Baoqiang Wang
It’s all guns blazing in this bang bang throwback to the glory days of Hong Kong cinema, about a violent detective and a sly inspector’s efforts…
First Assignment, TheFirst Assignment, The (2010)
Dir. Giorgia Cecere
Feat. Isabella Ragonese, Francesco Chiarello, Alberto Boll
A young teacher who posted to a provincial town struggles to connect with the local children and pines for her aristocratic boyfriend.
First Beautiful Thing, TheFirst Beautiful Thing, The (2010)
Dir. Paolo Virzi
Feat. Valerio Mastandrea, Micaela Ramazzotti, Stefania Sandrelli
Winsome melodrama with a misanthropic professor returning to his home town to assist his dying mother. Delicately performed but perhaps overly…
GainsbourgGainsbourg (2010) Recommended
Dir. Joann Sfar
Feat. Eric Elmosnino, Lucy Gordon, Sara Forestier
Freewheeling biographical account of singer/composer/actor Serge Gainsbourg, an enduring iconic figure of French popular culture. Serves the…
GallantsGallants (2010) Recommended
Dir. Chi-kin Kwok, Clement Sze-Kit Cheng
Feat. Siu-Lung Leung, Kuan Tai Chen
An exuberant homage to the Shaw Brothers films of yesteryear, this kung–fu comedy delights as an old–school actioner, replete with…
GantzGantz (2010)
Dir. Shinsuke Sato
Feat. Ken'ichi Matsuyama, Kazunari Ninomiya
Part one of a riveting, action–packed remake of the ultra–violent anime series, in which a group of deceased individuals must engage in a…
GorbaciofGorbaciof (2010)
Dir. Stefano Incerti
Feat. Toni Servillo, Yang Mi
Italian drama about a shy prison accountant with a passion for poker who turns to crime when the father of his Chinese girlfriend cannot pay off a…
Happy FamilyHappy Family (2010)
Dir. Gabriele Salvatores
Feat. Fabrizzio Bentivoglio, Margherita Buy, Valeria Bilello
Wafer thin meta–comedy with a struggling author writing himself into the tale of two disparate families who come together when their teenagers…
Happy, HappyHappy, Happy (2010)
Dir. Anne Sewitsky
Feat. Agnes Kittelsen, Henrik Rafaelsen, Joachim Rafaelsen
Sharp comedy with a woman trapped in a loveless marriage finding her life taking an exciting turn for the better when an exciting new couple move in…
HauntersHaunters (2010)
Dir. Min-suk Kim
Two brooding pretty boys with unexplained superpowers battle it out in what is a familiar, if distinctly Korean spin on the anarchic superhero…
HeartbeatsHeartbeats (2010)
Dir. Xavier Dolan
Feat. Xavier Dolan, Niels Schneider, Monia Chokri
A quick turnaround for precocious French Canadian dir. Xavier Dolan; his sophomore feature an equally painful and amusing bifurcated romance, in…
HeartbreakerHeartbreaker (L'arnacoeur) (2010) Recommended
Dir. Pascal Chaumeil
Feat. Romain Duris, Vanessa Paradis
Romain Duris exploits his handsome charms as a professional heartbreaker hired to ruin relationships – that is, until he strikes upon a woman…
Henry The 4th Henry The 4th (Henri 4, Henry of Navarre) (2010)
Dir. Jo Baier
Feat. Julien Boisselier, Joachim Krol
Henry IV (of France) is the subject of this grand and involving German–produced epic, originally conceived as a mini–series framed by the…
House by the Medlar Tree, TheHouse by the Medlar Tree, The (2010)
Dir. Pasquale Scimeca
Feat. Giusepe Firullo, Antonio Curcia, Omar Noto
Striking drama follows a family of fishermen struggling for survival in the face of harsh economic realities. Drawing from the same novel that…
Housemaid, TheHousemaid, The (2010)
Dir. Sang-soo Im
Feat. Do-yeon Jeon, Jung-Jae Lee, Seo Woo
A sleek, sexual thriller of manipulation and revenge, centred on the consequences of a torrid affair between a wealthy industrialist and his newly…
How I Ended This SummerHow I Ended This Summer (2010) Recommended
Dir. Aleksey Popogrebskiy
Feat. Grigoriy Dobrygin, Sergey Puskepalis
Two Russian meteorologists isolated at polar station on the Arctic fringes put each other in jeopardy in this tense, slow–burn adventure. An…
Human Resources Manager, TheHuman Resources Manager, The (2010)
Dir. Eran Riklis
Feat. Mark Ivanir
An absurdist odyssey from the director of LEMON TREE, about an Israeli bakery manager who must accompany the body of one of his employees back to…
Hunter, TheHunter, The (Shekarchi) (2010) Recommended
Dir. Rafi Pitts
Feat. Rafi Pitts
Spare, lyrical drama with a low–paid security guard on the run from authorities after gunning down two police officers. Unfolding against the…
I Saw the DevilI Saw the Devil (2010)
Dir. Ji-woon Kim
Feat. Byung-hun Lee, Min-sik Choi
Terrifying revenge thriller following a man on a hunt for the serial killer who murdered his pregnant wife. Exceedingly brutal, this makes for a…
Illusionist, TheIllusionist, The (2010) Aro Favourite
Dir. Sylvain Chomet
Sylvain Chomet's long awaitied follow–up to THE TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE is another exquisite animation, this time based on an unfilmed script by…
In a Better WorldIn a Better World (2010) Recommended
Dir. Susanne Bier
Feat. Mikael Persbrandt, Trine Dyrholm, Ulrich Thomsen
This Oscar–winner for Best Foreign Language Film 2011 is another searing melodrama from celebrated Danish auteur Susanne Bier in which two…
IncendiesIncendies (2010) Aro Favourite
Dir. Denis Villeneuve
Feat. Lubna Azabal, Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin, Maxim Gaudette
Twin siblings, against their better judgment, dig deeper into the backstory of their recently deceased mother in this powerful French Canadian…
Ip Man 2Ip Man 2 (2010)
Dir. Wilson Yip
Feat. Donnie Yen, Lynn Hung, Simon Yam
The kick–ass legend of Ip Man continues with the wushu grandmaster immigrating to Hong Kong to school other Kung Fu practitioners in the art of…
Ip Man: The Legend is BornIp Man: The Legend is Born (2010)
Dir. Herman Yau
Feat. To Yue Hong, Sammo Hung, Donnie Yen
Worthy prequel to the popular IP MAN series centres on our hero's early life as he studies the martial art Wing Chun. Unpretentious film–making…
Italian Film Festival Collection, The - 2010Italian Film Festival Collection, The - 2010 (2010)
Comprehensive box–set collection of 11 of the best Italian films featured at the 'Italian Film Festival 2010' spread over 5 discs. Films…
Jo's BoyJo's Boy (2010)
Dir. Philippe Guillard
Feat. Gerard Lanvin, Olivier Marchal, Karina Lombard
Very undemanding French fare set amongst a family of rugby legends whose legacy is under threat by their particularly unsporty progeny.
Julia's EyesJulia's Eyes (2010)
Dir. Guillem Morales
Feat. Belen Rueda, Lluís Homar, Pablo Derqui
Produced by Guillermo Del Toro this atmospheric chiller with a woman who is slowly losing her sight trying to investigate the mysterious death of…
KidnappedKidnapped (Secuestrados) (2010)
Dir. Miguel Ángel Vivas
Brutally authentic Spanish horror in which three hooded criminals break into a family home in a gated community, holding the others hostage whilst…
King of Devil's IslandKing of Devil's Island (2010)
Dir. Marius Holst
Feat. Stellan Skarsgard, Kristoffer Joner, Benjamin Helstad
The boys of an early 20th century reform school revolt against an abusive regime in this stirring, snow–swept Norwegian drama. Featuring music…
Kiss Me AgainKiss Me Again (Baciami ancora) (2010)
Dir. Gabriel Muccino
Feat. Stefano Accorsi, Vittoria Puccini, Pierfrancesco Favino
The lives of young Italians struggling with issues of marriage, parenthood, and relationships are revisited in this pleasant sequel to THE LAST KISS.…
KitesKites (2010)
Dir. Anurag Basu
Feat. Hrithik Roshan, Bárbara Mori
Overheated even by Bollywood standards, this outlandish Las Vegas–set border romp pits a lovelorn hunk (Roshan) against police, bounty hunters,…
KlownKlown (2010) Aro Favourite
Dir. Mikkel Nørgaard
Feat. Frank Hvam, Casper Christensen, Marcuz Jess Petersen
Danish comedians Frank Hvam and Casper Christensen play debauched versions of themselves on a weekend canoe trip away with their long–suffering…
La Nostra VitaLa Nostra Vita (Our Life) (2010)
Dir. Daniele Luchetti
Feat. Elio Germano, Raoul Bova, Luca Zingaretti
A construction worker's discovery of an illegal immigrant's body on site sets off a chain of events that radically alters his own life. An absorbing…
Last Circus, TheLast Circus, The (2010)
Dir. Alex de la Iglesia
Feat. Carlos Areces, Antonio de la Torre, Carolina Bang
Clown rivalries collide in this violent, OTT genre riot from Spanish trash auteur, Alex de la Iglesia, set at both ends of Franco's dictatorship…
Le Quattro VolteLe Quattro Volte (2010) Aro Favourite
Dir. Michelangelo Frammartino
Feat. Giuseppe Fuda
This mesmerizing blend of wordless narrative fiction and spontaneous nature documentary – about the 'cycle of life' in a rugged valley in Italy’s…
Legend of the Fist - The Return of Chen ZhenLegend of the Fist - The Return of Chen Zhen (2010)
Dir. Andrew Lau
Feat. Donnie Yen, Shu Qi, Anthony Wong
Belated sequel to Bruce Lee's FIST OF FURY (remade with Jet Li as FIST OF LEGEND) picks up well after the Dojo–busting triumphs of those films,…
Let the Bullets FlyLet the Bullets Fly (2010) Recommended
Dir. Wen Jiang
Feat. Chow Yun-Fat, Ge You, Wen Jiang
Cocksure 'noodle' western – best described as a Chinese variation on Kurosawa's YOJIMBO – pits a notorious bandit against the mob boss of…
Little Big SoldierLittle Big Soldier (2010)
Dir. Sheng Ding
Feat. Jackie Chan, Lee-Hom Wang
Charismatic anti–war comedy stars Jackie Chan as a lowly foot soldier who strikes it lucky when he captures a wanted enemy General (Wang).…
Little White LiesLittle White Lies (Les petits mouchoirs) (2010)
Dir. Guillaume Canet
Feat. Francois Cluzet, Marion Cotillard, Benoit Magimel
Airy ensemble from the dir. of TELL NO ONE about a group of French sophisticates whose annual seaside reunion is disturbed when one of them is badly…
Longlasting Youth (TV Mini-series)Longlasting Youth (TV Mini-series) (Le cose che restano) (2010)
Dir. Gianluca Maria Tavarelli
Feat. Lorenzo Balducci, Daniela Giordano
A four–part mini–series about a Roman family who take separate paths after the death of their youngest son.
Loose CannonsLoose Cannons (2010)
Dir. Ferzan Ozpetek
Feat. Riccardo Scamarcio
An cheerfully overstuffed family comedy of a gay young man who attempts to come out to his ultra traditionalist parents in the south of Italy.
LopeLope (The Outlaw) (2010)
Dir. Andrucha Waddington
Feat. Alberto Ammann, Leonor Watling, Pilar López de Ayala
Splendid biopic of Lope de Vega, the Spanish playwright who dominated Spain's early Golden Age of theare.
Lost KissesLost Kisses (I baci mai dati) (2010)
Dir. Roberta Torre
Feat. Carla Marchese, Donatella Finocchiaro
A 13–year–old girl in the deprived outskirts of a sprawling Sicilian city becomes a local celebrity to her needy community when word…
Love CrimeLove Crime (2010)
Dir. Alain Corneau
Feat. Kristin Scott Thomas, Ludivine Sagnier, Olivier Rabourdin
Kristin Scott–Thomas sinks her teeth into the bitchiest role of her career as a ruthless, high–flying executive whose attempts at…
Love Like PoisonLove Like Poison (2010) Recommended
Dir. Katell Quillévéré
Feat. Clara Augarde, Michel Galabru, Stefano Cassetti
A potent variation on an oft–told theme, this carefully observed drama considers the fraught adolescence of a 14–year–old girl torn…
MammuthMammuth (2010)
Dir. Gustave Kervern, Benoit Delepine
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Yolande Moreau, Isabelle Adjani
Slyly subversive comic tale with Gerard Depardieu in fine fettle as a retiree battling to secure his state pension.
Man From Nowhere, TheMan From Nowhere, The (Ajeossi) (2010)
Dir. Jeong-beom Lee
Feat. Won Bin, Sae-ron Kim
Korean action movie following a former special agent who is living a quiet life as a pawnshop owner after his wife dies in a tragic accident, when a…
Marriage and Other DisastersMarriage and Other Disasters (Weddings and Other Disasters) (2010)
Dir. Nina Di Majo
Feat. Fabio Volo, Margherita Buy, Luciana Littizzetto
Likeable rom–com with romantically disillusioned woman finds herself organising her sister's wedding. Cue romantic mismatching and shenanigans.
Martino's SummerMartino's Summer (L'estate di Martino) (2010)
Dir. Massimo Natale
Feat. Treat Williams
Italian drama set in the summer of 1980 and following the adventures of a 15 year old boy, who has a romance with a girl from the North, and learns…
Monga: Gangs of TaipeiMonga: Gangs of Taipei (Báng-kah) (2010)
Dir. Doze Niu
Feat. Ching-Tien Juan, Mark Chao, Ju-Lung Ma
Pungent youth drama set in 1980s Taiwan, after the end of military dictatorship, concerns the intertwined fate of five troubled friends.
Mozart's SisterMozart's Sister (2010)
Dir. Rene Feret
Feat. Marie Feret, Marc Barbe, David Moreau
Exuberant romp through pre–revolutionary France following the life of Mozart's talented older sister who was soon sidelined as her family's…
Mutant Girls SquadMutant Girls Squad (2010)
Dir. Noboru Iguchi, Yoshihiro Nishimura, Tak Sakaguchi
Feat. Yumi Sugimoto, Tak Sakaguchi
Japan's outlandish splatter–comedy phase reaches its logical end point with this three–chapter collaboration between the most notorious…
My Afternoons With MargueritteMy Afternoons With Margueritte (2010)
Dir. Jean Becker
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Gisèle Casadesus
Gerard Depardieu plays an illiterate man who forges an unlikely friendship with a elderly writer in this gentle new film from the dir. of…
My Name is KhanMy Name is Khan (2010)
Dir. Karan Johar
Feat. Shahrukh Khan, Kajol , Christopher B. Duncan
Well–meaning plea for racial tolerance with an Aspergers–afflicted Muslim detained in the U.S. as a terrorist and undertaking a journey…
Mysteries of LisbonMysteries of Lisbon (Mistérios de Lisboa) (2010) Recommended
Dir. Raul Ruiz
Feat. Adriano Luz, Clotilde Hesme, Maria Joao Bastos
Sprawling, utterly beguiling tribute to the power of stories set in 19th century Lisbon where an orphan boy discovers the truth about his birth and…
Names of Love, TheNames of Love, The (2010)
Dir. Michel Leclerc
Feat. Jacques Gamblin, Sara Forestier, Zinedine Soualem
Witty cocktail of sex and politics about an extroverted left–wing activist who sleeps with her political opponents to convert them to her cause.
Norwegian WoodNorwegian Wood (2010)
Dir. Tran Anh Hung
Feat. Rinko Kikuchi, Ken'ichi Matsuyama, Kiko Mizuhara
Yearning, visually rapturous adaptation of Haruki Murakami’s widely read novel, about a devoted college student in the 60s whose relationships are…
Nostalgia for the LightNostalgia for the Light (2010) Recommended
Dir. Patricio Guzmán
Famed documentarian Patricio Guzmán directs this mesmerizing journey into Chile’s recent and faraway past through the annals of astronomy,…
Nothing to DeclareNothing to Declare (2010) Recommended
Dir. Dany Boon
Feat. Dany Boon, Benoit Poelvoorde, Karin Viard
Actor–director Dany Boon follows up his hit regional comedy WELCOME TO THE STICKS with another lite French farce founded in stubborn parochial…
Of Gods and MenOf Gods and Men (2010) Recommended
Dir. Xavier Beauvois
Feat. Lambert Wilson, Michael Lonsdale, Olivier Rabourdin
Residing peacefully in a North African monastery, eight French Christian monks must confront the threat of an Islamic fundamentalist group in this…
On TourOn Tour (Tournee) (2010)
Dir. Mathieu Amalric
Feat. Miranda Colclasure, Mathieu Amalric
A consistently funny and inventive comedy from actor–director Mathieu Amalric, here playing a washed up TV producer who leads a troupe of…
Once a GangsterOnce a Gangster (2010)
Dir. Felix Chong
Feat. Ekin Cheng, Jordan Chan, Alex Fong
Nimble action–comedy with two jaded gangsters urged by their elders to fight for the position of Dragon Head of the Hong Kong Underworld.…
OutrageOutrage (2010)
Dir. Takeshi Kitano
Feat. Takeshi Kitano, Renji Ishibashi, Ryo Kase
Aging Japanese hard–man Takeshi Kitano returns to the turf of his international film celebrity – the minimalist Yakuza movie – in…
Outside the LawOutside the Law (2010)
Dir. Rachid Bouchareb
Feat. Sami Bouajila, Jamel Debbouze, Roschdy Zem
Dir. Bouchareb (DAYS OF GLORY) re–frames the revolutionary tactics of Algerian nationalists against the French post–WWII as a…
Passion, ThePassion, The (2010)
Dir. Carlo Mazzacurati
Feat. Silvio Orlando, Giuseppe Battiston, Kasia Smutniak
Routine comedy in which a film director reluctantly agrees to set up and direct the Good Friday celebrations in a small Tuscan town.
PassionePassione (John Turturro's Passione) (2010)
Dir. John Turturro
Feat. John Turturro, Max Casella, Lina Sastri
Exuberant celebration of the musical roots and traditions of Naples, Italy, as well as its influence on the rest of the world.
Perfect Date, ThePerfect Date, The (L'amour, c'est mieux à deux) (2010)
Dir. Dominique Farrugia, Arnaud Lemort
Feat. Clovis Cornillac, Virginie Efira, Manu Payet
A derivative French rom–com nonetheless delivered in good spirits, this focuses on the ingrained patterns of two male friends whose wildly…
Point BlankPoint Blank (2010)
Dir. Fred Cavaye
Feat. Gilles Lellouche, Roschdy Zem, Gerard Lanvin
Literally breathless French thriller centred on the exploits of a nurse who becomes entangled with a wounded gunman on the run from the law. Higher…
PotichePotiche (2010) Recommended
Dir. Francois Ozon
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Gerard Depardieu, Fabrice Luchini
Bubbly satire has 60–something Catherine Deneuve transform from trophy wife to a strong–headed businesswoman after her chauvinist husband…
Princess of Montpensier, ThePrincess of Montpensier, The (2010) Recommended
Dir. Bertrand Tavernier
Feat. Mélanie Thierry, Lambert Wilson, Gaspard Ulliel
French veteran Bertrand Tavernier tackles the period costume drama with a firm classical and intellectual grip, shifting effortlessly between the…
Question in DetailsQuestion in Details (2010)
Dir. Zsombor Dyga
Feat. Ferenc Elek, Roland Raba, Katya Tompos
Dark romantic drama with two strangers having their blind date take an odd turn when the woman's brother turns up.
RaavanRaavan (2010)
Dir. Mani Ratnam
Feat. Aishwarya Rai, Abhishek Bachchan
Bullish, jungle–set spectacular, based on the Indian legend of 'The Ramayan', is both a vanity project for glamour couple Abhishek Bachchan and…
Rare Exports - A Christmas TaleRare Exports - A Christmas Tale (2010) Recommended
Dir. Jalmari Helander
Feat. Onni Tommita, Jorma Tommila
A wicked brew of 80s adventure movie and twisted horror comedy, centred on an archaeological discovery which may prove to be the remains of the real…
Reign of AssassinsReign of Assassins (2010)
Dir. Chao-Bin Su
Feat. Michelle Yeoh, Woo-sung Jung, Kelly Lin
Classy John Woo–produced swordplay, with Kelly Lin as a feared wuxia assassin who, seeking a new life, surgically alters her appearance (to…
RevengeRevenge (Shadow Boxing 2) (2010)
Dir. Anton Megerdichev
Feat. Denis Nikiforov, Andrey Panin, Victor Lopez
Punchy crime thriller with a Russian boxer taking on a Mexican mafia boss after mortally injuring his son in the ring. Leave your brain parked in…
Revenge: A Love StoryRevenge: A Love Story (2010)
Dir. Ching-po Wong
'Hammer and tong' serial killer potboiler centres on a lowly store clerk who begins murdering policemen (and their pregnant wives) after his…
Rise and FallRise and Fall (Jew Suss) (2010)
Dir. Oskar Roehler
Feat. Tobias Moretti, Martina Gedeck, Moritz Bleibtreu
Wrenching true story about German actor Ferdinand Marian who, despite being married to a Jewish woman chose to play lead in the antisemitic…
Romantics AnonymousRomantics Anonymous (2010) Recommended
Dir. Jean-Pierre Améris
Feat. Benoit Poelvoorde, Isabelle Carré
Two would–be lovers must overcome their timidness via a mutual passion for chocolate in this sweet–toothed romantic comedy.
Room in RomeRoom in Rome (Habitación en Roma) (2010)
Dir. Julio Medem
Feat. Elena Anaya, Natasha Yarovenko, Enrico Lo Verso
Erotic chronicle of a brief encounter between two women set almost entirely within the confines of a hotel room. More porno–profundity from…
Round Up, TheRound Up, The (La Rafle) (2010)
Dir. Rose Bosch
Feat. Jean Reno, Mélanie Laurent, Gad Elmaleh
A sensitive recreation of the tragic events and personal stories surrounding the Vel' d'Hiv Roundup of 1942, where some 13,000 French Jews were…
Sarah's KeySarah's Key (2010) Aro Favourite
Dir. Gilles Paquet-Brenner
Feat. Kristin Scott Thomas, Mélusine Mayance, Niels Arestrup
Kristen Scott Thomas plays an American journalist whose life and work becomes entwined with a young Jewish girl whose family was torn apart during…
School is OverSchool is Over (2010)
Dir. Valerio Jalongo
Feat. Fulvio Forti, Valeria Golino, Vincenzo Amato
Documentary–like account of a bored, and frequently stoned, teenager who comes to the attention of his science teacher, who believes she can…
Sebastian Bergman (TV Series)Sebastian Bergman (TV Series) (Den fördömde) (2010)
Feat. Rolf Lassgard
CONTRABAND TITLE. Not legally available for sale, rent or trade in New Zealand unless submitted for approval to the NZ Office of Film & Literature…
Simple SimonSimple Simon (2010) Recommended
Dir. Andreas Öhman
Feat. Bill Skarsgård, Martin Wallström
Sensitive feel–good romantic–comedy of an Asperger's sufferer whose brother sets out to find him a new girlfriend. Eccentric Swedish…
Six VeniceSix Venice (Sei Venezia) (2010)
Dir. Carlo Mazzacurati
Documentary portrait of the city of Venice as told through the stories of six Venetian locals: a hotel cleaner, an archaeologist, a pensioner from…
Snow Flower and the Secret FanSnow Flower and the Secret Fan (2010)
Dir. Wayne Wang
Feat. Gianna Jun, Bingbing Li, Russell Wong
Wayne Wang (THE JOY LUCK CLUB) directs this unsubtle but sweeping multi–generational weepie, framed around the enduring bond between two women…
Solitude of Prime NumbersSolitude of Prime Numbers (2010)
Dir. Saverio Costanzo
Feat. Alba Rohrwacher, Luca Marinelli, Martina Albano
Mournful tale of two misfits whose awkward life paths never quite cross. Spanning from childhood into their forties this melancholic mosaic is…
Sorelle MaiSorelle Mai (2010)
Dir. Marco Bellocchio
Feat. Pier Giorgio Bellocchio, Elena Bellocchio
A nostalgic "fantasy" documentary depicting six episodes of a family story in Bobbio filmed between 1999 and 2008 and featuring many members of the…
Space Battleship YamatoSpace Battleship Yamato (2010)
Dir. Takashi Yamazaki
Feat. Takuya Kimura, Meisa Kuroki
Hulking sci–fi blockbuster sees the survivors of a radioactive Earth pin their hopes on a massive spaceship outfitted with all the…
Special TreatmentSpecial Treatment (2010)
Dir. Jeanne Labrune
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Bouli Lanners
Playing a high class prostitute, Isabelle Huppert gets cosy with one her clients, a psychoanalyst, in this occasionally titillating, comically…
Troll HunterTroll Hunter (2010) Aro Favourite
Dir. André Øvredal
Feat. Otto Jespersen
Three college kids who set out to make a documentary about illegal bear hunters encounter more than bargained for in this thrilling Norwegian…
Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past LivesUncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (2010) Recommended
Dir. Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Feat. Thanapat Saisaymar
Weerasethakul's most acclaimed and accessible film to date centres on a man dying of kidney failure, whose twilight hours are spent joyously with…
Vincent Wants to SeaVincent Wants to Sea (2010)
Dir. Ralf Huettner
Feat. Florian David Fitz, Karoline Herfurth, Heino Ferch
Likeable though lightweight road comedy in which a Tourette's sufferer escapes from a clinic with two others (an obsessive and an anorexic) and…
Viva RivaViva Riva (2010)
Dir. Djo Munga
Feat. Patsha Bay, Manie Malone, Diplome Amekindra
Torrid, violent thriller with a small–time hustler discovering a stockpile of gasoline during a fuel crisis, and struggling to stay alive long…
We Are the NightWe Are the Night (Wir sind die Nacht) (2010) Recommended
Dir. Dennis Gansel
Feat. Karoline Herfurth, Nina Hoss, Jennifer Ulrich
A fraulein vampire flick of sleek, urbane sensibility, centred on an alpha–female vamp (Nina Hoss) who descends on Germany in search of a soul…
We BelievedWe Believed (Noi credevamo) (2010)
Dir. Mario Martone
Feat. Luigi Lo Cascio
Period drama set during the repressive Bourbon reign in Italy in 1828, where two aristocrats and a young peasant join Giuseppe Mazzini's Young Italy…
Welcome to the SouthWelcome to the South (2010)
Dir. Luca Miniero
Feat. Claudio Bisio, Aleesandro Siani, Angela Finocchiaro
Spirited remake of the French hit 'Welcome to the Sticks' has a hapless postal employee dispatched to the Mezzogiorno.
What More Do I Want (Come Undone) (2010)
Dir. Silvio Soldini
Feat. Alba Rohrwacher, Pierfrancesco Favino, Teresa Saponangelo
Adroitly helmed exploration of infidelity with the two lovers juggling their hectic schedules around their clandestine meetings. Nothing new here,…
Woman of My Dreams, TheWoman of My Dreams, The (La donna della mia vita) (2010)
Dir. Luca Lucini
Feat. Alessandro Gassman, Luca Argentero
Astute romantic comedy about the big and little lies people tell in their search for love, following the fallout of a friendship between two brothers…
Yellow Sea, TheYellow Sea, The (2010)
Dir. Hong-jin Na
Feat. Jung-woo Ha, Yoon-seok Kim
High–tension Korean noir–style thriller from the director of THE WAILING about a down–on–his–luck Korean taxi driver…
1000 Euro Generation1000 Euro Generation (2009)
Dir. Massimo Venier
Feat. Alessandro Tiberi, Valentina Lodovini, Carolina Crescentini
Affable comedy about the life of a young underemployed physicist struggling with romantic entanglements and just managing to eke out a living in…
3 Idiots3 Idiots (2009)
Dir. Rajkumar Hirani
Feat. Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Sharman Joshi
Lively college romp is a fine vehicle for Indian superstar Aamir Khan, here playing one of three larrikin engineering students on campus, whose…
5150 Elm's Way5150 Elm's Way (5150 Rue des Ormes) (2009)
Dir. Éric Tessier
Feat. Marc-André Grondin, Normand D'Amour, Sonia Vachon
A man unwittingly places himself in the hands of a righteous, psychopathic chess player when he falls off his bike on a quiet suburban street and…
A Matter of SizeA Matter of Size (2009)
Dir. Erez Tadmor, Sharon Maymon
Feat. Itzik Cohen, Dvir Benedek, Alon Dohan
Sweet comedy about four overweight men fed up with the pressure of losing weight who decide to take their girth where it's appreciated, into the…
A MillionA Million (2009)
Dir. Min-Ho Cho
Feat. Hae-il Park, Min-Ah Shin, Min-Ki Lee
Slavishly entertaining Reality TV spin–off pits eight Korean contestants against each other and the Australian Outback in a race for the…
About EllyAbout Elly (2009) Recommended
Dir. Asghar Farhadi
Feat. Golshifteh Farahani, Shahab Hosseini, Taraneh Alidoosti
Though something of a dress rehearsal for Farhadi's Oscar–winning A SEPARATION, this tense and absorbing account of a beach holiday tainted by…
Above the Street Below the WaterAbove the Street Below the Water (Over gaden under vandet) (2009)
Dir. Charlotte Sieling
Feat. Sidse Babett Knudsen, Anders W. Berthelsen, Mohammed Al-Bakier
Light ensemble drama set in Copenhagen with Sidse Babett Knudsen (BORGEN) leading a cast of Danes in their 40's whose relationship complications are…
AccidentAccident (Yi ngoi) (2009)
Dir. Pou-Soi Cheang
Feat. Louis Koo, Richie Ren, Shui-Fan Fung
A number of skillfully choreographed set–pieces are at the centre of this top–notch Hong Kong thriller, about a league of assassins who…
AdriftAdrift (À Deriva) (2009)
Dir. Heitor Dhalia
Feat. Vincent Cassel, Camilla Belle, Laura Neiva
Delicately captivating drama set in an ’80s Brazilian beach resort, with a young teenager discovering her father's infidelity as her own sexuality…
Afghan StarAfghan Star (2009) Aro Favourite
Dir. Havana Marking
Islamic fundamentalism and pop music commericalism make uneasy bedfellows in this vital, eye–opening documentary that follows the fortunes of…
Albert SchweitzerAlbert Schweitzer (2009)
Dir. Gavin Millar
Feat. Jeroen Krabbe, Barbara Hershey, Judith Godreche
Admirable biopic of German medical missionary and philosopher Schweitzer (regarded for his text on the "Reverence for Life"), whose deed treating…
All's Well, End's WellAll's Well, End's Well (Ga Yau Hei Si 2009 ) (2009)
Dir. Vincent Tak-Chiu
Feat. Sandra Ng, Raymond Wong Pak-Ming, Louis Koo
Passable remake of the 1992 rom–com follows the a girl who, frustrated at the stubborn temperament of her older sister, employs a 'Casanova' to…
AmerAmer (2009)
An experimental journey inside the mind of a sociopathic woman. Isolated chapters cover the details of her bizarre surreal childhood and sexually…
Army of Crime, TheArmy of Crime, The (2009)
Dir. Robert Guediguian
Feat. Simon Abkarian, Virginie Ledoyen
Part of a recent wave of prestigious WWII resistence dramas, this one reconstructs events around a group of Paris–based resistance fighters,…
BaariaBaaria (2009)
Dir. Giuseppe Tornatore
Feat. Raoul Bova, Margareth Made, Francesco Scianna
Giuseppe Tornatore directs an autobiographical saga covering sixty years of turmoil through the eyes of three generations of a peasant family. Those…
BesouroBesouro (The Assailant) (2009)
Dir. Joao Daniel Tikhomiroff
Feat. Ailton Carmo, Flavio Rocha, Jessica Barbosa
Set against the backdrop of the Brazilian civil rights struggle Invigorating tale told at breakneck pace of a young man's rise to folk hero status…
BetrayalBetrayal (2009)
Dir. Hakon Gunderson
Feat. Lene Nystrøm, Götz Otto, Kåre Conradi
Deceit and opportunism are the currencies traded in this passable wartime thriller, recommended for fans of MAX MANUS. Lene Nystrøm (of 90’s pop…
Bodyguards and AssassinsBodyguards and Assassins (2009)
Dir. Teddy Chen
Feat. Donnie Yen, Leon Lai, Tony Leung (Kar-fai)
A hefty, star–studded take on turn of the century events in Hong Kong, in which the assassination of famous revolutionary figure Sun Yat Sen…
Broken EmbracesBroken Embraces (2009) Recommended
Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Penelope Cruz, Blanca Portillo, Lluís Homar
Typically juicy Almodovar number again features the gorgeous Penelope Cruz, here playing a mistress cast in the lead role of a movie her millionaire…
Cell 211Cell 211 (Celda 211) (2009) Recommended
Dir. Daniel Monzon
Feat. Alberto Ammann, Luis Tosar, Vincente Romero
A substantial hit in its native Spain, this brutal thriller doubles as an intelligent critique of the Spanish penal system, with a young prison guard…
Cezanne Affair, TheCezanne Affair, The (2009)
Dir. Sergio Rubini
Feat. Sergio Rubini, Riccardo Scamarcio, Valeria Golino
Sentimental comedy–drama with a son returning home to his dying father who's thwarted artistic ambitions cast a dark shaodw over his childhood.
Change of PlansChange of Plans (Le code a changé) (2009)
Dir. Daniele Thompson
Feat. Dany Boon, Karin Viard, Emmanuelle Seigner
Stacked Gallic dramedy stars Karin Viard and Dany Boon as a swanky French couple who invite six equally wealthy Parisians to dinner – their evening…
City of Life and DeathCity of Life and Death (2009)
Dir. Chuan Lu
Feat. Ye Liu, Yuanyuan Gao, Hideo Nakaizumi
This first serious depiction of the atrocities wrought on Chinese refugees and soldiers during the occupation of Nanking is a harrowing, expertly…
City of WarCity of War (John Rabe) (2009)
Dir. Florian Gallenberger
Feat. Ulrich Tukur, Daniel Bruhl, Steve Buscemi
Riveting dramatisation of an unlikely true story in which a Nazi industrialist conspires to save the lives of 200,000 Chinese during the infamous…
CocoCoco (2009)
Dir. Gad Elmaleh
Feat. Gad Elmaleh, Gerard Depardieu
The hapless soul of many a French Farce, comedian Gad Elmaleh stars and directs in this feature–length adaptation of one of his popular…
Coco Avant ChanelCoco Avant Chanel (Coco Before Chanel) (2009) Aro Favourite
Dir. Anne Fontaine
Feat. Audrey Tautou, Benoit Poelvoorde, Alessandro Nivola
Fittingly stylish and appealing biopic of legendary couturier Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, tracing her early life from the rags of an orphaned childhood…
Coco Chanel & Igor StravinskyCoco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky (Coco & Igor) (2009)
Dir. Jan Kounen
Feat. Anna Mouglalis, Mads Mikkelsen
Fashion icon Coco Chanel and composer Igor Stravinsky share a passionate, illicit love affair in this lavish period romance, which more or less takes…
Concert, TheConcert, The (Le Concert) (2009)
Dir. Radu Mihaileanu
Feat. Alexeï Guskov, Mélanie Laurent, Dmitry Nazarov
A band of out–of–work Moscow musicians travels to Paris posing as the celebrated Bolshoi Orchestra in this lavish, shamelessly popular…
Dead SnowDead Snow (Død Snø) (2009)
Dir. Tommy Wirkola
Feat. Vegar Hoel, Stig Frode Henriksen, Charlotte Frogner
Nordic splatter comedy pitches a group of fresh–faced medical students against a hoard of re–animated Nazis in the snowy highlands.…
Diamond 13Diamond 13 (2009)
Dir. Gilles Behat
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Asia Argento, Olivier Marchal
Downbeat and convoluted thriller with a dying cop roping in his loyal partner in a scheme to steal a shipment of cocaine from a drug…
District 13: UltimatumDistrict 13: Ultimatum (2009)
Dir. Patrick Alessandrin
Feat. Cyril Raffaelli, David Belle
Cash–in sequel to the Luc Besson–produced sci–fi thriller whose action was shaped creatively around Parkour, an athletic pursuit…
DogtoothDogtooth (Kynodontas) (2009) Aro Favourite
Dir. Yorgos Lanthimos
Feat. Aggeliki Papoulia, Mary Tsoni, Hristos Passalis
An astringent, blackly comic tale of a modern Greek family whose adult children have been imprisoned in their home since birth. Something of a…
Double Hour, TheDouble Hour, The (La Doppia Ora) (2009) Recommended
Dir. Giuseppe Capotondi
Feat. Kseniya Rappoport, Filippo Timi, Antonia Truppo
A high–concept, twisty Euro–thriller plays out after a chambermaid and an ex–cop meet at a speed dating event. As is par for the…
Eagle Hunter's Son, TheEagle Hunter's Son, The (2009)
Dir. René Bo Hansen
Feat. Bazarbai Matei, Mardan Matei
Wistful Mongolian adventure follows a 12–year–old boy and his rite–of–passage between the lure of city life, and the…
East West EastEast West East (2009)
Dir. Gjergj Xhuvani
Feat. Ervin Bejleri, Helidon Fino, Gentiano Hazizi
An amateur cycling team from Albania heads to France to take part in a tournament only to discover on the way that revolution has broken out back…
Eccentricities of a Blonde-Haired GirlEccentricities of a Blonde-Haired Girl (2009) Recommended
Dir. Manoel de Oliveira
Feat. Ricardo Trepa, Leonor Silveira, Catarina Wallenstein
Bewitching tale of a young man's obsessive love for his blonde–haired neighbour. Elegant and gently surreal adaptation of José Maria Eça de…
Eden is WestEden is West (2009)
Dir. Costa-Gavras
Feat. Riccardo Scamarcio
A pictorial offering from Costa–Gavras – usually at the helm of taut political thrillers – here directing a travelogue centered around…
Eden of the East (TV Series)Eden of the East (TV Series) (2009)
Dir. Kenji Kamiyama
A sprawling, suspenseful anime series in the wake of popular narrative arc serials (i.e. LOST, FLASH FORWARD), this centres on an amnesiac man who…
Empire of SilverEmpire of Silver (2009)
Dir. Christina Yao
Feat. Aaron Kwok, Tielin Zhang, Lei Hao
A family banking empire begins to crumble when father and son come to grief over the country's transition from silver to paper money. Visually…
FarewellFarewell (2009) Recommended
Dir. Christian Carion
Feat. Guillaume Canet, Emir Kusturica, Gary Lewis
This riveting Cold War yarn from the dir. of JOYEUX NOEL brings to light the little–known true story of a disillusioned KGB colonel (played by…
Father of My ChildrenFather of My Children (2009) Recommended
Dir. Mia Hansen-Love
Feat. Chiara Caselli, Louis-Do de Lencquesaing, Alice de Lencquesaing
A convincing dramatic study of grief in the family, centred on a workoholic movie producer who leaves behind a legacy of financial burden to his wife…
FortapascFortapasc (Fort Apache) (2009)
Dir. Marco Risi
Feat. Libero de Rienzo, Valentina Lodovini, Michele Riondino
Poignant account of the last days in the life of a young Italian journalist who's investigations into the Neapolitan Mafia resulted in his murder.
Founding of a Republic, TheFounding of a Republic, The (Jian guo da ye) (2009)
Dir. Sanping Han, Jianxin Huang
Feat. Guoqiang Tang, Guoli Zhang, Qing Xu
The People’s Republic of China rolls out the big guns for this 60th anniversary epic, chronicling in big, sweeping gestures, the uprising of Mao…
French Kissers, TheFrench Kissers, The (Les Beaux Gosses) (2009)
Dir. Riad Sattouf
Feat. Vincent Lacoste, Anthony Sonigo, Alice Trémolière
Gallic hormonal comedy about two unkempt, sex–obsessed adolescents and their wavering exploits with the school's most popular girl. Is quite…
From Beginning to EndFrom Beginning to End (Do Começo ao Fim) (2009)
Dir. Aluizio Abranches
Feat. João Gabriel Vasconcellos, Rafael Cardoso, Júlia Lemmertz
Controversial Brazilian ode to incestuous half–brothers that's evocatively shot and titillatingly steamy but strangely coy on the consequences.
Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest, TheGirl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest, The (2009)
Dir. Daniel Alfredson
Feat. Noomi Rapace, Michael Nyqvist, Lena Endre
Satisfying conclusion to the trilogy features some lengthy courtroom scenes as Salander and Nyqvist fight to clear her name and unravel the…
Girl Who Played with Fire, TheGirl Who Played with Fire, The (2009)
Dir. Daniel Alfredson
Feat. Noomi Rapace, Michael Nyqvist, Lena Endre
Part two of Stieg Larsson's 'Millennium Trilogy' sees the return of touch–as–nails Lisbeth Salander, who must clear her name of murder…
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, TheGirl with the Dragon Tattoo, The (2009) Aro Favourite
Dir. Niels Arden Oplev
Feat. Michael Nyqvist, Noomi Rapace, Lena Endre
One of the highest–grossing foreign language hits at the NZ box office, this riveting, full–bodied Swedish thriller follows an escalating…
Giulia Doesn't Go Out at NightGiulia Doesn't Go Out at Night (2009)
Dir. Giuseppe Piccioni
Feat. Valerio Mastandrea, Valeria Golino, Sonia Bergamasco
Understated romantic drama with an enigmatic Golina as the titular character, a swimming instructor with a dark secret who embarks on a romance with…
GoemonGoemon (2009)
Dir. Kazuaki Kiriya
Feat. Yosuke Eguchi, Takao Osawa
The dir. of CASSHERN helms this visionary medieval spectacle, based on a 16th century bandit whose Robin hood–style exploits are steeped in…
HaeundaeHaeundae (Tidal Wave) (2009)
Dir. Je-gyun Yun
Feat. Kyung-gu Sol, Ji-won Ha
Corny, king–sized Korean blockbuster of a mega–tsunami bound for Busan, and the marine geologist in a race against time to save the…
Hedgehog, TheHedgehog, The (Le hérisson) (2009) Recommended
Dir. Mona Achache
Feat. Josiane Balasko, Togo Igawa, Garance Le Guillermic
Charming, melancholy comedy in which a precocious, jaded 11–year–old from a well–to–do family decides to commit suicide on…
Human ZooHuman Zoo (2009)
Dir. Rie Rasmussen
Feat. Rie Rasmussen, Hiam Abbass
Gritty, naval–gazing immigrant story of a Serbian refugee (writer/dir. Rasmussen) who escapes the ethnic violence of her worn–torn…
I Am LoveI Am Love (Io sono l'amore) (2009) Aro Favourite
Dir. Luca Guadagnino
Feat. Tilda Swinton, Edoardo Gabbriellini
Tilda Swinton stars as the Russian–born matriarch of a wealthy Milanese family in this fabulously opulent Italian drama, centred around her…
I Killed My MotherI Killed My Mother (J'ai tué ma mère) (2009) Recommended
Dir. Xavier Dolan
Feat. Xavier Dolan, Anne Dorval, Suzanne Clément
An angst ridden teen grapples with growing up gay and his neurotic, overbearing mother in this feisty first feature from young French Canadian…
I, Don GiovanniI, Don Giovanni (2009)
Dir. Carlos Saura
Feat. Lorenzo Balducci, Lino Guanciale, Emilia Verginelli
Veteran Spanish director Carlos Saura conducts this lavish, darkly–tinged story behind the making of Mozart's opera masterpiece, 'Don Giovanni'.
Italian Film Festival Collection, The - 2009Italian Film Festival Collection, The - 2009 (2009) Recommended
Comprehensive box–set collection of 11 of the best Italian films featured at the 'Italian Film Festival 2009' spread over 6 discs. Films…
Ju-On: White Ghost / Jun-On: Black GhostJu-On: White Ghost / Jun-On: Black Ghost (2009)
Dir. Ryuta Miyake
Feat. Hiroki Suzuki, Natsuki Kasa, Ichirota Miyakawa
Two inclusions to the Japanese supernatural horror JU–ON series, released simultaneously. Both are a series of chronologically inconsistent…
KamuiKamui (2009)
Dir. Yoichi Sai
Feat. Ken'ichi Matsuyama, Koyuki
High adventure and spectacular fight sequences energize this otherwise inadequate period piece about fugitive ninjas in Japan.
Killing, The - Series 2 (TV Series)Killing, The - Series 2 (TV Series) (Forbrydelsen) (2009) Recommended
Feat. Sofie Grabol, Søren Malling
Further episodes from the ripping, immensely popular Danish homicide serial weaves a secondary plot of intrigue, corruption, and bureaucracy…
Kung Fu ChefsKung Fu Chefs (Gong fu chu shen) (2009)
Dir. Wing Kin Yip
Feat. Sammo Hung, Vanness Wu, Cherrie Ying
This gastronomic spin on the martial arts movie lacks the invention or absurdist comedy of GOD OF COOKERY, however still delivers plenty of chopsocky…
LeavingLeaving (Partir) (2009) Recommended
Dir. Catherine Corsini
Feat. Kristin Scott Thomas, Sergi Lopez, Yvan Attal
Doctor's wife and mother–of–two Kristin Scott Thomas falls unrelentingly for a blue–collar ex–con in this steamy, captivating…
LebanonLebanon (2009) Recommended
Dir. Samuel Maoz
Feat. Yoav Donat, Itay Tiran, Oshri Cohen
Intense, multi–faceted battle thriller set during the height of the Israeli–Lebanon conflict in 1982 in which four young soldiers sent by…
Letters to Father JacobLetters to Father Jacob (2009)
Dir. Klaus Haro
Feat. Kaarina Hazard, Jukka Keinonen, Heikki Nousiainen
Gently engrossing character study with a pardoned convict finding employment helping a blind pastor answer letters from his troubled parishioners.
Life Coach, TheLife Coach, The (Le Coach) (2009)
Dir. Olivier Doran
Feat. Jean-Paul Rouve, Richard Berry, Annie Marivin
Affable comedy with a business coach, up to his eyeballs in debt, taking on a most difficult assignment help an irredeemable miquetoast close an…
Look For A StarLook For A Star (Yau lung hei fung) (2009)
Dir. Wai-keung Lau
Feat. Shu Qi, Andy Lau
Andy Lau plays an eligible bachelor who can't seem to keep a wife in this captivating rom–com. Despite a convoluted third act, old romantics…
LourdesLourdes (2009) Recommended
Dir. Jessica Hausner
Feat. Sylvie Testud, Léa Seydoux, Elina Lowensohn
A subdued, open–ended account of pilgrimage and the credibility of miracles, this measured drama stars the always–excellent Sylvie Testud…
Lulu and the Bank Robber (TV Mini-Series)Lulu and the Bank Robber (TV Mini-Series) (2009)
Feat. Lene Maria Christensen, Lars Brygmann, Nicole Johansen
An independent mother and small business owner is drawn into the dodging dealings of her habitual criminal husband in this pulpy Danish crime…
Mademoiselle ChambonMademoiselle Chambon (2009) Recommended
Dir. Stéphane Brizé
Feat. Vincent Lindon, Sandrine Kiberlain, Aure Atika
Though familiar bourgeois territory for the French, this softly finessed chamber drama of a blue–collar mason (Lindon) who contemplates an…
Man Who Will Come, TheMan Who Will Come, The (L'uomo che verrà) (2009)
Dir. Giorgio Diritti
Feat. Maya Sansa, Alba Rohrwacher, Greta Zuccheri Montanari
Moving Italian war drama told through the eyes of an eight–year–old mute, who witnesses the brutal struggle between Italian partisans and…
Many Kisses LaterMany Kisses Later (Ex) (2009)
Dir. Fausto Brizzi
Feat. Claudia Gerini, Flavio Insinna, Silvio Orlando
Breezy rom–com –a smash hit in Italy– follows six couples from Chistmas to Valetine's Day and their various entanglements.…
Matter of Heart, AMatter of Heart, A (Questione di cuore) (2009)
Dir. Francesca Archibugi
Feat. Antonio Albanese, Kim Rossi Stuart, Micaela Ramazzotti
Two men recovering from heart attacks strike up an unlikely friendship in this enjoyably sentimental farce, with much of the humour derived from…
Me TooMe Too (Yo, Tambien) (2009)
Dir. Antonio Naharro, Alvaro Pastor
Feat. Lola Dueñas, Isabel Garcia Lorca, Antonio Naharro
Affecting tale of a bittersweet friendship between an office worker with Down syndrome and his restless, free–spirited colleague.
Me, Them & LaraMe, Them & Lara (2009)
Dir. Carlo Verdone
Feat. Carlo Verdone, Laura Chiatti, Anna Bonaiuto
Screwy comedy captures the messy familial predicaments a priest encounters upon his return from Africa, his father's new love, his brother's drug…
MerantauMerantau (2009)
Dir. Gareth Evans
Feat. Iko Uwais
Indonesia's riposte to ONG–BAK stars newcomer Iko Uwais as a young man from a Jakarta tribe whose rite of passage via the big city exposes him…
Message, TheMessage, The (2009)
Dir. Kuo-fu Chen, Qunshu Gao
Feat. Bingbing Li, Xun Zhou, Zhiwen Wang
Sino–Japanese tensions are foregrounded in this enthralling cat and mouse thriller, set in a clifftop mansion during the height of World War…
MicmacsMicmacs (2009) Recommended
Dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Feat. Dany Boon, Andre Dussollier, Jean-Pierre Marielle
The dir. of AMELIE and CITY OF LOST CHILDREN stays true to form(ula) with his visual chutzpah lavished upon another idealised scenario that this time…
Milk of Sorrow, TheMilk of Sorrow, The (La Teta Asustada) (2009)
Dir. Claudia Llosa
Feat. Magaly Solier, Susi Sanchez, Efrain Solis
Beguiling allegorical drama with a young woman afflicted with a rare disease passed down through the breast milk of a rape victim.
MotherMother (2009)
Dir. Joon-ho Bong
Feat. Hye-ja Kim, Won Bin, Ku Jin
Cavalier Korean dir. Bong Joon–ho (THE HOST) contorts a regulation murder mystery, centred on a mother's campaign to clear her deadbeat son's…
MulanMulan (2009)
Dir. Jingle Ma, Wei Dong
Feat. Zhao Wei, Jaycee Chan
The legend of Mulan (previously tackled by Disney) is given the big screen treatment in this sweeping historical costume epic, a current specialty of…
MurdererMurderer (2009)
Dir. Roy Chow
Feat. Aaron Kwok, Ning Chang, Tam Chun Yat
Serial killer convention receives an enjoyable, shameless workout with this Hong Kong policier, centred on a police investigator framed for a series…
My Tehran for SaleMy Tehran for Sale (2009)
Dir. Granaz Moussavi
Feat. Marzieh Vafamehr, Amir Chegini, Asha Mehrabi
Marzieh is a young female actress living in Tehran. The authorities ban her theatre work and she is forced to lead a secret life in order to express…
No One Knows About Persian CatsNo One Knows About Persian Cats (2009)
Dir. Bahman Ghobadi
Feat. Negar Shaghaghi, Ashkan Koshanejad, Hamed Behdad
Unprecedented pseudo–documentary exploring Iran’s forbidden underground music scene, starring Tehranian rockers Negar Shaghaghi and Ashkan…
Ong-Bak 3Ong-Bak 3 (2009)
Dir. Tony Jaa, Panna Rittikrai
Feat. Tony Jaa
Cliffhanger ending to the ONG–BAK legend sees Thai martial arts phenom Tony Jaa return to battle his arch nemesis (from Part II’s prequel…
OSS 117: Lost in RioOSS 117: Lost in Rio (2009) Recommended
Dir. Michel Hazanavicius
Feat. Jean Dujardin
Bumbling intelligence officer and shameless chauvinist, Hubert Bonisseur de la Bath, returns for Brazilian adventures in this bright and breezy spy…
Over the Hill Band, TheOver the Hill Band, The (Meisjes) (2009)
Dir. Geoffrey Enthoven
Feat. Marilou Mermans, Jan Van Looveren
A modest old age delight centred on recently widowed mother who resolves to kick start her middle–aged son's music career by recruiting the…
OverheardOverheard (Qie ting feng yun) (2009)
Dir. Felix Chong, Alan Mak
Feat. Lau Ching-wan, Louis Koo, Daniel Wu
The directors of INFERNAL AFFAIRS reel in their sleek, sprawling urbane sensibility, changing tack with this compact character study about three…
Plan BPlan B (2009) Recommended
Dir. Marco Berger
Feat. Manuel Vignau, Lucas Ferraro, Mercedes Quinteros
Languid drama where a man's efforts to sabotage his ex–girlfriends new relationship – with a half baked plan of seducing her boyfriend,…
Please Please Me!Please Please Me! (Fais-moi plaisir!) (2009)
Dir. Emmanuel Mouret
Feat. Emmanuel Mouret, Judith Godreche, Deborah Francois
Boudoir laughs a–plenty in this sexy farce from the 'French Woody Allen' as a goofy inventor's date with the President's daughter descends into…
Police, AdjectivePolice, Adjective (2009) Recommended
Dir. Corneliu Porumboiu
Feat. Dragos Bucur, Vlad Ivanov, Irina Saulescu
An ingenious, pared–back police procedural in the droll tradition of the Romanian New Wave that at once deconstructs the genre, and wittily…
Prisoners of War (TV Series)Prisoners of War (TV Series) (Hatufim) (2009) Recommended
Dir. Gideon Raff
Feat. Yoram Toledano, Ishai Golan, Adi Ezroni
The source material for HOMELAND, this Israeli series is a more serious–minded and nuanced drama than its American successor, dealing with the…
Prophet, AProphet, A (Un Prophet) (2009) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jacques Audiard
Feat. Tahar Rahim, Niels Arestrup, Adel Bencherif
Dir. Jacques Audiard betters the accomplished storytelling of THE BEAT MY HEART SKIPPED, situating an immersive world of cloistered gangsters and…
PuzzlePuzzle (Rompecabezas) (2009)
Dir. Natalia Smirnoff
Feat. María Onetto, Arturo Goetz, Gabriel Goity
Low–key charmer with a bored housewife discovering her freakish aptitude for puzzles and partnering with a rich bachelor for an international…
Raging PhoenixRaging Phoenix (2009)
Dir. Rashane Limtrakul
Feat. JeeJa Yanin
The female star of CHOCOLATE returns with break dancing moves to complement her sick martial arts skills, in this over–the–top kickboxing…
Red NightsRed Nights (2009)
Dir. Julien Carbon, Laurent Courtiaud
Feat. Frédérique Bel, Carrie Ng
This tantalizing far East giallo offers both gruesome kill sequences and flamboyant erotic style in its story of a sadistic patron of the arts (NAKED…
RickyRicky (2009)
Dir. Francois Ozon
Feat. Sergi Lopez, Alexandra Lamy, Mélusine Mayance
Intriguing fusion of kitchen–sink drama and magical realism by the mercurial Ozon with a young baby afflicted by an alarming physiological…
Road, MovieRoad, Movie (2009)
Dir. Dev Benegal
Feat. Abhay Deol, Tannishtha Chatterjee
A literal road movie inspired by the flickering image, this Indian travelogue follows a ragtag group across the country, whose mode of transport…
RobogeishaRobogeisha (2009)
Dir. Noboru Iguchi
Feat. Aya Kiguchi
Two sisters, recruited as assassins in a robotic geisha army, fight from the inside to take down the head of an evil corporation. More cartoonish,…
Sea Purple, TheSea Purple, The (2009)
Dir. Donatella Maiorca
Feat. Valeria Solarino, Isabella Ragonese, Ennio Fantastichini
Solid lesbian bodice–ripper centres on the eternal romance between two 19th century Sicilian women, destined to suffer for their forbidden…
Secret in Their Eyes, TheSecret in Their Eyes, The (El Secreto de sus Ojos) (2009) Recommended
Dir. Juan José Campanella
Feat. Ricardo Darín, Soledad Villamil, Carla Quevedo
Arresting, well–rounded Argentine crime drama sees a retired court employee become obsessed with a 25–year–old murder case that he…
Shinjuku IncidentShinjuku Incident (San suk si gin) (2009)
Dir. Derek Yee
Feat. Jackie Chan, Naoto Takenaka, Daniel Wu
Jackie Chan turns serious for this gritty, nocturnal gangland drama centered around a Chinese immigrant who is unintentionally drawn into Tokyo’s…
Sicilian Girl, TheSicilian Girl, The (La siciliana ribelle) (2009)
Dir. Marco Amenta
Feat. Veronica D'Agostino, Gerard Jugnot
A vivid, level–headed account of Mafiaso intrigue, based around real events surrounding a young woman’s testimony in court against Sicilian…
Sister SmileSister Smile (2009)
Dir. Stijn Coninx
Feat. Cecile De France, Sandrine Blancke
The poignant, still resonant true story of 60s popstar The Singing Nun, vividly played by actress Cécile de France.
Sniper, TheSniper, The (Sun cheung sau) (2009)
Dir. Dante Lam
Feat. Edison Chen, Richie Ren, Xiaoming Huang
Macho, ADD shoot ‘em up follows an elite sniper unit from Hong Kong who, with the aid of a brash young rookie, must take down an…
Someone I LovedSomeone I Loved (2009)
Dir. Zabou Breitman
Feat. Daniel Auteuil, Marie-Josee Croze, Florence Loiret Caille
Nuanced romantic drama with Auteuil reflecting on his great lost love while attempting to console his jilted daughter–in–law.
Soul KitchenSoul Kitchen (2009)
Dir. Fatih Akin
Feat. Adam Bousdoukos, Pheline Roggan, Moritz Bleibtreu
Light but hearty food comedy from the dir. of THE EDGE OF HEAVEN, about a soulful Greek immigrant who sets about relaunching his failed restaurant…
StormStorm (2009)
Dir. Hans-Christian Schmid
Feat. Kerry Fox, Anamaria Marinca, Stephen Dillane
Accomplished international courtroom drama sees a determined prosecutor (Fox) risk life and limb in order to prove that the former commander of the…
Storm Warriors, TheStorm Warriors, The (Storm Riders II) (2009)
Dir. Oxide Pang, Danny Pang
Feat. Aaron Kwok, Ekin Cheng, Simon Yam
The Pang brothers helm this flamboyant, effects–heavy sequel to the OTT Hong Kong hit, delivering a mixture of wushu and wizardry with…
Ten WintersTen Winters (2009)
Dir. Valerio Mieli
Feat. Isabella Ragonese, Michele Riondino
Engaging portrait of a decidedly rocky relationship spanning ten years between two university students is well–made and unassuming, and free of…
Thin Match Man, TheThin Match Man, The (L'uomo fiammifero) (2009)
Dir. Marco Chiarini
Feat. Francesco Pannofino, Marco Leonzi, Gabriele Manfredi
Modern fairy–tale about a house–bound boy determined to find the thin–match man, a figure his mother once created who lights the…
ThirstThirst (Bakjwi) (2009) Recommended
Dir. Park Chan-Wook
Feat. Kang-ho Song, Kim Ok-bin, Ha-kyun Shin
A voracious vampire movie not afraid to explore the corrupting and liberating power of being undead, starring THE HOST’s burly Song Kang–ho…
Tracing ShadowTracing Shadow (Zhui ying) (2009)
Dir. Marco Mak, Francis Ng
Feat. Jaycee Chan, Hao Dang, Francis Ng
This batty Ming Dynasty comedy is a worthy throwback to Hong Kong’s campy martial arts movies of the early 90s, with an extravagant blend of…
Treasure Hunter, TheTreasure Hunter, The (2009)
Dir. Yen-ping Chu
Feat. Jay Chou, Chiling Lin, Eric Tsang
Madcap fusion of Indiana Jones and martial arts mayhem, with Mandarin popstar Jay Chou leading the charge as a protector of relics on the hunt for a…
Turning PointTurning Point (2009)
Dir. Herman Yau
Feat. Michael Tse, Anthony Wong, Francis Ng
A triad gangster wrestles with conflicting loyalties after being selected by his boss to become a mole within the police force, then being recruited…
Un Village Francais (TV Series)Un Village Francais (TV Series) (2009-2017) Recommended
Feat. Robin Renucci, Audrey Fleurot
Confronting the difficult subject of French collaboration with the Germans during WW2, this series details the lives of the people of a fictional…
UndertowUndertow (Contracorriente) (2009) Recommended
Dir. Javier Fuentes-Leon
Feat. Cristian Mercado, Manolo Cardona
A beguiling drama set in a remote seaside Peruvian village, where a fisherman mourns for his deceased lover and experiences his ghost lingering in…
Vampire Girl vs Frankenstein GirlVampire Girl vs Frankenstein Girl (2009)
Dir. Yoshihiro Nishimura, Naoyuki Tomomatsu
Feat. Yukie Nakama, Eri Otoguro
Another enjoyable stock effort from the makers of TOKYO GORE POLICE et. al, this combines home–brewed splatter, ropey special effects, and…
VengeanceVengeance (2009)
Dir. Johnnie To
Feat. Johnny Hallyday, Sylvie Testud, Anthony Wong
French tough guy Johnny Hallyday returns to China to exact revenge on his family's killers in another high class shoot 'em up from Hong Kong's action…
VincereVincere (VIctory) (2009)
Dir. Marco Bellocchio
Feat. Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Filippo Timi, Fausto Russo Alesi
Provocative portrait of Benito Mussolini's spurned first wife and their brief romance as Il Duce begins ascent to Italy's leadership. Stylistically…
WelcomeWelcome (2009) Recommended
Dir. Philippe Lioret
Feat. Vincent Lindon, Audrey Dana, Firat Ayverd
An illegal Iraqi immigrant is befriended by a dispirited swim coach, who agrees to help smuggle the teenager into England by way swimming the English…
White MaterialWhite Material (2009)
Dir. Claire Denis
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Christopher Lambert, Isaach de Bankole
Isabelle Huppert stars as a woman who refuses to abandon her plantation in Claire Denis' disquieting depiction of an African country on the verge of…
White Ribbon, TheWhite Ribbon, The (Das weisse Band) (2009) Aro Favourite
Dir. Michael Haneke
Feat. Christian Friedel, Leonie Benesch, Ulrich Tukur
Michael Haneke’s intellectual rigour is paired with a mesmerising sociological drama in this award–winning exploration of the roots of…
Wind Journeys, TheWind Journeys, The (2009)
Dir. Ciro Guerra
A Colombian accordion player makes the long trek to return his instrument – believed to be cursed by the devil – to a former mentor, in…
Wolf's Mouth, TheWolf's Mouth, The (Mouth of the Wolf; La bocca del lupo) (2009)
Dir. Pietro Marcello
Impressive hybrid of documentary and actuality chronicles the unlikely romance between a macho ex–con and a transsexual former…
Woman, A Gun and a Noodle Shop, AWoman, A Gun and a Noodle Shop, A (2009)
Dir. Zhang Yimou
Feat. Honglei Sun, Shen-Yang Xiao, Ni Yan
Dir. Zhang Yimou weaves a tale of adultery and revenge in 19th century China, based on the Coen brothers' classic neo–noir, BLOOD SIMPLE.
Woochi: Goblin WizardWoochi: Goblin Wizard (Jeon Woochi : The Taoist Wizard) (2009)
Dir. Dong-hun Choi
Feat. Dong-won Kang, Yun-seok Kim, Su-jeong Lim
Mayhem is unleashed in contemporary Seoul when Taoist wizards do battle with time traveling goblins.
YattermanYatterman (2009)
Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Shô Sakurai, Saki Fukuda, Kyoko Fukada
Fantastical live–action anime serves kids and kidults alike with its tale of mild–mannered shop keepers who don jaunty costumes to fight…
[REC 2][REC 2] (REC 2) (2009)
Dir. Jaume Balaguero, Paco Plaza
Feat. Manuela Velasco, Ferran Terraza
Sequel to the smash Spanish fright fest has a Special Ops team heading into the quarantined apartment at the same time three teenagers let their…
25 Carat25 Carat (25 Kilates) (2008)
Dir. Patxi Amezcua
Feat. Francesc Garrido, Aida Folch, Manuel Moron
Relentless thriller set in the Barcelona underworld where a loan enforcer and a car thief pair up for a particularly dangerous heist.…
35 Shots of Rum35 Shots of Rum (35 rhums) (2008) Recommended
Dir. Claire Denis
Feat. Alex Descas, Mati Diop, Nicole Dogue
A gorgeous meditation on child–parental devotion, centred on a middle–aged widower (Descas) who, in the tradition of Yasujiro Ozu (which…
5 Centimetres Per Second5 Centimetres Per Second (Five Centimetres Per Second) (2008) Recommended
Dir. Makoto Shinkai
Sublimely romantic animated feature divided into three separate episodes tracing the emotional journey of a teenage boy through to manhood, and the…
A Christmas TaleA Christmas Tale (Un conte de Noël) (2008) Recommended
Dir. Arnaud Desplechin
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Mathieu Amalric, Anne Consigny
KINGS AND QUEEN dir. Arnaud Desplechin spins another whirlwind tale of family relations, with Catherine Deneuve the terminally ill matriarch to a…
Admiral, TheAdmiral, The (2008)
Dir. Andrei Kravchuk
Feat. Konstantin Khabensky, Elizaveta Boyarskaya, Sergey Bezrukov
Sweeping war time biopic of Russian war hero Admiral Kolchak covers the last years of his life focusing on his bravery in the face of insurmountable…
An Empress and the WarriorsAn Empress and the Warriors (Kong saan mei yan) (2008)
Dir. Ching Siu Tung
Feat. Donnie Yen, Xiaodong Guo, Zhenghai Kou
Jazzed up historical drama with a young woman thrust into the role of Empress upon her father's death, and fight for her kingdom. Conventional…
Anything for HerAnything for Her (Pour Elle) (2008) Aro Favourite
Dir. Fred Cavaye
Feat. Vincent Lindon, Diane Kruger, Lancelot Roch
Cracking French thriller sees a happy couple's marriage torn apart when the wife is sent to prison for murder. Convinced of her innocence, her…
As God CommandsAs God Commands (2008)
Dir. Gabriele Salvatores
Feat. Filippo Timi, Elio Germano, Alvaro Caleca
Bracing character study follows a teenager and his Neo–nazi father dealing with their outsider status in their small town. Second collaboration…
Asterix at the Olympic GamesAsterix at the Olympic Games (Astérix Aux Jeux Olympiques) (2008)
Dir. Frederic Forestier, Thomas Langmann
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Clovis Cornillac, Benoit Poelvoorde
Fairly loose adaptation of the original comic follows the oddball duo as they try to win the Olympic Games in order to set their friend up with a…
Baader Meinhof Complex, TheBaader Meinhof Complex, The (2008) Recommended
Dir. Uli Edel
Feat. Martina Gedeck, Moritz Bleibtreu, Johanna Wokalek
A big–budget, pulse–pounding account of terrorism and political protest in 1960s and 70s Germany, centred on the notorious Red Army…
Beaches of Agnes, TheBeaches of Agnes, The (2008) Recommended
Dir. Agnes Varda
A wonderfully light–footed collection of memories and monologues in documentary essay form from the queen of the French New Wave, Agnes…
Bride FlightBride Flight (2008)
Dir. Ben Sombogaart
Feat. Karina Smulders, Waldemar Torenstra, Anna Drijver
New Zealand in the 1950's from a Dutch perspective makes this melodrama an intriguing, unique experience for Kiwi audiences, which also has the…
Bridge, TheBridge, The (Die Brücke) (2008)
Dir. Wolfgang Panzer
Feat. Franke Potente, François Goeske, Lars Steinhöfel
Inferior remake of the 1959 film based on the true story of a group of German teenagers who fight to defend a bridge from the approaching allied…
Butterfly LoversButterfly Lovers (2008)
Dir. Jingle Ma
Feat. Charlene Choi, Chun Wu, Ge Hu
Martial arts 'M Butterfly' charts the afflictions that befall two lovers destined to always be parted. Gaudy, gender–bending romance from Hong…
CaminoCamino (2008) Recommended
Dir. Javier Fesser
Feat. Nerea Camacho, Carme Elias
An absorbing, sensationally–told true story of a devoutly Catholic Spanish schoolgirl whose willing death at the age of 14 – brought about by…
Chanbara BeautyChanbara Beauty (2008)
Dir. Yôhei Fukuda
Feat. Eri Otoguro, Chise Nakamura
Fan–servicing bikini swashbuckler, with two scantily clad babes slashing their way through zombie hoards. A crummy, if entertaining hodgepodge…
Chaser, TheChaser, The (Chugyeogja) (2008)
Dir. Hong-jin Na
Feat. Yun-seok Kim, Jung-woo Ha, Yeong-hie Seo
As much concerned with criticizing the police force as it is deftly juggling plot twists, murders, and other serial killer conventions, this Korean…
Chasing World, TheChasing World, The (2008)
Dir. Issei Shibata
Feat. Mitsuki Tanimura, Takuya Ishida
A high school student discovers a portal into a parallel universe, where those with the surname "Sato" are marked for elimination in a public…
Cherry BlossomsCherry Blossoms (2008)
Dir. Doris Dorrie
Feat. Elmar Wepper, Hannelore Elsner, Aya Irizuki
Tender cross–cultural tale with a German widower travelling to Japan to honour his wife's wishes to see the famed cherry blossom festival.…
ChocolateChocolate (2008) Recommended
Dir. Prachya Pinkaew
Feat. JeeJa Yanin, Hiroshi Abe, Pongpat Wachirabunjong
Impressive newcomer Jeeja Yanin plays a butt kicking autistic girl (!) in this exhilarating revenge movie, a standout amongst Thailand’s recent…
CJ7CJ7 (Cheung Gong 7 hou) (2008) Aro Favourite
Dir. Stephen Chow (Chiao)
Feat. Stephen Chow (Chiao)
Hong Kong superstar Stephen Chow turns his directing talents to the family–friendly fantasy, playing a dirt–poor father who surprises his…
Class, TheClass, The (Entre les murs) (2008) Recommended
Dir. Laurent Cantet
Feat. François Bégaudeau, Agame Malembo-Emene, Angélica Sancio
This stimulating Palm d’Or winner engages with the toil and trouble of a multi–ethnic, inner–city French classroom, and the headstrong…
Cloud 9Cloud 9 (Wolke 9) (2008) Aro Favourite
Dir. Andreas Dresen
Feat. Ursula Werner, Horst Rehberg, Horst Westphal
A frank yet sensitive depiction of a passionate love affair between a man and a married woman in their autumn years. Using a methodology similar…
Country WeddingCountry Wedding (Sveitabrúðkaup) (2008)
Dir. Valdís Óskarsdóttir
Feat. Björn Hlynur Haraldsson, Nanna Kristín Magnúsdóttir
Two busloads of wedding guests get lost on their way to the church in this lively Icelandic comedy, improvised and shot on the fly. Farcical and…
Dead in 3 DaysDead in 3 Days (Dead in Three Days) (2008)
Dir. Andreas Prochaska
Chilling Austrian slasher involving a group of teenagers who must discover a serial killer’s identity in order to save themselves from getting…
DeparturesDepartures (2008) Recommended
Dir. Takita Yojiro
Feat. Masahiro Motoki, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Kazuko Yoshiyuki
Poignant Oscar–winner that’s won over many hearts with its affecting tale of self–discovery, centered on a failed cellist whose career…
Early Bird Catches the Worm, TheEarly Bird Catches the Worm, The (2008)
Dir. Francesco Patierno
Feat. Elio Germano, Laura Chiatti, Martina Stella
Leaden portrait of the rise and fall of popular Italian disc jockey Marco Baldini who's gambling addiction leads him tom make some decidedly rash…
Everlasting MomentsEverlasting Moments (2008) Recommended
Dir. Jan Troell
Feat. Maria Heiskanen, Mikael Persbrandt, Jesper Christensen
A touching, delicately shot memoir told from the perspective of a Finnish immigrant in Sweden who finds relief from her abusive husband in the art of…
Female AgentsFemale Agents (Les femmes de l'ombre) (2008) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jean-Paul Salome
Feat. Sophie Marceau, Julie Depardieu, Marie Gillain
Substantial, exciting WWII espionage thriller following an all–female commando unit of the French Resistance recruited to rescue a British…
First Day of the Rest of Your Life, TheFirst Day of the Rest of Your Life, The (Le Premier Jour du Reste de ta Vie) (2008) Recommended
Dir. Rémi Bezançon
Feat. Jacques Gamblin, Zabou Breitman, Deborah Francois
Five days in the life of an average, functional family form the basis of this universally appealing French comedy spanning the decade of the…
Flame and CitronFlame and Citron (2008)
Dir. Ole Christian Madsen
Feat. Thure Lindhardt, Mads Mikkelsen, Stine Stengade
Lavishly–appointed wartime thriller based on the true story of contrasting Danish resistance fighters as they take vengeance on the occupying…
Forbidden Legend, The - Sex & Chopsticks 1 & 2Forbidden Legend, The - Sex & Chopsticks 1 & 2 (2008-2009)
Dir. Man Kei Chin
Feat. Hikaru Wakana, Kaera Uehara, Tam Kon Chung
Oriental comedy smut by way of the SEX AND ZEN legacy is a hilarious tale of an ancient sexologist's son whose 'iron dick' must remain firmly in his…
Fred Vargas Collection (TV Series)Fred Vargas Collection (TV Series) (2008-2010)
Dir. Josee Dayan
Feat. Jean-Hugues Anglade, Helene Fillieres, Charlotte Rampling
Four excellent French TV adaptations of crime fiction novelist Fred Vargas' popular policiers, with her famous protagonist, Detective Adamsberg, a…
Giovanna's FatherGiovanna's Father (2008)
Dir. Pupi Avati
Feat. Silvio Orlando, Francesca Neri, Alba Rohrwacher
Set during the second world ward this is a sad character study of a naive father who covers for his daughter's terrible crime.
Go FastGo Fast (2008)
Dir. Olivier Van Hoofstadt
Feat. Roschdy Zem, Olivier Gourmet
An exciting, if standard issue Gallic policier set around the high–stakes world of narcotics, where an Arab police officer goes undercover to…
GomorrahGomorrah (2008) Recommended
Dir. Matteo Garrone
Feat. Toni Servillo, Gianfelice Imparato, Maria Nazionale
Justifiably celebrated, this ruthless expose of the Camorra underworld in Naples paints a stark and brutal picture of organised crime through five…
Good, the Bad, the Weird, TheGood, the Bad, the Weird, The (2008)
Dir. Ji-woon Kim
Feat. Kang-ho Song, Byung-hun Lee, Woo-sung Jung
The high–end stylist behind Korean box office hits A BITTERSWEET LIFE and A TALE OF TWO SISTERS, dir. Kim Ji–woon flavours this eastern…
Headless Woman, TheHeadless Woman, The (2008) Recommended
Dir. Lucrecia Martel
Feat. María Onetto, Claudia Cantero, César Bordón
A mystery surrounding a woman's hit and run accident – and whether she in fact killed someone – is the riveting hook of this oblique,…
Her Whole Life AheadHer Whole Life Ahead (Tutta La Vita Davanti) (2008)
Dir. Paolo Virzi
Feat. Isabella Ragonese, Micaela Ramazzotti, Giulia Salerno
A brilliant recent graduate struggles to find work. After falling into a babysitting job, she is introduced by the child's mother to the world of the…
HoneyHoney (Bal) (2008)
Dir. Semih Kaplanoglu
Feat. Bora Altas, Erdal Besikçioglu, Tülin Özen
A gorgeous, contemplative coming–of–age tale, centred on a young boy and his father, a rural beekeeper, in an idyllic mountainous region…
I've Loved You So LongI've Loved You So Long (Il y a longtemps que je t'aime) (2008) Aro Favourite
Dir. Philippe Claudel
Feat. Kristin Scott Thomas, Elsa Zylberstein, Serge Hazanavicius
Gratifying, melancholy French drama featuring a career–best performance by Kristen Scott–Thomas as an enigmatic woman struggling to fit…
IchiIchi (2008)
Dir. Fumisiko Sori
Feat. Haruka Ayase, Shido Nakamura, Yôsuke Kubozuka
ZATOICHI spin–off turns tradition on its head by casting a woman in the role of a blind singer who also happens to be handy with a samurai…
Il DivoIl Divo (The Deity) (2008) Recommended
Dir. Paolo Sorrentino
Feat. Toni Servillo, Anna Bonaiuto, Flavio Bucci
Dazzling, high–end political intrigue from dir. of CONSEQUENCES OF LOVE speculates on the years following Giulio Andreotti’s seventh term as…
Ip ManIp Man (2008) Recommended
Dir. Wilson Yip
Feat. Donnie Yen, Simon Yam, Siu-Wong Fan
Kung fu stalwart Donnie Yen assumes the legend of Ip Man, celebrated master of the rare and deadly form of martial arts, Wing Chun (later adopted by…
Italian Film Festival Collection, The - 2008Italian Film Festival Collection, The - 2008 (2008) Recommended
Comprehensive box–set collection of 13 of the best Italian films featured at the 'Italian Film Festival 2008' spread over 6 discs. Films…
JerusalemaJerusalema (2008)
Dir. Ralph Ziman
Feat. Daniel Buckland, Robert Hobbs
A punchy, gun–toting gangland epic following the rise to two Soweto teenagers seduced by crime and violence in South Africa. Although…
K-20 - Legend Of The MaskK-20 - Legend Of The Mask (2008)
Dir. Shimako Sato
Feat. Takeshi Kaneshiro, Takako Matsu, Tôru Nakamura
An adventurous Japanese swashbuckler spun around a flamboyant mtaster thief who steals from the rich, and the unassuming acrobat (Kaneshiro) who is…
KrabatKrabat (2008)
Dir. Marco Kreuzpaintner
Feat. David Kross, Daniel Bruhl, Christian Redl
Faustian fantasy centred around a teenager who is lured into joining an elite circle of black magic practitioners in 18th Century Germany. A…
L Change the World L Change the World (2008)
Dir. Hideo Nakata
Feat. Ken'ichi Matsuyama, Youki Kudoh
Sugar–rushing spinoff of the Japanese sci–fi DEATH NOTE films, from the director of THE RING, picking up with detective 'L' attempting to…
Lady Cop and Papa CrookLady Cop and Papa Crook (Daai Sau cha Ji Neui) (2008)
Dir. Siu Fai Mak, Felix Chong
Feat. Eason Chang, Sammi Cheng, Tak-bun Wong
An oil kingpin (Chang) finds himself in alliance with a cop (Cheng) when his son is kidnapped, resulting in an uneasy relationship between the law…
Last PulcinellaLast Pulcinella (L'ultimo Pulcinella) (2008)
Dir. Maurizio Scaparro
Feat. Massimo Ranieri, Adriana Asti, Jean Sorel
A struggling actor travels to France to find his estranged son who has fled after witnessing a mob crime.
Last Stop 174Last Stop 174 (2008)
Dir. Bruno Barreto
Feat. Michel Gomes, Cris Vianna, Marcello Melo Junior
Adrenalised dramatisation of the infamous bus–hijacking examines the life of the troubled young hijacker. As an action film this is…
Lemon TreeLemon Tree (Etz Limon) (2008) Recommended
Dir. Eran Riklis
Feat. Hiam Abbass, Doron Tavory, Ali Suliman
An out–of–bounds lemon tree poses as a metaphorical olive branch in this heartfelt Israeli–Palestinian fable. When a…
Let The Right One In Let The Right One In (2008) Aro Favourite
Dir. Tomas Alfredson
Feat. Kåre Hedebrant, Lina Leandersson, Per Ragnar
Sending many critics into raptures as a vampire flick to finally get excited about, this frost–bitten Swedish entry mixes social realism with…
LOLLOL (2008)
Dir. Lisa Azuelos
Feat. Christa Theret, Sophie Marceau
Sassy French comedy stars Sophie Marceau as the loving, long–suffering mother of a rebellious teen lass.
Louise - MichelLouise - Michel (2008) Aro Favourite
Dir. Benoit Delepine, Gustave Kervern
Feat. Yolande Moreau, Bouli Lanners, Benoit Poelvoorde
A black comedy treasure about a newly redundant factory worker who hires a dodgy hit man to take out her rich employers. The trouble starts when the…
M.W.M.W. (2008)
Dir. Hitoshi Iwamoto
Feat. Hiroshi Tamaki, Yamada Takayuki
Osamu Tezuka’s manga about plot to unleash nerve gas on Japan receives a big–budget makeover. Simple–minded action vehicle is all about…
Machine Girl, TheMachine Girl, The (2008)
Dir. Noboru Iguchi
Feat. Minase Yashiro, Asami Miyajima
Brainless ultra–violence combines straighforward revenge narrative with a novelty twist: a plucky schoolgirl, whose stand against local…
Maid, TheMaid, The (2008) Recommended
Dir. Sebastián Silva
Feat. Catalina Saavedra
The complex emotional attachment of a loyal live–in maid to the family she's served for more than twenty years is at the heart of this sly,…
Man Who Loves, TheMan Who Loves, The (2008)
Dir. Maria Sole Tognazzi
Feat. Pierfrancesco Favino, Monica Bellucci, Kseniya Rappoport
Melodramatic exploration of a heterosexual man's troubled relationships in comparison to his gay brother's blissful monogamy.
MartyrsMartyrs (2008)
Dir. Pascal Laugier
Feat. Morjana Alaoui, Mylène Jampanoï, Catherine Bégin
You, the viewer, may feel martyred after enduring this unremittingly bleak French horror focused on a pair of unhinged women who seek revenge on the…
Max Manus: Man of WarMax Manus: Man of War (2008) Recommended
Dir. Joachim Roenning, Espen Sandberg
Feat. Aksel Hennie, Agnes Kittelsen, Nicolai Cleve Broch
Rousing wartime actioner chronicles the exploits of irrepressible Norwegian resistance hero Max Manus, whose sabotaging of the Nazi’s stampede…
Me TwoMe Two (La Personne Aux Deux Personnes) (2008)
Dir. Bruno Lavaine, Nicolas Charlet
Feat. Daniel Auteuil, Alain Chabat
This French farce sets up a straight–laced, friendless accountant for possession by the spirit of an 80s one–hit–wonder, with…
MesrineMesrine (Killer Instinct, Public Enemy Number 1) (2008)
Dir. Jean-François Richet
Feat. Vincent Cassel, Cecile De France, Gerard Depardieu
Effective, if at times highly sensationalised biopic of career criminal Jacques Mesrine – France’s ‘Public Enemy #1’ throughout the 1960s and…
Mid-August LunchMid-August Lunch (2008) Recommended
Dir. Gianni Di Gregorio
Feat. Gianni Di Gregorio, Valeria De Franciscis, Marina Cacciotti
A comedy of manners and good taste in form and content, this soulful comedy sets up a middle–aged man forced to play host to a gaggle of…
Miracle of BerlinMiracle of Berlin (Das Wunder von Berlin) (2008)
Dir. Roland Suso Richter
Feat. Kostja Ullmann, Karoline Herfurth, Veronica Ferres
Ambitious telemovie set in Berlin, 1988, where a rebellious young man is forced by his father – a high–ranking Stasi officer – to…
Modern LifeModern Life (La vie moderne) (2008) Recommended
Dir. Raymond Depardon
A winding, mournful documentary on the stoicism and fading way of life of several generations of farmers and farmer families in contemporary rural…
MR 73MR 73 (The Last Deadly Mission) (2008) Recommended
Dir. Olivier Marchal
Feat. Daniel Auteuil, Olivia Bonamy, Philippe Nahon
Rock solid policier stars Daniel Auteuil as a drunken, burnt–out cop whose shot at redemption comes in the form of a woman requiring protection…
My Friends My LovesMy Friends My Loves (Mes amis, mes amours) (2008)
Dir. Lorraine Levy
Feat. Vincent Lindon, Pascal Elbé, Virginie Ledoyen
A buddy movie for middle–aged divorcees, this lightweight odd–coupling follows two Parisian single dads who decide to raise their…
Nazi Number One: Herman GöringNazi Number One: Herman Göring (2008)
Dir. Guido Knopp
German director Guido Knopp continues his straightforward, biography–centric investigations into all things Nazi with this documentary on…
Necessities of Life, TheNecessities of Life, The (2008)
Dir. Benoit Pilon
Feat. Natar Ungalaaq, Paul-André Brasseur, Eveline Gelinas
This warmhearted tale of a consumptive Inuit hunter who gets sent to Quebec for treatment is an insightful celebration of Inuit tradtion, yet the…
North FaceNorth Face (Nordwand) (2008) Aro Favourite
Dir. Philipp Stölzl
Feat. Benno Fürmann, Florian Lukas
Exceptionally vivid, nerve–wracking mountaineering thriller in which two novice climbers attempt to be the first to scale the treacherous north…
Ong-Bak 2Ong-Bak 2 (Ong-Bak 2: The Beginning) (2008)
Dir. Tony Jaa, Panna Rittikrai
Feat. Tony Jaa, Sorapong Chatree, Sarunyu Wongkrachang
Heavy–handed follow–up to the decade’s best martial arts movie, co–directed by and starring ONG–BAK’s Tony Jaa as a…
Otto; Or, Up With Dead PeopleOtto; Or, Up With Dead People (Otto: Or Up With Dead People) (2008)
Dir. Bruce LaBruce
Watchably pretentious piece of repugnant fare from provocative director LaBruce, this time following a gay zombie who must de–code his sordid…
Our Beloved Month of AugustOur Beloved Month of August (Aquele Querido Mês de Agosto) (2008) Recommended
Dir. Miguel Gomes
Feat. Sonia Bandeira, Fabio Oliveira
Beautifully idiosyncratic film blending documentary with drama, from distinctive Portuguese director Miguel Gomes (TABU). A summery and romantic…
Pain in the Ass, APain in the Ass, A (L'emmerdeur) (2008)
Dir. Francis Veber
Feat. Richard Berry, Patrick Timsit, Pascal Elbé
Fast–paced black comedy arises out of an unlikely friendship between a hitman and a depressive who find themselves sharing hotels. Based on…
Palermo ShootingPalermo Shooting (2008)
Dir. Wim Wenders
Feat. Campino , Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Dennis Hopper
A wild–living, world renowned German photographer travels to Sicily seeking a break from his past and encounters a beautiful woman and Dennis…
Paris Paris (2008)
Dir. Cedric Klapisch
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Romain Duris, Mélanie Laurent
A sweet–natured, if rather slight romantic dramedy, weaving in and out of the lives of a diverse set of heart–worn and heart–won…
Paris 36Paris 36 (Faubourg 36) (2008)
Dir. Christophe Barratier
Feat. Gerard Jugnot, Clovis Cornillac, Kad Merad
This period 30s French drama is set in a struggling music hall that seems destined for closure until a new star comes along to save the day. A love…
Peaceful TimesPeaceful Times (Friedliche Zeiten) (2008)
Dir. Neele Leana Vollmar
Feat. Katharina M. Schubert, Oliver Stokowski, Nina Monka
A sweet, if slender trip back to 1960s West Germany, where a mother's mental health issues are remembered from the naive, but loving perspective of…
Protectors, The (TV Series)Protectors, The (TV Series) (2008) Recommended
Feat. Cecilie Stenspil, Søren Vejby, André Babikian
Stellar Danish production centred on a group of professional bodyguards assigned to protect VIPs, politicians, and heads of state out of Copenhagen.…
Red Baron, TheRed Baron, The (Der rote Baron) (2008)
Dir. Nikolai Müllerschön
Feat. Maxim Mehmet, Til Schweiger, Joseph Fiennes
Biographical melodrama focused around Baron Manfred von Richthofen, the celebrated showboating WW1 pilot. Thrilling airborne set–pieces make up…
Red CliffRed Cliff (The Battle of Red Cliff) (2008) Recommended
Dir. John Woo
Feat. Tony Leung (Chiu-wai), Takeshi Kaneshiro, Fengyi Zhang
A gargantuan Han Dynasty epic from Hong Kong's action movie grandmaster, John Woo, in which two kingdoms must form an unlikely alliance to stave off…
Rest of the Night, TheRest of the Night, The (Il resto della notte ) (2008)
Dir. Francesco Munzi
Feat. Sandra Ceccarelli, Aurelien Recoing, Stefano Cassetti
When the depressed wife of a provincial industrialist becomes convinced that her young Romanian maid is swiping valuable objects from around the…
RevancheRevanche (2008) Recommended
Dir. Gotz Spielmann
Feat. Johannes Krisch, Irina Potapenko, Andreas Lust
A botched bank robbery resulting in the death of a prostitute compels an embittered ex–con to contemplate revenge in this steely, impressive…
Rosario + Vampire (TV Series)Rosario + Vampire (TV Series) (Rozario To Banpaia) (2008)
Tskune accidentally gets on a bus to a school of monsters.
Rudo and CursiRudo and Cursi (Rudo y Cursi) (2008) Recommended
Dir. Carlos Cuarón
Feat. Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna
The charismatic stars and co–writer of Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN reunite in this biting satire about two brothers from rural stock who have an intense…
RumbaRumba (2008)
Dir. Fiona Gordon, Dominique Abel
Feat. Dominique Abel, Fiona Gordon, Bruno Romy
Fiona Gordon and Dominique Abel co–wrote, directed and star in this delightful film about a pair of rumba–loving weirdos whose lives…
SaunaSauna (2008)
Dir. Antti-Jussi Annila
Feat. Ville Virtanen, Tommi Eronen, Viktor Klimenko
Something of a hybrid of the historical epic and ghost story, this unique genre entry from Finland concerns two brothers haunted by a young girl whom…
Scorsese: My Voyage Through Italian Cinema Scorsese: My Voyage Through Italian Cinema (2008)
Dir. Martin Scorsese
7–disc collection of Italian films that continue to influence and inspire acclaimed director Martin Scorsese over the years. Includes Luchino…
SeraphineSeraphine (2008)
Dir. Martin Provost
Feat. Yolande Moreau, Ulrich Tukur, Anne Bennent
Intimate, Cesar–winning portrait of troubled French artist Seraphine de Senlis, a little–known painter who worked as an impoverished…
ShirinShirin (2008)
Dir. Abbas Kiarostami
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Leila Hatami
From Abbas Kiarostami's avant–grade phase, this non–narrative tableaux of Iranian actresses (and one Juliette Binoche) enthralled by a…
Silent LightSilent Light (Stellet licht) (2008) Aro Favourite
Dir. Carlos Reygadas
Mexican filmmaker Carlos Reygadas (JAPON, BATTLE IN HEAVEN) helms his third feature with maturity and restraint, offering a striking, earthbound…
Silent WeddingSilent Wedding (2008)
Dir. Horatio Malaele
Feat. Meda Andreea Victor, Alexandru Potocean, Valentin Teodosiu
Gentle comedy of a bride and groom whose wedding is interrupted by the death of Stalin, and the period of one weeks mourning effective immediately.…
Simone Young - To Hamburg From Downunder  Simone Young - To Hamburg From Downunder (2008)
Dir. Ralf Pleger
Perceptive documentary following renowned Australian conductor and Sydney Opera House Director Simone Young on her return journey from Europe to…
Sin NombreSin Nombre (Without Name) (2008) Aro Favourite
Dir. Cary Joji Fukunaga
Feat. Paulina Gaitan, Edgar Flores
Honduran teenagers brave Mexican gangs and border patrols as they attempt to illegally emigrate to the US in this superbly mounted,…
Sky Crawlers, TheSky Crawlers, The (2008)
Dir. Mamoru Oshii
Mamoru Oshii’s (GHOST IN THE SHELL) latest head–scratcher conceives an alternate World War II–reality around another conceptually dense…
Sleep DealerSleep Dealer (2008)
Dir. Alex Rivera
Feat. Leonor Varela, Jacob Vargas, Luis Fernando Peña
Ideas over special effects characterise this Mexican sci–fi sleeper, where in the not–to–distant future cheap Hispanic labour is…
Song of Sparrows, TheSong of Sparrows, The (Âvâz-e gonjeshk-hâ) (2008)
Dir. Majid Majidi
Feat. Reza Naji
Iranian film following the life of a simple and contented ostrich farmer whose life changes dramatically when he loses his job and travels to Tehran…
Sorry If I Want to Marry YouSorry If I Want to Marry You (2008)
Dir. Federico Moccia
Feat. Raoul Bova, Michela Quattrociocche, Francesco Apolloni
Supremely frothy comedy about with a man's increasing insecurity about his relationship leads him to propose marriage setting off a comic chain of…
Speak To Me of LoveSpeak To Me of Love (Parlami d'amore ) (2008)
Dir. Silvio Muccino
Feat. Silvio Muccino, Carolina Crescentini, Aitana Sánchez-Gijón
Sasha is a boy in his twenties, deeply loving the beautiful Benedetta, who doesn't seem to recognize his existence. Nicole is a French woman in her…
Still WalkingStill Walking (2008) Aro Favourite
Dir. Kore-eda Hirokazu
Feat. Hiroshi Abe, You , Yui Natsukawa
A recently remarried son (Abe) pays visit to his quietly disapproving parents in this exquisitely observed family drama, shot in the tradition of…
Summer HoursSummer Hours (2008) Recommended
Dir. Olivier Assayas
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Charles Berling, Jeremie Renier
Three siblings deliberate over the family estate following the death of their mother in this subtle, gorgeously rendered meditation on ‘moving…
Super Comet, TheSuper Comet, The (Super Comet: After the Impact) (2008)
Dir. Stefan Schneider
This Discovery Channel special uses plenty of amazing FX and the helter–skelter tropes of docu–drama to explore the likely…
Sword Of The StrangerSword Of The Stranger (Sutorenjia: Mukô Hadan) (2008)
Dir. Masahiro Andô
Ferocious feature–length anime sees a young boy and his dog accompany a nameless samurai as they try to escape relentless Ming warriors. A…
Tears for SaleTears for Sale (Charleston and Vendetta) (2008) Recommended
Dir. Uros Stojanovic
Feat. Katarina Radivojevic, Sonja Kolacaric
The sombre title belies what is in fact a joyously bawdy Balkan fairytale that blends fantastical folklore, striking burlesque visuals and ample…
Three KingdomsThree Kingdoms (Resurrection of the Dragon) (2008)
Dir. Daniel Lee
Feat. Andy Lau, Sammo Hung, Maggie Q
Rousing take on a Chinese literary classic rehashes the legendary Han Dynasty power struggle between three warring kingdoms (recently given the royal…
Three MonkeysThree Monkeys (2008)
Dir. Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Feat. Yavuz Bingol, Hatice Aslan, Ahmet Rifat Sungar
A brooding detective story from Turkish auteur Nuri Bilge Ceylan, about a wealthy businessman who bribes one of his underlings to take the wrap for a…
Tokyo Gore PoliceTokyo Gore Police (2008)
Dir. Yoshihiro Nishimura
Feat. Eihi Shiina, Itsuji Ltao, Yukihide Benny
Trashy, imaginative Japanese gore fest aims to out–splatter Peter Jackson’s BRAINDEAD with its outrageous hybrid of ROBOCOP and…
Tokyo SonataTokyo Sonata (2008) Recommended
Dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Feat. Teruyuki Kagawa, Kyôko Koizumi, Yû Koyanagi
A devastating contemporary drama from the master of modern malaise, this piercing study of social collapse focuses on an downsized Japanese corporate…
Tony ManeroTony Manero (2008) Recommended
Dir. Pablo Larrain
Feat. Alfredo Castro, Paola Lattus, Héctor Morales
Unsettling drama set against the Pinochet regime in Chile in 1978, where a psychopathic disco fan steals and kills in an effort to become the…
Treeless MountainTreeless Mountain (2008) Recommended
Dir. So Yong Kim
Feat. Hee-yeon Kim, Song-hee Kim, Mi-hyang Kim
Korean–American So Yong Kim directs this moderate, heartfelt drama of two sisters, aged 3 and 6 respectively, who are abandoned by their mother…
TulpanTulpan (2008) Recommended
Dir. Sergey Dvortsevoy
Feat. Askhat Kuchinchirekov
A goofy love story is eked out of this astonishing account of nomadic life, where a family not only survive but relish sheep and goat herding on the…
Ugly MelanieUgly Melanie (Vilaine) (2008)
Dir. Jean-Patrick Benes, Allan Mauduit
Feat. Marilou Berry, Frédérique Bel
Mild black comedy set in a world of beauty or death, where ugly Melanie (Berry, not really ugly at all) plots a series of contrived punishments for…
Un Secret Un Secret (2008)
Dir. Claude Miller
Feat. Cecile De France, Ludivine Sagnier, Julie Depardieu
Graceful, poignant French wartime drama centred on the son of a Jewish family who uncovers a piece of unsettling family history at the time of the…
Underdog Knight, TheUnderdog Knight, The (Ying Han) (2008)
Dir. Sheng Ding
Feat. Ye Liu, Yong You, Anthony Wong
An offbeat, anti–heroic character study out of mainland China, in which a self–styled martial arts pretender lands a job as bodyguard for…
Wave, TheWave, The (Die Welle) (2008) Recommended
Dir. Dennis Gansel
Feat. Jürgen Vogel, Frederick Lau, Max Riemelt
Based on a true incident in the US in the early 1970's to practically illustrate the machinations of Nazi propaganda, a school teacher's unorthodox…
Welcome to the SticksWelcome to the Sticks (Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis) (2008)
Dir. Dany Boon
Feat. Kad Merad, Dany Boon, Zoé Félix
Actor Dany Boon, best known for MY BEST FRIEND, co–wrote and directed this similar comedy about a post–office manager who is, er, posted…
What No One KnowsWhat No One Knows (Det som ingen ved) (2008)
Dir. Søren Kragh-Jacobsen
Feat. Anders W. Berthelsen, Maria Bonnevie, Ghita Norby
Knife–edged political thriller sees a middle–aged family man uncover his father’s shady involvement in military intelligence after his…
Wild BloodWild Blood (Sanguepazzo) (2008)
Dir. Marco Tullio Giordana
Feat. Monica Bellucci, Alessio Boni, Luca Zingaretti
Compelling melodrama traces the rise and fall of two movie stars who embrace Fascism under Mussolini's Italy.
Wild GrassWild Grass (Les Herbes Folles) (2008) Recommended
Dir. Alain Resnais
Feat. Andre Dussollier, Sabine Azema, Emmanuelle Devos
A masterful light–footed comedy of the surreal from veteran French dir. Alain Resnais, centered on a missing wallet responsible for triggering…
Winter in WartimeWinter in Wartime (2008)
Dir. Martin Koolhoven
Feat. Martijn Lakemeier, Yorick van Wageningen, Jamie Campbell Bower
Sensitively handled account of a thirteen year old boy who joins the Dutch resistance at the tail end of World War II.
Wushu - The Young GenerationWushu - The Young Generation (2008)
Dir. Antony Szeto
Feat. Sammo Hung, Fengchao Liu, Wenjie Wang
Under the auspices of genre legends Sammo Hung and Jackie Chan (in producing role), this standard–issue kung fu flick introduces a bevy a…
X-Plicit FilmsX-Plicit Films (X-Femmes) (2008)
Dir. Lola Doillon, Mélanie Laurent, Helena Noguerra
Ten erotic, female–friendly shorts commissioned as part of French TV series 'X–Femmes', with actress Melanie Laurent (INGLOURIOUS…
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (4 luni, 3 saptamâni si 2 zile) (2007) Recommended
Dir. Cristian Mungiu
Feat. Anamaria Marinca, Laura Vasiliu
Two women risk seeking an illegal abortion under Ceausescu rule in this staggering, high tension Cannes–winner from Romania. Reminiscent of…
After HimAfter Him (Après lui) (2007)
Dir. Gaël Morel
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Guy Marchand
Unsettlingly intimate French drama stars Catherine Deneuve as a devastated mother who obsessively channels her dead son by using his best friend as a…
AmalAmal (2007) Recommended
Dir. Richie Mehta
Feat. Rupinder Nagra
A stoic tale of hardship and humanity in New Dehli, centred on an upstanding rickshaw driver whose code of honesty and responsibility sees a dying…
An Old MistressAn Old Mistress (Une vieille maîtresse/The Last Mistress) (2007) Recommended
Dir. Catherine Breillat
Feat. Asia Argento, Fu’ad Ait Aattou, Caroline Ducey
Fervent, visually opulent costume drama finds feminist firebrand Catherine Breillat tempering her sexually explicit tendencies to present a…
AngelAngel (2007)
Dir. Francois Ozon
Feat. Charlotte Rampling, Sam Neill, Lucy Russell
Pretty costume drama follows the fortunes of an aspiring lady writer in Edwardian England. Based on the novel by Elizabeth Taylor (MRS PALFREY AT…
Apartment 1303Apartment 1303 (2007)
Dir. Ataru Oikawa
Feat. Noriko Nakagoshi
A woman is led to investigates a series of suicides in an apartment after her sister moves in and then throws herself off the balcony during her…
Appleseed Ex MachinaAppleseed Ex Machina (2007)
Dir. Shinji Aramaki
Propulsive, bulked–up sequel to the hi–tech APPLESEED movie, continuing the exploits of its kiss–ass female heroine, now deployed…
AssemblyAssembly (2007)
Dir. Feng Xiaoning
Feat. Hanyu Zhang
Searing Chinese war drama set during the country's last days of Civil war, in which a courageous army captain fights tooth and nail to stave off a…
Band's Visit, The Band's Visit, The (Bikur Ha-Tizmoret) (2007) Recommended
Dir. Eran Kolirin
Sweet and sensitive Israeli comedy following an Egyptian police band who get way laid in a small Israeli town and unexpectedly break down cultural…
Banishment, TheBanishment, The (2007)
Dir. Andrei Zvyagintsev
Feat. Konstantin Lavronenko, Maria Bonnevie
A discordant marriage is framed against a breathtaking visual backdrop in this grand and elemental narrative from the dir. of the equally masterful…
Ben XBen X (2007)
Dir. Nic Balthazar
Feat. Greg Timmermans, Marijke Pinoy, Laura Verlinden
A provocative Dutch drama of 21st century teen angst, centred on an Asperger’s Syndrome–afflicted gamer whose addiction to online…
Big Man JapanBig Man Japan (Dai-Nipponjin) (2007) Aro Favourite
Dir. Hitoshi Matsumoto
Feat. Hitoshi Matsumoto
A genuine inductee to the 'Incredibly Strange' hall of fame, this gonzo monster mash bounds between deadpan mock–u–mentary following the…
Black Belt Black Belt (Kuro-obi) (2007)
Dir. Shunichi Nagasaki
Feat. Akihito Yagi, Tatsuya Naka
Defence meets attack in this measured martial arts drama set in 1930s Japan, in which two karate experts (played by real–life karate pros) take…
Blind MountainBlind Mountain (2007) Recommended
Dir. Yang Li
Feat. Huang Lu
A superbly executed kidnapping drama that’s also surprisingly achieved given its critical portrait of Chinese society, this concerns the heinous…
CaramelCaramel (Sukkar banat) (2007) Recommended
Dir. Nadine Labaki
Feat. Nadine Labaki
Charming Lebanese soap opera with a social conscience, the latest in an emerging wave of dissenting Middle Eastern dramas divulges the stifled lives…
Celebration: Yves Saint LaurentCelebration: Yves Saint Laurent (2007)
Dir. Olivier Meyrou
Intimate portrait of Yves Saint–Laurent, focussing on the legendary fashion designer's final show, as well as his complex relationship with…
Chacun Son CinemaChacun Son Cinema (To Each His Own Cinema) (2007) Recommended
Dir. Theo Angelopoulos, Olivier Assayas, Bille August
35 auteurs convey the meaning of cinema in less than three minutes each, in this epic commission to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Cannes Film…
Chaotic Ana Chaotic Ana (Caótica Ana) (2007)
Dir. Julio Medem
Feat. Charlotte Rampling, Gerrit Graham, Manuela Vellés
Spanish auteur Julio Medem (SEX AND LUCIA) returns with this abstractly ambitious, idiosyncratic undertaking, meshing the self–exploration of a…
Checkmate ProvenzanoCheckmate Provenzano (2007)
Dir. Claudio Mariano Cirino, Paolo Santolini
Detailed docu–drama recreates the last few months in hiding of notorious Mafia don Bernardo Provenzano whose capture after forty–three…
ChrysalisChrysalis (2007)
Dir. Julien Leclercq
Feat. Albert Dupontel, Marie Guillard, Marthe Keller
Relentless French sci–fi flick shot in gun–metal blue and packed with fine examples of classic and contemporary science–fictional…
City of MenCity of Men (Cidade dos Homens) (2007) Recommended
Dir. Paulo Morelli
Feat. Douglas Silva, Darlan Cunha
Salty Rio back–blocks melodrama from the producers of CITY OF GOD revolving around two orphaned street kids on the brink of adulthood faced…
Concrete Romance Concrete Romance (Cemento armato) (2007)
Dir. Marco Martani
Feat. Nicolas Vaporidis, Giorgio Faletti, Carolina Crescentini
Brutal Italian thriller focused on a young petty crim unwittingly caught up in a deadly revenge plot by a Mafia kingpin after damaging his…
Counterfeiters, The Counterfeiters, The (Die Fälscher) (2007)
Dir. Stefan Ruzowitzky
Feat. Karl Markovics, Devid Striesow
An Oscar–winner for Best Foreign Language film, this taut German thriller reconstructs the story of a Jewish fraudster forced to assist the…
Crows O Crows O (Kurôzu zero) (2007) Aro Favourite
Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Shun Oguri, Kishitani Goro, Yamada Takayuki
Irresistibly entertaining manga adaptation from the genius director of ICHI THE KILLER, presenting the first in a series of Japanese action films…
Days and CloudsDays and Clouds (2007) Recommended
Dir. Silvio Soldini
Feat. Margherita Buy, Antonio Albanese, Giuseppe Battiston
Resonating drama about a well–heeled, sophisticated couple who struggle to stay together after the husband loses his job. The dir. of BREAD…
Debt, TheDebt, The (Ha Hov) (2007)
Dir. Assaf Bernstein
Feat. Gila Almagor, Yuriy Chepurnov, Oleg Drach
Unsettling thriller with a retired Mossad agent, whose Nazi–hunting past comes back to haunt her and her fellow agents.
Dinner Guest, The Dinner Guest, The (L'Invité) (2007)
Dir. Laurent Bouhnik
Feat. Daniel Auteuil, Valérie Lemercier, Thierry Lhermitte
The side order of French fries to THE DINNER GAME’s comedic cassoulet, this overly contrived yet lightly amusing farce serves up a…
DisengagementDisengagement (2007)
Dir. Amos Gitai
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Jeanne Moreau, Liron Levo
Juliette Binoche plays a French–Israeli settler in Gaza who must return to the West Bank following Israel’s pullout from the occupied…
Diving Bell and the Butterfly, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, The (Le Scaphandre et Le Papillon) (2007) Aro Favourite
Dir. Julian Schnabel
Feat. Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner, Marie-Josee Croze
Justly celebrated adaptation of the autobiography of the late Jean–Dominique Bauby, who enjoyed the high life as editor of Elle magazine before…
Don't Touch the AxeDon't Touch the Axe (Duchess of Langeais, The) (2007)
Dir. Jacques Rivette
Feat. Jeanne Balibar, Guillaume Depardieu, Bulle Ogier
A duchess and a general play out an unusual courtship in this engrossing period chamber piece, elevated by the superb interplay between the two…
DororoDororo (2007) Recommended
Dir. Akihiko Shiota
Feat. Ko Shibasaki, Satoshi Tsumabuki
Electrifying action fantasy based on a manga comic by the grandfather of Anime – Osamu Tezuka (ASTRO BOY), in which an abandoned samurai's son…
Drummer, The Drummer, The (Zhan. gu) (2007)
Dir. Kenneth Bi
Feat. Tony Leung (Kar-fai), Kenneth Tsang, Jaycee Chan
Visually enticing martial arts drama of a self–indulgent son sent into the Taiwanese mountains to escape gangland city retribution, who ends up…
Edge of Heaven, The Edge of Heaven, The (Auf der anderen Seite) (2007) Recommended
Dir. Fatih Akin
Feat. Hanna Schygulla
Prompted by family upheaval, a university professor reconnects with his native Turkey, and other disparate lost souls, in this dramatic tapestry of…
Elite SquadElite Squad (Tropa de Elite) (2007)
Dir. José Padilha
Feat. Wagner Moura, Andre Ramiro, Caio Junqueira
Brawny South American policier centred on a special division of Brazilian drug enforcement at war with the drug lords of Rio de Janeiro. Stacked…
EmptiesEmpties (Vratné lahve) (2007)
Dir. Jan Sverak
Feat. Zdenek Sverak, Tatiana Vilhelmova, Daniela Kolarova
This cheeky Czech favourite comically indulges the disobedience of its retirement–aged protagonist, who, after losing his teaching position and…
Ex DrummerEx Drummer (2007) Recommended
Dir. Koen Mortier
Feat. Dries Van Hegen
Ultra–violent Belgian black comedy mines similar territory to MAN BITES DOG and IRREVERSIBLE, albeit with a slightly higher dose of absurdity…
Exodus Exodus (Cheut ai kup gei) (2007)
Dir. Pang Ho-Cheung
Feat. Simon Yam, Nick Cheung, Annie Liu
An indifferent Hong Kong detective slowly becomes convinced that women are conspiring to kill off the entire male species in this curious melange of…
Fear(s) of the DarkFear(s) of the Dark (Fears of the Dark, Peur(s) du noir) (2007) Aro Favourite
Dir. Blutch , Charles Burns, Marie Caillou
Six dynamic and distinct graphic artists illustrate various primordial phobias using only 'light and dark' in this impressive compendium of animated…
Fermat's RoomFermat's Room (La Habitación de Fermat) (2007) Recommended
Feat. Frederico Luppi
Four top mathematicians must solve a complex riddle in order to avoid being crushed to death by a shrinking room in this claustrophobic Spanish…
FighterFighter (2007)
Dir. Natasha Arthy
Feat. Semra Turan, Nima Nabipour, Cyron Bjørn Melville
Girls–can–do–anything drama focused around a young Turkish–Danish teenager who is determined to become a kung–fu…
Fighting Beat Fighting Beat (2007)
Dir. Piti Jaturaphat
Agile martial arts action flick based in a Thai street fighting bar renowned for its local competitors, who find themselves in a deadly fight for…
Flight of the Red Balloon, TheFlight of the Red Balloon, The (Le Voyage du Ballon Rouge) (2007) Recommended
Dir. Hou Hsiao-Hsien
Feat. Juliette Binoche
From Taiwanese grandmaster Hou Hsiao–hsien, this rhapsodic French sojourn evokes Albert Lamorisse’s enchanting 1956 short film, chronicling a…
Forever VespaForever Vespa (2007)
Dir. Pippo Cappellano, Marina Cappabianca
Engaging study of the well loved scooter doubles as a social study of post–war Italy and Europe. There's also some priceless archival footage…
Frontier(s)Frontier(s) (Frontiers) (2007)
Dir. Xavier Gens
Feat. Samuel Le Bihan
Bludgeoning sadistic fantasy, following in the footsteps of other French exponents of the rather unsavoury torture–porn mini–genre, this…
Genius PartyGenius Party (2007)
Dir. Atsuko Fukushima, Soji Yoshikawa, Shinji Kimura
Seven acclaimed contemporary anime directors direct seven shorts under the generous theme of 'The Spirit Of Creativity'. As with any short film…
Get Together Dinner, TheGet Together Dinner, The (La Ceno per Farli Conoscere) (2007)
Dir. Pupi Avati
Feat. Vanessa Incontrada, Diego Abatanthono, Violante Placido
Diverting comedy about three stepsisters playing cupid for their father, a jaded TV star whose career has seen better days. As lacerating as it is…
Girl by the Lake, TheGirl by the Lake, The (La ragazza del lago) (2007) Recommended
Dir. Andrea Molaioli
Feat. Toni Servillo, Denis Fasolo, Nello Mascia
A murder–mystery that swept Italy's Academy Awards set in an idyllic North Italian village where a beautiful young girl is found murdered.…
Grocer's Son, TheGrocer's Son, The (Le fils de l'épicier) (2007) Recommended
Dir. Eric Guirado
Feat. Nicolas Cazalé, Clotilde Hesme, Daniel Duval
Gentle coming–of–age story following Antoine, a self–centered young man living in Paris, who is forced to return to his provincial…
GuruGuru (2007) Recommended
Dir. Mani Ratnam
Feat. Aishwarya Rai, Mithun Chakraborty, Abhishek Bachchan
Rewarding rags–to–riches drama relates the story of an entrepreneurial young boy from a village in Gujarat who became the biggest…
Heartbeat DetectorHeartbeat Detector (La Question Humaine) (2007)
Dir. Nicolas Klotz
Feat. Mathieu Amalric, Michael Lonsdale, Lou Castel
A dense, demanding corporate thriller woven around a German multinational, whose human resources expert (Amalric), in investigating the mental state…
HellphoneHellphone (2007)
Dir. James Huth
Feat. Jean-Baptiste Maunier
Smitten with the school babe, a spotty teenager acquires an all–important cellphone, only to discover the handset is possessed and capable of…
Hunting and Gathering Hunting and Gathering (2007) Recommended
Dir. Claude Berri
Feat. Audrey Tautou, Guillaume Canet, Laurent Stocker
A waif–thin artist/cleaner (Tautou) gains a new lease on life after a chance encounter with a dignified stutterer in this heartwarming lost…
Il Dolce E L'AmaroIl Dolce E L'Amaro (The Sweet and The Bitter) (2007)
Dir. Andrea Porporati
Feat. Donatella Finocchiaro, Luigi Lo Cascio, Fabrizio Gifuni
Compact underworld drama peddles a familiar crime–doesn’t–pay theme in its story of a young man seduced by the Mafia, only to become…
In the City of Sylvia In the City of Sylvia (2007) Recommended
Dir. José Luis Guerín
Feat. Xavier Lafitte, Pilar López de Ayala
A bouquet of visual and aural pleasures, this sensually shot mood–piece follows an unnamed artist who in turn ‘stalks’ a fetching young…
Invisible TargetInvisible Target (Naam yi boon sik) (2007)
Dir. Benny Chan
Feat. Nicholas Tse, Jaycee Chan, Shawn Yue
Unyielding martial arts thriller rumbles with a group of detectives commissioned to take out a local Hong Kong mercenary gang. The expected ass…
Joy DivisionJoy Division (2007)
Dir. Reg Traviss
Feat. Ed Stoppard, Tom Schilling, Bernadette Heerwagen
Ed Stoppard, son of Sir Tom, stars as a young German boy who becomes a KGB agent in this ambitious wartime saga that sweeps from WWII to swinging,…
Just Another Love StoryJust Another Love Story (2007)
Dir. Ole Bornedal
Feat. Anders W. Berthelsen, Rebecka Hemse, Nikolaj Lie Kaas
An enjoyably overwrought Danish thriller with noir–ish aspirations, whose story revolves around a bored married man who assumes the identity of…
KaidanKaidan (2007)
Dir. Hideo Nakata
Feat. Kumiko Aso
Period J–horror from the director of THE RING relays the ghostly tale of a samurai’s son attempting to escape an ancient curse laid on his…
KatynKatyn (2007) Recommended
Dir. Andrzej Wajda
Feat. Maja Ostaszewska, Artur Żmijewski, Pawel Malaszynski
Andrzej Wajda cements himself as Poland’s greatest director with this late–career triumph, a war story addressing the eradication of some…
Killing, The - Complete Series Boxset (TV Series)Killing, The - Complete Series Boxset (TV Series) (Forbrydelsen) (2007-2012) Recommended
Feat. Sofie Grabol
The entire 40–episode story arc of the gripping Danish crime thriller – an immensely popular series synonymous with the 'Nordic Noir'…
Killing, The - Series 1 (TV Series)Killing, The - Series 1 (TV Series) (Forbrydelsen) (2007) Aro Favourite
Dir. Birger Larsen
Feat. Sofie Grabol, Søren Malling
A ripping Danish homicide serial in the long–form tradition of THE WIRE, which weaves a plot of intrigue, corruption, and bureaucracy around a…
King of the HillKing of the Hill (El Rey de la montaña) (2007) Recommended
Dir. Gonzalo López-Gallego
Feat. Leonardo Sbaraglia, Maria Valverde
A well–crafted, believable take on the lost–in–the–woods genre, about a man who follows an attractive stranger into the…
Kite Runner, TheKite Runner, The (2007) Recommended
Dir. Marc Forster
Feat. Khalid Abdalla, Homayon Ershadi, Shaun Toub
The ravages of Afghanistan and its effect on an American 'refugee' forms the basis of Khaled Hosseini's best–selling book, here given due…
Kung Fu DunkKung Fu Dunk (Gong fu guan lan) (2007)
Dir. Yen-ping Chu
Feat. Charlene Choi, Jay Chou, Eric Tsang
Inane sporting comedy about a skilled martial artist recruited to play basketball at the local university in return for help in finding his birth…
La Vie en RoseLa Vie en Rose (2007) Aro Favourite
Dir. Olivier Dahan
Feat. Marion Cotillard, Sylvie Testud, Emmanuelle Seigner
Marion Cotillard excels (and deservingly won a Best Actress Oscar) in this stunning new biopic of the life and times of French singer Edith…
La ZonaLa Zona (2007)
Dir. Rodrigo Plá
Feat. Daniel Giménez Cacho, Carlos Bardem, Daniel Tovar
Award winning, intensely scripted and thought provoking drama set in a wealthy Mexican compound where the residents have formed a vigilante group to…
Lark Farm, TheLark Farm, The (La Messeria Delle Allodole) (2007)
Dir. Paolo Taviani, Vittorio Taviani
Feat. Paz Vega, Arsinee Khanjian, Moritz Bleibtreu
One of a just a handful of film to deal with the Armenian Genocide, this matter–of–fact production bears witness to an upper–middle…
Lessons in ChocolateLessons in Chocolate (Lezioni di Cioccolato) (2007)
Dir. Claudio Cupellini
Feat. Luca Argentero, Violante Placido, Neri Marcore
A building contractor on the verge of closing his biggest deal to date finds his future jeopardized when an illegally hired worker is injured on the…
Let's SayLet's Say (On dirait que... ) (2007)
Dir. Françoise Marie
A sweetly humble documentary in the vein of ETRE ET AVOIR, involving a group of French kids aged 8–13 asked to portray their parents’ jobs…
Like Stars on EarthLike Stars on Earth (Taare Zameen Par) (2007)
Dir. Aamir Khan
Feat. Darsheel Safary, Aamir Khan, Tisca Chopra
Drama from Indian actor–director Aamir Khan (3 IDIOTS) following the life of an imaginative 8–year old boy with diagnosed dyslexia, who…
Lorna's SilenceLorna's Silence (Le Silence de Lorna) (2007)
Dir. Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne
Feat. Arta Dobroshi, Jeremie Renier, Fabrizio Rongione
Further tales of hardship from the Cannes–winning Dardenne brothers, concerning the plight of an Albanian woman seeking Belgian citizenship…
Lust, CautionLust, Caution (Se, Jie) (2007)
Dir. Ang Lee
Feat. Tony Leung (Chiu-wai), Joan Chen, Wei Tang
Dir. Ang Lee (BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN) returns to the mainland to present a slow–burn, psychologically dense and provocative spy thriller, based on…
Mad DetectiveMad Detective (2007)
Dir. Johnnie To, Wai Ka-Fai
Feat. Lau Ching-wan, Kelly Lin
Flawed yet watchable policier in which a faultily–wired, one–eared detective with psychic leanings (Lau) is brought in to help on a cold…
Maiko Haaaan!!!Maiko Haaaan!!! (2007)
Dir. Nobuo Mizuta
Feat. Sadao Abe, Shin'ichi Tsutsumi
An oddball slice of Japanese farce following an obsessed fan of geisha who competes with a fellow fan to win the affections of the girls at a geisha…
Man from London, TheMan from London, The (2007) Recommended
Dir. Bela Tarr
Feat. Miroslav Krobot, Tilda Swinton
Bela Tarr's dense, mesmeric imagery is married to the traditions of film noir in this strikingly opaque detective story, set on the weathered…
Manual of Love 2Manual of Love 2 (Capitoli successivi) (2007)
Dir. Giovanni Veronesi
Feat. Carlo Verdone, Monica Bellucci, Riccardo Scamarcio
Monica Bellucci climbs abroad in this wry sequel. Director Giovanni Veronesi delves once again into the mysterious recesses of the human heart and…
MetroMetro (2007)
Dir. Anurag Basu
Feat. Shilpa Shetty, Irfan Khan
Talk–of–the–town Shilpa Shetty (of Big Brother and Richard Gere controversy) plays a dissatisfied housewife in this collective of…
Mind the Gap Mind the Gap (Se upp för dårarna) (2007)
Dir. Helena Bergstrom
Feelgood coming–of–age comedy drama focused on two twenty–somethings from different backgrounds who form a solid friendship when…
MoliereMoliere (2007) Recommended
Dir. Laurent Tirard
Feat. Romain Duris, Fabrice Luchini, Laura Morante
Jaunty period rom–com in the spirit of SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE speculates on the creative catalysts for the comic masterpieces of famed French…
MongolMongol (2007) Recommended
Dir. Sergei Bodrov
Feat. Tadanobu Asano
A fiercely–mounted early history of Genghis Khan, from the Mongol leader’s childhood years through to his all–conquering warpath across…
Monkey Magic Monkey Magic (2007)
Enjoyable Japanese action based on the cult MONKEY! TV series, rejoining our adventurers as they travel into the mountains to recover a magical orb…
Muay Thai Chaiya BoxersMuay Thai Chaiya Boxers (Chaiya) (2007)
Dir. Kongkiat Khomsiri
Feat. Akara Amarttayakul, Sonthaya Chitmanee, Don Ferguson
Rough–and–tumble ONG–BAK impersonator centred on three country boys, trained in the unique ‘Chaiya’ Muay Thai discipline, who…
My Brother Is An Only ChildMy Brother Is An Only Child (Mio Fratello è Figlio Unico) (2007)
Dir. Daniele Luchetti
Feat. Elio Germano, Riccardo Scamarcio, Angela Finocchiaro
The struggle between popular Communist and Fascist groups in 60's Italy is the stage for this tale of hot–headed sibling and filial conflict.…
Night BusNight Bus (Notturno Bus) (2007)
Dir. Davide Marengo
Feat. Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Valerio Mastandrea
Fast paced comedy/thriller follows the misadventures of a petty thief, who gets more than she bargained for when she comes into possession of a…
NoodleNoodle (2007) Recommended
Dir. Ayelet Menahemi
Feat. Mili Avital, BaoQi Chen
Satisfying, well–realized tale of an Israeli flight attendant who becomes the reluctant guardian of a six–year–old Chinese boy…
O'HortenO'Horten (2007) Recommended
Dir. Bent Hamer
Feat. Baard Owe, Ghita Norby
The director of KITCHEN STORIES follows up with another comic delicacy about a 67–year–old engineer and his oddly challenging quest to…
Om Shanti OmOm Shanti Om (2007)
Dir. Farah Khan
Feat. Shahrukh Khan, Deepika Padukone
From the dir. of MAIN HOON NA, this super–lush, mega–lavish Bollywood spectacular tells the story of a love that overcomes death (through…
One Hundred NailsOne Hundred Nails (Centochidi) (2007)
Dir. Ermanno Olmi
Feat. Raz Degan, Luna Bendandi
Quiet, thoughtful drama involving a jaded professor who in a fit of apostasy flees to the countryside only to be taken for Jesus by the locals.
Orphanage, The Orphanage, The (El Orfanato) (2007) Aro Favourite
Dir. Juan Antonio Bayona
Feat. Belen Rueda, Geraldine Chaplin, Fernando Cayo
Exemplary exercise in suggestive horror storytelling from first time feature director Bayona, with Belen Rueda superb as a woman who returns to her…
PersepolisPersepolis (2007) Aro Favourite
Dir. Marjane Satrapi, Vincent Paronnaud
Exceptional black–and–white animated feature for adults based on the autobiographical graphic novel by Marjane Satrapi, who grew up in…
Roman De GareRoman De Gare (Crossed Tracks) (2007)
Dir. Claude Lelouch
Feat. Audrey Dana, Dominique Pinon, Fanny Ardant
Playfully pulpy French thriller from veteran director Claude Lelouch (A MAN AND A WOMAN) depicts the intersecting lives of two strangers oddly…
Romance Of Astrea and Ceadon, TheRomance Of Astrea and Ceadon, The (2007)
Dir. Eric Rohmer
Feat. Stéphanie Crayencour, Andy Gillet, Cécile Cassel
Eric Rohmer, master of the seasonal romantic tryst, steps out with this playful adaptation of a 17th century French novel, in which a handsome…
Rush HourRush Hour (The Trial Begins) (2007)
Dir. Vincenzo Marra
Feat. Michelle Lastella, Fanny Ardant, Giulia Bevilacqua
Tightly directed drama about the temptation of amoral manipulation. Italian tax official Filippo makes himself guilty of fraud and bribery to join…
SaawariyaSaawariya (Beloved) (2007)
Dir. Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Feat. Ranbir Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor
Notable for being the first mainstream Hindi movie to be funded by a U.S. studio, this stylistically decadent romance of unrequited love and desire…
Saturn in OppositionSaturn in Opposition (Saturno Contro) (2007)
Dir. Ferzan Ozpetek
Feat. Stefano Accorsi, Margherita Buy, Pierfrancesco Favino
Sensitive ensemble drama exploring the relationships of a group of friends who meet regularly for dinner. Ozpetek brings his characters…
Secret of the Grain, TheSecret of the Grain, The (Couscous) (2007)
Dir. Abdellatif Kechiche
Feat. Habib Boufares, Hafsia Herzi, Farida Benkhetache
Acclaimed French film siphons the daily trials and tribulations of a working class Arab clan, whose patriarch dreams of opening a restaurant…
Severed WaysSevered Ways (2007)
Dir. Tony Stone
Feat. Tony Stone, Fiore Tedesco, Gaby Hoffmann
On the coast of North America in AD 1007, two Norsemen are stranded when their expedition is attacked and they are left for dead. As they struggle to…
Shall We Kiss?Shall We Kiss? (Un baiser s'il vous plaît) (2007)
Dir. Emmanuel Mouret
Feat. Virginie Ledoyen, Emmanuel Mouret, Julie Gayet
Delicate French comedy focused on two strangers who share a romantic evening but stop short of a kiss on her opinion that there is no such thing 'as…
Siyama: Village of Warriors Siyama: Village of Warriors (2007)
Dir. Preecha Songsakul
Three teenagers travel back to the 18th century in their Toyota to lend a helping hand to villagers engaged in an epic battle with a callous Burmese…
Son Of A LionSon Of A Lion (2007)
Dir. Benjamin Gilmour
Feat. Niaz Khan Shinwari, Sher Alam Miskeen Ustad
Pertinent, courageous drama filmed entirely in the Pashtun tribal area, telling the story of a young Pakistani boy who yearns to go to school and…
Sovereign's Servant, TheSovereign's Servant, The (2007)
Dir. Oleg Ryaskov
Feat. Dmitriy Miller, Aleksandr Bukharov
Two French aristocrats are sent by Louis XIV to observe the Swedish and Russian armies just before the Battle of Poltava in this sweeping Russian…
Story of Richard O, The Story of Richard O, The (L' Histoire de Richard O) (2007)
Feat. Mathieu Amalric
Standing explicitly on the 'porn' side of the art–porn fence, sex addict Mathieu Amalric sates his carnal curiosity by getting off with a…
Stranded - The Andes Plane Crash Survivors Stranded - The Andes Plane Crash Survivors (2007) Aro Favourite
Inspiring first–hand account of the devastating ordeal suffered by members of a Uruguayan rugby team whose plane famously crashed in the Andes…
StrangersStrangers (2007)
Dir. Guy Nattiv, Erez Tadmor
Feat. Patrick Albenque, Lubna Azabal, Mila Dekker
Balancing hopeful romanticism with political realism, this fatalistic drama brings together an Israeli and Palestinian in Paris during the frenzy of…
Suso's TowerSuso's Tower (La Torre de Suso) (2007)
Dir. Tom Fernández
Feat. Javier Camara, Gonzalo de Castro, César Vea
Forced to return to his native Spain following the death of a friend, a hard–living man decides to fulfill his dead mate’s dream of…
Sword Of AlexanderSword Of Alexander (Taitei no ken) (2007)
Dir. Yukihiko Tsutsumi
Feat. Hiroshi Abe, Riki Takeuchi
Camp sword and sorcery pastiche mines the Japanese tradition for bizarre humour, genre–mincing, and spectacular overacting, with…
To The Limit To The Limit (Am Limit) (2007)
Dir. Pepe Danquart
Extreme sport doco, from the director of HELL ON WHEELS, following the lofty ambitions of two speed rock–climbing brothers attempting to summit…
Tonight, I'll Sleep At YoursTonight, I'll Sleep At Yours (Ce Soir, Je Dors Chez Toi) (2007)
Dir. Olivier Baroux
Feat. Jean-Paul Rouve, Mélanie Doutey, Kad Merad
Feather–light French comedy scripted around a stubborn commitment–phobe who goes to desperate extremes to retain both his freedom and…
Twice Upon a TimeTwice Upon a Time (Désaccord parfait) (2007)
Dir. Antoine de Caunes
Feat. Jean Rochefort, Charlotte Rampling, Isabelle Nanty
Agreeable Pan–Euro comedy recounting what happens when a former showbiz couple – a director and his actress muse – reunite thirty years…
Two Days in ParisTwo Days in Paris (2 Days in Paris) (2007) Recommended
Dir. Julie Delpy
Feat. Julie Delpy, Adam Goldberg
Delightful, self–starring directorial debut from Julie Delpy about an angsty Franco–American couple who drop in to visit her very…
Under the Same MoonUnder the Same Moon (La Misma Luna) (2007)
Dir. Patricia Riggen
Feat. Adrian Alonso, Kate del Castillo, Eugenio Derbez
Stirring drama following Carlitos (Alonso) a young boy living in Mexico and his mother Rosario (del Castillo) living in LA, and their epic journey to…
Vexille Vexille (2007)
Dir. Fumisiko Sori
Brawny sci–fi anime set in the year 2077, in which a special agent is sent to examine the capabilities of Japan’s robot technology, and its…
Warlords, TheWarlords, The (Tau ming chong) (2007)
Dir. Peter Chan
Feat. Jet Li, Andy Lau, Takeshi Kaneshiro
Spectacular, if now commonplace amongst a legion of Chinese historical epics, this tale of feuding warlords relays its angst, betrayal, and gory…
Witnesses, TheWitnesses, The (2007)
Dir. Andre Techine
Feat. Michel Blanc, Emmanuelle Beart, Sami Bouajila
Told in three chapters, this matter–of–fact ensemble drama centred on the AIDS crisis as it hit Paris during the eighties, develops into…
XXYXXY (2007) Recommended
Dir. Lucía Puenzo
Feat. Ricardo Darín, Ines Efron, Martin Piroyanski
Articulate portrayal of the life of an intersex teenager searching for identity and exploring the complexities of coming–of–age in a…
YellaYella (2007) Recommended
Dir. Christian Petzold
Feat. Nina Hoss
Engrossing metaphysical thriller set in a predatory corporate world in which a divorcee accountant (Hoss) decides to leave behind her redundant life…
You the LivingYou the Living (2007) Recommended
Dir. Roy Andersson
Feat. Jessica Lundberg, Elisabeth Helander, Björn Englund
Master of the painstaking, deadpan vignette, Roy Andersson, continues his singular and obsessive vision with this absurdist comedy of…
[REC][REC] (REC) (2007) Recommended
Dir. Jaume Balaguero, Paco Plaza
Sinister Spanish horror, from European creepy movie maestro Jaume Balaguero, which follows a callout from a Barcelona fire station to an apartment…
13: Game Of Death13: Game Of Death (2006)
Dir. Chukiat Sakveerakul, Stewart St. John
Twisted Thai horror in which a down–and–out salesman, targeted by a mysterious phone call, is offered millions if he can complete 13…
After the WeddingAfter the Wedding (Efter brylluppet) (2006) Recommended
Dir. Susanne Bier
Feat. Mads Mikkelsen, Sidse Babett Knudsen
A rewarding drama with a political conscience and a romantic heart, Mads Mikkelsen plays a teacher at an Indian orphanage who returns to Denmark to…
AlatristeAlatriste (2006)
Dir. Agustin Diaz Yanes
Feat. Viggo Mortensen, Elena Anaya, Javier Camara
Viggo Mortensen plays a Spanish noble warrior in this epic adaptation of Arturo Pérez–Reverte's best–selling books. Lavished with the…
Along the RidgeAlong the Ridge (Anche libero va bene) (2006) Recommended
Dir. Kim Rossi Stuart
Feat. Barbora Bobulova, Kim Rossi Stuart
Italian actor Kim Rossi Stuart's directorial debut is a heart–rending drama told through the eyes of an 11 year old boy whose family must cope…
Anna Pihl (TV Series)Anna Pihl (TV Series) (2006-2008)
Feat. Charlotte Munck, Iben Hjejle
Praised for its realism, this Danish police drama centres around a Copenhagen policewoman also having to deal with solo parenthood.
Azur & Asmar: The Princes' QuestAzur & Asmar: The Princes' Quest (2006)
Dir. Michel Ocelot
Exotic story–book style adventure set in the Arabic world and following childhood friends Azur and Asmar as they become rivals on a quest to…
Bad FaithBad Faith (Mauvaise foi) (2006)
Dir. Roschdy Zem
Feat. Cecile De France, Roschdy Zem
Likeable cross–cultural fare contemporizes the oft–told GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER predicament by throwing Judaism and Islam into the…
Ball, TheBall, The (Liscio) (2006)
Dir. Claudio Antonini
Feat. Laura Morante, Umberto Morelli
Slender tale boasts a fine performance by Morante as a chanteuse and solo mother, whose son attempts to find her a boyfriend.
BamakoBamako (The Court) (2006)
Dir. Abderrahmane Sissako
Feat. Aissa Maiga
A mock trial of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank – whose representatives must defend charges of reckless lending and…
Bartali - The Iron Man (Mini-Series)Bartali - The Iron Man (Mini-Series) (Gino Bartali - L'intramontabile) (2006)
Dir. Alberto Negrin
Feat. Pierfrancesco Favino
Spirited made–for–TV biopic of Italy’s indomitable road cyclist Gino Bartali, twice winner of the Tour de France.
Battle of Wits, ABattle of Wits, A (Muk gong) (2006)
Dir. Jacob Cheung
Feat. Andy Lau, Sung-kee Ahn, Zhiwen Wang
Broad, engrossing siege epic, in which a lone, resolute hero fights for a village overrun by a 25,000–strong army in 370 B.C. China. Though…
Beauty In TroubleBeauty In Trouble (Kráska v nesnázích) (2006) Recommended
Dir. Jan Hrebejk
Feat. Anna Geislerova, Josef Abrhám, Jana Brejchová
Exquisite Czech drama focused on a young woman living in Prague who, while struggling to care for her family after their home is destroyed by a…
Beyond HatredBeyond Hatred (Au Dela de la Haine) (2006)
Sensitive documentary following the aftermath of a hate crime in which a 30–year old gay man was beaten to death by a trio of skinheads in a…
Black BookBlack Book (Zwartboek) (2006) Recommended
Dir. Paul Verhoeven
Feat. Carice Van Houten, Sebastian Koch, Thom Hoffman
A Jewish singer goes deep undercover for the Dutch resistance in this splashy, larger–than–life WWII yarn set in Nazi–occupied…
Blame it on Fidel!Blame it on Fidel! (La Faute à Fidel!) (2006) Recommended
Dir. Julie Gavras
Feat. Nina Kervel-Bey, Julie Depardieu, Stefano Accorsi
A warm, wise and wryly observed evocation of a child's accelerated maturation in the midst of early 1970s social and political upheaval, Nina…
Boss Of It All, TheBoss Of It All, The (Direktøren for det hele) (2006) Recommended
Dir. Lars Von Trier
Feat. Jens Albinus, Iben Hjejle, Benedikt Erlingsson
Crude, but refreshing change of pace from perennial troublemaker Lars von Trier sees the Danish renegade chance his arm at a corporate–styled…
Bothersome Man, TheBothersome Man, The (2006) Recommended
Dir. Jens Lien
Feat. Trond Fausa Aurvaag
A black comedy with a typically Scandinavian sense of absurdity and style, in which an amnesiac finds himself in an unfamiliar city with a new job,…
Caiman, TheCaiman, The (Il Camino) (2006)
Dir. Nanni Moretti
Feat. Nanni Moretti, Margherita Buy, Jasmine Trinca
Unflinching Italian film–within–a–film concerning a producer attempting to make a film about former Italian prime minister Silvio…
Chronicle of an EscapeChronicle of an Escape (Buenos Aires 1977) (2006)
Dir. Adrián Caetano
Feat. Rodrigo De la Serna
An Argentinian goalkeeper is kidnapped and falsely imprisoned as a revolutionary in this gripping account of the “Buenos Aires, 1977”…
City of Violence, TheCity of Violence, The (2006)
Dir. Ryoo Seung-Wan
Feat. Doo-hong Jung, Kil-Kang Ahn
A dazzling, action–fantastic revenger by way of Korea, this draws its considerable bloodletting from the aftermath of a funeral, where two…
ClimatesClimates (Iklimler) (2006)
Dir. Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Feat. Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Ebru Ceylan
The director of UZAK employs startlingly high definition photography and an Antonioni–inspired dissection of male–female relations to…
CoeursCoeurs (Private Fears in Public Places) (2006)
Dir. Alain Resnais
Feat. Sabine Azema, Laura Morante, Pierre Arditi
Romantic French drama with a vulnerable edge explores the modern dilemmas of loneliness and adoration through the lives of six alienated Parisians…
Colossal YouthColossal Youth (2006)
Dir. Pedro Costa
A major work of contemporary art cinema, this mesmerizing sleepwalk throughout the demolished slums of Lisbon, Portugal is seen through the eyes of…
Confession of PainConfession of Pain (Seung sing) (2006)
Dir. Siu Fai Mak, Wai Keung Lau
Feat. Tony Leung (Chiu-wai), Takeshi Kaneshiro, Shu Qi
The directorial duo behind INFERNAL AFFAIRS eek out this morose and melancholic policier about two troubled detectives tracking down a killer in…
Conversations with My GardenerConversations with My Gardener (Dialogue avec mon jardinier) (2006) Recommended
Dir. Jean Becker
Feat. Daniel Auteuil, Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Fanny Cottencon
Leisurely mateship comedy about a jilted artist (Auteuil) who retreats to his remote country home, forging a mid–life bond with a local…
Curse of the Golden FlowerCurse of the Golden Flower (2006)
Dir. Zhang Yimou
Feat. Chow Yun-Fat, Gong Li, Jay Chou
Another sumptuous Tang Dynasty epic in martial arts from the dir. of HERO, cast in the mould of a Shakespearian power struggle between an Emperor, an…
Dark SeaDark Sea (Mare Nero) (2006)
Dir. Roberta Torre
Feat. Luigi Lo Cascio, Anna Mouglalis
Ice cold policier charts a lone cops descent into the sex underworld after the murder of a sexually adventurous teenager. Full of Lynchian…
Darna Zaroori HaiDarna Zaroori Hai (You Gotta Be Scared) (2006)
Dir. Ram Gopal Varma
Feat. Amitabh Bachchan, Sunil Shetty
Bollywood does horror in this six film omnibus told from the perspective of five children accosted by an old woman who begins to tell them stories…
Day WatchDay Watch (Dnevnoi Dozor, Daywatch) (2006)
Dir. Timur Bekmambetov
Feat. Konstantin Khabensky, Maria Poroshina, Dima Martinov
The vampiric Muscovite forces of Good and Evil fight it out again in this frenetic, fantastic FX fantasy every bit as good as the first one (NIGHT…
Days of GloryDays of Glory (Indigènes) (2006)
Dir. Rachid Bouchareb
Feat. Jamel Debbouze, Samy Naceri, Bernard Blancan
Epic Algerian WW2 drama focused on a determined group of Algerian soldiers fighting to defend France with little acknowledgement of their sacrifices…
Death Note / Death Note - The Last NameDeath Note / Death Note - The Last Name (2006)
Dir. Shusuke Kaneko
Feat. Tatsuya Fujiwara, Ken'ichi Matsuyama, Erika Toda
High–concept and precocious in attitude, this absurdly drawn battle–of–wits, based on a cult Manga, concerns the discovery of an…
Dirty Carnival, ADirty Carnival, A (Biyeolhan geori) (2006) Recommended
Dir. Ha Yoo
Feat. In-sung Zo, Ku Jin, Tae won Kwon
Dynamite entry in the burgeoning Korean gangster genre explores the meteoric rise – and inevitable fall – of one Byung–du, a lowly…
DonDon (2006)
Dir. Farhan Akhtar
Feat. Shahrukh Khan, Om Puri
Far–fetched story of a Mumbai man recruited by police to masquerade as the ruthless head of the Malaysian drug mafia, known as "the Don". When…
Don't Worry, I'm FineDon't Worry, I'm Fine (Je Vais Bien, Ne T'en Fais Pas) (2006)
Dir. Philippe Lioret
Feat. Mélanie Laurent
Understated French drama centres on a distraught young woman's search for her twin brother after being told he has run away from the family…
Dragon Tiger GateDragon Tiger Gate (2006)
Dir. Wilson Yip
Feat. Nicholas Tse, Shawn Yue, Donnie Yen
Flamboyant, off–the–hook actioner in which two estranged kung–fu masters must put aside their differences to overcome a marauding…
Dynamite WarriorDynamite Warrior (2006)
Dir. Chalem Wongpim
Feat. Dan Chupong, Leo Putt
As if to accommodate an escalating reputation for martial arts outrageousness, Thailand’s stunt extraordinaires risk life and limb in their most…
EdenEden (2006)
Dir. Michael Hofmann
Feat. Josef Ostendorf, Charlotte Roche
Charming romance revolves around an eccentric chef, and a random encounter with a mother trapped in a monotonous relationship. Fans of…
Election 2Election 2 (Triad Election) (2006)
Dir. Johnny To
Feat. Simon Yam, Nick Cheung, Louis Koo
Genre exponent Johnny To logically extends the gangland politics of his original film in this punchy, no–nonsense sequel concerning a fresh…
Etoile Du Soldat, L' Etoile Du Soldat, L' (Star of the Soldier) (2006)
Dir. Christophe de Ponfilly
Feat. Sacha Bourdo, Philippe Caubere, Hanns Zischler
Maladroit war drama based on the true story of a Russian soldier captured by the Mujahedin in Afghanistan who becomes enthralled by his freedom…
ExiledExiled (Fong juk) (2006) Recommended
Dir. Johnnie To
Feat. Anthony Wong, Simon Yam, Richie Ren
Master exponent of genre Johnnie To pays homage to spaghetti westerns and the bygone era of John Woo in this energetic, skilfully dispatched action…
ExitExit (2006)
Dir. Peter Lindmark
Feat. Mads Mikkelsen, Alexander Skarsgard
Gripping Swedish corporate thriller stars the angular Mads Mikkelsen (CASINO ROYALE) as a family man on the run after he becomes the main suspect in…
Family LawFamily Law (Derecho de familia) (2006)
Dir. Daniel Burman
Feat. Daniel Hendler, Arturo Goetz, Eloy Burman
Fatherhood and career jitters converge in this wry comedy of family matters. Promising young dir. Burman displays a dry wit in looking at three…
Few Days in September, AFew Days in September, A (Quelques jours en septembre) (2006)
Dir. Santiago Amigorena
Feat. Juliette Binoche, John Turturro, Nick Nolte
Pre–September 11 spy–thriller dramatising events leading up to the fatal terrorist attack, with former spy (Binoche) being stalked…
Fireworks WednesdayFireworks Wednesday (Chaharshanbe-soori) (2006)
Dir. Asghar Farhadi
Feat. Taraneh Alidoosti, Matin Heydar-nia
This earlier feature from the director of A SEPARATION similarly explores the mores of the urban middle and lower classes with depth and complexity.…
Four MinutesFour Minutes (Vier Minuten) (2006) Recommended
Dir. Chris Kraus
Feat. Monika Bliebtreu, Hannah Herzsprung
Unrelentingly gritty German drama of redemption details the hostile relationship between an incarcerated piano player and her emotionally chilly…
Freedom (TV Series)Freedom (TV Series) (2006)
Dir. Joe Egender
Katsuhiro Otomo's distinctive character designs flavour this beautifully rendered seven–part anime serial, originally devised as a marketing…
Golden Door, TheGolden Door, The (Nuovomondo) (2006)
Dir. Emanuele Crialese
Feat. Charlotte Gainsbourg, Vincenzo Amato
Award–winning Italian drama from the dir. of RESPIRO follows the fortunes of a family of dirt–poor Sicilian peasants, from their homeland…
GuchaGucha (Guca!; Distant Trumpet) (2006)
Dir. Dusan Milic
Feat. Marko Markovic, Mladen Nelevic
A catchy successor to Emir Kusturica's gypsy theatrics, this ingenious, musically–infused jive on Serbian ethnic tensions frames a…
Hey Good Looking!Hey Good Looking! (Comme t'y es belle!) (2006)
Dir. Lisa Azuelos
Feat. Aure Atika
Frank French chick flick centred around a SEX AND THE CITYish cast of four gal pals who share with each other the trials of finding (and keeping) the…
Host, TheHost, The (Gwoemul) (2006) Aro Favourite
Dir. Joon-ho Bong
Feat. Kang-ho Song, Doona Bae, Ah-sung Ko
Colossal Korean blockbuster that single–handedly revives the generic monster movie: birthed from a batch of military–grade chemicals…
Hula GirlsHula Girls (2006)
Dir. Sang-il Lee
Feat. Yasuko Matsuyuki, Yu Aoi
Feel–good true story of a depleted coal–mining town in Japan, and its residents’ efforts to build a Hawaiian–themed tourist…
I Do: Or How to Get Married and Stay SingleI Do: Or How to Get Married and Stay Single (Prete-moi ta main) (2006) Recommended
Dir. Eric Lartigau
Feat. Alain Chabat, Charlotte Gainsbourg
Under pressure from his nearest and dearest to wed, committed bachelor Alain Chabat solicits the gorgeous Charlotte Gainsbourg to become his faux…
I Don't Want to Sleep AloneI Don't Want to Sleep Alone (2006)
Dir. Ming-liang Tsai
Feat. Kang-sheng Lee, Shiang-chyi Chen
This achingly serene, Kuala Lumpur–set fable is one of Tsai Ming–liang’s best, starring his alter ego Lee Kang–sheng as a…
I Served the King of EnglandI Served the King of England (2006) Recommended
Dir. Jiri Menzel
Feat. Julia Jentsch, Oldrich Kaiser, Ivan Barnev
Whimsical yet biting Czech farce centres on the exploits of an endearingly opportunistic waiter, whose thrifty wiles propel him into all manner of…
Inside ParisInside Paris (Dans Paris) (2006)
Dir. Christophe Honore
Feat. Romain Duris, Louis Garrel, Guy Marchand
Sprinkled with the magic of the Nouvelle Vague, this hip and happening ode to big city Paris spends a night and day in the company of two brothers…
Invisible WavesInvisible Waves (2006)
Dir. Pen-Ek Ratanaruang
Feat. Tadanobu Asano
Moody and sophisticated dream–noir from the dir. of LAST LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE again casts Japanese star Tadanobu Asano, here in the role of a…
Jar CityJar City (Mýrin) (2006) Aro Favourite
Dir. Baltasar Kormakur
Feat. Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson, Agusta Eva Erlendsdóttir, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson
With dirt under its fingernails and ice on its breath, this forensic thriller harnesses the harsh, otherworldly elements of its Icelandic setting to…
Kiss Me BabyKiss Me Baby (Baciami Piccina) (2006)
Dir. Roberto Cimapnelli
Feat. Neri Marcore, Vincenzo Salemme, Elena Russo
Elegant blend of love–story, witty road movie and historical drama tells the story of a couple on their honeymoon at the most unlikely of times…
Lady ChatterleyLady Chatterley (2006) Recommended
Dir. Pascale Ferran
Feat. Hippolyte Girardot, Marina Hands, Jean-Louise Coulloc'h
Sensuous, heartrendingly tender French/Belgian adaptation of an alternate version of D.H. Lawrence's once notorious novel 'Lady Chatterley's Lover'…
Land, TheLand, The (La Terra, Our Land) (2006) Recommended
Dir. Sergio Rubini
Feat. Paolo Briguglia, Emilio Solfrizzi, Sergio Rubini
Compulsive Italian dramedy depicting a man who returns to the home of his childhood to tie up the sale of the family estate, but is instead…
Lives of Others, TheLives of Others, The (2006) Recommended
Dir. Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Feat. Ulrich Mühe, Sebastian Koch, Martina Gedeck
Compelling dramatisation of the political tensions between artists and authorities in 80's East Germany, this widely celebrated arthouse hit won the…
Love and DanceLove and Dance (Sipur Hatzi-Russi ) (2006)
Dir. Eitan Anner
Feat. Jenya Dodina, Avi Kushnir, Oksana Korostyshevskaya
This "Middle Eastern BILLY ELLIOT" sees the young protagonist oppose the macho aspirations of his secretly soft–centred Israeli father to…
Love and HonorLove and Honor (Bushi no ichibun) (2006)
Dir. Yoji Yamada
Feat. Takuya Kimura, Nenji Kobayashi, Ken Ogata
Third chapter in dir. Yamada's revisionist samurai trilogy looks at a recently blinded samurai and the lengths his wife will go to protect his…
Marcello, A Sweet LifeMarcello, A Sweet Life (Marcello, una vita dolce) (2006)
Dir. Mario Canale, Annarosa Morri
Sincere Italian documentary exploring the life of great Italian actor Marcello Mastroianni through archival footage and testimonials from his…
Melissa P.Melissa P. (2006)
Dir. Luca Guadagnino
Feat. Marcello Mazzarella, Maria Valverde
Saucy, if ultimately restrained memoir of sexual adolescence, concerning a promiscuous teenage girl who seeks solace from her troubled life by…
My Best Enemy My Best Enemy (Il Mio miglior nemico) (2006)
Dir. Carlo Verdone
Feat. Carlo Verdone, Silvio Muccino
Capricious Italian comedy concerning a bitter rivalry between a father and his daughter's new lover – who also happens to be the son of a woman…
My Best FriendMy Best Friend (2006) Recommended
Dir. Patrice Leconte
Feat. Daniel Auteuil, Dany Boon
Daniel Auteuil lends his lovable persona to this textbook French comedy as a frosty antique dealer who has 10 days to disprove his work colleagues'…
Nina's JourneyNina's Journey (2006) Recommended
Dir. Lena Einhorn
Feat. Agnieszka Grochowska
Based on the captivating real–life story of writer–director Einhorn's mother, this restrained yet profoundly moving docudrama recaptures…
No Mercy For The RudeNo Mercy For The Rude (2006)
Dir. Cheol-hie Park
Feat. Ha-kyun Shin
A mute hitman limits his contract killings to ‘rude’ individuals, saving up for a voice–restoring operation in this unconventional riff on…
OffsideOffside (2006) Recommended
Dir. Jafar Panahi
Filmed using non–professionals, in and around the unfolding events of an actual World Cup qualifier, Jafar Panahi expertly weaves a…
Orchestra SeatsOrchestra Seats (Fauteuils d'orchestre) (2006)
Dir. Daniele Thompson
Feat. Cecile De France, Sydney Pollack
A fetching French soufflé with a keen eye for Parisian charms, this dainty bohemian offering follows an appealing ensemble cast headed by café…
OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of SpiesOSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies (2006)
Dir. Michel Hazanavicius
Feat. Jean Dujardin
Dusting off a little–known French spy spoof from the 1960's, this remake upgrades rather than updates the franchise, combining the Bond school…
Our CountryOur Country (A Casa Nostra) (2006)
Dir. Francesca Comencini
Feat. Valeria Golino, Giuseppe Battiston, Luca Zingaretti
Hard–nosed ensemble drama aims straight at the Italian big business jugular, levelling broadsides at capitalism and Big Brother as it critiques…
Page Turner, ThePage Turner, The (2006)
Dir. Denis Drecourt
Feat. Catherine Frot, Deborah Francois
A typically frosty, femme–centric French chamber–piece about a classical music prodigy whose career is sabotaged by a concert pianist,…
Pan's LabyrinthPan's Labyrinth (El Laberinto del fauno) (2006) Aro Favourite
Dir. Guillermo Del Toro
Feat. Ariadna Gil, Ivana Baquero, Sergi Lopez
A stunning, sinister netherworld fantasy that parallels an equally compelling story of uprising against a fascist military unit in WWII Spain, this…
Paris, Je T'aimeParis, Je T'aime (Paris, I Love You) (2006) Recommended
Dir. Olivier Assayas, Gurinder Chadha, Sylvain Chomet
Feat. Fanny Ardant, Juliette Binoche, Steve Buscemi
A prestige line–up of actors and filmmakers converge in this grand anthology of love letters to the city of romance. With each vignette…
PoltergayPoltergay (2006)
Dir. Eric Lavaine
Feat. Clovis Cornillac, Julie Depardieu
Farcical French comedy sees a couple haunted by the ghosts of five gay guys, who died in their house when it used to be a gay disco. This fluff…
Prague Prague (Prag) (2006) Recommended
Dir. Ole Christian Madsen
Feat. Mads Mikkelsen, Stine Stengade
A journey to Prague to collect a deceased father's coffin turns into a prolonged, poignant and gruelling dissection of an estranged Danish couple's…
PricelessPriceless (2006) Recommended
Dir. Pierre Salvadori
Feat. Audrey Tautou, Gad Elmaleh
Ultra–glamorous French romantic comedy, in which one can gorge on (or gawp at) Riviera culture at its most opulent – the clothes, the…
ProvokedProvoked (2006)
Dir. Jag Mundhra
Feat. Aishwarya Rai, Miranda Richardson, Naveen Andrews
Provocative indeed, this is the true story of an Indian woman (played by Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai) who radically changed how the British public…
Rang De BasantiRang De Basanti (2006)
Dir. Rakesh Omprakash Mehra
Feat. Aamir Khan, Alice Patten
Progressive Bollywood fare bypasses musical melodrama for an overarching tale of history and self–discovery, guided by a British–Indian…
Re-Cycle Re-Cycle (Gwai Wik) (2006)
Dir. Danny Pang, Oxide Pang
Chinese gore connoisseurs Danny and Oxide Pang embark on another otherworldly excursion in this horror about an author who realises the supernatural…
Rebel, TheRebel, The (2006)
Dir. Truc "Charlie" Nguyen
Feat. Dustin Nguyen
This vigorous martial arts actioner set in 1920s Vietnam is unusually committed to the finer details of political turmoil and period recreation,…
Red Kebaya, TheRed Kebaya, The (2006)
Dir. Oliver Knott
Feat. Ramli Hassan, Vanida Imran, Corinne Adri
A lonely photographer with an excessive amount of haunting childhood baggage discovers the key to his past while recording abandoned houses in this…
Red Like the SkyRed Like the Sky (2006)
Dir. Cristiano Bortone
Feat. Luca Carpriotti, Paolo Sassanelli, Marco Cocci
Affecting drama testifies to a young boy's steely resolve after being blinded, after he discovers a newfound joy in sound. An understated narrative…
RepriseReprise (2006) Recommended
Dir. Joachim Trier
Feat. Anders Danielsen Lie, Espen Klouman-Høiner, Viktoria Winge
Touching, keenly perceptive Norwegian film fest favourite centres on two twenty–something writers whose vastly divergent personalities and…
RequiemRequiem (2006) Aro Favourite
Dir. Hans-Christian Schmid
Feat. Sandra Huller
Tightly coiled within Sandra Huller’s commanding lead performance, this riveting account of a young woman’s struggle with epilepsy and religious…
RetributionRetribution (2006) Recommended
Dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Feat. Koji Yakusho, Manami Konishi, Tsuyoshi Ihara
A skin–crawling 'mainstream' J–Horror from subtle spookmeister Kiyoshi Kurosawa, this trades heavily in established genre elements, but…
Robin-B-HoodRobin-B-Hood (Bo bui gai wak) (2006)
Dir. Benny Chan
Feat. Jackie Chan, Louis Koo, Michael Hui
Chan hams it up in this big–budget action caper as a compulsive gambler who inadvertently ends up with a kidnapped baby as a means to pay off…
Science of Sleep, TheScience of Sleep, The (2006) Recommended
Dir. Michel Gondry
Feat. Gael Garcia Bernal, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Emma de Caunes
A delightfully self–conscious, self–indulged fantasy for cine–wizard Michel Gondry, the director's follow–up to ETERNAL…
Secret JourneySecret Journey (Viaggio Segreto) (2006)
Dir. Roberto Ando
Feat. Marco Baliani, Alessio Boni, Emir Kusturica
Leo, a psychoanalyst in his forties lives with his younger sister, Ale. When Harold , a famous and hugely successful artist, announces his intention…
SheitanSheitan (2006)
Dir. Kim Chapiron
Feat. Vincent Cassel, Monica Bellucci, Roxane Mesquida
A gaggle of young hedonists on a bender expend their energies at a disco and are invited by pouting barmaid Mesquida (A MA SOUER) to her remote…
Singer, TheSinger, The (Quand j'étais chanteur) (2006)
Dir. Xavier Giannoli
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Cecile De France, Mathieu Amalric
Gerard Depardieu works his rotund charm as a journeyman lounge singer, crooning his way through half–empty nightclubs while forging an unlikely…
Sinking of Japan, The Sinking of Japan, The (Nihon chinbotsu) (2006)
Dir. Shinji Higuchi
Feat. Ko Shibasaki, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi
Japan is posited as a submerging island nation in this cloying, ultra–earnest disaster movie, based on the (oft–told) theory that seismic…
Still LifeStill Life (Dong) (2006) Recommended
Dir. Jia Zhang-ke
Feat. Zhao Tao
Another arresting globalisation story from China's leading contemporary filmmaker, situated on the banks of the Yangtze River, where once thriving…
SuddenlySuddenly (Underbara älskade) (2006)
Dir. Johan Brisinger
Feat. Michael Nyqvist, Anastasios Soulis, Moa Gammel
Quality Swedish drama explores themes of grief and solace in its portrait of a bereaved family man, who must come to terms with the sudden death of…
Syndromes and a CenturySyndromes and a Century (2006) Aro Favourite
Dir. Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Feat. Arkanae Cherkam, Jaruchai Iamaram, Nu Nimsomboon
A rural hospital surrounded by Thailand's evergreen jungle is the setting for this blissful meditation on memory and desire, shot in the exquisite…
TaxidermiaTaxidermia (2006) Recommended
Dir. Gyorgy Palfi
Feat. Csaba Czene, Gergely Trócsányi
Grostesque though exquisitely crafted oddity from the dir. of HUKKLE degenerates well beyond the threshold of bad taste in its history of three…
Tell No OneTell No One (Ne le dis à Personne) (2006)
Dir. Guillaume Canet
Feat. Francois Cluzet, Marie-Josee Croze, Andre Dussollier
Convoluted yet propulsive French thriller about a man whose deceased wife contacts him eight years after her supposed murder, triggering a quest to…
Them Them (Ils) (2006) Recommended
Dir. Xavier Palud, David Moreau
Feat. Olivia Bonamy, Michael Cohen, Adriana Mocca
French horror that takes the 'home invasion' subgenre to chilling new heights, sees a young couple terrorized in their home by unseen intruders.…
Tiger and the Snow, TheTiger and the Snow, The (2006)
Dir. Roberto Benigni
Feat. Roberto Benigni, Jean Reno, Nicoletta Braschi
Italian jester Roberto Benigni unites comedy and tragedy within the throws of the Iraq war, playing a poet who follows his true love (real life…
Tiger Brigades, TheTiger Brigades, The (2006)
Dir. Jerome Cornuau
Feat. Clovis Cornillac, Diane Kruger, Edouard Baer
Splashy French adventurism, in the spirit of THE UNTOUCHABLES, pits a high–minded inspector and his hard knocks 'Tiger Brigade' of crimebusters…
Time to LeaveTime to Leave (2006)
Dir. Francois Ozon
Feat. Melvil Poupaud, Jeanne Moreau, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi
Dir. Ozon expands on the theme of death and mourning, first explored in UNDER THE SAND, with this carefully composed, if somewhat underdeveloped male…
Times and Winds Times and Winds (Bes Vakit) (2006) Recommended
Dir. Reha Erdem
Feat. Ozkan Ozen, Ali Bey Kayali, Elit Iscan
Set in a remote Turkish village three friends on the cusp of adolescence struggle with both with their changing emotions and growing resentment of…
TranSylvaniaTranSylvania (2006)
Dir. Tony Gatlif
Feat. Asia Argento, Birol Unel, Amira Casar
Tony Gatlif tones his freewheeling musical romanticism down a notch, but doesn’t discard the ramshackle sensuality of his earlier films, in this…
Unknown Woman, TheUnknown Woman, The (La Sconosciuta) (2006)
Dir. Giuseppe Tornatore
Feat. Kseniya Rappoport, Michele Placido, Claudia Gerini
Skillful Hitchcockian suspense hailed as a return to form for the director of CINEMA PARADISO, following a troubled Ukrainian immigrant in Italy who…
Valet, TheValet, The (La Doublure) (2006) Aro Favourite
Dir. Francis Veber
Feat. Gad Elmaleh, Daniel Auteuil, Alice Taglioni
Another inspired comic concoction from Francis Veber (dir. of most everything French and funny), that this time follows a meek parking valet who…
VanajaVanaja (2006) Recommended
Dir. Rajnesh Domalpalli
Feat. Mamatha Bhukya
Heartfelt story of empowerment centres around the rape and subsequent pregnancy of a 15–year–old Indian girl who aspires to be a…
Vengeance Vengeance (Phairii phinaat paa mawrana) (2006)
Dir. Preaw Sirisuwan
Fast–paced jungle fantasy horror has a young man and his friends in pursuit of an escaped prisoner inside a fantastical forest populated by…
VitusVitus (2006)
Dir. Fredi M. Murer
Feat. Julika Jenkins, Urs Jucker, Bruno Ganz
Sweet–natured chronicle of a young prodigy whose parents demand success as a pianist. The problem of trying to foster a child’s talent but…
VolverVolver (2006) Aro Favourite
Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Penelope Cruz, Carmen Maura, Lola Dueñas
Formidable Spanish brand–name dir. Almodovar re–embracing what he knows best – womanhood – in a vibrant and tempestuous tale of…
What is Love?What is Love? (Quale Amore) (2006)
Dir. Maurizio Sciarra
Feat. Giorgio Pasotti, Arnoldo Foa, Vanessa Incontrada
Sullen adaptation of Tolstoy's "Kreutzer Sonata" has jealous Pasotti recount how he murdered his wife. Good looking film features some accomplished…
13 Tzameti13 Tzameti (2005) Recommended
Dir. Géla Babluani
Feat. Aurelien Recoing, Georges Babluani
Coolly disturbing noir thriller tracks the fate of a struggling immigrant labourer who intercepts a package with instructions that lead him into a…
9th Company9th Company (2005)
Dir. Fyodor Bondarchuk
Feat. Artur Smolyaninov, Aleksey Chadov , Konstantin Kryukov
A muscular, at times brutal, war film set during the Russian invasion of Afghanistan follows a regiment from training to ill–fated combat with…
AccusedAccused (Anklaget) (2005)
Dir. Jacob Thuesen
Feat. Troels Lyby, Sofie Grabol
Unnerving Danish chamber–piece concerns the accusation by a 14–year–old girl that her father has sexually abused her – a…
Adam's ApplesAdam's Apples (2005) Recommended
Dir. Anders Thomas Jensen
Feat. Mads Mikkelsen, Ulrich Thomsen, Paprika Steen
Roguishly sardonic Danish black comedy about a sanguine country vicar (CASINO ROYALE’s Mikkelsen) who encounters resistance from a neo–Nazi…
Airlift, TheAirlift, The (2005)
Dir. Dror Zahavi
Feat. Heino Ferch, Ulrich Tukur, Bettina Zimmerman
Sweeping historical drama set in post–WWII Berlin with the love affair between a German single mother and an American General complicated by…
AllegroAllegro (2005)
Dir. Christoffer Boe
Feat. Ulrich Thomsen, Helena Christensen
Conceptually intriguing Danish sci–fi drama concerns a gifted concert pianist whose lack of intimacy leads to amnesia, forcing him to enter…
Always - Sunset on Third Street Always - Sunset on Third Street (Always san-chôme no yûhi ) (2005)
Dir. Takashi Yamazaki
Feat. Koyuki, Shin'ichi Tsutsumi, Hiroko Yakushimaru
A wistful Japanese drama, set against the backdrop of a developing Tokyo skyline in the 50's, centred on a handful of residents living in the…
Angel-AAngel-A (2005)
Dir. Luc Besson
Feat. Jamel Debbouze, Rie Rasmussen
This sleek, stylized departure for dir. Luc Besson dabbles in an unlikely romance between a statuesque blonde (Rassmusen), and a nebbish, diminutive…
ApneaApnea (2005)
Dir. Roberto Dordit
Feat. Claudio Santamaria, Elio De Capitani
Involving socio–political thriller about a man who discovers that his best friend, was not who he thought he was.
Aura, TheAura, The (2005) Recommended
Dir. Fabian Bielinsky
Feat. Ricardo Darín
A taxidermist indulges his criminal fantasies in this brooding, atmospheric wilderness thriller from the late dir. of NINE QUEENS. Unfolding as a…
Auschwitz: Inside the Nazi StateAuschwitz: Inside the Nazi State (2005)
The BBC present a comprehensive visual and verbal account of the "Final Solution" phase of the Nazi Holocaust, focused on the most infamous of the…
Ax, TheAx, The (Le Couperet) (2005) Recommended
Dir. Costa-Gavras
Feat. Jose Garcia, Karin Viard, Olivier Gourmet
Dastardly satire from the always–edgy Costa Gavras plumbs the depths of a corporate downsizing victim (Garcia) who resorts to murderous ways in…
Azumi 2Azumi 2 (2005)
Dir. Shusuke Kaneko
Feat. Aya Ueto, Shun Oguri, Ai Maeda
Samurai girl–power sweeps feudal Japan once more in this competent, but lesser installment (minus the original director) in the Azumi…
Battle in HeavenBattle in Heaven (Batalla en el cielo) (2005)
Dir. Carlos Reygadas
Feat. Marcos Hernández
Heavyset follow–up to JAPON finds Mexican dir. Reygadas dealing in the spiritual and moral crises of two lost souls: one an underprivileged…
Beast in the Heart, The Beast in the Heart, The (La Bestia nel cuore, Don't Tell) (2005) Recommended
Dir. Cristina Comencini
Feat. Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Stefania Rocca, Alessio Boni
Oscar–nominated Italian drama centred on the life of a successful career woman who finds herself haunted by nightmares of an abusive childhood…
Beat My Heart Skipped, TheBeat My Heart Skipped, The (De battre mon coeur s'est arrete) (2005) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jacques Audiard
Feat. Romain Duris, Niels Arestrup, Jonathan Zaccai
A star–turn by Romain Duris invigorates this deft remake of James Toback's 1978 thriller FINGERS, playing a reluctant young thug with a…
Beauty RemainsBeauty Remains (Mei ren yi jiu) (2005)
Dir. Ann Hui
Feat. Vivian Wu, Xun Zhou
Two sisters negotiate the turbulent rise of communism in China during the 1940s in this family melodrama. Sensuously filmed in tones reminiscent…
Bittersweet Life, ABittersweet Life, A (2005)
Dir. Ji-woon Kim
Feat. Byung-hun Lee
A suave mob enforcer's mercy for one of his intended victims results in the full wrath of the Korean organised crime world in this slick, ultra…
Black Cat (TV Series)Black Cat (TV Series) (Shonen Jump) (2005)
Sven is your run–of–the–mill sweeper (a.k.a. bounty hunter): down on his luck, haunted by the perpetual grumbling of his stomach…
BystandersBystanders (Diary of June) (2005)
Dir. Kyung-Soo Im
Feat. Yunjin Kim
Proficient Korean thriller grapples with a murder mystery of cryptic diary notes left inside the bodies of murder victims; the handwriting matched to…
Cave of the Yellow Dog, TheCave of the Yellow Dog, The (2005) Recommended
Dir. Byambasuren Davaa
The dir. of THE WEEPING CAMEL weaves an enchanting tale of nomads through the eyes of a young girl, using her friendship with a stray dog as a launch…
Child, TheChild, The (L'enfant) (2005) Recommended
Dir. Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne
Feat. Jeremie Renier, Deborah Francois
The latest humanist imprint from the Dardenne's is a gripping, logical extension of their socio–economic character studies, here following the…
Crime NovelCrime Novel (Romanzo criminale) (2005)
Feat. Kim Rossi Stuart, Pierfrancesco Favino, Claudio Santamaria
Novel–based Italian crime drama concerning a group of small–town crims who went on to become Rome's most merciless crime family and a…
Dark HorseDark Horse (Voksne mennesker) (2005)
Dir. Dagur Kari
Feat. Jakob Cedergren, Nicolas Bro
Charmingly offbeat slacker comedy from the director of NOI THE ALBINO, following a Copenhagen graffiti artist who spends his days dodging parking…
Days of Abandonment, The Days of Abandonment, The (I Giorni dell'abbandono) (2005) Recommended
Dir. Roberto Faenza
Feat. Margherita Buy, Luca Zingaretti
Shattering Italian drama with Margherita Buy in a breathtakingly brutal performance as a middle–age woman left by her husband who deteriorates…
Death of Mr Lazarescu, TheDeath of Mr Lazarescu, The (2005) Recommended
Dir. Cristi Puiu
Feat. Ion Fiscuteanu, Luminita Gheorghiu
Whirling, labyrinthine black comedy follows with interest the Kafkaesque plight of an ailing elderly drunk, whose stomach pains are met with…
Death TranceDeath Trance (2005)
Dir. Yuji Shimomura
Feat. Tak Sakaguchi
Another insane, neo–samurai fantasy from the VERSUS camp involving the battle over a mysterious coffin that, if opened, could destroy the…
DuelistDuelist (Hyeongsa) (2005)
Dir. Lee Myung-Se
Feat. Ji-won Ha, Sung-kee Ahn, Dong-won Kang
A restless, meta–revisionist sword epic from the dir. of NOWHERE TO HIDE places two undercover police officers in pursuit of an elusive…
El ViolinEl Violin (2005) Recommended
Dir. Francisco Vargas
Feat. Angel Tavira
A one–handed violinist commands this potent political history of Mexico’s 1970s Guerrero peasant revolt. Plotting to befriend the…
ElectionElection (2005) Recommended
Dir. Johnnie To
Feat. Simon Yam, Tony Leung (Kar-fai)
A terrific gangland power tussle from genre exponent Johnnie To, this combative suspenser embarks on the shady underworld of triad politics in…
Elsa and FredElsa and Fred (2005)
Dir. Marcos Carnevale
Feat. Manuel Alexandre, China Zorrilla
Exquisitely acted romance between a pair of senior citizens expresses enough tenderness and fragility to overcome its rather prosaic storyline.…
FamiliaFamilia (2005) Recommended
Dir. Lousie Archambault
Feat. Mylene St-Sauveur, Macha Grenon, Sylvie Moreau
Multi–faceted, thoroughly entertaining drama centres on the frequently discordant child–rearing beliefs of two friends as they attempt to…
FatelessFateless (Sorstalanság) (2005) Recommended
Dir. Lajos Koltai
Feat. Marcell Nagy, Aron Dimeny, Daniel Craig
Harrowing and distilled vision of the Holocaust adapted from a novel by concentration–camp survivor and Nobel prize–winning author Imre…
Ferpect CrimeFerpect Crime (Crimen Ferpecto) (2005) Recommended
Dir. Alex de la Iglesia
Feat. Guillermo Toledo, Monica Cervera
A spunky Spanish black comedy set almost entirely in a department store, where an obnoxious playboy salesman is blackmailed by a…
Fever, The Fever, The (Febbre, La) (2005)
Dir. Alessandro D'Alatri
Feat. Arnoldo Foa, Fabio Volo
Multi–layered Italian comedy following a thirty–something drifter living at home with mummy dearest who is given the life–altering…
GabrielleGabrielle (2005)
Dir. Patrice Chereau
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Pascal Greggory
Absorbing adaptation of a Joseph Conrad short story coolly dissects the disintegrating marriage of a bourgeois French couple. Gorgeously framed…
Garam MasalaGaram Masala (2005)
Dir. Priyadarshan
Feat. Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal
Frantically screwball Indian romcom juggles a plotline concerning the numerous female entanglements of a playboy photographer (Kumar) and his former…
Go For Zucker!Go For Zucker! (Alles auf Zucker!) (2005)
Dir. Dani Levy
Feat. Henry Hubchen
Oxymoronic ‘German–Jewish’ comedy that looks at the literal and metaphorical reconciliation of two estranged brothers; one an East German…
Great Yokai War, TheGreat Yokai War, The (Yôkai daisensô) (2005)
Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Chiaki Kuriyama
The latest cinematic mash–up from dir. Miike (AUDITION) is a family–orientated adventure in which a shy young boy from a broken family…
Habana BluesHabana Blues (2005)
Dir. Benito Zambrano
Feat. Alberto Yoel, Roberto Sanmartín
Two young cuban musicians, Ruy and Tito, share the same dream – to become famous and finally leave Havana. Facing what might be the chance of a…
Have No Fear Have No Fear (Non aver paura) (2005)
Dir. Angelo Longoni
Feat. Laura Morante, Alessio Boni
Isolating Italian thriller focused on a recent divorcee trying to make ends meet while fighting a custody battle and dealing with a persistent…
Heading SouthHeading South (Vers le sud) (2005)
Dir. Laurence Cantet
Feat. Charlotte Rampling, Karen Young, Louise Portal
Pensive women's drama from the dir. of TIME OUT, set on a Haitian beach resort frequented by wealthy westerners and male gigolos. Set in the 70s…
HiddenHidden (Cache) (2005) Recommended
Dir. Michael Haneke
Feat. Daniel Auteuil, Juliette Binoche, Maurice Benichou
A disquieting modern thriller that pulls no punches, depositing a climate of terrorism and fear onto the lives of two French professionals and their…
House of Fury (2005)
Dir. Stephen Fung
Feat. Anthony Wong, Stephen Fung, Gillian Chung
Teenage kung fu experts find that their father's far–fetched tales have a grain of truth to them in this madcap adventure featuring fight…
House of Sand, TheHouse of Sand, The (2005)
Dir. Andrucha Waddington
Feat. Fernanda Montenegro, Fernanda Torres, Ruy Guerra
Rapturous cinematography transforms this melodramatic saga of three generations of women stranded in Brazil’s inhospitable Maranhão region, into…
How Much Do You Love Me?How Much Do You Love Me? (Combien tu m'aimes?) (2005)
Dir. Bertrand Blier
Feat. Monica Bellucci, Gerard Depardieu, Jean-Pierre Darroussin
Akin to THE VALET’s improbable live–in relationship, but offering entirely different results, this peculiar comedy–romance stars Monica…
In the Light of the Sun In the Light of the Sun (Alla luce del sole) (2005)
Dir. Roberto Faenza
Feat. Luca Zingaretti
Grave Italian drama, set in a time of increased Mafia terrorism and based on the chain of events that led to the assassination of the Catholic priest…
Initial DInitial D (Tau Man Jid) (2005)
Dir. Wai Keung Lau
Feat. Edison Chen, Shawn Yue, Anthony Wong
Sleak and light, this adaptation of the Shuichi Shigeno's famous 'manga' comic by the makers of INFERNAL AFFAIRS, concerns a boy–racer (played…
Italian Film Festival Collection, The - 2007 Italian Film Festival Collection, The - 2007 (2005-2006) Recommended
Comprehensive box–set collection of 11 of the best Italian films featured at the 'Italian Film Festival 2007' spread over 6 discs. Films…
Italian, TheItalian, The (Italianetz) (2005) Recommended
Dir. Andrei Kravchuk
Feat. Kolya Spiridonov, Nikolai Reutov, Maria Kuznetsova
Despite the title there is little Tuscan sunshine to be found here, but instead a frosty though warm–hearted tale from a Russian orphanage,…
Joyeux NoelJoyeux Noel (Merry Christmas) (2005) Recommended
Dir. Christian Carion
Feat. Ian Richardson, Diane Kruger, Daniel Bruhl
Fact–based WWI drama centred around how, on Christmas Eve, 1914, opposing French, German and British soldiers called a temporary ceasefire amid…
Karol - A Man Who Became PopeKarol - A Man Who Became Pope (2005)
Dir. Giacomo Battiato
Feat. Piotr Adamczyk
A lavish TV biopic concerning the life of the Polish–born leader of the Roman Catholic church between 1978 and 2005, Karol Wojtyla or Pope John…
King and the Clown, TheKing and the Clown, The (2005) Recommended
Dir. Jun-ik Lee
Feat. Woo-seong Kam
Subversive yet broadly–appealing Korean comedy with a gay streak that turns the Chosun Dynasty on its head with its story of two bawdy court…
Koi Aap SaKoi Aap Sa (2005)
Dir. Partho Mitra
Feat. Aftab Shivdasani
Fruity Bollywood number with Aftab Shivdasani as a hunky football captain torn between his spunky girlfriend and coltish childhood sweetheart.
L'EnferL'Enfer (Hell) (2005)
Dir. Danis Tanovic
Feat. Emmanuelle Beart, Karin Viard, Marie Gillain
Intense and twisting family psychodrama based on a script by Krystof Kieslowski (THREE COLOURS) has three French sisters finding their lives…
La Maison de NinaLa Maison de Nina (2005)
Dir. Richard Dembo
Feat. Agnes Jaoui, Sarah Adler, Katia Lewkowicz
Quietly accomplished French drama focused on the relationships within the fragile structures of the 'houses of hope': houses run by surrogate mothers…
La Petite JerusalemLa Petite Jerusalem (2005)
Dir. Karin Albou
Feat. Elsa Zylberstein
Passion must be reconciled with faith for two sisters growing impatient with family and religious boundaries, while living in the drab Parisian…
Linda Linda LindaLinda Linda Linda (2005) Aro Favourite
Dir. Nobuhiro Yamashita
Feat. Doona Bae, Aki Maeda, Yu Kashii
Guided by a rousing rock anthem, three high school seniors – and one gawky Korean exchange student – strive to have three Japanese punk classics…
Live and BecomeLive and Become (Va, vis et deviens) (2005)
Dir. Radu Mihaileanu
Set against a little–known human catastrophe in which thousands of Ethiopian Jews (Falasha) were evacuated to Israel during civil unrest in the…
Lower CityLower City (Cidade Baixa) (2005)
Dir. Sergio Machado
Feat. Lazaro Ramos, Jose Dumont
Sensual, if sordid Latin American affair lustily relaying an ongoing threesome between two poverty–stricken ferrymen and a gorgeous Salvadorian…
Mangal PandeyMangal Pandey (2005) Recommended
Dir. Ketan Mehta
Feat. Aamir Khan, Toby Stephens
Accomplished and stirring Hindi epic based on the life and times of Mangal Pandey (Khan), leader of the 1857 'Indian Mutiny' which severely…
Manual of Love, TheManual of Love, The (Manuale d'amore) (2005) Recommended
Dir. Giovanni Veronesi
Feat. Jasmine Trinca, Sergio Rubini, Silvio Muccino
Four couples experience the agony and ecstasy of modern love in this appealing romance of intertwining relationships. An agreeable, attractive…
Mario's WarMario's War (La Guerra di Mario) (2005) Recommended
Dir. Antonio Capuano
Feat. Valeria Golino
Confronting Italian drama focused on a young boy taken away from his abusive mother to be cared for by a generous upper–class couple attempting…
Method, TheMethod, The (El Método) (2005) Aro Favourite
Dir. Marcelo Pineyro
Feat. Eduardo Noriega, Najwa Nimri, Ernesto Alterio
This smart black comedy for the 21st century sees corporate ethics slyly dissected as seven candidates blindly compete for an executive position in a…
Murder Take OneMurder Take One (The Big Scene) (2005)
Dir. Jin Jang
Feat. Ha-kyun Shin, Seung-Won Cha
Thwarted by a television agreement consigning an ongoing homicide investigation to the prying eyes of a Reality TV show, prosecutor Choi (Cha) must…
Myth, TheMyth, The (San Wa) (2005)
Dir. Stanley Tong
Feat. Jackie Chan
Alternating between past and present, Jackie Chan plays a warrior general during the Qing Dynasty and a modern day archaeologist respectively in this…
Once You're Born Once You're Born (Quando sei nato non puoi più nasconderti) (2005) Recommended
Dir. Marco Tullio Giordana
Feat. Alessio Boni, Adriana Asti
Frank Italian adventure by acclaimed director Marco Tullio Giordana (THE BEST OF YOUTH) telling the coming–of–age story of a wealthy…
One Stays, One LeavesOne Stays, One Leaves (L' un reste, l'autre part) (2005)
Dir. Claude Berri
Feat. Daniel Auteuil, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Nathalie Baye
Witty French comedy with an undercurrent of angst in which two philandering middle–aged husbands do their utmost to juggle fresh–faced…
PP (The Possessed) (2005)
Dir. Paul Spurrier
Feat. Suangporn Jaturaphut
A youngster’s flirtation with witchery and the occult gives rise to an unspeakable evil in this humid Thai horror. Part soft–core porn,…
Paradise NowParadise Now (2005) Recommended
Dir. Hany Abu-Assad
Feat. Kais Nashef, Ali Suliman, Lubna Azabal
This extraordinarily brave film shadows the martyrdom of two Palestinian friends recruited by an extremist group to perpetrate a suicide bombing in…
Peekaboo!Peekaboo! (Cache Cache) (2005)
Dir. Yves Caumon
Feat. Bernard Blancan, Lucia Sanchez, Antoine Chappey
Peculiar fable of a hermit who takes residence inside a well after being ousted from the abandoned farmstead he’s squatted in for many…
Princess AuroraPrincess Aurora (Orora gongju) (2005)
Dir. Eun-jin Bang
Feat. Jeong-hwa Eom
Korean revenge film concerns a scorned woman who commits a series of murders as part of an elaborate revenge scheme. Far–fetched in that…
Princess RaccoonPrincess Raccoon (Operetta tanuki goten) (2005)
Dir. Seijun Suzuki
Feat. Zhang Ziyi, Joe Odagiri
Wacky musical rumpus stars Zhang Ziyi as a 'raccoon dog' who falls in love with a prince banished to her enchanted forest. A fanciful swansong for…
PrincessesPrincesses (Princesas) (2005)
Dir. Fernando León de Aranoa
Feat. Candela Pena, Micaela Nevarez
A raw, heartfelt slice of social realism on Spain's unforgiving streets, this authentic drama about the tenuous friendship between two women who…
Promise, ThePromise, The (Wu ji) (2005)
Dir. Chen Kaige
Feat. Hiroyuki Sanada, Dong-Kun Jang, Cecilia Cheung
Visually exquisite, if utterly frivolous Golden Globe–nominated romantic epic from the director of FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE relays the story of…
Protector, TheProtector, The (Tom yum goong, Warrior King) (2005)
Dir. Prachya Pinkaew
Feat. Tony Jaa, Petchtai Wongkamlao
Muay Thai phenomenon Tony Jaa continues his reinvigoration of the martial arts genre with this hotly anticipated follow–up to ONG–BAK: a…
Pusher IIIPusher III (I'm The Angel Of Death: Pusher III) (2005) Recommended
Dir. Nicolas Winding Refn
Feat. Marinela Dekic, Zlatko Buric
Third instalment of the thoroughly gripping Pusher trilogy closes in on the Sisyphean struggle of drug kingpin Milo (Buric) as he desperately battles…
Quo Vadis, Baby? Quo Vadis, Baby? (2005)
Dir. Gabriele Salvatores
Feat. Angela Baraldi
Oscar–winning–director Gabriele Salvatore's haughty thriller depicting a desperate private investigator who decides to re–examine…
Rampo NoirRampo Noir (Rampo jigoku) (2005)
Dir. Hisayasu Sato, Suguru Takeuchi, Atsushi Kaneko
Feat. Tadanobu Asano
Salacious quartet of horror segments all featuring actor Tadanobu Asano, with directing duties taken by four Japanese indie mavericks, crafting arty…
Red Shoes, TheRed Shoes, The (Bunhongsin) (2005)
Dir. Yong-gyun Kim
Feat. Hye-su Kim
Asian horror's preoccupation with inanimate objects continues in this self–consciously stylish, blood–curdling spin on the Hans Christian…
Regular LoversRegular Lovers (Les Amants réguliers) (2005) Recommended
Dir. Philippe Garrel
Feat. Louis Garrel, Clotilde Hesme
A richly photographed, Nouvelle Vague–styled homage to the revolutionary spirit of protesters in 1968 Paris, dir. Garrel offers a lucid, at…
ReincarnationReincarnation (2005)
Dir. Takashi Shimizu
Feat. Yuka
Another freak–out from the dir. of THE GRUDGE that manages to transport the flaccid J–horror template into a more interesting,…
Riding Alone for Thousands of MilesRiding Alone for Thousands of Miles (2005)
Dir. Zhang Yimou
Feat. Ken Takakura
An unmistakably poignant, tear–jerking chronicle of an elderly Japanese man’s pilgrimage to Mainland China in the hope of reconciling a…
Ring Finger, TheRing Finger, The (L'annulaire) (2005)
Dir. Diane Bertrand
Feat. Olga Kurylenko, Marc Barbe, Stipe Erceg
Ravishing to look at, if lacking so much as a storyline, this exquisite erotic fiction features Bond Girl Olga Kurylenko as a gorgeous laboratory…
Russian DollsRussian Dolls (Les Poupées russes) (2005)
Dir. Cedric Klapisch
Feat. Audrey Tautou, Romain Duris, Cecile De France
A sequel of substance to the pan–Euro comedy THE SPANISH APARTMENT, which will again strike an entertaining chord with the young globetrotting,…
Sacred Heart Sacred Heart (Cuore Sacro) (2005)
Dir. Ferzan Ozpetek
Feat. Erika Blanc, Barbora Bobulova, Camille Dugay Comencini
Invigorating Italian drama of a successful businesswoman forced to re–assess her life by way of an encounter with a street kid after two of her…
Samurai Commando: Mission 1549Samurai Commando: Mission 1549 (2005)
Dir. Masaaki Tezuka
Feat. Yosuke Eguchi, Kyoka Suzuki
Flashy remake of Sonny Chiba's 'time slip' shogun fantasy G.I SAMURAI, with a unit of advanced Special Forces soldiers inadvertently transported back…
Secuestro ExpressSecuestro Express (2005)
Dir. Jonathan Jakubowicz
Feat. Mia Maestro, Ruben Blades
Venezuela comes off second best in this exploitative thriller peddling the country's professional kidnapping trade, where a couple of wealthy young…
Seoul RaidersSeoul Raiders (2005)
Dir. Jingle Ma
Feat. Tony Leung (Chiu-wai), Shu Qi, Richie Ren
Hokey but fun pseudo–sequel to 'Tokyo Raiders' that finds Hong Kong special agent Lam (Tony Leung) on the hunt for counterfeiters in Seoul,…
Serge Gainsbourg - D'autres nouvelles des étoilesSerge Gainsbourg - D'autres nouvelles des étoiles (2005)
A definitive compilation of filmed songs by the phenomenal Frenchman Serge Gainsbourg, whose loquacious, witty and sometimes bawdy lyrics are matched…
Seven SwordsSeven Swords (2005)
Dir. Tsui Hark
Feat. Donnie Yen, Leon Lai, Charlie Yeung
Legendary Hong Kong dir. Tsui Hark returns with an action epic set among the brutal 17th Century Ching dynasty, as seven warriors come together to…
Shadowless SwordShadowless Sword (Muyeong geom) (2005)
Dir. Young-Jun Kim
Feat. Seo-Jin Lee, Yoon So-yi
Spiffy Korean wuxia extravaganza grafting comedy, romance and action aplenty onto the skin of an ambitious historical epic. Scaling the efforts of…
Shakugan No Shana (TV Series)Shakugan No Shana (TV Series) (2005)
Yuji is returning from school when suddenly time stops and monsters appear to devour people. He is not frozen, however. When one of the monsters…
ShinobiShinobi (2005)
Dir. Ten Shimoyama
Feat. Joe Odagiri, Yukie Nakama
Set in an ancient Japan complete with magical trappings, this action epic posits a forbidden love story between members (Odagiri and Nakama) of two…
Sisters in LawSisters in Law (2005) Recommended
Dir. Kim Longinotto, Florence Ayisi
Spirited portrait of two women working in the Cameroonian Judiciary – a State Prosecutor and a judge in the magistrate’s court, respectively –…
Sophie Scholl: The Final DaysSophie Scholl: The Final Days (2005) Recommended
Dir. March Rothemund
Feat. Julia Jentsch
An interesting and worthy companion piece to the excellent DOWNFALL, this necessarily grim drama looks at the trial of 21–year–old…
Speer And Hitler: The Devil's ArchitectSpeer And Hitler: The Devil's Architect (2005)
Dir. Heinrich Breloer
Feat. Sebastian Koch, Tobias Moretti
Painstaking docu–drama attempts to reevaluate the war crimes of one Albert Speer, Third Reich celebrity and Hilter’s personal architect…
Spiral (TV Series)Spiral (TV Series) (Engrenages) (2005) Recommended
Feat. Audrey Fleurot, Philippe Duclos, Caroline Proust
Euro–crime TV series set in Paris and following the police officers, lawyers and judges surrounding various criminal investigations.
SPLSPL (Sha Po Lang) (2005) Recommended
Dir. Wilson Yip
Feat. Donnie Yen, Sammo Hung, Simon Yam
Intense cops–and–hoods thriller which clearly raises the bar for Hong Kong martial–arts by infusing its tale of an idealistic cop…
Stupid BoyStupid Boy (Garçon Stupide) (2005)
Dir. Lionel Baier
Feat. Natacha Koutchoumov, Pierre Chatagny, Rui Pedro Alves
Raw drama focused around Loic, a young gay swinger in Switzerland, and his attraction to an older man who offers unexpected emotional stability.…
Sympathy for Lady VengeanceSympathy for Lady Vengeance (Chinjeolhan geumjassi) (2005) Recommended
Dir. Park Chan-Wook
Feat. Young-ae Lee, Min-sik Choi
A visually dynamic endpoint to Park Chan–wook's feted vengeance trilogy, this final chapter in the saga emerges from a female perspective, and…
Takeshis'Takeshis' (2005)
Dir. Takeshi Kitano
Feat. Takeshi Kitano, Kayoko Kishimoto, Ren Osugi
Returning to his comedic roots, dir. Takeshi Kitano springs layer upon layer of self–reference and in this conceptually ambitious, though…
Tetsujin 28Tetsujin 28 (2005)
Dir. Shin Togashi
Wacky but earnest live–action update of the classic 1950s anime GIGANTOR, replotted to depict the struggle between a ferocious robot 'Black Ox'…
Three TimesThree Times (2005) Recommended
Dir. Hou Hsiao-Hsien
Feat. Chen Chang, Shu Qi
Taiwanese great Hou Hsiao–Hsien rekindles the memory of three of his finest films, linking a trio of elegant, erstwhile love stories (across…
TicketsTickets (2005)
Dir. Ermanno Olmi, Abbas Kiarostami, Ken Loach
Surprisingly succinct take on the "omnibus" film sees the trifecta of Olmi, Kiarostami and Loach intersect three eclectic stories on a…
Tiger Blade, TheTiger Blade, The (Seua khaap daap) (2005)
Dir. Theeratorn Siriphunvaraporn
Feat. Atsadawut Luengsuntorn
Spiffy addition to the Thai martial arts boom, with action centered around the recovery of a magical ‘tiger blade’, by cops and robbers…
To Die in San HilarioTo Die in San Hilario (2005)
Dir. Laura Mana
Feat. Lluís Homar
A light, whimsical tale of redemption, in which an aging gangster on the run seeks refuge in a sleepy backwater, only to be mistaken for a wealthy…
Tokyo ZombieTokyo Zombie (2005)
Dir. Sakichi Sato
Feat. Sho Aikawa, Tadanobu Asano, Arata Furuta
An enormous garbage dump in Tokyo begins to spawl hoards of the walking dead, prompting two dumb–and–dumber garage workers to unleash…
Tony TakitaniTony Takitani (2005) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jun Ichikawa
Feat. Issey Ogata, Rie Miyazawa
A small jewel of a drama, based on a story by Haruki Murakami, about a lonely illustrator (Ogata) who meets the woman of his dreams, only later…
TsotsiTsotsi (2005) Recommended
Dir. Gavin Hood
Feat. Presley Chweneyagae
Deserved winner of the 2006 Foreign Language Oscar, this gripping tale of a young homicidal street–thug ('tsotsi') in post–apartheid…
U-Carmen EkhayelitshaU-Carmen Ekhayelitsha (2005) Recommended
Dir. Mark Dornford-May
Feat. Pauline Malefane
An inspired contemporary rendition of George Bizet's classic opera, with events relocated to the rich cultural hotbed of modern day South Africa.…
Valley of FlowersValley of Flowers (2005)
Dir. Pan Nalin
Feat. Milind Soman, Mylène Jampanoï, Naseeruddin Shah
Visually gorgeous, sprawling love story from the director of SAMSARA revises an epic Himalayan legend of a mischievous couple whose immortal love…
Van Veeteren (TV Series)Van Veeteren (TV Series) (2005-2006)
Feat. Sven Wollter
CONTRABAND TITLE. Not legally available for sale, rent or trade in New Zealand unless submitted for approval to the NZ Office of Film & Literature…
Viva ZapateroViva Zapatero (2005) Recommended
Dir. Sabina Guzzanti
Confronting Italian documentary made by comedian Sabina Guzzanti in response to her satirical TV show being axed after her scathing imitation of…
Wallander (TV Series)Wallander (TV Series) (2005) Aro Favourite
Feat. Krister Henriksson, Johanna Sällström
Suspenseful Scandinavian procedural finds drama within the inner–workings of a police force in southern Sweden, chiefly between the series’…
WaterWater (2005) Recommended
Dir. Deepa Mehta
Feat. Seema Biswas
The third and finest entry in dir. Deepa Mehta's 'Elements' trilogy (FIRE, EARTH) is an opulent depiction of the plight of a group of Hindu widows…
When Will the Girls Show Up? When Will the Girls Show Up? (Ma quando arrivano le ragazze?) (2005)
Dir. Pupi Avati
Feat. Vittoria Puccini, Paolo Briguglia, Claudio Santamaria
Charming Italian drama, billed as semi–autobiographical by its director Pupi Avati (A HEART ELSEWHERE), centred on two polar opposite musos who…
White Masai, TheWhite Masai, The (Die Weisse Massai) (2005) Recommended
Dir. Hermine Huntgeburth
Feat. Nina Hoss
A mysterious, well–textured tale of attraction concerns a young Swiss woman travelling in Africa with her boyfriend who becomes infatuated with…
Yacoubian Building, TheYacoubian Building, The (2005)
Dir. Marwan Hamed
A downtown apartment building is the main setting for this lively, ambitious cross–section of Egyptian life: a melting pot of social, political…
ZozoZozo (2005)
Dir. Josef Fares
Feat. Imad Creidi
Sincere and occasionally dreamlike tale of displacement follows the plight of a 10–year old boy (Creidi) caught in the midst of Lebanon's civil…
20462046 (2004) Recommended
Dir. Wong Kar-Wai
Feat. Tony Leung (Chiu-wai), Zhang Ziyi, Gong Li
A companion piece of sorts to IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE, this has the seasoned stylist dir. Wong Kar–Wai sketch an impressionistic portrait of loss,…
3-Iron3-Iron (Bin-jip) (2004)
Dir. Kim Ki-Duk
Feat. Seung-yeon Lee, Hee Song Jae
Odd, elliptical love story from the dir. SPRING, SUMMER concerns the blossoming romance between a domestic abuse victim and her savior, a…
36 Quai Des Orfevres36 Quai Des Orfevres (2004)
Dir. Olivier Marchal
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Daniel Auteuil
Gerard Depardieu and Daniel Auteuil partner again for this straight–faced policier as two veteran cops who compete for the top job while trying…
5x25x2 (Five Times Two) (2004)
Dir. Francois Ozon
Feat. Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Stephane Freiss
Simple and powerful 'deconstruction' of modern marriage, which offers five widely–spaced scenes from the relationship of an average French…
6 AM6 AM (2004)
Dir. Adrian Kwan
Feat. Kenny Kwan, Steven Cheung, Charlene Choi
Popular Canto–pop duo ‘The Boy’z’ star in this absurdist gangster tale, playing high school slackers ‘Bowl’ and ‘Noodle’ who…
Ab-Normal BeautyAb-Normal Beauty (Sei mong se jun) (2004)
Dir. Oxide Pang
Feat. Race Wong, Rosanne Wong
Dir. Oxide Pang's solo followup to THE EYE is also a voyeuristically themed nerve–shredder, set around a young and rich photography student…
AftermathAftermath (2004)
Dir. Paprika Steen
Feat. Sofie Grabol, Soren Pilmark, Mikael Birkkjaer
A young couple struggle to cope following the death of their only daughter, in this somber Danish drama starring Sophie Grabol (THE…
Agatha and The StormAgatha and The Storm (Agata e la tempesta) (2004)
Dir. Silvio Soldini
Feat. Licia Maglietta, Giuseppe Battiston, Emilio Solfrizzi
Loosely woven tale of a middle–aged bookshop owner, who becomes embroiled in a surreal swirl of romance and family secrets of infidelity, her…
ArahanArahan (2004) Recommended
Dir. Ryoo Seung-Wan
Feat. Ryoo Seung-beom, Yoon So-yi, Ahn Sung-Ki
Urban martial arts injected with supernatural pep, this effects–laden action comedy has an ultimately limited box of tricks, but provides more…
As it is in HeavenAs it is in Heaven (Så som i himmelen) (2004)
Dir. Kay Pollak
Feat. Michael Nyqvist
A feelgood arthouse hit about a renowned classical music conductor who rediscovers his roots in the far north of Sweden. Acquiring a rundown…
Bad EducationBad Education (Mala Educación, La) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Gael Garcia Bernal, Fele Martinez, Javier Camara
Another fascinating work from Almodovar who, after TALK TO HER, again matches his renowned taste in decor with adventurous yet controlled…
Barrio 13Barrio 13 (District B13) (2004)
Dir. Pierre Morel
Feat. Cyril Raffaelli, David Belle
Set in a near–future ghetto dystopia, this slightly–plotted action spectacle thrills as a vehicle for its martial art of choice: Parkour,…
Blade Of The Phantom Master - Shin Angyo Onshi Blade Of The Phantom Master - Shin Angyo Onshi (2004)
Dir. Jôji Shimura
An unknown hero appears in the terrorized land of Jushin to protect the empire from zombies, beasts and sadists – is he one of the legendary…
Blood and BonesBlood and Bones (Chi to hone) (2004)
Dir. Yoichi Sai
Feat. Takeshi Kitano, Joe Odagiri
Harrowing biopic about the life and times of an infamous first–generation Korean immigrant who came to Japan in the 1920s and by dint of his…
BombonBombon (El Perro) (2004)
Dir. Carlos Sorin
Feat. Juan Villegas
A middle–aged man (Villegas), struggling to maintain his meager lifestyle working as a mechanic in remote Patagonia, and selling knives on the…
Born to FightBorn to Fight (Kerd ma lui) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Panna Rittikrai
Feat. Chattapong Pantanaunkul
Created by the makers of the stupendous ONG BAK, this lesser action vehicle is contrived around a showdown in the Thai countryside between a…
Bride and PrejudiceBride and Prejudice (2004)
Dir. Gurinder Chadha
Feat. Martin Henderson, Naveen Andrews, Aishwarya Rai
Bollywood meets Hollywood in this rather original Jane Austen adaptation, with ex–pat Kiwi Henderson playing a blueblood American who falls…
BridesBrides (Nyfes) (2004)
Dir. Pantelis Voulgaris
Feat. Damian Lewis, Victoria Haralabidou, Steven Berkoff
Through the passages of unrequited love, this bittersweet tale set on board a ship en route to the United States evokes a universal story of…
Bridge of San Luis Rey, TheBridge of San Luis Rey, The (2004)
Dir. Mary McGuckian
Feat. Robert De Niro, Kathy Bates, Gabriel Byrne
This star–studded costume drama of interlinked fates is the third celluloid incarnation of the Pulitzer Prize–winning Thorton Wilder…
Brotherhood of WarBrotherhood of War (Tae Guk Gi) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Kang Je-Gyu
Feat. Jang Dong-Gun, Won Bin, Lee Eun-Joo
Deemed as one of the most graphic and violent war films ever made, this tells the story of two South Korean brothers (Bin and Dong–Gun) who…
BrothersBrothers (2004) Recommended
Dir. Susanne Bier
Feat. Connie Nielsen, Ulrich Thomsen, Nikolaj Lie Kaas
Dialing–up the Dogme–95 credentials of its creators, this melodrama proffers a dangerous family triangle between a career soldier…
C.R.A.Z.Y.C.R.A.Z.Y. (Crazy) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Jean-Marc Vallée
Feat. Marc-André Grondin, Danielle Proulx, Michel Côté
Rockin' and colourful rites–of–passage drama evolves out an adolescent boy's (Grondin) experiences as part of an unusual family during…
CasshernCasshern (2004) Recommended
Dir. Kazuaki Kiriya
Feat. Yusuke Iseya, Kumiko Aso, Akira Terao
Set in a ravaged, post–nuclear war future, ruled by a fascist clique, this rearranges some familiar elements with a visually charged, epic…
Chorus, TheChorus, The (Les Choristes) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Christophe Barratier
Feat. Gerard Jugnot, Francois Berleand, Jacques Perrin
Crowd–pleasing drama set in post–WW2 France, where a sympathetic and patient music teacher strives to win over the troubled orphans in…
CleanClean (2004)
Dir. Olivier Assayas
Feat. Maggie Cheung, Nick Nolte, Beatrice Dalle
An unorthodox drugs movie from the always–interesting Olivier Assayas (IRMA VEP), this distills with refreshing clarity the aftermath of…
Consequences of Love, TheConsequences of Love, The (2004)
Dir. Paolo Sorrentino
Feat. Toni Servillo, Olivia Magnani, Adriano Giannini
Icy but utterly involving, this Italian mood piece features Toni Servillo as a mysterious, lonesome resident of a Swiss hotel whose cool facade is…
Conversations with MotherConversations with Mother (Conversaciones con mamá) (2004)
Dir. Santiago Carlos Oves
Feat. China Zorrilla, Eduardo Blanco
Chaotic, poignant and amusing, this Argentinian drama has a newly redundant man try and persuade his 80–year old mother to sell her apartment…
Crimson Rivers 2 - Angels of the ApocalypseCrimson Rivers 2 - Angels of the Apocalypse (2004)
Dir. Olivier Dahan
Feat. Jean Reno, Benoit Magimel, Christopher Lee
Barely coherent, but mostly fun sequel to the serial–killer hunt of CRIMSON RIVERS, has detective Reno return to track a case of religious…
Cutie HoneyCutie Honey (Kyûtî Hanî) (2004)
Dir. Hideaki Anno
Feat. Eriko Sato
Colourful cluster bomb romp pits a sexy supercharged heroine against an assembly line of comic book villains in a camp futuristic netherworld. Fun,…
DevilmanDevilman (2004)
Dir. Hiroyuki Nasu
Feat. Hisato Izaki
Clunky live–action manga adaptation saddles a dorky teenager with the fate of mankind, forcing him to adopt the characteristics of a…
Don't MoveDon't Move (Non ti muovere) (2004)
Dir. Sergio Castellitto
Feat. Penelope Cruz, Sergio Castellitto
A sweaty reflection on lust and responsibility from actor Sergio Castellitto (MOSTLY MARTHA) in his second directorial outing, here playing a…
DownfallDownfall (Der Untergang) (2004) Aro Favourite
Dir. Oliver Hirschbiegel
Feat. Bruno Ganz, Thomas Kretschmann, Juliane Kohler
Widely acclaimed for its claustrophobic intensity, intelligence and detail, this vivid re–enactment of the last ten days in the life of Adolf…
Duck SeasonDuck Season (2004) Recommended
Dir. Fernando Eimbcke
Feat. Enrique Arreola, Diego Cataño, Danny Miranda
Two videogame–mad teens find their lazy Sunday hijacked by a nosey neighbour and stubborn pizza delivery man in this breezy, flavoursome…
DumplingsDumplings (Gaau ji) (2004)
Dir. Fruit Chan
Feat. Ling Bai, Tony Leung (Kar-fai), Miriam Yeung
Grotesque feature length version of Fruit Chan’s submission to the THREE…EXTREMES Asian horror omnibus, this time expanding the deplorable fable…
Eagle, The (TV Series)Eagle, The (TV Series) (A Crime Odyssey) (2004) Recommended
Feat. Jens Albinus
An expert Danish thriller dealing in international terrorism and cross–border crime, this involves the usual task force machinations of special…
Edukators, TheEdukators, The (The Educators) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Hans Weingartner
Feat. Daniel Bruhl, Julia Jentsch, Stipe Erceg
A compulsive slice of German youth angst about rebels struggling with their cause, this arthouse smash–hit concerns a trio of youthful…
Elfen LiedElfen Lied (2004)
Dir. Mamoru Kanbe
Anime TV series adapting the earlier part of a manga of the same name by Lynn Okamoto that was considered edgy in its time due to being pretty dark…
Enter the PhoenixEnter the Phoenix (2004)
Dir. Stephen Fung
Feat. Daniel Wu, Karen Mok, Nicholas Tse
The disowned gay son of a dying triad leader must inherit control of an organised crime family in this typically scattershot Hong Kong comedy…
ExilsExils (Exiles) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Tony Gatlif
Feat. Romain Duris
Possibly dir. Gatlif's most exuberant and personal film yet, this observes a bohemian French couple's journey southwards to their family's respective…
Eye 2, TheEye 2, The (Jian Gui 2) (2004)
Dir. Oxide Pang, Danny Pang
Feat. Shu Qi, Jesdaporn Pholdee
Another venture into Asian horror for the Brothers Pang, here thematically sequelling their 2002 hit with the tale of an unhappy woman who gains the…
Familia RodanteFamilia Rodante (Rolling Family) (2004)
Dir. Pablo Trapero
Feat. Graciana Chironi, Bernardo Forteza
Argentinian comedy from the director of EL BONAERENSE, following a large family who embark on an epic road trip from Buenos Aires to a village in…
FidaFida (2004)
Dir. Ken Ghosh
Feat. Kareena Kapoor, Shahid Kapoor, Fardeen Khan
Typically likeable Bollywood item that intercrosses two love stories with the tale of an online bank heist. Treading lightly through the genre…
Gankutsuou (TV Series)Gankutsuou (TV Series) (Count of Monte Cristo, The) (2004)
Born into an aristocratic family in Paris, Albert sets out on a journey with his best friend, Franz, to escape his privileged yet dull life. They…
Ghost in the Shell 2: InnocenceGhost in the Shell 2: Innocence (2004)
Dir. Mamoru Oshii
Visually emphatic, conceptually flummoxing sequel to Mamoru Oshii's cyberpunk touchstone GHOST IN THE SHELL. Cybernetic detective Batou returns to…
Ghost, TheGhost, The (Ryeong) (2004)
Dir. Tae-Kyeong Kim
Feat. Ha-Neul Kim, Sang-Mi Nam
Modest, but reasonably unnerving ghost story in which an amnesiac university student is seemingly last on a list of friends being dispatched one by…
Godzilla: Final WarsGodzilla: Final Wars (2004)
Dir. Ryuhei Kitamura
Feat. Akira Takarada
A 50th anniversary celebration of the GODZILLA movie franchise, with the big lizard coming up against a roll–call of old foes: Gigan, King…
Great Journey, TheGreat Journey, The (Grand Voyage, Le) (2004)
Dir. Ismaël Ferroukhi
Feat. Nicolas Cazalé
A few weeks before his college entrance exams, a young man finds himself obligated to drive his stubborn father to Mecca. From France through Italy,…
Great Water, TheGreat Water, The (Golemata voda) (2004)
Dir. Ivo Trajkov
Feat. Saso Kekenovski, Maja Stankovska, Mitko Apostolovski
Serious–minded Macedonian drama traces the fortunes of an orphan (Kekenovski) after WW2, who despite religious repression struggles to become a…
Head-OnHead-On (Gegen die Wand) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Fatih Akin
Feat. Birol Unel, Sibel Kekilli
Set in scungy working–class Hamburg, this constructs an unusual love story around two Turkish immigrants – a drunken janitor (Unel) and a…
Hidden BladeHidden Blade (Kakushi-ken: oni no tsume) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Yoji Yamada
Feat. Masatoshi Nagase
The fading glory of the Japanese feudal period in the Meiji Resoration is once again beautifully explored by the dir. of TWILIGHT SAMURAI through a…
House of Flying DaggersHouse of Flying Daggers (Shi mian mai fu) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Zhang Yimou
Feat. Zhang Ziyi, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Andy Lau
The dir. of HERO follows up with an equally watchable oriental spectacle, inserting the same cartwheeling martial arts action, complete with torrents…
How We Ruined the Italian Movie Business How We Ruined the Italian Movie Business (Come inguaiammo il cinema italiano) (2004)
Sprawling Italian documentary telling the story of Franco Franchi and Ciccio Ingrassia, a treasured comedy duo from Sicily who began their careers as…
HulchulHulchul (2004)
Dir. Priyadarshan
Feat. Akshaye Khanna, Kareena Kapoor, Sunil Shetty
Snowballing tale of comic conspiracy between two families, one, mostly comprised of males who have sworn off "the women" and the other, more balanced…
In Your HandsIn Your Hands (Forbrydelser) (2004)
Dir. Annette K. Olesen
Feat. Jens Albinus, Trine Dyrholm, Ann Eleonora Joergensen
Denmark’s latest Dogme dispatch concerns a prison priest whose faith is tested by a young inmate claiming to perform miracles of…
InfectionInfection (Kansen) (2004)
Dir. Masayuki Ochiai
Feat. Michiko Hada, Shirô Sano
A further twist on the vengeful spirit genre sees a burns patient return from the dead as a lethal infection, liquefying victims' internal organs in…
InnocenceInnocence (2004) Aro Favourite
Dir. Lucile Hadzihalilovic
Feat. Zoé Auclair, Lea Bridarolli, Bérangère Haubruge
A strange and sinister – but also uttering beguiling – fantasy combining phantasmagorical imagery and a dewy atmosphere to metaphorically…
Innocent VoicesInnocent Voices (Voces inocentes) (2004)
Dir. Luis Mandoki
Feat. Carlos Padilla, Leonor Varela
The tumultuous upheaval of civil war is witnessed through the eyes of a terrified 12–year–old boy, whose approaching teenage years spell…
Intimate StrangersIntimate Strangers (Confidences trop intimes) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Patrice Leconte
Feat. Sandrine Bonnaire, Fabrice Luchini, Anne Brochet
Another stylish excursion into suspensful romanticism for dir. Leconte (MONSIEUR HIRE), here premised on a woman's mistaken assumption that she is…
Intruder, TheIntruder, The (L' Intrus) (2004) Aro Favourite
Dir. Claire Denis
Feat. Michel Subor, Beatrice Dalle, Katia Golubeva
More sensory cinema from the dir. of BEAU TRAVAIL, lodged in a globally sprawling, free–associative narrative encircled loosely around one…
Italian Romance, AnItalian Romance, An (L'amore Ritrovato) (2004)
Dir. Carlo Mazzacurati
Feat. Stefano Accorsi, Maya Sansa, Marco Messeri
Languid Italian melodrama set in 1936, where a pair of young ex–lovers rediscover one another and have a passionate fling, despite an…
Jasmine WomenJasmine Women (Mo li hua kai; Blossoming Jasmine; Jasmine Flower) (2004)
Dir. Yong Hou
Feat. Joan Chen, Wen Jiang, Zhang Ziyi
Intergenerational Chinese weepie about women who are unlucky in love, set during the 1920s, '50s and '80s, and based on the book by Su Tong (also the…
Keys to the House, The Keys to the House, The (Chiavi di casa, Le) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Gianni Amelio
Feat. Charlotte Rampling, Kim Rossi Stuart
Eloquent Italian drama directed by Gianni Amelio (OPEN DOORS) following a distant father attempting to reconnect with his disabled son by…
KhakeeKhakee (2004)
Dir. Rajkumar Santoshi
Feat. Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgan
A Bollywood offering in which the song count is low but the body count is high, this twist–filled, often violent drama centres on the police…
King of BollywoodKing of Bollywood (2004)
Dir. Piyush Jha
Feat. Kavita Kapoor, Sophie Dahl, Om Puri
A tongue–in–cheek satire of the Bollywood movie industry, in which a star (Puri) with notions of his own timeless importance becomes…
Kings and QueenKings and Queen (Rois et reine) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Arnaud Desplechin
Feat. Emmanuelle Devos, Mathieu Amalric, Catherine Deneuve
A tragicomedy of multiple layers and degrees untangles the complicated life of one Emmanuelle Devos, and the various men she calls her own. Spun…
KomaKoma (2004)
Dir. Chi-Leung Law
Feat. Angelica Lee
The attractive Lee plays a feckless young woman with kidney problems who gets caught up in a scandal involving a gang of organ thieves. This…
Kung Fu HustleKung Fu Hustle (2004) Aro Favourite
Dir. Stephen Chow (Chiao)
Feat. Stephen Chow (Chiao), Wah Yuen
Hong Kong superstar Stephen Chow trumps all previous efforts (and that's saying something) with this dynamic, bust–a–gut funny…
Land Has Eyes, TheLand Has Eyes, The (Pear ta ma 'on maf) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Vilsoni Hereniko
Feat. Sapeta Taito, Rena Owen, Voi Fesaitu
The first ever Fijian feature film, this evokes WHALE RIDER with its tale of a young woman (Taito) who aspires to transcend an existence…
Life I Want, The Life I Want, The (Vita che vorrei, La) (2004)
Dir. Giuseppe Piccioni
Feat. Luigi Lo Cascio, Sandra Ceccarelli
Intriguing Italian romantic drama about two avid actors cast as lovers who begin to cross over the boundaries of stage–life and reality with an…
Life is a MiracleLife is a Miracle (Zivot je cudo) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Emir Kusturica
Feat. Slavko Stimac, Natasa Solak
Another feverish, frenetic and heartfelt vision from Balkan dir. Emir Kusturica (UNDERGOUND), attempting here to fathom and unknot the bloody Bosnian…
Light, TheLight, The (L'Équipier) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Philippe Lioret
Feat. Sandrine Bonnaire, Philippe Torreton, Anne Consigny
Impeccable Gallic melodrama of family history concerns the arrival of a stranger to a xenophobic Breton community in the ‘60s to work on a…
Look At MeLook At Me (Comme une Image) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Agnes Jaoui
Feat. Jean-Pierre Bacri, Agnes Jaoui
Another diverting comedy of manners from the husband–wife creative team behind THE TASTE OF OTHERS, set among the fragile egos of the literary…
Love in ThoughtsLove in Thoughts (2004)
Dir. Achim von Borries
Feat. Daniel Bruhl, August Diehl, Anna Maria Muhe
Melancholic true story of two self absorbed teenagers who make a pact to kill themselves should they no longer feel love and kill those who robbed…
Ma MereMa Mere (My Mother) (2004)
Dir. Christophe Honore
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Louis Garrel, Emma de Caunes
A perverse Mediterranean sex–romp that manages to skirt regularly between tasteless debauchery and absurd immorality. A heady Isabelle…
MachucaMachuca (2004) Recommended
Dir. Andres Wood
Feat. Ariel Mateluna, Matias Quer
Observing the onset of Augusto Pinochet's bloody coup d'etat in Chile in 1973, through the eyes of two boys who become friends across the…
Maria Full of GraceMaria Full of Grace (2004) Recommended
Dir. Joshua Marston
Feat. Catalina Sandino Moreno, Yenny Paola Vega, Guilied Lopez
An accomplished delve into the experience of a 'drug mule', a teenage Colombian girl who enlists to smuggle heroin into the United States, so as to…
Marriages!Marriages! (2004)
Dir. Valerie Guignabodet
Feat. Mathilde Seigner, Jean Dujardin, Miou-Miou
A messy, if diverting marriage farce brings together three generations of couples at a picturesque wedding in southern France.
Masai - The Rain WarriorsMasai - The Rain Warriors (2004)
Dir. Pascal Plisson
Simple and visually–sweeping, this African epic follows a group of teenage warriors from their drought–stricken village out into the…
Matando CabosMatando Cabos (2004)
Dir. Alejandro Lozano
Feat. Tony Dalton, Ana Claudia Talancon, Pedro Jr. Armendariz
Energetic Mexican 'farce of errors' in which two teenagers kidnap a coldly ruthless businessman, not realising he is also a coveted prize for a…
Me And My SisterMe And My Sister (Les Soeurs Fachees) (2004)
Dir. Alexandra Leclere
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Catherine Frot
A deceptively simple French comedy, which has a bubbly and gauche rural–dwelling woman (Frot) visiting her arrogant and successful sister…
Mind GameMind Game (2004)
Dir. Masaaki Yuasa
Feat. Koji Imada, Sayaka Maeda, Takashi Fujii
Inventive Japanese animation based on the manga of the same by Robin Nishi, depicting the psychedelic self–discovery of a socially inept…
MoolaadeMoolaade (2004) Recommended
Dir. Ousmane Sembene
Feat. Fatoumata Coulibaly
A rare glimpse for New Zealanders of the work of elderly Sengalese dir. Sembene – novelist, newspaper editor and founder of the New African…
Motorcycle DiariesMotorcycle Diaries (Diarios de Motocicleta) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Walter Salles
Feat. Gael Garcia Bernal, Rodrigo De la Serna, Mercedes Morán
Sumptuously filmed two–wheeled road trip across 1950s South America with the youthful, asthmatic Ernesto "Che" Guevara (Bernal), and friend…
Mountain PatrolMountain Patrol (Kekexili) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Chuan Lu
Feat. Lei Zhang, Bujie Duo
An enthralling eco–thriller which portrays the battle over the endangered Tibetan antelope between poachers and a hard–knit unit of…
Narco: Secret Adventures of Gustav KloppNarco: Secret Adventures of Gustav Klopp (2004)
Dir. Tristan Aurouet
Feat. Guillaume Canet, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Benoit Poolevarde
A narcoleptic comic–book writer finds illusion and reality blurring between his fantastical imagination, a succession of dead–end day…
New Police StoryNew Police Story (2004)
Dir. Benny Chan
Feat. Jackie Chan, Nicholas Tse, Daniel Wu
A groundbreaking fourth (or possibly fifth) entry in Jackie Chan's martial arts series about the life of a reckless Hong Kong policeman, here…
Night WatchNight Watch (Nochnoi Dozor, aka. Nightwatch) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Timur Bekmambetov
Feat. Konstantin Khabensky, Maria Poroshina, Dima Martinov
A mega–hit in its native Russia, this sci–fi–horror–action cocktail concerns a running battle on the mean streets of…
Nobody KnowsNobody Knows (Dare mo shiranai) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Kore-eda Hirokazu
Feat. Yuya Yagira, Ayu Kitaura, You
Based on a notorious 1988 case where four abandoned children were found to have been living on their own devices out of a Japanese apartment for six…
OffbeatOffbeat (Kammerflimmern) (2004)
Dir. Hendrik Hölzemann
Feat. Matthias Schoenaerts, Jessica Schwarz, Florian Lukas
Fitfully intense indie drama is set around the daily rounds of a paramedic (Schweighöfer) struggling with his own dreams, memories and a few lurking…
Old BoyOld Boy (Oldboy) (2004) Aro Favourite
Dir. Park Chan-Wook
Feat. Min-sik Choi, Ji-tae Yoo
Wowing audiences wherever it's played (including being nominated for the Palm D'Or at Cannes), this achingly intense thriller from Korea raises the…
One Night in MongkokOne Night in Mongkok (Wong gok hak yau) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Derek Yee
Feat. Daniel Wu, Cecilia Cheung
A bespectacled 'Mainland' Chinese man is recruited for the assassination of a triad boss in the lusciously seedy Hong Kong district of Mongkok, but…
Operation ValkyrieOperation Valkyrie (Stauffenberg) (2004)
Dir. Jo Baier
Feat. Sebastian Koch, Ulrich Tukur, Hardy Kruger
Highly credible Germanic take on the failed 'Valkyrie' plot to assassinate Hitler favors sobering realism over Hollywood heroism. Made for German…
Ordeal, TheOrdeal, The (Calvaire) (2004)
Dir. Fabrice du Welz
Feat. Laurent Lucas
Less gruelling than its title suggests, this is a macabre, blackly humorous slice of "redneck gothic" from Belgium, in which a cabaret singer's…
Overture, TheOverture, The (Hom rong) (2004)
Dir. Ittisoontorn Vichailak
Feat. Anuchit Sapanpong, Aratee Tanmahapran
Biopic exploring the life of Thai musical master Luang Pradit Pairoh (Sorn Silapabanleng), who was a palace musician and ra–nad ek (Thai…
PeoplePeople (2004)
Dir. Fabien Onteniente
Feat. Rupert Everett, Jose Garcia, Ornella Muti
Raucous French comedy starring one Rupert Everett as the Parisian Jet Set's party organiser, who finds himself departing to Ibiza in order to retain…
PremonitionPremonition (Yogen) (2004)
Dir. Norio Tsuruta
Feat. Hiroshi Mikami, Noriko Sakai
Competent J–Horror entry posits the intriguing, if unrealised premise of a man whose premonitions foresee the murderous acts of a killer,…
Pusher IIPusher II (With Blood on my Hands) (2004)
Dir. Nicolas Winding Refn
Feat. Mads Mikkelsen
Number two in the Danish thriller PUSHER series tracks a muddled Copenhagen thug fresh from prison who faces the scorn of his gangster father, past…
Queen of Sheba's Pearls, TheQueen of Sheba's Pearls, The (2004)
Dir. Colin Nutley
Feat. Helena Bergstrom
Set in post–WW2 England this centres its tale on a rural West Country family, whose members are on the cusp of various life passages, upset by…
RaincoatRaincoat (2004)
Dir. Rituparno Ghosh
Feat. Ajay Devgan, Aishwarya Rai
Dramatically–ambitious dir. Ghosh here creates an understated chamber piece from the usual Bollywood melodramatics, staging a rainy–day…
Red LightsRed Lights (Feux Rouges) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Cedric Kahn
Feat. Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Carole Bouquet
A married couple bicker in a holiday traffic–jam, fueled by the husband's drunken irritability and his wife's haughty disregard, leading them…
Rhythm Is It!Rhythm Is It! (2004) Recommended
Dir. Thomas Grube
The Berlin Philharmonic’s ambitious and dramatic undertaking – to school 250 children in a staging of Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring" – is…
Rice RhapsodyRice Rhapsody (Hainan ji fan) (2004)
Dir. Kenneth Bi
Feat. Sylvia Chang, Mélanie Laurent, Maggie Q
Light, good–natured familial farce about a sturdy single mother who, fearing a drought of grandchildren, plots to ‘straighten’ the…
Sea Inside, TheSea Inside, The (Mar Adentro) (2004) Aro Favourite
Dir. Alejandro Amenabar
Feat. Javier Bardem, Belen Rueda, Lola Dueñas
A deserving winner of the Best Foreign Film Academy Award, this outstanding melodrama is based on the unique real–life story of Ramon Sampedro,…
Shadows Of TimeShadows Of Time (Scatten der Zeit) (2004)
Dir. Florian Gallenberger
Feat. Prushant Narayanan, Tanishta Chaterjee
Sumptuous romantic melodrama of a high order, following the bittersweet relations between two abandoned children, who graduate from working in a…
Spider ForestSpider Forest (2004)
Dir. Il-gon Song
Feat. Suh Jung, Woo-seong Kam
A refined and non–linear 'K–horror' concerns an amnesiac filmmaker whose foggy memories of the recent past concern a vast wild forest, a…
Story of My Life, TheStory of My Life, The (Mensonges et trahisons et plus si affinités) (2004)
Dir. Laurent Tirard
Feat. Edouard Baer, Marie-Josee Croze, Clovis Cornillac
A ghostwriter’s charmed life is thrown into tailspin when he’s assigned the autobiography of a notoriously egotistical soccer star. Further…
Stray DogsStray Dogs (Sag-haye velgard) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Marziyeh Meshkini
Feat. Gol-Ghotai , Zahed , Agheleh Rezaie
A wrenching, emotionally gripping tale of two children, orphaned after their parents are imprisoned, who must fend for themselves in…
Summer StormSummer Storm (Sommersturm) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Marco Kreuzpaintner
Feat. Robert Stadlober, Kostja Ullmann
Two best friends – the pride of the local rowing club – find their loyalties and chances of winning threatened, as one gets serious about…
Sun, TheSun, The (2004)
Dir. Alexandr Sokurov
Feat. Robert Dawson, Issey Ogata
A lucid, painstaking portrait of Emperor Hirohito, whose authority over Japanese troops during WWII is contrasted against intimate scenes of…
Survive Style 5+Survive Style 5+ (2004)
Dir. Gen Sekiguchi
Feat. Tadanobu Asano, Hiroshi Abe, Vinnie Jones
Hitmen, hypnotists, murdered spouses, and a trio of oddball thieves converge in this delirious, unclassifiable comedy–mystery–drama by…
They Came BackThey Came Back (Les Revenants) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Robin Campillo
Feat. Géraldine Pailhas, Jonathan Zaccai, Frédéric Pierrot
This disquieting, unconventional ‘zombie’ movie concerns a global phenomenon of returning dead, and their subsequent integration back into living…
Three Dancing SlavesThree Dancing Slaves (2004)
Dir. Gaël Morel
Feat. Nicolas Cazalé, Stephane Rideau, Thomas Dumerchez
French romantic drama set in a working class Annecy neighbourhood where three brothers are in and out of the criminal world after their mother dies,…
Three...ExtremesThree...Extremes (3 Extremes) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Takashi Miike, Park Chan-Wook, Fruit Chan
Feat. Ling Bai, Tony Leung (Kar-fai)
Three prominent Asian maestros of terror serve up an intense and rewarding portmanteau of short horror works. 'Dumplings' (Dir. Fruit Chan)…
Trilogy 1: The Weeping MeadowTrilogy 1: The Weeping Meadow (To Livadi pou dakryzei) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Theo Angelopoulos
The first part of an intended trilogy of films dealing with 20th century Greece, this monumental epic depicts the travails of a Greek refugee family…
Tropical MaladyTropical Malady (2004)
Dir. Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Feat. Banlop Lomnoi, Sakda Kaewbuadee
A gorgeous two–hander from the dir. of BLISSFULLY YOURS begins as a tender romance between a farmer and a solider, before transforming into a…
Turtles Can FlyTurtles Can Fly (Lakposhtha hâm parvaz mikonand) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Bahman Ghobadi
Feat. Soran Ebrahim, Avaz Latif
The first widely–released film to emerge from post–Hussein Iraq, this wrenching tale concerns a raucous gang of children who scratch out…
Twenty Thirty FortyTwenty Thirty Forty (20 30 40) (2004)
Dir. Sylvia Chang
Feat. Sylvia Chang, Rene Liu, Lee Sinji
The destinies of three women in contemporary urban Taiwan – aged 20, 30 and 40 – evolve in parallel as each feels their way through the…
UnconsciousUnconscious (Inconscientes) (2004)
Dir. Joaquin Oristrell
Boisterous 'Freudian farce' set amidst the extravagent architecture of Barcelona in 1913, where a disturbed psychiatrist suddenly adandons his…
UshpizinUshpizin (2004)
Dir. Giddi Dar
Respectful and dryly humorous parable of an ultra–Orthodox Jewish couple on the eve of the festival of Succoth, who invite two travellers…
Very Long Engagement, AVery Long Engagement, A (Long dimanche de fiançailles, Un) (2004) Recommended
Dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Feat. Audrey Tautou, Gaspard Ulliel, Clovis Cornillac
Another crowd–pleasing favourite from the dir. of AMELIE, which uses the Great War as setting for the fairytale search by Audrey Tatou for her…
Walk on WaterWalk on Water (2004)
Dir. Eytan Fox
An arresting drama based on the obsessive efforts of an Israeli Mossad hitman –in grieving over his wife's suicide – to search for and…
Wayward Cloud, TheWayward Cloud, The (2004)
Dir. Ming-liang Tsai
Feat. Kang-sheng Lee, Shiang-chyi Chen
Eye–popping musical numbers burst forth from this outré Tsai Ming–liang offering, which couples the Taiwanese director’s usual…
WhiskyWhisky (2004) Recommended
Dir. Juan Pablo Rebella, Pablo Stoll
Feat. Jorge Bolani, Mirella Pascual, Andres Pazos
From the vintage of Aki Kaurismaki and Jim Jarmusch, this low–key marriage charade stands as the driest comedy in years, accounting for a…
World Without Thieves, AWorld Without Thieves, A (Tian xia wu zei) (2004)
Dir. Feng Xiaoning
Feat. Andy Lau, Rene Liu
Two thieves resolve to go straight, only to become entangled in high–stakes plot aboard a long haul train. Starring the ever–watchable…
World, TheWorld, The (Shijie) (2004)
Dir. Jia Zhang-ke
Feat. Zhao Tao
The dir. of PLATFORM continues his perceptive and wry dissection of Chinese society reacting with surreal clumsiness to the forces of globalisation,…
YesterdayYesterday (2004)
Dir. Darrell Roodt
Feat. Kenneth Khambula, Leleti Khumalo
A groundbreaking drama set in a South African village, which depicts a woman's (Khumalo) struggles with health, family and local superstition when…
Youth, TheYouth, The (Yuva) (2004)
Dir. Mani Ratnam
Feat. Abhishek Bachchan, Kareena Kapoor, Ajay Devgan
A Bollywood epic with debts to the likes of PULP FICTION and AMORES PERROS, structuring the storylines of three contrasting young men around a…
1515 (2003)
Dir. Royston Tan
Feat. Melvin Chen, Erick Chun
Doing for the tiny island nation of Singapore what LA HAINE did for France, this box–office hit follows the misfiring antics of three teenagers…
3 is a Crowd 3 is a Crowd (I'm Staying) (2003)
Dir. Diane Kurys
Feat. Sophie Marceau, Vincent Perez, Charles Berling
Farcical French romantic comedy about a wife, fed up with her stubborn husband's cycling obsession, who invites another man to move in. Unfortunately…
A Heart ElsewhereA Heart Elsewhere (Il Cuore Altrove) (2003)
Dir. Pupi Avati
Feat. Giancarlo Giannini, Neri Marcore, Vanessa Incontrada
Seemingly a soft–centred drama set in 1930s Italy, this curious tale of blind love carries its own insinuating mood of melancholy. Marcore…
Anatomie 2Anatomie 2 (2003)
Dir. Stefan Ruzowitzky
Competently staged sequel again set in a clinical German medical school, where a new student gradually uncovers a program of human experimentation…
Anatomy of HellAnatomy of Hell (Anatomie De L'enfer) (2003)
Dir. Catherine Breillat
Feat. Amira Casar, Rocco Siffredi
A queasily explicit sex drama about a suicidal woman who challenges (and pays) a promiscuous gay man to participate in an uneasy nightly ritual of…
AragamiAragami (2003)
Dir. Ryuhei Kitamura
Feat. Takao Osawa, Masaya Kato, Tak Sakaguchi
Another confidently executed, blood–soaked samurai fantasy from dir. Kitamura (VERSUS), set in a remote medieval temple into which a wounded…
ArmaanArmaan (2003)
Dir. Honey Irani
Feat. Amitabh Bachchan, Preity Zinta, Gracey Singh
A hospital soap–opera, Bollywood–style, centering around a doctor and his neurosurgeon son who dream of turning a private hospital into a…
As Far as My Feet Will Carry MeAs Far as My Feet Will Carry Me (2003)
Dir. Hardy Martins
Based on the novel by Josef Martin Bauer, this film recounts the harrowing true story of Clemens Forell, the German POW who escaped a Siberian labour…
At Five in the AfternoonAt Five in the Afternoon (Panj é asr) (2003) Recommended
Dir. Samira Makhmalbaf
Feat. Agheleh Rezaie, Abdolgani Yousefrazi
Delivering perhaps her most visually poetic, yet dramatically starkest work to date, the dir. of THE APPLE and BLACKBOARDS has a father and daughter…
AzumiAzumi (2003)
Dir. Ryuhei Kitamura
Feat. Aya Ueto, Shun Oguri, Kenji Kohashi
The dir. of VERSUS advances to a studio–scale budget for this historical action yarn, set around a skilled swords–woman in ancient feudal…
BaghbanBaghban (2003)
Dir. Ravi Chopra
Feat. Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Paresh Rawal
A genial Bollywood family drama in which a middle–aged couple on the verge of retirement arrange for their four sons and…
Barbarian Invasions, TheBarbarian Invasions, The (2003) Recommended
Dir. Denys Arcand
Feat. Remy Girard, Stephane Rousseau, Dorothee Berryman
Another finely–wrought drama from French–Canadian dir. Denys Arcand, who invests his keen sense of history, politics, literature and sex…
Battle Royale II: RequiemBattle Royale II: Requiem (Battle Royale 2) (2003)
Dir. Fukasaku Kinji, Fukasaku Kenta
Feat. Tatsuya Fujiwara, Ai Maeda, Shugo Oshinari
Bolder and bloodier sequel that introduces 9/11–style terrorist topicality into its violent, 'last teen standing' scenario, with overt…
Beautiful BoxerBeautiful Boxer (2003)
Dir. Ekachai Uekrongtham
Feat. Asanee Suwan
Fact–based actioner which follows a gifted 'Muay Thai' martial artist rising from his poor, rural background into the champions' league of…
Best of Youth, TheBest of Youth, The (La Meglio gioventù) (2003) Recommended
Dir. Marco Tullio Giordana
Sprawling and heady Italian saga tracks the lives of two brothers through the idealistic dreams of the 1960s and the long messy aftermath of…
Blind ShaftBlind Shaft (2003) Recommended
Dir. Yang Li
Feat. Li Yixiang, Wang Shuangbao, Baoqiang Wang
Chinese crime drama set in the brutal world of illegal coal mining. Follows two struggling coal miners who are running a side hustle in which they…
Blockade, Landscape, Revue: 3 Films by Sergei LoznitsaBlockade, Landscape, Revue: 3 Films by Sergei Loznitsa (2003-2008)
Dir. Sergey Loznitsa
Three documentaries from Ukrainian director Sergei Loznitsa (DONBASS). Landscape (2003, 60 mins) is set at a bus stop in a small village, with the…
Bon VoyageBon Voyage (2003)
Dir. Jean-Paul Rappeneau
Feat. Isabelle Adjani, Gerard Depardieu, Virginie Ledoyen
A plushly–mounted, grander–than–life romantic farce from director of "Cyrano De Bergerac". It's June 1940, when a group of…
Cafe LumiereCafe Lumiere (Kôhî jikô) (2003)
Dir. Hou Hsiao-Hsien
Feat. Tadanobu Asano, Yo Hitoto
Luminous tribute to Japanese dir. Yasujiro Ozu from a Taiwanese admirer, which honours Ozu's aesthetic in a minimalist study of personal…
CarandiruCarandiru (2003) Recommended
Dir. Hector Babenco
An expressionist series of tales set within the notorious titular prison in Sao Paolo, Brazil, as seen through the eyes of a benevolent doctor and…
Chalte ChalteChalte Chalte (2003)
Dir. Aziz Mirza
Feat. Shahrukh Khan
Glossy Bollywood comic–romance that runs a typical gamut of emotions about a chalk–and–cheese yet glamourous couple, who against…
Chokher BaliChokher Bali (2003)
Dir. Rituparno Ghosh
Feat. Aishwarya Rai, Prasenjit Chatterjee
Set in colonial Bengal, this adaptation of Nobel prizewinner Rabindranath Tagore's 1902 novel, concerns a beautiful widow (Aishwarya) who enters a…
City of Men (TV Series)City of Men (TV Series) (Cidade dos Homens) (2003) Recommended
Feat. Darlan Cunha, Douglas Silva
Brazilian TV followup to the crime epic CITY OF GOD, continues the lives of Acerola and Laranjinha in the shanties of Sao Paolo dodging drug gangs…
Crimson GoldCrimson Gold (Talaye sorkh) (2003) Recommended
Dir. Jafar Panahi
Extraordinary, emotionally–compelling class fable set in contemporary Iran, which begins with a failed jewelery heist in Tehran, then…
Dot The IDot The I (El Punto sobre la I) (2003)
Dir. Matthew Parkhill
Feat. Gael Garcia Bernal, James D'Arcy, Natalia Verbeke
A skillfully moody London romance, in which the relationship of an engaged couple is disturbed by a pre–wedding ritual in which Verbeke must…
EvilEvil (Ondskan) (2003)
Dir. Mikael Håfström
Feat. Andreas Wilson, Henrik Lundstrom, Gustaf Skarsard
Based on a renowned novel, this dramatic thriller is set in the 1950s Sweden, where a high school bully (Wilson) is expelled and sent by his mother…
Facing WindowsFacing Windows (La Finestra di fronte) (2003)
Dir. Ferzan Ozpetek
Feat. Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Massimo Girotti, Raoul Bova
An Italian woman finds her life and desires fraying away, as she struggles to support her family in the apartment blocks of Rome, while coming to…
Father and SonFather and Son (Otets i syn) (2003)
Dir. Alexandr Sokurov
Feat. Andrei Shchetinin, Aleksei Nejmyshev, Aleksandr Razbash
A loose 'sequel' to dir. Sokurov's arthouse hit MOTHER AND SON, this again uses an oblique, dreamlike visual style, here for an exploration of filial…
Fear and TremblingFear and Trembling (Stupeur et tremblements) (2003)
Dir. Alain Corneau
Feat. Sylvie Testud
A Belgian translator (Testud) takes a job in the corporate world of Tokyo (a city where she was born and grew up) hoping to rediscover the culture…
FearlessFearless (Jet Li's Fearless; Huo Yuan Jia) (2003) Recommended
Dir. Ronnie Yu
Feat. Jet Li
Lively martial–arts epic which is reportedly Jet Li's final offering of screen 'wushu' (traditional Chinese fighting) , retells the story of…
Forest for the Trees, TheForest for the Trees, The (Der Wald vor lauter Bäumen) (2003) Aro Favourite
Dir. Maren Ade
Feat. Eva Löbau
Impressively insightful German drama following an idealistic young teacher who starts a job at a Karlsruhe school and contends with her own…
Ginji The SlasherGinji The Slasher (2003)
Dir. Takeshi Miyasaka
Feat. Riki Takeuchi
Low profile suspenser, set around a recalcitrant swordsman who goes on the rampage in post–WW2 Japan and 50 years later is released to start…
Godzilla: Tokyo SOSGodzilla: Tokyo SOS (2003)
Dir. Masaaki Tezuka
More colossal mayhem from the never–ending franchise, with Japan vulnerable to a recuperated Godzilla, who will attack if government scientists…
Good Morning, NightGood Morning, Night (2003)
Dir. Marco Bellocchio
A dramatisation of events surrounding the kidnapping and murder of Italian Prime Minister Aldo Moro in 1978 by The Red Brigades, as seen through the…
Goodbye Lenin!Goodbye Lenin! (2003) Recommended
Dir. Wolfgang Becker
Feat. Daniel Bruhl, Katrin Sass, Chulpan Khamatova
This comedy of concealment set around the fall of the Berlin Wall was a justifiable success around the world, with a bittersweet mood of political…
GozuGozu (2003) Recommended
Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Sho Aikawa, Hideki Sone, Kimika Yoshino
Rebel iconoclast of Japanese cinema, Takashi Miike, unveils his creepiest film since AUDITION: a hellishly disorientating – yet markedly restrained…
Green Butchers, TheGreen Butchers, The (De grønne slagtere ) (2003)
Dir. Anders Thomas Jensen
Feat. Mads Mikkelsen, Nikolaj Lie Kaas
Grim comedy focused on two down–and–out butchers who discover they can make a killing out of their customer's oblivious cannibalistic…
Grudge 2, TheGrudge 2, The (Ju-On 2) (2003)
Dir. Takashi Shimizu
Feat. Chiharu Nîyama, Noriko Sakai, Kei Horie
Followup to the original Japanese version of dir. Takashi's own JU–ON, this proffers an almost identical vision, with a TV crew visiting the…
Grudge, TheGrudge, The (Ju-On) (2003) Recommended
Dir. Takashi Shimizu
A horror film that understands that fear is best painted blacker than molasses, this cult Japanese hit follows in the ghostly steps of the RING…
High TensionHigh Tension (Haute tension, Switchblade Romance) (2003) Recommended
Dir. Alexandre Aja
Feat. Cecile De France, Maïwenn
A grisly yet indeed tense French horror movie directed with stunning virtuosity, about two women whose rural weekend getaway turns horrific when they…
Hou Hsiao-Hsien's Classics: From 1983 to 1986Hou Hsiao-Hsien's Classics: From 1983 to 1986 (The Boys From Fengkuei; A Summer at Grandpa's; A Time to Live, A Time to Die; Dust in the Wind) (2003) Recommended
Dir. Hou Hsiao-Hsien
A collection of four of the early films from director Hou Hsiao–Hsien, who is a leading figure in the Taiwanese New Wave. The Boys From…
I'm Not ScaredI'm Not Scared (Io Non Ho Paura) (2003) Recommended
Dir. Gabriele Salvatores
Feat. Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, Dino Abbrescia, Giorgio Careccia
Atmospheric thriller from dir. Gabriele Salvatores that deftly conveys a foreboding childhood experience during a long, hot summer in the country,…
Infernal Affairs 2Infernal Affairs 2 (Mou gaan dou II) (2003)
Dir. Wai Keung Lau, Siu Fai Mak
Feat. Edison Chen, Shawn Yue, Carina Lau
Solid prequel to the hit Hong Kong policier, goes back in time to the era of the 1991 and moves forward in three acts to the Chinese handover,…
Infernal Affairs 3Infernal Affairs 3 (Mou gaan dou III) (2003)
Dir. Wai Keung Lau, Siu Fai Mak
Feat. Andy Lau, Tony Leung (Chiu-wai), Leon Lai
Actual sequel to the hit Hong Kong gangland–cop thriller attempts valiantly to tie up loose ends, both picking up where corrupt cop Ming (Lau)…
Italian Film Festival Collection, The - 2006Italian Film Festival Collection, The - 2006 (2003-2005) Recommended
Comprehensive box–set collection of 12 of the best Italian films featured at the 'Italian Film Festival 2006' spread over 6 discs. Films…
James' Journey to JerusalemJames' Journey to Jerusalem (Massa'ot James Be'eretz Hakodesh) (2003) Aro Favourite
Dir. Ra'anan Alexandrowicz
Feat. Siyabonga Melongisi Shibe
A witty yet significant portrait of contemporary Israel that takes the form of a deceptively straightforward fable, charting the progress of a young…
Joy of MadnessJoy of Madness (Lezate divanegi) (2003) Recommended
Dir. Hana Makhmalbaf
An unusual and invigorating self–reflexive documentary created by the teenage sister of acclaimed filmmaker Samira Makhmalbaf, during the…
Kal Ho Naa HoKal Ho Naa Ho (Tomorrow May Never Come) (2003) Recommended
Dir. Nikhil Advani
Feat. Shahrukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Preity Zinta
Sporting a string of hit songs and featuring a troika of India's most popular stars, this giddy swirl of romantic comedy, musical, family melodrama…
Kiss Me First Kiss Me First (Prima dammi un bacio) (2003)
Dir. Ambrogio Lo Giudice
Feat. Stefania Rocca, Marco Cocci
Endearing Italian comedy following the fate of two separated lovers whose lives cannot help but intersect. The events of WW2 inevitably drive these…
Kitchen StoriesKitchen Stories (Salmer fra kjøkkenet) (2003) Recommended
Dir. Bent Hamer
Feat. Tomas Norstrom, Joachim Calmeyer, Reine Brynolfsson
A slyly humourous offering from Scandanavia, examining the efforts of the (real–life) Swedish Home Research Institute to improve lives of…
KoktebelKoktebel (2003)
Dir. Boris Khlebnikov, Alexei Popogrebsky
Feat. Gleb Puskepalis, Igor Chernevich
A delicately imagined journey through the Ukrainian countryside in the company of a widower and his 11–year old son, who set off on foot from…
Kuch Naa KahoKuch Naa Kaho (2003)
Dir. Rohan Sippy
Feat. Aishwarya Rai, Abhishek Bachchan
Effective, if predictable, this contemporary comedy of arranged marriage concerns an eligible bachelor (Bachban) who becomes the personal project of…
Last Life in the UniverseLast Life in the Universe (2003) Recommended
Dir. Pen-Ek Ratanaruang
Feat. Tadanobu Asano, Riki Takeuchi, Sinitta Boonyasak
With a cool command of the aloof, this strange, seductive noir–romance merges the soulless existence of a suicidal librarian (Asano), a…
Love Me If You DareLove Me If You Dare (Jeux d'enfants) (2003)
Dir. Yann Samuell
Feat. Marion Cotillard, Guillaume Canet
Two French kids develop an intense relationship through escalating games of "dare" that bond and haunt them through a turbulent teenage and…
Memories of MurderMemories of Murder (Salinui chueok) (2003) Recommended
Dir. Joon-ho Bong
Feat. Kang-ho Song, Sang-kyung Kim, Roe-ha Kim
A darkly lyrical thriller, set around the true–life hunt for South Korea's first documented serial killer in 1986, during the years of Chun…
Miracle of Bern, TheMiracle of Bern, The (2003)
Dir. Sonke Wortmann
Set in grim post–WW2 West Germany, this passionate, if broadly–handled drama respools a backdrop of events leading to the shock triumph…
Monsieur IbrahimMonsieur Ibrahim (2003)
Dir. Francois Dupeyron
Feat. Omar Sharif, Pierre Boulanger
Set on the multicultural streets of 1960s working–class Paris, this warm–hearted tale has a Sufi grocery store owner befriend a lonely…
Munnabhai M.B.B.S.Munnabhai M.B.B.S. (2003)
Dir. Rajkumar Hirani
Feat. Sanjay Dutt, Sunil Dutt
An unusually comedic Bollywood musical, sees a smalltime gangster staging an elaborate deception to prove to his straight–laced father that, in…
Nathalie...Nathalie... (2003)
Dir. Anne Fontaine
Feat. Emmanuelle Beart, Fanny Ardant, Gerard Depardieu
Steamy French confection involves frustrated wife Ardant in hiring prostitute Beart to seduce her philandering husband (Depardieu), and bring her…
Natural CityNatural City (2003)
Dir. Byung-chun Min
Feat. Ji-tae Yoo, Jae-un Lee, Rin Seo
A stylised high–tech thriller set in 2080 – after global war has destroyed much of civilisation – where an isolated metropolis has…
Noi AlbinoiNoi Albinoi (Noi the Albino) (2003) Recommended
Dir. Dagur Kari
Feat. Tomas Lemarquis, Pröstur Leó Gunnarsson
Distinctive drama about a 'gifted' 17–year–old who rebels against the limits of life in a remote Icelandic town. Brimming with…
Nowhere in AfricaNowhere in Africa (Nirgendwo in Afrika) (2003)
Dir. Caroline Link
Feat. Juliane Kohler
An old–fashioned epic of family survival, where a privileged Jewish family migrate from 1938 Nazi Germany into the exotic vastness of…
One Missed CallOne Missed Call (Chakushin Ari) (2003)
Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Ko Shibasaki, Shin'ichi Tsutsumi, Kazue Fukiishi
Another 'J–horror' riding on the wave of the RING phenomena, updating the supernatural formula with cell–phone technology and…
Ong-BakOng-Bak (Muay Thai Warrior) (2003) Aro Favourite
Dir. Prachya Pinkaew
Feat. Tony Jaa, Petchtai Wongkamlao
A martial arts juggernaut from Thailand, in which a benign village kickboxer travels to big bad Bangkok in search of a sacred statue stolen from his…
OsamaOsama (2003) Aro Favourite
Dir. Siddiq Barmak
Feat. Marina Golbahari
Though nothing to do with a certain infamous terrorist, this first Afghani film made since the rise and fall of the Taliban also happens to be a…
Other Side of the Bed, TheOther Side of the Bed, The (2003)
Dir. Emilio Martinez Lazaro
Feat. Paz Vega, Natalia Verbeke, Ernesto Alterio
Frisky Spanish sex comedy involving the criss–crossing love affairs across a group of "friends" and acquaintances. Cast with 'Guess Jeans'…
Remember MeRemember Me (Ricordati di Me) (2003)
Dir. Gabriel Muccino
Feat. Fabrizzio Bentivoglio, Laura Morante, Monica Bellucci
The dir. of THE LAST KISS constructs an equally heightened melodrama about the saga of a middle–class Italian family, their various personal…
Return, TheReturn, The (Vozvrashcheniye) (2003) Recommended
Dir. Andrei Zvyagintsev
Feat. Ivan Dobronravov, Vladimir Garin, Konstantin Lavronenko
A surprise arthouse hit about a couple of teenage brothers who are taken on a mysterious trip by their estranged and rather surly father, with his…
RosenstrasseRosenstrasse (2003)
Dir. Margarethe von Trotta
Feat. Katja Riemann, Maria Schrader, Martin Feifel
Fact–based drama set around the wartime protest movement of Aryan German women in 1943 Berlin, who were distraught at the forced detention of…
Schultze Gets the BluesSchultze Gets the Blues (2003)
Dir. Michael Schorr
Feat. Horst Krause, Harald Warmbrunn
A recently retired worker (Krause) in a dismal German mining town, discovers an unexpected passion for playing Zydeco rhythms on the piano accordion,…
Seducing Doctor LewisSeducing Doctor Lewis (La Grande séduction) (2003) Recommended
Dir. Jean-François Pouliot
Feat. Raymond Bouchard, David Boutin
Amiable and crafty, this Québécois comedy has a small fishing village trying to gently persuade a visiting young doctor to take up permanent…
SilmidoSilmido (2003)
Dir. Woo-Suk Kang
Feat. Ahn Sung-Ki, Kyung-gu Sol
Korean Cold War thriller which takes the true scandal of how a team of gangsters and death–row criminals were recruited in 1968 as part of a…
Since Otar LeftSince Otar Left (2003) Recommended
Dir. Julie Bertuccelli
Feat. Dinara Droukarova, Nino Khomassouridze, Ester Gorintin
Touching and wryly comic tale set in post–Communist Georgia, in which a mother, daughter and granddaughter partly survive through a romantic…
Singing Behind Screens Singing Behind Screens (Cantando dietro i paraventi) (2003)
Dir. Ermanno Olmi
Feat. Bud Spencer, Davide Dragonetti
Visually opulent Italian epic directed by Ermanno Olmi (THE TREE OF WOODEN CLOGS) set in coastal China and centred on a plucky widow who takes her…
Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter... and SpringSpring, Summer, Autumn, Winter... and Spring (Bom yeoreum gaeul gyeoul geurigo bom) (2003) Recommended
Dir. Kim Ki-Duk
Feat. Oh Young-Soo, Kim Ki-Duk, Kim Young-Min
As the seasons pass through many years, the inhabitants of a floating temple on a woodland pond – a young boy and his wizened mentor –…
Springtime in a Small TownSpringtime in a Small Town (2003)
Dir. Tian Zhuangzhuang
Long–awaited followup to THE BLUE KITE for dir. Zhuangzhuang (who was banned from filmmaking for three years afterwards), constructing a…
Story of Marie and Julien, TheStory of Marie and Julien, The (Histoire de Marie et Julien) (2003)
Dir. Jacques Rivette
Feat. Emmanuelle Beart, Jerzy Radziwilowicz
Meandering and hypnotic tale of the supernatural from French master Jacques Rivette, which begins in the apparently nondescript world of a Parisian…
Stroll, TheStroll, The (Progulka) (2003) Recommended
Dir. Alexei Uchitel
Feat. Irina Pegova, Pavel Barshak, Yevgeny Tsyganov
An acclaimed, and winningly light–handed promenade through the streets of St Petersburg, with three 20–somethings, as they skirt, revolve…
Swimming PoolSwimming Pool (2003) Recommended
Dir. Francois Ozon
Feat. Charlotte Rampling, Ludivine Sagnier, Charles Dance
A beguiling psychological thriller, in which a British mystery–novelist (Rampling) travels to her publisher's holiday house in rural France for…
Tais Toi!Tais Toi! (Ruby and Quentin) (2003) Recommended
Dir. Francis Veber
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Jean Reno, Andre Dussollier
Another reliable entertainment from the writer–director of THE CLOSET and THE DINNER GAME, this screwball crime comedy boasts a central comic…
Tale of Two Sisters, ATale of Two Sisters, A (Janghwa Hongryeon) (2003) Recommended
Dir. Ji-woon Kim
Feat. Kap-su Kim, Jung-ah Yum, Su-jeong Lim
A further revelation of the K–horror genre, this enters the forboding world of two devoted sisters who endure the lakeside household of their…
Thousand Months, AThousand Months, A (Mille Mois) (2003) Recommended
Dir. Faouzi Bensaïdi
Feat. Fouad Labied, Nezha Rahile
A rare international release from Morocco, this portrays languid months of existence for a boy who, following various family crises, moves with his…
Time of the WolfTime of the Wolf (Temps du loup, Le) (2003) Recommended
Dir. Michael Haneke
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Beatrice Dalle, Olivier Gourmet
Chilling, disconcerting post–apocalyptic nightmare that begins with Isabelle Huppert and children fleeing into a barren French countryside,…
Touch of Spice, ATouch of Spice, A (Politiki kouzina) (2003)
Dir. Tassos Boulmetis
Feat. George Corraface
Spices build bridges in this touching account of a Greek astrophysicist and his spice merchant grandfather, conjoined by that now–familiar…
Travellers and MagiciansTravellers and Magicians (2003)
Dir. Khyentse Norbu
Feat. Tsewang Dandup, Sonam Lhamo
A puckishly effective road movie from the Himilayan kingdom of Bhutan, this follows a young villager who gets the opportunity to travel forth from…
Triple AgentTriple Agent (2003)
Dir. Eric Rohmer
A measured and discrete exercise in espionage cinema from octagenrian dir. Rohmer (AN AUTUMN TALE), eschewing his usual air of cordial romance for an…
Triplets of Belleville, TheTriplets of Belleville, The (Belleville Rendezvous) (2003) Aro Favourite
Dir. Sylvain Chomet
Witty, inventive and lovingly designed with retro–chic flair, this 'all–ages' animated feature is distinctively and delightfully…
Twentynine PalmsTwentynine Palms (2003)
Dir. Bruno Dumont
Feat. Katia Golubeva, David Wissak
Provocative in both form and content, dir. Dumont (L'HUMANITE) crafts an opaque thriller around a dysfunctional couple's 'holiday' in the American…
Untold ScandalUntold Scandal (2003)
Dir. Je-yong Lee
Feat. Mi-suk Lee, Yong-joon Bae
‘Dangerous Liaisons’ translates seamlessly to Chosun Dynasty Korea, with temptress Lady Cho (Lee) assuming role of sexual power broker in this…
Vodka LemonVodka Lemon (2003)
Dir. Hiner Saleem
Feat. Romen Avinian
The residents of a diminishing Armenian village eke out meagre living in this sombre, if delightfully deadpan post–communist…
Warrior, TheWarrior, The (2003)
Dir. Asif Kapadia
Feat. Irfan Khan, Puru Chibber
Award–winning debut for British born dir. Kapadia follows the quest of a lone swordsman to escape his brutal paymaster in ancient feudal…
Warriors of Heaven and EarthWarriors of Heaven and Earth (Tian di ying xiong) (2003)
Dir. He Ping
Feat. Wen Jiang, Xueqi Wang, Vicki Zhao
A lavish post–CROUCHING TIGER epic derived from a Chinese folktale about an Imperial assassin who is sent forth to the Gobi desert to eliminate…
Who Killed Bambi?Who Killed Bambi? (Qui a tué Bambi?) (2003)
Dir. Gilles Marchand
Feat. Laurent Lucas, Catherine Jacob, Sophie Quinton
French thriller set in an eerie hospital where people are mysteriously disappearing, following a nursing student and a doctor as they try to catch…
ZatoichiZatoichi (2003) Recommended
Dir. Takeshi Kitano
Feat. Takeshi Kitano, Tadanobu Asano
Actor–director–cult hero Takeshi Kitano stylishly revives a hero of well–known Japanese mythology and scores his most broadly…
ZelaryZelary (2003)
Dir. Ondrej Trojan
Feat. Anna Geislerova, Gyorgy Cserhalmi
A layered tale of war and romance set around the 1943 purge of the Czech resistance by the occupying Nazis, and a young nurse's flight to…
Zhou Yu's TrainZhou Yu's Train (2003)
Dir. Sun Zhou
Feat. Tony Leung (Kar-fai), Gong Li, Honglei Sun
Gong Li shimmers as a gorgeous ceramic artisan in rural China, who is torn between two men – a reclusive poet (Leung) and an affable vetenarian…
800 Balas800 Balas (800 Bullets) (2002)
Dir. Alex de la Iglesia
Feat. Carmen Maura, Sancho Gracia
Spanish director Alex de la Iglesia (DAY OF THE BEAST) brings his wild energy to this story of a stuntman in Almeria whose career is floundering in…
A Loving FatherA Loving Father (Aime ton père) (2002)
Dir. Jacob Berger
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Guillaume Depardieu, Sylvie Testud
Gerard Depardieu and real–life offspring Guillaume star as estranged father and son in this MISERY–inspired scenario of gaping family…
A Snake of JuneA Snake of June (2002)
Dir. Shinya Tsukamoto
Feat. Asuka Kurosawa, Yuji Kohtari, Shinya Tsukamoto
Intriguing neo–noir psychodrama from uncompromising Japanese director Shinya Tsukamoto (yes, he of the notorious TETSUO films), about a suicide…
A Tale of a Naughty GirlA Tale of a Naughty Girl (Mondo Meyer Upakhyan) (2002) Recommended
Dir. Buddhadev Dasgupta
Feat. Samata Das, Rituparna Sengupta, Arpan Basar
Caught between the push of tradition and the pull of the promise of a new life, a bright prostitute's daughter runs away to Calcutta to escape a…
AbounaAbouna (Our Father) (2002)
Dir. Mahamat-Saleh Haroun
Set in the impoverished, dusty landscapes of Chad, this fable of African fragmentation follows two brothers (aged 8 and 15) as they search…
AliveAlive (2002)
Dir. Ryuhei Kitamura
Feat. Hideo Sakaki, Koyuki, Tak Sakaguchi
A convicted murderer is sentenced to death, only to escape execution and become the subject of bizarre prison experiments in this inventive marriage…
And Now Ladies and GentlemenAnd Now Ladies and Gentlemen (2002)
Dir. Claude Lelouch
Feat. Jeremy Irons, Patricia Kaas, Thierry Lhermitte
A smooth exercise in self–satire from dir. Lelouch, with Jeremy Irons playing a shifty jewel–thief who hooks up with lounge–singer…
AngelaAngela (2002)
Dir. Roberta Torre
Feat. Donatella Finocchiaro
A solid, if oblique drama depicting the doings of the 1980s Sicilian Mafia as seen through the eyes of mob–wife Finocchiaro. Although…
Asterix and Obelix - Mission CleopatraAsterix and Obelix - Mission Cleopatra (2002)
Dir. Alain Chabat
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Alain Chabat, Monica Bellucci
The core cast of 1999's disastrous ASTERIX AND OBELIX TAKE ON CAESAR return for a far more successful adaptation of one of those classic…
Balzac and the Little Chinese SeamstressBalzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress (2002) Recommended
Dir. Dai Sijie
Lovingly photographed fable of freedom, set during China's 'Cultural Revolution' in 1971 and based on the dir.'s own adolescence. Two young…
Black AngelBlack Angel (Senso '45) (2002)
Dir. Tinto Brass
Feat. Anna Galiena, Gabriel Garko, Franco Branciaroli
Typically lurid Brass outing with well–connected Galiena drawn into a torrid affair with an SS Officer during the Nazi occupation of Venice.…
Blissfully YoursBlissfully Yours (Sud Sanaeha) (2002) Recommended
Dir. Apichatpong Weerasethakul
One–of–a–kind filmmaker Weerasethakul embarks on a delicate, ethereal journey through Thailand’s magical wilderness, to beguiling…
Bollywood HollywoodBollywood Hollywood (2002)
Dir. Deepa Mehta
Feat. Rahul Khanna, Lisa Ray
The dir. of the 'elements trilogy' (FIRE, EARTH, WATER) conceived this less artful, but rather clever insider's take on the Bollywood musical…
Braquo (TV Series)Braquo (TV Series) (2002)
Dir. Olivier Marchal, Xavier Palud
Feat. Jean-Hugues Anglade, Joseph Malerba, Karole Rocher
Grungy French police series in which four officers of the SDPJ Hauts–de–Seine have their lives turned upside down after a colleague…
Broken WingsBroken Wings (K’nafayim Shvurot) (2002) Recommended
Dir. Nir Bergman
Feat. Orly Silbersatz Banai, Maya Maron
The fraught shuffle of daily life for an Israeli family after the death of the male head of the household, is depicted with touching and intimate…
Butterfly, TheButterfly, The (Le Papillon) (2002)
Dir. Phillippe Muyl
Feat. Michel Serrault, Claire Bouanich, Nade Dieu
Gentle family drama concerns the relationship between a gruff old man and his eight year old neighbour. Setting out one day in search of an elusive…
ChaosChaos (2002) Recommended
Dir. Coline Serreau
Feat. Vincent Lindon, Catherine Frot
A witty French thriller where, through a chance meeting, a middle–class woman comes to the rescue of an Algerian–born prostitute who is…
ChihwaseonChihwaseon (Painted Fire) (2002)
Dir. Kwon-taek Im
Feat. Min-sik Choi, Sung-kee Ahn
A mainstay of Korean cinema, Im Kwon–taek helms this impassioned portrait of one of the country's most celebrated painters, Jang…
Chinese Odyssey 2002Chinese Odyssey 2002 (2002)
Dir. Jeff Lau
Feat. Tony Leung (Chiu-wai), Faye Wong, Chen Chang
Silly only in appearance, this in–joke laden spoof of Hong Kong cinema stapes – Chinese opera, gender–bending romances, and…
City of GodCity of God (Cidade de Deus) (2002) Recommended
Dir. Fernando Mierelles
Feat. Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro Firmano da Hora, Phellipe Haagensen
An incendiary Brazilian drama depicting two decades of blood–drenched rivalry between two youth gangs who control a slum area of Rio De…
Code, TheCode, The (La Mentale) (2002)
Dir. Manuel Boursinhac
Feat. Samuel Le Bihan
Convincingly gritty crime drama set in the drab outer zone of Paris' apartment estates and trailer parks, with a recently paroled hood (Le Bihan)…
Crime of Father Amaro, TheCrime of Father Amaro, The (El Crimen del padre Amaro) (2002) Recommended
Dir. Carlos Carrera
Feat. Gael Garcia Bernal
Melodramatic and ironic critique of the crimes of the Roman Catholic church that was hugely successful in its native Mexico. A young priest…
Cuckoo, TheCuckoo, The (Kukushka) (2002)
Dir. Aleksandr Rogozhkin
Feat. Anni-Kristiina Juuso, Ville Haapasalo, Viktor Bychkov
An earthy drama of non–communication set amid the frozen WW2 battleground of Lapland, where a pacifist Finnish soldier, a survivalist Russian…
Dark WaterDark Water (2002) Aro Favourite
Dir. Hideo Nakata
Feat. Hitomi Kuroki, Rio Kanno
Running rings around the RING films in unsettling atmosphere, rich subtext and jump–in–your–seat moments, this creepy fable of…
Dead or Alive 3Dead or Alive 3 (Final) (2002)
Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Sho Aikawa, Riki Takeuchi
Imaginative, futuristic final entry in a remarkable action trilogy that this time presents its anti–heroic pair toughing it out in a dystopian…
DemonloverDemonlover (2002)
Dir. Olivier Assayas
Feat. Connie Nielsen, Charles Berling, Chloe Sevigny
An insinuating future–shock Euro–thriller, with Connie Neilsen as an attractive corporate executive caught in the…
DevdasDevdas (2002) Recommended
Dir. Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Feat. Shahrukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit, Aishwarya Rai
The most expensive production in Bollywood history to date is this gorgeously extravagant soap opera based on one of India’s most widely–read…
DollsDolls (2002)
Dir. Takeshi Kitano
Feat. Miho Kanno, Tatsuya Mihashi
Beautiful to behold with its spectacular Japanese vistas, but unfocused in content, dir. Takeshi stumbles with an art film that feels stranded…
Double VisionDouble Vision (Shuang tong) (2002)
Dir. Chen Kuo Fu
Feat. David Morse, Tony Leung (Kar-fai), Rene Liu
A slickly effective horror film, in which cross–cultural cop buddies Leung and Morse hunt a demonic serial killer in Taiwan. Imbued with a…
Drowned Out Drowned Out (2002) Recommended
Dir. Franny Armstrong
A forerunner, and now excellent companion piece to the much vaunted UP THE YANGTZE, this captures in sobering close–up the plight of an Indian…
El BonaerenseEl Bonaerense (2002) Recommended
Dir. Pablo Trapero
An authentically macho tale about the notoriously clannish and corrupt police force of Buenos Aires (members are known as 'el Bonaerense') which…
Enlightenment GuaranteedEnlightenment Guaranteed (2002) Recommended
Dir. Doris Dorrie
Feat. Uwe Ochsenknecht, Gustav-Peter Wohler
Entertainment is guaranteed for those in the right headspace with this droll comedy, in which two befuddled German brothers on holiday in Japan stray…
Etre et AvoirEtre et Avoir (To Be and to Have) (2002) Aro Favourite
Dir. Nicolas Philibert
Acclaimed internationally for its inspirational power and transcendence of the documentary form, this non–fiction film observes the simple,…
Eye, TheEye, The (2002) Recommended
Dir. Oxide Pang, Danny Pang
Feat. Angelica Lee, Lawrence Chou
Almost guaranteed to give you goosebumps, this unnerving Asian horror show follows in the footsteps and spirit of the watershed RING films, though…
Fiancée of DraculaFiancée of Dracula (2002)
Dir. Jean Rollin
Feat. Cyrille Gaudin, Jacques Orth, Thomas Smith
A late addition in the filmography of cult fantasy director Jean Rollin, who once again turns his attention to vampire mythology in this tale of a…
Gada MeilinGada Meilin (2002)
Dir. Feng Xiaoning
Lauded, but rather obscure action drama set in 1930s Mongolia, where the nomadic tribal leader Gada Meilin tried to prevent the 'desertification' of…
He Loves Me, He Loves Me NotHe Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (A la Folie pas du Tout) (2002) Recommended
Dir. Laetitia Colombani
Feat. Audrey Tautou, Samuel Le Bihan
A slyly–structured tale of adultery which uses the ambiguous qualities of actress Audrey Tautou (AMELIE) to deliver some thrilling…
HeroHero (2002) Aro Favourite
Dir. Zhang Yimou
Feat. Jet Li, Tony Leung (Chiu-wai), Maggie Cheung
Though no doubt diminished on the small screen, this ancient Martial Arts spectacle from the dir. of RAISE THE RED…
Historias MinimasHistorias Minimas (Intimate Stories) (2002)
Dir. Carlos Sorin
Feat. Javier Lombardo
Gentle, uneventful road movie drifts between three separate journeys from a remote village in Argentina to San Julian. Softly observed, this quietly…
House of FoolsHouse of Fools (Dom Durakov) (2002)
Dir. Andrei Konchalovsky
Based around the true story of a Chechen mental hospital which was abandoned by staff during the recent civil war, with patients left to fend for…
Housekeeper, TheHousekeeper, The (Une Femme de Menage) (2002) Recommended
Dir. Claude Berri
Feat. Jean-Pierre Bacri, Emilie Dequenne, Catherine Breillat
Charming "French souffle" about a forlorn divorcee who hires a housekeeper to clean up his slovenly act. However, it turns out she's never done a…
HukkleHukkle (2002) Recommended
Dir. Gyorgy Palfi
Feat. Ferenc Bandi
An original and arresting work from Hungary, which explores, burrows into and juxtaposes the varied environs of a small rural village – plants,…
In My SkinIn My Skin (Dans Ma Peau) (2002) Recommended
Dir. Marina de Van
Feat. Marina de Van
A disturbing, cerebral manifest on the nature of self–mutilation, portrayed with serious conviction by writer/dir. Marina de Van, regular…
In This WorldIn This World (2002) Recommended
Dir. Michael Winterbottom
A powerful, simply wrought story of two Afghani brothers who attempt to journey from their Pakistani refugee camp across Asia and Europe to…
Infernal AffairsInfernal Affairs (2002) Recommended
Dir. Wai Keung Lau, Siu Fai Mak
Feat. Andy Lau, Tony Leung (Chiu-wai), Anthony Wong
This dynamic cops ‘n’ robbers spectacle is populist Hong Kong film–making at its most slick and sophisticated. Infused with more than a…
Inner SensesInner Senses (Yee do hung gaan) (2002)
Dir. Chi-Leung Law
Feat. Leslie Cheung, Karena Lam, Maggie Poon
A loner psychologist (Cheung) falls for a suicidal woman he is treating for her constant, gloomy visions of the dead, in this stylish Asian riff on…
JaponJapon (Japan) (2002)
Dir. Carlos Reygadas
A crippled man journeys into a remote Mexican canyon in order to end his life, but becomes entangled with a saintly old woman, village politics and a…
Jet LagJet Lag (2002)
Dir. Daniele Thompson
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Jean Reno, Sergi Lopez
Euro–comedy with supermodel Binoche and insomniac Reno forced into each's others' company by an airline strike and soon, opposites begin to…
KaanteKaante (Thorns) (2002)
Dir. Sanjay Gupta
Feat. Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Sunil Shetty
From a new generation of Bollywood film–making comes a kinetic heist picture, shot and located in LA in which six Indian suspects plot a…
L'Homme du TrainL'Homme du Train (Man on the Train) (2002) Recommended
Dir. Patrice Leconte
Feat. Jean Rochefort, Johnny Hallyday
An elegantly amusing role–switching tale that's equal parts social comedy, existential drama and subtle thriller, tinged with melancholy…
L'IdoleL'Idole (2002)
Dir. Samantha Lang
Feat. Leelee Sobieski, James Hong
Playing a troubled Australian actress, Sobieski arrives in Paris and befriends her elderly Chinese neighbour in this melancholy…
Legend of Suriyothai, TheLegend of Suriyothai, The (2002)
Dir. Chatrichalerm Yukol
A lavish historical epic financed by the royal family of Thailand (and directed by a prince) and centred around two powerful women – a princess…
Lilya 4-EverLilya 4-Ever (2002) Recommended
Dir. Lukas Moodysson
Feat. Oksana Akinshina, Artyom Bogucharsky, Pavel Ponomaryov
Lauded Swedish film–maker Lukas Moodyson turns his talents to the plight of a Russian teenage girl whose hopes for a brighter future (and…
Madame SataMadame Sata (2002)
Dir. Karim Ainouz
Feat. Lazaro Ramos, Marcelia Cartaxo, Felippe Marques
The underbelly of 1930s Rio de Janeiro glistens in this atmospheric drama about the celebrated João Francisco dos Santos (Ramos), a flamboyant gay…
MalefiqueMalefique (2002) Recommended
Dir. Eric Valette
Feat. Gérald Laroche, Philippe Laudenbach, Clovis Cornillac
Imaginative, atmospheric low–budget French horror, set around the discovery of a dusty book of supernatural spells by four convicts in their…
Man Without a Past, TheMan Without a Past, The (2002) Recommended
Dir. Aki Kaurismaki
Feat. Markku Peltola, Kati Outinen
Another understated, double–take comedy from Finnish dir. Kaurismaki, making perhaps his most cleverly balanced work yet. An itinerant…
Marie-Jo and her Two LovesMarie-Jo and her Two Loves (2002)
Dir. Robert Guediguian
Feat. Ariane Ascaride, Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Gerard Meylan
A dreamy, perceptive romance gently steered under the Mediterranean sun by dir. Guédiguian, who again uses the vibrant setting of his native…
Missing Gun, The (Xun qiang) (2002)
Dir. Chuan Lu
Feat. Wen Jiang
Wound–up thriller set in a small and eccentric Chinese village, where a policeman wakes one morning with a hangover to find his…
Monday MorningMonday Morning (Lundi Matin) (2002) Recommended
Dir. Otar Iosseliani
Feat. Jacques Bidou
A whimsical comic journey for a French factory worker, who uproots from his village and family in search of philosophical and liquid refreshment in…
Monsieur BatignoleMonsieur Batignole (2002) Recommended
Dir. Gerard Jugnot
Feat. Gerard Jugnot
An ironic comedy set in WW2 Paris, in which the titular butcher helps himself to an apartment vacated by a Jewish family who have been rounded up by…
Mostly MarthaMostly Martha (Bella Martha) (2002) Recommended
Dir. Sandra Nettelbeck
Feat. Martina Gedeck, Sergio Castellitto
Light and satisfying dish, concerning the frissions in a Hamburg restaurant between a chef, her eight year old neice and a talented…
Mr. and Mrs. IyerMr. and Mrs. Iyer (2002)
Dir. Aparna Sen
A casual aquaintance between two passengers (one Hindu, one Muslim) on a bus journey in northern India becomes a matter of life and death when the…
Nest, TheNest, The (Nid de Guêpes) (2002) Recommended
Dir. Florent Emilio Siri
Feat. Nadia Farès, Samy Naceri, Benoit Magimel
A brutally efficient and stylish French action yarn about a night–time standoff between various crims, security guards and an army of Albanian…
OasisOasis (2002) Recommended
Dir. Chang-Dong Lee
Feat. Kyung-gu Sol, So-ri Moon
Tough and emotionally powerful drama, highlighted by fearless performances, which charts the romance between a recent parolee and a cerebral…
Open HeartsOpen Hearts (Elsker dig for evigt) (2002)
Dir. Susanne Bier
Feat. Mads Mikkelsen, Sonja Richter
A touch edgier than recent 'Dogme 95' melodramas, this explores the consequences of a car accident on the previously steady lives of those…
Pact of Silence, ThePact of Silence, The (Le Pacte du Silence) (2002)
Dir. Graham Guit
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Elodie Bouchez
Glossy Euro–thriller in which a priest of doubtful faith (Depardieu) investigates twin sisters – one in prison, the other in a convent…
PhonePhone (2002)
Dir. Byeong-ki Ahn
Feat. Ji-won Ha, Yu-mi Kim
Down the more cluttered and preposterous end of the Korean–horror genre, this finds a new cellphone being the centre of all the terror for an…
Ping PongPing Pong (2002) Recommended
Dir. Fumisiko Sori
Feat. Yôsuke Kubozuka, Arata
A madcap, yet gently humourous Japanese sports tale, set around two table tennis hotshots (Kubozuka and Arata) preparing for a ferocious battle at a…
Private PropertyPrivate Property (2002) Recommended
Dir. Joachim Lafosse
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Jeremie Renier
Isabelle Huppert is held to emotional ransom by her two grown–up twin sons in this ‘Mexican standoff’ of family dysfunction and domestic…
Radical Digital Cinema - Vol. 1Radical Digital Cinema - Vol. 1 (Egoshooter, Half the Rent) (2002-2004)
Dir. Christian Becker, Oliver Schwabe, Marc Ottiker
Feat. Tom Schilling, Stephan Kampwirth
The brainchild of Wim Wenders, this digital cinema incubator provides a supportive framework for young filmmakers to push the envelope of the…
Radical Digital Cinema - Vol. 2Radical Digital Cinema - Vol. 2 (Summer Moon (aka Junimond), Fools) (2002-2003)
Dir. Hanno Hackfort, Tom Schreiber
The brainchild of Wim Wenders, this digital cinema incubator provides a supportive framework for young filmmakers to push the envelope of the…
RespiroRespiro (Grazia's Island) (2002)
Dir. Emanuele Crialese
Feat. Valeria Golino
Highly charged and mostly insightful depiction of a free–spirited woman whose near–psychotic episodes have a profound effect on her small…
ReturnerReturner (2002) Recommended
Dir. Takashi Yamazaki
Feat. Takeshi Kaneshiro
Kitted out with a charismatic cast, CGI–action that delivers, and tongue–lightly–in–cheek, this slick, big–budget…
Russian ArkRussian Ark (2002) Recommended
Dir. Alexandr Sokurov
Distinguised by its dazzling cinematic conceit – 300 years of Russian history staged in the Hermitage Museum (with 2000 extras) and captured in…
Satin RougeSatin Rouge (2002) Recommended
Dir. Raja Amari
Feat. Hiam Abbass, Hend El Fahem
A still–attractive but lonely widow is liberated through the world of belly–dancing in this infectious romantic drama from Tunisia. At…
Sea is Watching, TheSea is Watching, The (Umi wa miteita) (2002)
Dir. Kei Kumai
Set in the red–light district of 19th century, Edo–period Tokyo, this sensitively mounted drama concerns the lives of prostitutes…
Sex is ComedySex is Comedy (2002)
Dir. Catherine Breillat
Feat. Anne Parillaud, Gregoire Colin, Roxane Mesquida
A self–reflexive twist in the cinema of Catherine Breillat (ROMANCE), here recreating the filming of a lengthy and troublesome sex–scene…
So CloseSo Close (Chik yeung tin sai) (2002)
Dir. Corey Yuen
Feat. Shu Qi, Karen Mok, Vicki Zhao
Presenting... a heroic trio of femmes for a new generation – a kind of high–octane "Asian Charlie's Angels". This super–flash…
Son, TheSon, The (2002) Aro Favourite
Dir. Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne
Feat. Olivier Gourmet, Morgan Marinne, Isabella Soupart
Finding the perfect subject for their pared down visual aesthetic, the Bros. Dardenne follow up the Cannes–winning ROSETTA with an ostensibly…
Spanish Apartment, TheSpanish Apartment, The (L'Auberge Espagnole) (2002)
Dir. Cedric Klapisch
Feat. Romain Duris, Audrey Tautou, Judith Godreche
Summery comedy set in a Barcelona apartment, where six international exchange students variously mingle, cavort and fall messily in love. Although…
Suicide ClubSuicide Club (Suicide Circle) (2002)
Dir. Sion Sono
Feat. Ryo Ishibashi, Akaji Maro, Masatoshi Nagase
Off–beat Japanese thriller based on apparently real–life incidents in which groups of high–school children commit mass…
Summer ThingsSummer Things (Embrassez qui vous voudrez) (2002)
Dir. Michel Blanc
Feat. Charlotte Rampling, Jacques Dutronc, Carole Bouquet
Rom–com with an ensemble cast led by Charlotte Rampling as an unhappily married woman who is off to stay at a seaside resort, where she…
SweatSweat (Sueurs) (2002)
Dir. Louis-Pascal Couvelaire
Feat. Jean-Hugues Anglade, Joaquim De Almeida
Interesting but flawed re–imagining of THE WAGES OF FEAR, with a gang of four hoods trying to heist a fortune in gold ore across the North…
SwingSwing (2002) Recommended
Dir. Tony Gatlif
The latest excursion into the music–rich culture of Europe's 'gypsy' population from dir. Gatlif (GADJO DILO), this time set around its…
Sympathy for Mr. VengeanceSympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002) Recommended
Dir. Park Chan-Wook
Feat. Kang-ho Song, Ha-kyun Shin, Doona Bae
Incredibly bleak suspenser witnesses the disastrous efforts of a deaf–mute man and his girlfriend (who is on the fringes of a terrorist cell)…
Talk to HerTalk to Her (2002) Aro Favourite
Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Javier Camara, Geraldine Chaplin, Rosalie Flores
With his fourteenth film, star Spanish director Almodovar marries his supreme style with an original, emotionally resonant story for what might just…
TenTen (10) (2002) Recommended
Dir. Abbas Kiarostami
Teasing but ultimately rewarding drama, in which a video camera, mounted on the dashboard of a car in Tehran, records the lives of the driver and…
Three...Extremes 2Three...Extremes 2 (Three) (2002)
Dir. Ji-woon Kim, Nonzee Nimbutr, Peter Chan
Feat. Leon Lai, Eric Tsang
Dubbed the second entry in the THREE...EXTREMES horror series, this pan–asian omnibus actually precedes said anthology, offering a trio of…
TogetherTogether (He Ni Zaiyiqi) (2002) Recommended
Dir. Chen Kaige
Feat. Tang Yun, Liu Peiqi, Chen Kaige
Touching story of a father and his 13–year–old son, a shy violin prodigy, who scrape up their meagre savings and set off from their…
Turning GateTurning Gate (On the Occasion of Remembering the Turning Gate) (2002) Recommended
Dir. Sang-soo Hong
Feat. Sang-kyung Kim
A wry and astute drama of romantic hang–ups, this follows a crestfallen actor’s trysts with two random women as he rebounds from a failed…
Twilight Samurai, TheTwilight Samurai, The (Tasogare Seibei) (2002) Aro Favourite
Dir. Yoji Yamada
Feat. Hiroyuki Sanada, Ren Osugi, Rie Miyazawa
Boldly subverting the masculine cliches of the genre, this refreshing and highly rewarding Samurai drama follows a dishevelled, low–status…
Twin SistersTwin Sisters (De Tweeling) (2002) Recommended
Dir. Ben Sombogaart
An epic 'tale of two sisters', which follows their lives after being separated as children in 1920s Holland and sent to live with rich and poor…
Unborn But ForgottenUnborn But Forgotten (Hayanbang) (2002)
Dir. Chang-jae Lim
Feat. Jung Joon-ho, Lee Eun-ju
When pregnant women begin mysteriously dying after visiting a mysterious website, a TV producer and a detective begin to investigate, in this South…
UzakUzak (Distant) (2002) Aro Favourite
Dir. Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Exuding a sense of melancholic accomplishment, this slowly unfolding Turkish drama centres on two cousins – one, a successful but cynical…
Vampire HuntersVampire Hunters (2002)
Dir. Wellson Chin
Feat. Ken Chang
Typically enjoyable and overblown Hong Kong mayhem, where five powerful warriors battle the Vampire King and his followers. Written and produced…
Villa Des RosesVilla Des Roses (2002) Recommended
Dir. Frank Van Passel
Feat. Julie Delpy, Shirley Henderson, Timothy West
A visually stylish excursion to Paris on the eve of WWI, in a shabby boarding house run by an English couple (Henderson and West) into which a new…
Waiting for HappinessWaiting for Happiness (Heremakono) (2002)
Dir. Abderrahmane Sissako
Feat. Khatra Ould Abder Kader, Mohamed Mahmoud
A worldly 17–year–old returns to his coastal hometown, only to find himself a stranger amongst a community caught in limbo between…
Warm SpringWarm Spring (2002)
Dir. Tana Wulan
Feat. Chenren Tian, Yan Zhang
Little–known but rather poignant story in which an orphan girl runs away from her abusive foster parents and is sheltered by a poor elderly…
Yossi and JaggerYossi and Jagger (2002)
Dir. Eytan Fox
Feat. Ohad Knoller
Subversive, sweetly–natured gay drama set amid the close–quarters comraderie of the IDF (Israeli Defence Force) where a commanding…
8 Women8 Women (8 Femmes) (2001) Recommended
Dir. Francois Ozon
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Huppert, Emmanuelle Beart
In the classic whodunnit mould, this whimsical French "thriller" starts with a man’s dead body in a snowbound Alpine manse in the 1950s, and eight…
A Ma Soeur!A Ma Soeur! (For My Sister, aka Fat Girl) (2001) Recommended
Dir. Catherine Breillat
Feat. Anais Reboux, Roxane Mesquida, Libero de Rienzo
An artfully impassive study of sexual predation that takes place during the summer holidays of two teenage sisters – the dumpy Anais Reboux and…
A Young Prisoner's RevengeA Young Prisoner's Revenge (2001)
Dir. Mu Deyuan
Obscure, but supposedly award winning Chinese drama concerns the botched plans of a couple to bribe a judge so their son, guilty of robbery, gets a…
Aimee and JaguarAimee and Jaguar (2001) Recommended
Dir. Max Farberbock
Feat. Maria Schrader, Juliane Kohler
A forbidden love story that crosses both ethnic and sexual lines, inspired by a true love affair between a role–model Nazi mother and a…
All About Lily Chou-ChouAll About Lily Chou-Chou (2001) Recommended
Dir. Shunji Iwai
Feat. Hayato Ichihara, Yu Aoi, Ayumi Ito
Vogue Japanese dir. Shunji Iwai renders the contemporary teen malaise with poignancy and despair in this haunting commentary on the perils of…
AmelieAmelie (2001) Recommended
Dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Feat. Audrey Tautou, Mathieu Kassovitz
A charming romantic comedy stamped with the purely cinematic style of dir. Jean–Pierre Juenet, who here remixes intricate set pieces, editing…
Amour de FemmeAmour de Femme (A Woman's Love) (2001)
Dir. Sylvie Verheyde
Feat. Raffaela Anderson, Helene Fillieres, Anthony Delon
Quiet romantic drama of a woman trapped in a lifeless marriage who embarks on a journey of self–discovery when she begins an affair with a…
AsokaAsoka (2001) Recommended
Dir. Santosh Sivan
Feat. Shahrukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Danny Denzongpa
Scintillating, hallucinatory epic of ancient India that’s perhaps the first ‘Bollywood’ film to reach international audiences, telling the…
AtanarjuatAtanarjuat (The Fast Runner) (2001) Aro Favourite
Dir. Zacharias Kunuk
Feat. Natar Ungalaaq, Sylvia Ivalu, Peter-Henry Arnatsiaq
A ‘cause celebre’ of recent film festivals worldwide, this filmed folktale from the ice–bound Innuit communities of northern Canada,…
Autumn SpringAutumn Spring (Babí léto) (2001) Recommended
Dir. Vladimír Michálek
Feat. Vlastimil Brodsky
Spry Czech comedy of elderly bad manners, concerns an aging prankster (Brodsky) who spends his retirement impersonating people in league with a…
BaranBaran (2001)
Dir. Majid Majidi
Patiently rewarding, bittersweet drama in which a young Afghan woman disguises herself as a man in order to assume her injured father's construction…
Behind the SunBehind the Sun (2001)
Dir. Walter Salles
Feat. Jose Dumont
Worthy followup to CENTRAL STATION by dir. Salles, again accessing the underlayers of Brazil in a melodrama set in the dusty hinterlands of 1910. …
Brief CrossingBrief Crossing (2001)
Dir. Catherine Breillat
Feat. Gilles Guillain, Sarah Pratt
Compelling and explicit portrayal of the brief sexual encounter between a naive French teenager and a married English woman who meet on an overnight…
Brotherhood of the WolfBrotherhood of the Wolf (Le Pacte des Loups) (2001)
Dir. Christophe Gans
Feat. Vincent Cassel, Monica Bellucci, Mark Dacascos
A ripping, action–packed 18th century detective story based on the true–life case of the Beast of Gevaudan – a killer or creature who…
Closet, TheCloset, The (Le Placard) (2001) Recommended
Dir. Francis Veber
Feat. Daniel Auteuil, Gerard Depardieu, Thierry Lhermitte
More comic gold from the king of French farce, Francis Veber, who understands the value of a good premise, great actors, and simple, unpretentious…
Count of Monte Cristo, TheCount of Monte Cristo, The (2001)
Dir. Josee Dayan
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Ornella Muti, Jean Rochefort
The classic tale of injustice and revenge (by Alexander Dumas), gets respectful treatment in this French TV mini–series starring Gerard…
Crying... Silicon TearsCrying... Silicon Tears (Klama) (2001)
Dir. Thanassis Papathanassiou
One of the biggest hits of recent Greek cinema, this is a lavish parody of 1960s Greek movie melodramas, mixing musical, comedy and suspense into a…
Dark Blue WorldDark Blue World (Tmavomodry Svet) (2001) Recommended
Dir. Jan Sverak
Feat. Krystof Hadek, Ondrej Vetchy, Charles Dance
From the dir. of KOLYA and based on the story of Czech pilots who fled the Nazis in WW2 to fly alongside the RAF, this is an unsentimental, yet…
Devil's Backbone, TheDevil's Backbone, The (Espinazo Del Diablo, El) (2001)
Dir. Guillermo Del Toro
Feat. Eduardo Noriega, Frederico Luppi, Marisa Paredes
This elegant amalgam of melodrama and horror movie set in a boys orphanage during the Spanish Civil War is rich in baroque atmospherics, and features…
Divided We FallDivided We Fall (2001) Recommended
Dir. Jan Hrebejk
Feat. Boleslav Polivka, Anna Siskova, Jaroslav Dusek
In WW2 Czechoslovakia, couple Bolek Polívka and Anna Sisková shelter their Jewish neighbour during the Nazi Occupation, with much absurd comedy…
Dog DaysDog Days (2001) Recommended
Dir. Ulrich Seidl
Feat. Maria Hofstatter, Alfred Mrva, Erich Finsches
A wilfully transgressive Euro–drama examining middle–class dysfunction and despair in a Viennese suburb over a few days in a summer heat…
Drole de FelixDrole de Felix (The Adventures of Felix aka Funny Felix) (2001) Recommended
Dir. Jacques Martineau, Olivier Ducastel
Feat. Sami Bouajila
Seeking to meet his father for the first time, HIV–positive Sami Bouajila journeys across France from Dieppe to Marseille in a tour of…
Eureka Eureka (2001)
Dir. Shinji Aoyama
Feat. Aoi Miyazaki, Koji Yakusho
Unforgettably beguiling Japanese road trip movie shot in sepia–toned cinema scope, following the existential odyssey of a group of emotionally…
Everybody FamousEverybody Famous (2001) Recommended
Dir. Dominique Deruddere
Feat. Josse De Pauw, Eva van der Gucht, Werner De Smedt
A hit in the Netherlands and at festivals, this half–sweet, half–cringe–inducingly sour satire, sees truly mediocre singer Eva Van…
Experiment, TheExperiment, The (Das Experiment) (2001) Recommended
Dir. Oliver Hirschbiegel
Feat. Moritz Bleibtreu, Maren Eggert, Christian Berkel
Twenty men volunteer for a paid two–week simulated study that divides them into the roles of prisoners and guards in a ‘controlled’…
Fulltime KillerFulltime Killer (2001)
Dir. Johnnie To, Wai Ka-Fai
Feat. Andy Lau, Simon Yam, Kelly Lin
Two very different hit men face off in this Hong Kong action film, with Andy Lau playing a flamboyant new hotshot who is tracking down the number one…
Ghislain Lambert's Bicycle Ghislain Lambert's Bicycle (2001)
Dir. Philippe Harel
Feat. Benoit Poelvoorde, Jose Garcia
Less sports drama than celebration of the endearingly average, this comical biopic charts the 30–year career of big–hearted, but…
God is Great, I'm NotGod is Great, I'm Not (Dieu est grand, je suis toute petite) (2001)
Dir. Pascale Bailly
Feat. Audrey Tautou, Edouard Baer, Julie Depardieu
Slim Audrey Tautou vehicle has the AMELIE–ingénue unable to settle on a religion, eventually converting to Judaism in order to win over a…
Happy TimesHappy Times (Xingfu Shiguang) (2001)
Dir. Zhang Yimou
Feat. Dong Jie, Zhao Benshan
Putting a gentle Asian spin on the "French farce" model, dir. Zhang Yimou takes a light–hearted detour with this comedy about a retired…
I'm Going HomeI'm Going Home (2001) Recommended
Dir. Manoel de Oliveira
Feat. Michel Piccoli, John Malkovich, Catherine Deneuve
Calmly balanced between drama and sly comedy, this excursion into the trials and experiences of old age, is a late tour–de–force by the…
Ichi the KillerIchi the Killer (2001)
Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Tadanobu Asano, Nao Omori, Shinya Tsukamoto
Dir. Takashi Miike earned his notoriety with this wincingly violent revenge thriller in which a bent ex–cop (played by "Tetsuo" director,…
Ignorant Fairies, TheIgnorant Fairies, The (His Secret Life) (2001)
Dir. Ferzan Ozpetek
Feat. Stefano Accorsi
A woman's life in Rome is thrown into relief after the death of her doctor husband – especially when she discovers a secret inscription on the…
In Praise of LoveIn Praise of Love (Eloge de L'amour) (2001)
Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Bruno Putzulu, Cecile Camp, Jean Davy
Dir. Godard’s first major film in over a decade presents intellect and filmmaking in full–flight, while stubbornly refusing to provide a…
IntactoIntacto (2001) Aro Favourite
Dir. Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
Feat. Max von Sydow, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Guillermo Toledo
A finely devised Spanish thriller, in which particularly obsessed gamblers contest their 'Luck' in various absurd, dangerous and creepy…
Isle, TheIsle, The (2001) Recommended
Dir. Kim Ki-Duk
Feat. Suh Jung, Kim Yoo-Suk, Park Sung-Hee
An art–shocker with a distinctly Asian streak of the perverse, this counterpoints a striking visual tableaux and tranquil setting with the…
Italian For BeginnersItalian For Beginners (2001)
Dir. Lone Scherfig
Feat. Anders W Berthelsen
A likeable ensemble comedy in which six vulnerable characters orbit a drab Copenhagen suburb, each seeking some form of solace, romance or…
KandaharKandahar (2001) Recommended
Dir. Mohsen Makhmalbaf
A Canadian–Afghani journalist travels incognito into the heart of wartorn Afghanistan to find her sister. Filmed at the height of the…
La CiénagaLa Ciénaga (The Swamp) (2001)
Dir. Lucrecia Martel
Feat. Graciela Borges, Mercedes Morán, Martín Adjemián
Dir. Lucrecia Martel's debut film is an abstract Chekhovian tale of two bourgeois families roasting under the Argentinian sun within the confines of…
Lady and the Duke, TheLady and the Duke, The (2001)
Dir. Eric Rohmer
Feat. Jean Claude Dreyfus, Lucy Russell
Intellectually stimulating and strikingly anti–realist account of the French Revolution, told through the (true–life) relationship…
LagaanLagaan (2001) Aro Favourite
Dir. Ashutosh Gowariker
Feat. Aamir Khan, Gracey Singh, Paul Blackthorne
Bollywood epic that broke through to international awards and audience with its ‘test–match’ running–time, lavishness and periodic…
Laissez-PasserLaissez-Passer (Safe Conduct) (2001) Recommended
Dir. Bertrand Tavernier
Feat. Jacques Gamblin, Denis Podalydes, Marie Gillain
A vivid and suspenseful drama set in the French film industry during the German occupation of WWII, this is a labour of love for leading French dir.…
Last Kiss, TheLast Kiss, The (L'Ultimo Bacio) (2001) Recommended
Dir. Gabriel Muccino
Feat. Stefano Accorsi, Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Stefania Sandrelli
Award–winning Italian melodrama investigates the anxieties of a young unmarried couple on the verge of parenthood. Stefano Accorsi is torn…
Love On a Diet (2001)
Dir. Johnnie To
Feat. Andy Lau, Sammi Cheng
The dir. of HEROIC TRIO, takes a serious change of tack with a weight–problem comedy. Looking to re–ignite her former romance with…
Merci Pour Le ChocolatMerci Pour Le Chocolat (Nightcap) (2001) Recommended
Dir. Claude Chabrol
Feat. Isabelle Huppert
Slyly subversive psychodrama, with Isabelle Huppert excelling as the owner of a Swiss chocolate–business, who also happens to be a…
Millennium MamboMillennium Mambo (2001)
Dir. Hou Hsiao-Hsien
Feat. Shu Qi
The first in dir. Hou’s ‘contemporary youth’ trilogy is a light–infused strobe of aimless young adults living in the accelerated urban…
Minor MishapsMinor Mishaps (2001)
Dir. Annette K. Olesen
Feat. Jorgen Kiil, Maria Wurgler Rich, Jannie Faurschou
Emerging from the lighter end of the Dogme 95 movement, this drama reunites a father and three children after the death of their mother in a car…
Mortal TransferMortal Transfer (2001)
Dir. Jean-Jacques Beineix
Feat. Jean-Hugues Anglade, Miki Manojlovic, Helene de Fougerolles
Freudian psycho–thriller with analyst Anglade finding himself a little too attracted to masochistic patient de Fougerolles. Delirious visuals…
Musa - The WarriorMusa - The Warrior (2001) Recommended
Dir. Kim Sung-Su
Feat. Woo-sung Jung, Ahn Sung-Ki, Zhang Ziyi
Genuinely spectacular 14th century restaging of "The Seven Samurai" that was the (then) most expensive film made in its native…
My Wife is an ActressMy Wife is an Actress (Ma Femme est une Actrice) (2001)
Dir. Yvan Attal
Feat. Charlotte Gainsbourg, Yvan Attal, Terence Stamp
Obviously modelled on his own life, first time writer/director Yvan Attal tailors a project for his real–life wife, Charlotte Gainsbourg, who…
Naked, TheNaked, The (Golasy) (2001)
Dir. Witold Swiêtnicki
Genuine oddity, this Polish satire upon the tedium of the Soviet era, as experienced by an office full of white–collar workers, is lent a…
Night Shift Night Shift (Trois Huit) (2001) Recommended
Dir. Phillippe Le Guay
Feat. Gérald Laroche, Marc Barbe
Tense French workplace drama about a mild–mannered factory employee who must cope with a vindictive and domineering co–worker. Working…
One Take OnlyOne Take Only (Som and Bank: Bangkok for Sale) (2001)
Dir. Oxide Pang
Feat. Wanatchada Siwapornchai, Pawarith Monkolpisit
Another visually dizzying trip into the dens of the Thai capital for dir. Pang, this time steering a tale of two streetwise lovers – a…
Pauline and PaulettePauline and Paulette (Pauline et Paulette) (2001) Recommended
Dir. Lieven Debrauwer
Feat. Dora van der Groen, Ann Petersen
An amusing, poignant tale of two elderly sisters and their unique relationship, portrayed by two grand old dames of Belgian theatre. After her…
Piano Teacher, ThePiano Teacher, The (2001) Recommended
Dir. Michael Haneke
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Annie Girardot, Benoit Magimel
Isabelle Huppert gives the bravest and possibly best performance of her career as a brittle, imbalanced music teacher in a drama that might prove too…
Pistol OperaPistol Opera (2001)
Dir. Seijun Suzuki
Feat. Makikio Esumi, Shirley Yamaguchi, Kirin Kiki
A comeback of sorts for brilliant Japanese director Seijun Suzuki, who brings a self–referential and at times incomprehensibly abstract style…
Princess BladePrincess Blade (Shurayuki-Hime) (2001)
Dir. Shinsuke Sato
Post–apocalyptic Japanese samurai action adapted from a graphic novel, employs a stark visual style to convey its tale of a disturbed young…
PulsePulse (Kairo) (2001) Recommended
Dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Feat. Kumiko Aso, Koji Yakusho, Koyuki
A clandestine by–product of the post–RING phenomenon, this refined and wholly disconcerting tale of a supernatural internet pandemic…
Read My LipsRead My Lips (Sur Mes Levres) (2001) Recommended
Dir. Jacques Audiard
Feat. Vincent Cassel, Emmanuelle Devos
Sturdy, unconventional French thriller about an insecure, partially–deaf office clerk who tries to help an irascible ex–con integrate…
Ring 2Ring 2 (2001) Recommended
Dir. Hideo Nakata
Feat. Miki Nakatani, Hitomi Sato
Esteemable sequel to the 1998 original, this finds the supernaturally fatal videotape – the one that causes death, a week after watching it –…
SamsaraSamsara (2001) Recommended
Dir. Pan Nalin
Feat. Shawn Ku, Christy Chung, Neelesha Bavora
A spiritual and visually resplendent drama based around the sexual awakening of a novice Buddhist monk in remote, mountainous Tibet. After…
Sex and LuciaSex and Lucia (2001) Recommended
Dir. Julio Medem
Feat. Paz Vega, Tristan Ulloa, Najwa Nimri
Another sumptuous, stylistic meditation for dir. Julio Medem that interlocks his penchant for intricate, fractured narrative with a thrust of daring…
Shadow of the WraithShadow of the Wraith (Ikisudama) (2001)
Dir. Toshiharu Ikeda
Fitfully scary J–horror is set around a series of disconnected horrors in two halves: first, at a high school plagued by a creepy…
Shaolin SoccerShaolin Soccer (2001) Aro Favourite
Dir. Stephen Chow (Chiao)
Feat. Stephen Chow (Chiao), Richard Ng, Vicki Zhao
With an astounding mix of Eastern fantasy, CGI effects and the game of soccer, Hong Kong’s one–man comedy machine Stephen Chow kicks one out…
SleeplessSleepless (Non ho Sonno) (2001)
Dir. Dario Argento
Feat. Max von Sydow, Stefano Dionisi, Chiara Caselli
A welcome return to his 'giallo' roots by dir. Argento, turning a tangled tango between a serial–killer and recently–retired detective…
Song for Martin, ASong for Martin, A (2001)
Dir. Bille August
Feat. Sven Wollter, Reine Brynolfsson
Touching drama of a composer and concertmaster who fall in love through classical music, only to battle the effects of Alzheimer's. Foreseeable…
TanguyTanguy (2001) Recommended
Dir. Etienne Chatiliez
Feat. Sabine Azema, Andre Dussollier, Laurent Chouchan
A crowd–pleasing French comedy set around the efforts of a middle–aged couple to surreptitiously get their 28–year–old son to…
Time for Drunken Horses, ATime for Drunken Horses, A (2001) Recommended
Dir. Bahman Ghobadi
Feat. Ayoub Ahmadi, Rojin Younessi, Amaneh Ekhtiar-dini
Set in remote Kurdistan, along the mountainous smuggling border between Iran and Iraq, this chronicles the pitiable circumstances of a recently…
Time OutTime Out (2001) Recommended
Dir. Laurence Cantet
Feat. Aurelien Recoing, Serge Livrozet
A subtly layered account of middle–class businessman Aurelien Recoing, who pretends to his family and friends that he is corporate highflyer,…
Tom ThumbTom Thumb (Le Petit Poucet) (2001) Recommended
Dir. Olivier Dahan
Feat. Nils Hugon, Catherine Deneuve, Said Taghmaoui
Ambitious, enjoyably dark rendering of Perrault’s classic fable, "Le Petit Poucet" told with trademark French twistedness and aplomb, kids will…
Tomie: Re-birthTomie: Re-birth (2001)
Dir. Takashi Shimizu
Third entry in the J–horror series continues the vile career of the titular schoolgirl, here playing a murder victim who comes back to haunt…
Trouble Every DayTrouble Every Day (2001)
Dir. Claire Denis
Feat. Vincent Gallo, Beatrice Dalle, Alex Descas
This messy yet mesmerizing tale of visceral sexual obsession has vamp Beatrice Dalle spoiling a couple's Paris honeymoon when she develops a carnally…
Tunnel, TheTunnel, The (2001) Recommended
Dir. Roland Suso Richter
Feat. Heino Ferch, Nicolette Krebitz
An extended though by no means deep excavation of German Cold War history, in which an East German swimmer (Ferch) defects to West Berlin in 1961 and…
Under the SandUnder the Sand (2001)
Dir. Francois Ozon
Feat. Charlotte Rampling, Jacques Nolot, Bruno Cremer
Charlotte Rampling enters a twilit zone of denial following her husband’s disappearance into the sea on a beach holiday, and mysterious…
Va SavoirVa Savoir (Who Knows) (2001) Recommended
Dir. Jacques Rivette
Feat. Jeanne Balibar, Sergio Castellitto, Jacques Bonnaffe
Skilful romantic farce interweaves the lives of six characters connected to an Italian theatre troupe on tour in Paris (doing Pirandello’s ‘As…
VersusVersus (2001)
Dir. Ryuhei Kitamura
Feat. Tak Sakaguchi, Kenji Matsuda
The zombie genre is resurrected yet again, here spliced with Asian combat routines and punk–gangster gunplay, and set in the local woods on an…
Vertical Ray of the Sun, TheVertical Ray of the Sun, The (At the Height of Summer) (2001)
Dir. Tran Anh Hung
Feat. Tran Nu Yen-Khe, Nhu Quynh Nguyen, Le Khanh
Conjuring once more the scent, hue and atmosphere of Vietnam, the dir. of SCENT OF GREEN PAPAYA depicts the complicated sisterhood of three women in…
Visitor QVisitor Q (Bizita Q) (2001)
Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Kenichi Endo, Shungiku Uchida, Kazushi Watanabe
Miike Takashi's most controversial film – which in this case is really saying something – finally coming to video (?). A legendarily…
Volcano HighVolcano High (Whasango) (2001)
Dir. Tae-gyun Kim
Wildly action–packed Korean thriller, set in a future high–school where combat–trained, telekinetic students and staff slug it out…
Warm Water Under a Red BridgeWarm Water Under a Red Bridge (2001) Recommended
Dir. Shohei Imamura
Feat. Koji Yakusho, Misa Shimizu
Nourishing sex fable in which Japanese everyman Koji Yakusho, down and out after losing his wife and job, discovers the joys of making love to a…
What Time Is It There?What Time Is It There? (2001) Recommended
Dir. Ming-liang Tsai
Feat. Kang-sheng Lee, Cecilia Yip, Jean-Pierre Leaud
Three forlorn individuals bide their time between grief, ennui and loneliness in this minimalist – and unusually talky – masterpiece from…
Wind Will Carry Us, TheWind Will Carry Us, The (2001) Recommended
Dir. Abbas Kiarostami
Feat. Behzad Dourani
Carried by the dir.’s deadpan comic instincts and more minimally poetic, this quasi–fable concerns (what seems to be) a documentary crew who…
Would I Lie to You Again?Would I Lie to You Again? (2001)
Dir. Thomas Gilou
Feat. Richard Anconina, Jose Garcia, Bruno Solo
Boys–will–be–boys comedy revisits the ‘Jewish’ entrepreneurs of WOULD I LIE TO YOU?, now in need to an all–new…
Y Tu Mama TambienY Tu Mama Tambien (And Your Mother Too!) (2001) Aro Favourite
Dir. Alfonso Cuaron
Feat. Maribel Verdu, Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna
Acclaimed universally (and here in NZ beset with censorship wrangles), this Mexican joyride, taken by two teenage boys and an older woman, is indeed…
101 Reykjavik101 Reykjavik (2000) Recommended
Dir. Baltasar Kormakur
Feat. Baltasar Kormakur, Victoria Abril
An endearingly skewed yet unexpectedly poignant sex comedy moored in the 30–below temperatures of the Icelandic winter, about a…
A Moment of InnocenceA Moment of Innocence (2000) Recommended
Dir. Mohsen Makhmalbaf
A slowly unfolding tale of the dir.'s own involvement in the stabbing of a policeman when he was an Islamic radical in the 1970s. Subsequently…
Amazon (Amazone) (2000)
Dir. Phillipe De Broca
Feat. Jean-Paul Belmondo, Arielle Dombasle
Convoluted sci–fi adventure has jewel thief Belmondo stumbling upon an alien visitor in the guise of a twelve year old girl. Almost…
Amores PerrosAmores Perros (Love's a Bitch) (2000) Aro Favourite
Dir. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
Feat. Emilio Echevarria, Gael Garcia Bernal, Goya Toledo
Bursting forth with passion, cinematic mettle and pungent local flavours, this debut feature, a triptych of stories set in polyglot Mexico City, is…
AnatomieAnatomie (2000) Recommended
Dir. Stefan Ruzowitzky
Feat. Franke Potente
Franke Potente (RUN LOLA RUN) stars as a bright medical student at an elite college who discovers her fellow freshmen and women are turning up as…
Bang RajanBang Rajan (2000) Recommended
Dir. Tanit Jitnukul
Truly ferocious action spectacular based on the true tale of how a small Siamese village tried to withstand the efforts of 100 000 invading Burmese…
Barking Dogs Never BiteBarking Dogs Never Bite (Flandersui gae) (2000) Recommended
Dir. Joon-ho Bong
Feat. Doona Bae
An accomplished black comedy from Korea, which follows an unemployed lecturer's annoyance with the barking of neighbourhood dogs through to its…
Battle RoyaleBattle Royale (Batoru Rowaiaru) (2000) Recommended
Dir. Fukasaku Kinji
Feat. Takeshi Kitano, Chiaki Kuriyama, Tatsuya Fujiwara
This hyper–kinetic, violent satire from Japan courted controversy (and a fair swag of hype) for its ‘irresponsible’ premise and searing…
Beijing BicycleBeijing Bicycle (2000)
Dir. Wang Xiaoshuai
Feat. Lin Cui, Bin Li, Yuanyuan Gao
Set in the milieu of urban cycle–couriers, this retells De Sica’s BICYCLE THIEF on the teeming streets of Beijing where country–boy Lin…
BichunmooBichunmoo (2000)
Dir. Young-Jun Kim
Boasting the biggest budget of any Korean film, this period epic, a kind–of "Once Upon a Time in Korea", blends the usual ingredients with…
BlackboardsBlackboards (2000)
Dir. Samira Makhmalbaf
Feat. Said Mohamadi, Behnaz Jafari
Set in politically unstable Kurdistan, this followup to THE APPLE by dir. Makhmalbaf, traces the adventures of a group of teachers searching the…
Bread and TulipsBread and Tulips (2000) Recommended
Dir. Silvio Soldini
Feat. Licia Maglietta, Bruno Ganz, Marina Massironi
When 40–something housewife Licia Maglietta is deserted by her family during vacation, she seizes on a chance to roll the romantic dice once…
Circle, TheCircle, The (2000) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jafar Panahi
Feat. Brano Holicek, Pavlina Mourkova, Jeri Pecha
Banned its native Iran, this compendium of linked stories circumscribes the various oppressions women must suffer under that country’s strict…
City of Lost SoulsCity of Lost Souls (2000)
Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Teah , Michelle Reis, Ren Osugi
Another turbo–charged piece of blood–drenched lunacy from prolific genre stylist Takashi Miike, marked out by its Brazilian protagonist…
Code UnknownCode Unknown (2000)
Dir. Michael Haneke
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Arsinee Khanjian, Thierry Neuvic
Perhaps dir. Haneke's (THE PIANO TEACHER) least straightforward effort, this sketches a series of interconnected storylines loosely bound by themes…
Comedie de L'InnocenceComedie de L'Innocence (Comedy of Innocence) (2000)
Dir. Raul Ruiz
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Jeanne Balibar, Charles Berling
A spooky psychological thriller, in which a young boy of nine tells his mother (Huppert) that in fact he is the son of another woman. When this…
Crimson Rivers, TheCrimson Rivers, The (2000)
Dir. Mathieu Kassovitz
Feat. Jean Reno, Vincent Cassel
A bizarre murder in the French Alps draws detectives Jean Reno and Vincent Cassel into the killing–cycle of a particularly grisly…
Crouching Tiger, Hidden DragonCrouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) Aro Favourite
Dir. Ang Lee
Feat. Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi
A fantasy–fuelled, Chinese feudal melodrama laced with jaw–dropping combat sequences (arguably the best ever staged), this represents a…
Day I Became a Woman, TheDay I Became a Woman, The (2000)
Dir. Marziyeh Meshkini
Feat. Fatemeh Cherag Akhur, Hassan Nebhan, Shahr Banou Sisizadeh
A trio of strong metaphorical tales that outline three aspects of “a woman’s lot” in contemporary Iran, with humour and cinematic…
Dead or Alive 2Dead or Alive 2 (Tobosha) (2000)
Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Sho Aikawa, Riki Takeuchi, Shinya Tsukamoto
Understated yet rewarding sequel to the mind–blowing gangster actioner follows on from the 'end of the world' with an unrelated story, with…
FaithlessFaithless (2000) Recommended
Dir. Liv Ullmann
Feat. Erland Josephson
Formidable high–brow drama directed by actress Ullmann from an autobiographical script by her veteran collaborator Ingmar…
Farewell - Brecht's Last Summer, TheFarewell - Brecht's Last Summer, The (2000) Recommended
Dir. Jan Schutte
Feat. Josef Bierbichler, Monika Bliebtreu, Elfriede Irrall
Prior knowledge of the life of playwright Bertolt Brecht (played by Josef Bierbichler) will enhance this accomplished chamber–drama, set at an…
Girls Can't SwimGirls Can't Swim (Les filles ne savent pas nager) (2000)
Dir. Anne-Sophie Birot
Feat. Isild Le Besco, Karen Alyx, Pascale Bussieres
Moody French coming–of–age drama about two girls, one who lives in the coastal town in Brittany, the other from the city. Best…
Godzilla Vs. MegaguirisGodzilla Vs. Megaguiris (2000)
Dir. Masaaki Tezuka
Feat. Shosuke Tanihara
The 25th film in the Godzilla franchise and the second film in the Millennium series. While the film uses the Godzilla suit from Godzilla 2000, it is…
HappenstanceHappenstance (Le Battement d'ailes du Papillon) (2000)
Dir. Laurent Firode
Feat. Audrey Tautou, Faudel , Eric Savin
Cute French riff on the 'butterfly effect' of chaos theory, in which a Parisian office–worker (Tautou) becomes unknowingly trapped in a train…
Harry, He's Here to HelpHarry, He's Here to Help (With a Friend Like Harry,Who Needs Enemies?) (2000) Recommended
Dir. Dominik Moll
Feat. Sergi Lopez, Laurent Lucas
French festival–hit that invokes the delicious menace of Alfred Hitchcock with its insidious central character, Harry (Sergi Lopez) who invites…
HimalayaHimalaya (2000) Recommended
Dir. Eric Valli
Feat. Thilen Lhondup, Gurgon Kyap, Lhakpa Tsamchoe
A journey into the life of a remote Nepalese village which relies on an annual pilgrimage to collect salt from the Tibetan side of the Himalayas,…
In the Mood for LoveIn the Mood for Love (2000) Recommended
Dir. Wong Kar-Wai
Feat. Tony Leung (Chiu-wai), Maggie Cheung
As in DAYS OF BEING WILD, dir. Wong Kar–Wai portrays the languor of a 1960s Hong Kong in which two neighbours discover their respective spouses…
IsolaIsola (Tajuu jinkaku shôjo) (2000)
Dir. Toshiyuki Mizutani
Feat. Yoshino Kimura
Curious but finally rather tepid riff on the J–Horror genre has a psychic woman (Kimura) travelling to the city of Kobe to offer help in the…
JSA: Joint Security AreaJSA: Joint Security Area (2000) Recommended
Dir. Park Chan-Wook
Feat. Kang-ho Song, Young-ae Lee
A Korean military thriller of high repute that opens with a double–killing on the bitterly–tense border between North and South and…
Les Destinees SentimentalesLes Destinees Sentimentales (2000)
Dir. Olivier Assayas
Feat. Emmanuelle Beart, Charles Berling, Isabelle Huppert
Genteel family saga from the trilogy of novels by Jacques Chardonne that follows the destiny of pastor Charles Berling through the first decades of…
Little OtikLittle Otik (Otesanek) (2000) Recommended
Dir. Jan Svankmajer
Feat. Veronika Zilkova, Jan Hartl, Kristina Adamcova
Animation guru and ‘militant surrealist’ Jan Svankmajer elaborates on a distinctively Czech fairy tale about a monstrous baby that grows…
LumumbaLumumba (2000) Recommended
Dir. Raoul Peck
Feat. Eric Ebouaney
A strident and fittingly uncompromising biopic about an African political icon, Patrice Lumumba, who liberated the Congo from Belgium in the late…
MalenaMalena (2000)
Dir. Giuseppe Tornatore
Feat. Monica Bellucci
The dir. of CINEMA PARADISO throws an amber–lit glow around a man’s memory of a boyhood infatuation in his hometown in WWII Sicily.…
Mark of Cain, TheMark of Cain, The (2000) Recommended
Dir. Alix Lambert
Instructive documentary on an esoteric subject: the disappearing art of the Russian prison tattoo. Journeying the penal system of the Russian…
Me You ThemMe You Them (Eu Tu Eles) (2000) Recommended
Dir. Andrucha Waddington
Feat. Regina Case, Lima Duarte, Stenio Garcia
Set in the arid hinterlands of Brazil, this serio–comic study of rural polyandry has Regina Case (Brazil’s Oprah Winfrey) hitch up three…
MPD - Psycho (TV Series)MPD - Psycho (TV Series) (2000)
Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Naoki Hosaka
Takashi Miike's TV series is an appropriately psychotic riff on a policier, featuring a detective with 32 personalities chasing a serial killer who…
Nine QueensNine Queens (Nueve Reinas) (2000) Recommended
Dir. Fabian Bielinsky
Feat. Gaston Pauls, Ricardo Darín
An Argentian congame thriller which uses a fresh, edgy setting to bolster its David Mamet–by–way–of–Quentin Tarantino…
One Hundred Steps, TheOne Hundred Steps, The (I Cento Passi) (2000)
Dir. Marco Tullio Giordana
Expansive, fact–based drama set around a young man's fight against local mafiosos in the small Sicilian village of Cinisi in the…
Our Lady of the AssassinsOur Lady of the Assassins (la Virgen de los Sicarios) (2000)
Dir. Barbet Schroeder
Feat. Anderson Ballesteros, Juan David Restrepo
A middle aged author returns to his native Colombian village to find that it has been overrun by violence and corruption. After his young male lover…
Pet Shop of HorrorsPet Shop of Horrors (2000)
Horror–tinged anime set in a mysterious pet shop in New York's Chinatown, where the androgynous proprietor 'Count D' has a sinister pet for…
PlatformPlatform (Zhantai) (2000) Recommended
Dir. Jia Zhang-ke
Feat. Zhao Tao
Taking its title from a Chinese hit rock song of the 80s, this fetchingly spare epic meditates on the changes of that turbulent decade and the…
Presque RienPresque Rien (Almost Nothing) (2000) Recommended
Dir. Sebastien Lifshitz
Feat. Jérémie Elkaïm, Stephane Rideau
French drama of melancholic first love that, despite the common themes, sets itself apart with sensitive acting and a deeply felt approach to the…
Princes and PrincessesPrinces and Princesses (Princes et Princesses) (2000)
Dir. Michel Ocelot
Feat. Arlette Mirapeu, Philippe Cheytion, Yves Barsacq
French animation compilation made up of six episodes from director and animator Michel Ocelot's silhouette animation television series Ciné si. The…
Princess and the Warrior, ThePrincess and the Warrior, The (2000)
Dir. Tom Tykwer
Feat. Franke Potente
Follow–up and companion piece to dir. Tykwer’s RUN LOLA RUN, is a 'Snow White'–inspired tale of a psychiatric nurse who is hit by a…
Ring 0Ring 0 (2000)
Dir. Norio Tsuruta
Feat. Yukie Nakama, Seilchi Tanabe, Yoshiko Tanaka
Prequel to the first RING film details the transformation of the innocent schoolgirl Sadako in 50s Japan into the murderous demon who haunts the…
Road Home, TheRoad Home, The (2000)
Dir. Zhang Yimou
Feat. Zhang Ziyi, Honglei Sun, Hao Zhang
Tackling the period of the Chinese Cultural Revolution, period dir. Zhang Yimou (RAISE THE RED LANTERN) gives the story of a young man's return home…
Scarlet DivaScarlet Diva (2000)
Dir. Asia Argento
Feat. Asia Argento
A fearless, punk excursion into her own fleeting status as a model–cum–actress daughter of Italian horror stylist Dario Argento, Asia…
SeanceSeance (2000) Recommended
Dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Feat. Koji Yakusho
A hybrid of crime thriller and ghost story, this remake of the British classic "Seance on a Wet Afternoon" reinstates the supernatural emphasis of…
Shadow MagicShadow Magic (2000)
Dir. Ann Hu
Feat. Jared Harris
The 'shadow magic' in question is the early cinema, which is brought to Beijing in 1902 by a travelling promoter (Harris), who, along with a local…
ShowerShower (Xizhao) (2000) Recommended
Dir. Zhang Yang
Feat. Pu Cunxin, Zhu Xu
A popular success with international audiences, this Chinese comedy is centred around a modern–day bathhouse in Beijing without a…
Sky Is Falling, TheSky Is Falling, The (Cielo cade, Il) (2000)
Dir. Andrea Frazzi, Antonio Frazzi
Feat. Isabella Rossellini, Jeroen Krabbe
Two young orphan girls are sent to live with relatives in Tuscany, Italy during WW2 and discover intriguing new perspectives through their Jewish…
Songs from the Second FloorSongs from the Second Floor (2000) Aro Favourite
Dir. Roy Andersson
Feat. Lars Nordh, Stefan Larsson
Various rotund men of retirement age face personal crises in a series of unsettling, stylised vignettes that could be collectively read as an…
Taste of Others, TheTaste of Others, The (Le Gout des Autres) (2000) Recommended
Dir. Agnes Jaoui
Feat. Anne Alvaro, Alain Chabat, Jean-Pierre Bacri
A subtle French comedy of manners, that strews an array of matched, mismatched and all quite droll characters into a satisfying treat for the comic…
Tears of the Black TigerTears of the Black Tiger (Fah Talai Jone) (2000) Aro Favourite
Dir. Wisit Sasanatieng
A blast of wild inspiration from the New Thai Cinema, this restages a Hollywood Western within a luridly kitschy setting using back–projection,…
Tell Me SomethingTell Me Something (2000) Recommended
Dir. Chang Yoon-Hyung
Feat. Han Suk-gyu, Shim Eun-ha
A fine slice of Korean “giallo”, this is detective pulp of the lacquered–black, rain–drenched variety, with perverse/macabre…
The Best Man's WeddingThe Best Man's Wedding (Jalla! Jalla!) (2000) Recommended
Dir. Josef Fares
A racy comic swirl through the family, romantic, sexual and general personal dilemmas of two Swedish best friends. While one must suffer the…
Time and TideTime and Tide (2000)
Dir. Tsui Hark
Feat. Nicholas Tse, Wu Bai
Healthy measures of hard–boiled alienation and gyroscopic fire–fights ignite this Hong Kong kick–butt–fest that somersaults…
Tomie: ReplayTomie: Replay (2000)
Dir. Tomijiro Mitsuishi
Feat. Yôsuke Kubozuka, Kenichi Endo, Tomorowo Taguchi
Second (and best) installment in the manga–inspired series continues the vengeful streak of 'Tomie', the undying…
Town is Quiet, TheTown is Quiet, The (La Ville est Tranquille) (2000) Recommended
Dir. Robert Guediguian
Feat. Ariane Ascaride, Jean-Pierre Darroussin
A characteristically gritty yet humanist urban drama that expands out in scope from the directors’ previous snapshots of life in his home town…
Turbo (TV Series)Turbo (TV Series) (2000-2001)
Feat. Roberto Farnesi
Addictive mystery series with the canine detective Turbo tracking villains against the sun–drenched vistas of Tuscany.
Unit One (TV Series)Unit One (TV Series) (Rejseholdet) (2000-2004)
Feat. Mads Mikkelsen
CONTRABAND TITLE. Series 1 to 4 are not legally available for sale, rent or trade in New Zealand unless submitted for approval to the NZ Office of…
Werckmeister HarmoniesWerckmeister Harmonies (2000) Aro Favourite
Dir. Bela Tarr
Feat. Lars Rudolph, Peter Fitz, Hanna Schygulla
A visionary film to herald in the 21st century, Bela Tarr’s apocalyptic masterpiece begins with the arrival of a bizarre circus attraction to a…
Wild ZeroWild Zero (2000)
Dir. Tetsuro Takeuchi
Feat. Guitar Wolf
Japanese punk tyrants Guitar Wolf shred up the screen in this appropriately chaotic zombie fest, gouged from the remnants of a meteor carrying…
6ixtynin96ixtynin9 (Sixtynine; Ruang talok 69) (1999)
Dir. Pen-Ek Ratanaruang
Feat. Lalita Panyopas
Second feature film by the Thai writer–director Pen–Ek Ratanaruang (LAST LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE), following a woman who is laid off during…
AfterlifeAfterlife (1999) Recommended
Dir. Kore-eda Hirokazu
Feat. Arata Erika Oda, Susumu Terajima
Original, intriguing conception of what happens after life – a panel of students challenge a succession of deceased persons to choose one…
All About My MotherAll About My Mother (1999) Recommended
Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Cecilia Roth
Almodovar's "celebration of mother and womanhood" has been hailed as something of a departure for the director, though in fact all of his (beloved)…
Attack the Gas StationAttack the Gas Station (1999) Recommended
Dir. Sang-Jin Kim
Feat. Sung-jae Lee, Oh-seong Yu, Seong-jin Kang
Four disaffected youths take hostage an entire gas station in this subversive, blackly–comic masterpiece from Korea. Gleefully tearing apart…
Bangkok DangerousBangkok Dangerous (1999)
Dir. Danny Pang, Oxide Pang
Feat. Pawalit Mongkolpisit, Premsinee Ratanasopha, Patharawarin Timkul
Frenetic, violent gangland tale set in the throbbing Thai capital, about a deaf–mute hitman isolated by his affliction and his profession, and…
BleederBleeder (1999)
Dir. Nicolas Winding Refn
Feat. Kim Bodnia
Hard–nosed drama about a brooding man who turns destructive when he learns of his girlfriend’s pregnancy in…
Butterfly's TongueButterfly's Tongue (La lengua de las mariposas) (1999) Recommended
Dir. Jose Luis Cuerda
Feat. Fernando Fernan Gomez, Manuel Lozano
Heartwarming Spanish coming–of–age drama set in Galicia in 1936. Against the backdrop of the encroaching Spanish Civil War, a shy…
Cabaret BalkanCabaret Balkan (The Powder Keg) (1999)
Dir. Goran Paskaljevic
Feat. Nikola Ristanovski
Troubling split–portrait of the Serbian psyche, depicting a series of often violent incidents over the course of a single night in Belgrade,…
Carriers Are Waiting, TheCarriers Are Waiting, The (Les Convoyeurs Attendent) (1999)
Dir. Benoit Maraige
Feat. Benoit Poelvoorde, Morgane Simon, Bouli Laners
When journalist Benoit Poelvoorde decides his family MUST win top prize in local competition (which involves training his reluctant son to break the…
Celebration, TheCelebration, The (Festen) (1999) Recommended
Dir. Thomas Vinterberg
Feat. Ulrich Thomsen, Henning Moritzen, Thomas Bo Larsen
Conceived and executed under the "Dogma 95" manifesto, this corrosive black comedy sees the birthday celebrations of a wealthy family implode after…
CharismaCharisma (1999) Recommended
Dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Feat. Koji Yakusho, Ren Osugi
An eerie 'ecological horror' from the mind of dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa, here following the path of a police detective (Yakusho Koji) who has been…
Children of the MarshlandsChildren of the Marshlands (Les Enfants du Marais) (1999) Recommended
Dir. Jean Becker
Feat. Jacques Villeret, Michel Serrault, Eric Cantona
Old–fashioned French drama, whose 1930s Loire Valley setting is refreshingly free of the usual cliches, while remaining utterly charming and…
Colour of Paradise, TheColour of Paradise, The (1999) Recommended
Dir. Majid Majidi
Feat. Mohsen Ramezani
A gripping, compassionate study of a blind Iranian boy’s attempts to connect with his egotistical father and a carpentry tutor when he is taken to…
Criminal LoversCriminal Lovers (Amants criminels, Les) (1999)
Dir. Francois Ozon
Feat. Natacha Regnier, Miki Manojlovic
Before he made the lighter 8 WOMEN, dir. Ozon established his credentials with this twisted wee horror, which fearlessly ventures into sadistic and…
Cup, TheCup, The (1999) Recommended
Dir. Khyentse Norbu
Feat. Orgyen Tobgyal, Neten Chokling, Jamyang Lodro
This charming, slyly comic tale of soccer–mad young monks obsessed with viewing the World Cup has found broad worldwide appreciation with its…
Dead or AliveDead or Alive (Hanzaisha) (1999) Recommended
Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Sho Aikawa, Riki Takeuchi, Ren Osugi
A jaw–dropping, wickedly amoral revenge thriller from the dir. of AUDITION, who blows the dust (and the roof) off gangster movie cliches and…
East / WestEast / West (Est / Ouest) (1999) Recommended
Dir. Regis Wargnier
Feat. Sandrine Bonnaire, Oleg Menshikov, Sergei Bodrov Jr
A 'woman's picture' in the proudest sense of the term, this lush historical melodrama from the dir. of INDOCHINE again finds a French woman in a…
Emperor and the Assassin, TheEmperor and the Assassin, The (Jing Ke Ci Qin Wang) (1999)
Dir. Chen Kaige
Feat. Gong Li, Zhang Fenyi
Vast, gilded historical spectacle set in the 3rd Century BC, centred on China's legendary first Qin emperor's struggle to consolidate a unified…
Girl on the Bridge, TheGirl on the Bridge, The (1999)
Dir. Patrice Leconte
Feat. Daniel Auteuil, Vanessa Paradis
This glossy slice of modern 'poetic realism' has an attractive visual component but its arch–Romanticism won't be everyone's glass of Chablis.…
Gloomy SundayGloomy Sunday (Ein Lied Von Liebe Und Tod) (1999) Aro Favourite
Dir. Rolf Schubel
Feat. Joachim Krol, Erika Marozsan, Ben Becker
Captivating drama which pivots around the apocryphal origins of the classic melancholy song 'Gloomy Sunday' in pre–WW2 Budapest. An amiably…
GohattoGohatto (Taboo) (1999) Recommended
Dir. Nagisa Oshima
Feat. Takeshi Kitano
Visually stunning evocation of the tensions in a samurai–training school in 1860s Japan, with Kitano playing a captain who agonises over his…
Harmonium in my Memory, TheHarmonium in my Memory, The (1999)
Dir. Young-jae Lee
Feat. Do-yeon Chun, Min-hie Kim, Byung-hun Lee
Sweet, soft–spoken melodrama of jittery first love, recalling the innocent love triangle that forms between a handsome, fresh–faced…
HeroHero (A Man Called Hero) (1999)
Dir. Wai Keung Lau
Feat. Ekin Cheng, Shu Qi, Kristy Yang
A typically offbeat HK amalgam of historical saga, martial arts action and CGI special effects. Set in the first half of the 20th century, this…
Human ResourcesHuman Resources (1999)
Dir. Laurent Cantet
Feat. Jalil Lespert
Astute French drama from director Laurent Cantet (THE CLASS) set in a white collar human resources department in Normandy, about the conflicts that…
HypnosisHypnosis (Saimin) (1999) Recommended
Dir. Masayuki Ochiai
Feat. Hiroshi Inagaki, Miho Kanno
A mysterious force is causing a spate of bizarre suicides, creatively and gruesomely staged for our blackly comic pleasure, in this…
InugamiInugami (1999)
Dir. Masato Harada
Feat. Yuki Amami, Atsuro Watabe, Eugene Harada
Quietly impressive suspenser set in a remote mountain village in Japan, where a young local woman and a visiting school teacher become aware of the…
It All Starts Today…It All Starts Today… (1999) Recommended
Dir. Bertrand Tavernier
Feat. Philippe Torreton, Maria Pitarresi, Nadia Kaci
Determinedly humanist account of the difficulties facing a kindergarten teacher in impoverished northern France, based on the experiences of the…
Jin-Roh: The Wolf BrigadeJin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade (1999) Recommended
Dir. Hiroyuki Okikura
Feat. Michael Dobson, Mike Kopsa
Visually rich and tasteful ‘anime’ set in a slightly futurised post–WW2 Tokyo, where an anti–terrorist commando, suspended from duty,…
KikujiroKikujiro (Kikujiro no Natsu) (1999)
Dir. Takeshi Kitano
Feat. Takeshi Kitano
An uncharacteristically easy–going, episodic road movie from one–man movie machine, Beat Takeshi, whose impassive screen persona snugly…
King of ComedyKing of Comedy (Choi kek ji wong) (1999)
Dir. Stephen Chow (Chiao)
Feat. Stephen Chow (Chiao), Karen Mok
Hong Kong’s king–of–parody Stephen Chow ironically casts himself as a luckless movie extra who fumbles his way to leading man status…
La Veuve de Saint-PierreLa Veuve de Saint-Pierre (Widow Of Saint-Pierre) (1999)
Dir. Patrice Leconte
Feat. Emir Kusturica, Juliette Binoche, Daniel Auteuil
In 1850, on a tiny island near Canada, an oafish Emir Kusturica is sentenced to die by guillotine. While waiting for an executioner to arrive from…
LiesLies (Gojitmal) (1999)
Dir. Jang Sun-Woo
Feat. Kim Tae Yeon, Lee Sang Hyun
Highly controversial in its native Korea (the source novel was banned) this tale of S&M sex–addiction between a schoolgirl and an older…
MifuneMifune (1999)
Dir. Soren Kragh-Jacobson
Feat. Iben Hjejle, Anders W Berthelsen, Jesper Asholt
The third Dogma 95 film is in many ways as traditional a European romantic comedy as you could come across, a breezy and smart take on a yuppie…
MolochMoloch (1999)
Dir. Alexandr Sokurov
Feat. Yelena Rufanova, Leonid Mozgovoy
Typically Sokurov, the dir. of RUSSIAN ARK turns his filtered lens on a day in the life of Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun, concerned more with the…
My Neighbours the YamadasMy Neighbours the Yamadas (Houhokekyo tonari no Yamada-kun) (1999)
Dir. Isao Takahata
With an original eye and ear for the burdensome triviality and difficulties of everyday life, this Japanese animation concerns a set of suburbanite…
Nameless, TheNameless, The (Los Sin Nombre) (1999)
Dir. Jaume Balaguero
Feat. Emma Vilarasau, Karra Elejalde
A family, devastated by the murder of their daughter, are sent into a fresh spin by her seeming re–appearance five years later in this visually…
Not One LessNot One Less (1999)
Dir. Zhang Yimou
Feat. Wei Minzhi
13–year old peasant–girl Wei Minzhi is handed the responsibility of substitute–teaching a class of children in a rural China…
Nowhere to HideNowhere to Hide (1999) Recommended
Dir. Lee Myung-Se
Feat. Park Joong-Hoon, Ahn Sung-Ki
An irreverent pastiche of seemingly every violent cop flick ever made, this hysterical, hyper–kinetic Korean action movie throws up every…
Pornographic Affair, APornographic Affair, A (An Affair Of Love) (1999)
Dir. Frederic Fonteyne
Feat. Nathalie Baye, Sergi Lopez
A decidedly unpornographic meditation upon the mutability of human desires and emotions, with Nathalie Baye and Sergi Lopez as a nameless couple who…
Postmen in the MountainsPostmen in the Mountains (Nashan naren nagou) (1999)
Dir. Jianqi Huo
A simply conveyed fable of 'youth' coming to an understanding of 'age', with a young man accompanying his father on a long–held postal delivery…
RomanceRomance (1999)
Dir. Catherine Breillat
Feat. Caroline Ducey, Sagamore Stevenin
A schoolteacher's boyfriend loses sexual interest in her, so she embarks on a series of unlikely sexual encounters in search of intimacy and…
RosettaRosetta (1999) Recommended
Dir. Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne
Feat. Emilie Dequenne
Drawing creative parallels with the Danish 'Dogma' movement, this is a rigidly intense study in survivalism that forsakes any plot contrivance to…
Running Out of TimeRunning Out of Time (1999)
Dir. Johnnie To
Feat. Andy Lau, Lau Ching-wan
A crackingly–paced, plot–bending Yin–Yang heist drama, with terminally–ill master jewel thief Andy Lau playing against the…
ShiriShiri (Swiri) (1999)
Dir. Kang Je-Gyu
Feat. Min-sik Choi, Yunjin Kim, Kang-ho Song
South Korean actioner from director Kang Je–gyu (BROTHERHOOD OF WAR) in which a pair of agents are tracking down female assassin from North…
Three SeasonsThree Seasons (1999) Recommended
Dir. Tony Bui
Feat. Harvey Keitel
The first US film to be shot in post–war Vietnam, this intertwined series of four tales set in contemporary Saigon, rapturously conveys a…
Time RegainedTime Regained (Le Temps Retrouve) (1999) Recommended
Dir. Raul Ruiz
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Emmanuelle Beart, John Malkovich
Legendary surrealist Chilean director Ruiz takes a break from his schedule or runaway obscurities (most sadly unavailable in NZ) for this legit…
TomieTomie (1999)
Dir. Ataru Oikawa
Feat. Tomorowo Taguchi, Miho Kanno
A severed head in a paper bag mutates into the film's titular school girl from hell in this malevolent Japanese horror offering genuine creeps under…
Venus Beauty InstituteVenus Beauty Institute (Venus Beauty) (1999)
Dir. Tonie Marshall
Feat. Nathalie Baye, Audrey Tautou
A modest beauty salon is the setting for this wry ensemble piece about the vagaries of womanhood, with an engagingly eccentric collection of clients…
Yi YiYi Yi (A One and a Two) (1999) Recommended
Dir. Edward Yang
Feat. Nien-Jen Wu, Elaine Jin, Issey Ogata
Masterful cinema – a drama that loosely surveys a middle–class family in contemporary Taipei, encompassing a wealth of human observation…
2 Seconds2 Seconds (1998)
Dir. Manon Briand
Feat. Charlotte Laurier, Dino Tavarone
A frothily enjoyable drama set around a mountain–bike rider (Laurier), who despite an addiction to the thrills of high speed cycling, is forced…
Alice Et MartinAlice Et Martin (1998)
Dir. Andre Techine
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Carmen Maura, Mathieu Amalric
A maladjusted young drifter (Alexis Loret) has success as a Paris fashion model and a torrid love affair with his half–brother's…
An Autumn TaleAn Autumn Tale (1998) Recommended
Dir. Eric Rohmer
Feat. Marie Riviere, Beatrice Romand, Alain Libolt
Completing his suite of films based on the four seasons, dir. Rohmer provides another mellow, seemingly unplotted comedy, in which Rhone valley…
Beau TravailBeau Travail (1998) Recommended
Dir. Claire Denis
Feat. Denis Lavant, Michel Subor, Gregoire Colin
Best Film of 2000 for many highbrow critics, this oblique study of jealousy and power in the ranks of the French Foreign Legion is pure…
BesiegedBesieged (1998)
Dir. Bernardo Bertolucci
Feat. Thandiwe Newton, David Thewlis
Returning to a 'chamber–piece' setting reminiscent of LAST TANGO IN PARIS, dir. Bertolucci unfolds an enigmatic relationship in a Rome…
Bird People In China, TheBird People In China, The (Chûgoku no chôjin) (1998) Recommended
Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Masahiro Motoki, Renji Ishibashi
Visually rich and accomplished drama set around a parallel journey by a businessman and a yakuza gangster to a remote Chinese highland in search of a…
Bullet BalletBullet Ballet (1998)
Dir. Shinya Tsukamoto
Feat. Shinya Tsukamoto, Hisashi Igawa
After his fiancee commits suicide, a young man tries to obtain a gun so that he can do the same, and in the process becomes embroiled in warfare…
Central StationCentral Station (1998) Recommended
Dir. Walter Salles
Feat. Fernanda Montenegro
A cantankerous woman who writes letters for the illiterate at Rio De Janeiro's train station obliges to help a 9–year–old boy locate his…
Chance or CoincidenceChance or Coincidence (1998)
Dir. Claude Lelouch
Feat. Alessandra Martines, Pierre Arditi, Marc Hollogne
Bereaved wife Alessandra Martine speeds like a comet through this intriguing comedy from dir. Lelouch equal parts melodrama, musical and…
Children of HeavenChildren of Heaven (1998) Recommended
Dir. Majid Majidi
Feat. Mohammad Amir Naji, Amir Farrokh Hashemian, Bahare Seddiqi
More simplicity from Iran in this child's tale of small disasters and small triumphs, as a lost pair of shoes provides a catalyst for change for a…
Così ridevanoCosì ridevano (The Way We Laughed) (1998)
Dir. Gianni Amelio
Feat. Enrico Lo Verso, Francesco Giuffrida
A superbly novelistic epic set amid the rigours of post–WW2 Italy where two poor Sicilian brothers settle in northern Turin in search of future…
Dinner Game, TheDinner Game, The (1998) Recommended
Dir. Francis Veber
Feat. Thierry Lhermitte, Jacques Villeret
Gourmet–grade French farce from the maestro of the genre – well–packaged, delivered without haste, indeed delicious, if a slightly…
Dreamlife of Angels, TheDreamlife of Angels, The (1998) Aro Favourite
Dir. Erick Zonca
Feat. Elodie Bouchez, Natacha Regnier
Displaying the laconic influence of Eric Rohmer, the French critical triumph of 1998 explores with a contemporary honesty the friendship between two…
Drifting CloudsDrifting Clouds (1998)
Dir. Aki Kaurismaki
Feat. Kati Outinen, Kari Vaananen, Elina Salo
Day–glo colours collide with glum silences in Aki Kaurismaki's unemployment comedy, effortlessly combining the previously unreconcilable genres…
EarthEarth (1998) Recommended
Dir. Deepa Mehta
Feat. Maia Sethna, Nandita Das, Kitu Gidwani
The director of FIRE takes on another controversial element of modern India with the second in her (proposed) trilogy – a humanistic view of…
Eternity and a DayEternity and a Day (1998) Recommended
Dir. Theo Angelopoulos
Feat. Bruno Ganz
A slow, austere cinematic journey in which memories and present–day events mesh in the thought–processes of a dying Greek writer (Bruno…
Hitman (1998)
Dir. Tung Wai
Feat. Jet Li
Would–be assassin Jet Li joins in the race to avenge the murder of an evil Japanese businessman for the tune of $100 million, but is encumbered…
I Stand AloneI Stand Alone (Seul Contre Tous) (1998)
Dir. Gaspar Noe
Feat. Philippe Nahon, Blandine Lenoir, Frankie Pain
Staunch attempt to shake up the “bourgeois” values in French cinema, first–time director Gaspar Noe fleshes out his short film about a…
Idiots, TheIdiots, The (1998) Aro Favourite
Dir. Lars Von Trier
Feat. Bodil Jorgensen, Jens Albinus, Anne Louise Hassing
One of the fruits of Dogma 95, this sensationally conceived outing from von Trier will satisfy those with a penchant for the experimental, and…
Inheritors, TheInheritors, The (Die Siebtelbauern) (1998) Recommended
Dir. Stefan Ruzowitzky
An earthily subversive drama set among a rural community of peasants and masters in an idyllic Austrian valley in the early 20th century. When the…
Kirikou and the SorceressKirikou and the Sorceress (1998) Recommended
Dir. Michel Ocelot
A stunning French animation based on a West African folktale in which a tiny boy, Kirikou, emerges walking and talking from his mother's womb and…
L'EnnuiL'Ennui (1998)
Dir. Cedric Kahn
Feat. Charles Berling, Arielle Dombasle, Sophie Guillermin
The tale of the restless and infuriating sexual obsession that a philosophy professor develops for an uncomplicated young woman. Observing their…
Late August, Early SeptemberLate August, Early September (Fin août, début septembre) (1998)
Dir. Olivier Assayas
Feat. Mathieu Amalric, Virginie Ledoyen, Francois Cluzet
Overlooked French drama from prolific and distinctive auteur Olivier Assayas (IRMA VEP, PERSONAL SHOPPER) following a group of friends and lovers as…
Left LuggageLeft Luggage (1998)
Dir. Jeroen Krabbe
Feat. Isabella Rossellini, Marianne Sagebrecht, Laura Fraser
Concerning a free–spirited young woman working as a nanny in a Jewish household in Antwerp, this resolutely serious drama struggles with…
Life Is BeautifulLife Is Beautiful (La vita e bella) (1998)
Dir. Roberto Benigni
Feat. Roberto Benigni
Winner of both Best Foreign Film and Best Actor Oscars (a first for an actor speaking a foreign tongue) as well as the top prize at Cannes, Roberto…
Love Etc.Love Etc. (1998)
Dir. Marion Vernoux
Feat. Charlotte Gainsbourg, Charles Berling, Yvan Attal
Depicts an infernal love–triangle between three friends – taken from the novel ‘Talking It Over’ by Julian Barnes. Charming comedy…
Lovers of the Arctic CircleLovers of the Arctic Circle (1998)
Dir. Julio Medem
Feat. Najwa Nimri, Fele Martinez, Nancho Novo
Artful but humourless slice of 'magic realism' that follows the near–metaphysical long–term relationship between two childhood…
MarquiseMarquise (1998) Recommended
Dir. Vera Belmont
Feat. Sophie Marceau
Bawdy, naturalistically–styled period romp about the artistic clashes between playwrights Moliere and Racine at the court of Louis XIV. Sophie…
Men with GunsMen with Guns (1998) Aro Favourite
Dir. John Sayles
Feat. Frederico Luppi
Criminally denied a theatrical release, this masterful study of Third World realities is arguably prolific indie dir. John Sayles most accomplished…
Mother and SonMother and Son (1998)
Dir. Alexandr Sokurov
Feat. Aleksei Ananishnov, Gudrun Geyer
Little–seen outside Europe, dir. Sokurov's dream–like films have been championed by critics (incl. Susan Sontag), and find their best…
Quiet Family, TheQuiet Family, The (Choyonghan kajok) (1998)
Dir. Ji-woon Kim
Feat. Kang-ho Song, Min-sik Choi
A deliciously deadpan black comedy in which a respectable family decide to leave the rat race behind, buy a hotel in remote mountains and lead more…
Red Violin, TheRed Violin, The (1998) Recommended
Dir. Francois Girard
Feat. Samuel L. Jackson, Jason Flemyng, Greta Scacchi
The contemporary auction of a prized antique violin becomes another suspenseful, passionate chapter in its lifespan as we learn of its 300 year…
RingRing (Ringu) (1998) Recommended
Dir. Hideo Nakata
Feat. Nanako Matsushima, Miki Nakatani, Hiroyuki Sanada
A cult phenomenon in Japan and everywhere else it’s played, it’s since spawned a sequel, a prequel, both a Korean and American remake, and its…
Ring: The SpiralRing: The Spiral (Rasen) (1998)
Dir. Jôji Iida
Feat. Hiroyuki Sanada, Miki Nakatani
The 'lost' first sequel to RINGU, follows on from the tale of the lethal videotape and the demonic Sadako with the rather prosaic solution to the…
Run Lola RunRun Lola Run (1998) Recommended
Dir. Tom Tykwer
Feat. Franke Potente, Moritz Bleibtreu
Runaway foreign–language hit clocks up mileage from a simple conceit – flame–haired punkette Lola has twenty minutes to go like the…
Secret DefenseSecret Defense (1998) Recommended
Dir. Jacques Rivette
Feat. Sandrine Bonnaire
A Hitchcockian thriller in which dir. Rivette, better known for his surreal excursions, knowingly toys with the conventions of the suspense genre,…
Show Me LoveShow Me Love (Fucking Amal) (1998) Recommended
Dir. Lukas Moodysson
Feat. Rebecka Liljeberg, Alexandra Dahlstrom
Vivid depiction of teenage angst and restlessness that became a cause celebre (and box–office hit) in its native Sweden for frank, passionate…
Sicilia!Sicilia! (1998)
Dir. Jean-Marie Straub, Daniele Huillet
An unnamed man engages in a series of idle discussions with family members and strangers upon his return to Sicily from America in this aesthetically…
Sleepless TownSleepless Town (Fuyajo) (1998)
Dir. Chi-Ngai Lee
Feat. Takeshi Kaneshiro, Sihung Lung, Kathy Chow
Hybridistic pan–Asian thriller set in the 'sleepless' red–light district of Tokyo, where petty crim Kaneshiro must revisit his gangster…
So Close To ParadiseSo Close To Paradise (Biandan, guniang) (1998)
Dir. Wang Xiaoshuai
Feat. Wang Tong, Shi Yu, Guo Tao
Chinese film set in the city of Wuhan before it was a household name, where two young migrant workers become embroiled in the city's criminal…
Storm Riders, TheStorm Riders, The (1998)
Dir. Wai Keung Lau
Feat. Sonny Chiba, Aaron Kwok
The big Hong Kong hit of '98 – a super–extravagant 'flying swordsman' fantasy that ambitiously distils a popular Manga comic book series…
TaxiTaxi (1998) Recommended
Dir. Gerard Pirés
Feat. Samy Naceri, Frederic Diefenthal
From writer/producer Luc Besson, this four–wheeled fantasy comedy sets up a speed–freak taxi driver with a cop that can’t drive to…
Terrorist, The (1998)
Dir. Santosh Sivan
Feat. Ayesha Dharkar
Discovered and championed by the actor John Malkovich, this intensely concentrated thriller depicts the hardening and training of 19–yr old…
Thief, TheThief, The (1998)
Dir. Pavel Chukhrai
Feat. Vladimir Mashkov, Yekaterina Rednikova, Misha Philipchuk
Serious–minded trek across the landscapes and mindsets of post–WWII Russia that's been compared to BURNT BY THE SUN for dramatic impact.…
Those Who Love Me Can Take the TrainThose Who Love Me Can Take the Train (1998) Recommended
Dir. Patrice Chereau
Feat. Pascal Greggory, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Charles Berling
Friends and associates of a deceased painter make a procession, via train, to the artist’s burial in this superb French drama. A highly nuanced…
Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down GirlXiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl (Tian yu) (1998)
Dir. Joan Chen
Feat. Li Xiaolu
Coming–of–age story set in the 70's about a teenage girl who is sent to the countryside during the "Down to the Countryside" Movement in…
Young Thugs  - NostalgiaYoung Thugs - Nostalgia (1998)
Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Naoto Takenaka
Apparently dir. Miike's (AUDITION) favourite of his own films, this semi–autobiographical rites of passage tale is a prequel to YOUNG THUGS…
Apple, TheApple, The (1997)
Dir. Samira Makhmalbaf
Feat. Massoumeh Naderi, Zahra Naderi, Ghorban Ali Naderi
More than the curiosity piece you'd expect from its 17 year old director, this is a strange, small film that uniquely blends documentary footage with…
ArtemisiaArtemisia (1997)
Dir. Agnes Merlet
Feat. Valentina Cervi, Miki Manojlovic, Michel Serrault
Study of the first significant female painter, Artemisia Gentileschi, the daughter of Caravaggio's one–time assistant in 17th Century…
Assassin(s)Assassin(s) (1997)
Dir. Mathieu Kassovitz
Feat. Mathieu Kassovitz, Michel Serrault
Disappointing followup to LA HAINE for dir./star Kassovitz, plumping for a story of an apprentice hitman (Kassovitz) to aging pro Michel Serrault,…
Au Petit MargueryAu Petit Marguery (1997)
Dir. Laurent Benegui
Feat. Stephane Audran, Michel Aumont
You are cordially invited to attend the farewell dinner of a long–loved Parisian restaurant whose Chef is losing his sense of smell. Memories…
Black MaskBlack Mask (1997)
Dir. Daniel Lee
Feat. Jet Li, Lau Ching-wan
Mild–mannered librarian by day – pain–resistant, cool–garbed crime–fighter by night – Jet Li's engaging…
BrotherBrother (Brat) (1997) Aro Favourite
Dir. Aleksei Balabanov
Feat. Sergei Bodrov Jr
Grimily captivating thriller follows a baby–faced veteran of the Chechen war as he quietly 'assists' his brother in the St Petersburg…
CharacterCharacter (1997)
Dir. Mike van Diem
Feat. Fedja Van Huet
A murderous confrontation bookends an elegantly told story of class, oppression and perseverance in 1920s Rotterdam, in which a young…
CureCure (1997) Aro Favourite
Dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Feat. Koji Yakusho, Masato Hagiwara, Tsuyoshi Ujiki
Delivering one of the great, unsung horror movies, dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa plumbs the depths of societal malaise with this novel take on serial…
Dance of the WindDance of the Wind (1997)
Dir. Rajan Khosa
Feat. Ami Arora, Roshan Bano, Kitu Gidwani
Set in contemporary Delhi, this drama concerns the responses of classical Hindi singer Kitu Gidwani to her mother’s death. Steeped in a particular…
DobermannDobermann (1997) Recommended
Dir. Jan Kounen
Feat. Tcheky Karyo, Vincent Cassel, Monica Bellucci
Frenetic French crime thriller filled with over the top gun play and colourful yet grimy characters. Vincent Cassel plays a bank robber known as…
Eel, TheEel, The (1997)
Dir. Shohei Imamura
Feat. Koji Yakusho, Misa Shimizu
After doing eight years for killing his wife, an inhibited man (Yakusho Koji of SHALL WE DANCE) sets himself up at a quiet riverside barbershop, the…
For RoseannaFor Roseanna (Roseanna's Grave) (1997) Recommended
Dir. Paul Weiland
Feat. Mercedes Ruehl, Jean Reno
Terminally–ill Mercedes Ruehl's dying wish is to be buried in the local cemetary, but the plots are filling up fast, thus sending off her…
Full AlertFull Alert (1997)
Dir. Ringo Lam
Feat. Lau Ching-wan, Francis Ng
Quality police thriller with realistic drama, bracing action and strong sense of locale – regarded as one of the last 'classics' from the…
Funny GamesFunny Games (1997) Aro Favourite
Dir. Michael Haneke
Feat. Ulrich Muhe, Arno Frisch, Frank Giering
Michael Haneke’s disturbing, self–reflexive examination of violence, and violence as entertainment, in which two young men dressed in tennis…
Gadjo DiloGadjo Dilo (1997)
Dir. Tony Gatlif
Feat. Romain Duris, Rona Harther, Izidor Serban
Re–casting a spotlight onto the poor and downtrodden yet spiritually rich gypsy culture, film–maker/musician Toni Gatlif grafts a…
Going to School with Dad on My BackGoing to School with Dad on My Back (Bei qi baba shangxue) (1997)
Dir. Youchou Zhou
Straightforwardly touching tale of a young boy, who with the help of his selfless family, graduates from his impoverished Malian River village to the…
Hamam - The Turkish BathHamam - The Turkish Bath (1997) Recommended
Dir. Ferzan Ozpetek
Feat. Alessandro Gassman, Francesca d'Aloja, Carlo Cecchi
Beautifully presented, exotic drama about a young Italian designer whose sexual and spiritual life takes a profound turn after inheriting a steam…
Hana-BiHana-Bi (1997) Aro Favourite
Dir. Takeshi Kitano
Feat. Takeshi Kitano, Kayoko Kishimoto, Ren Osusi
'Beat' Takeshi cements his reputation as the modern visionary of Japanese cinema with his most celebrated film to date, returning as the formidably…
Happy TogetherHappy Together (1997) Recommended
Dir. Wong Kar-Wai
Feat. Leslie Cheung, Tony Leung (Chiu-wai), Chen Chang
Wong Kar Wai's South American gay love story features the usual dazzling Christopher Doyle camerawork, but replaces the genre thrills of FALLEN…
HarmonistsHarmonists (Comedian Harmonists) (1997) Recommended
Dir. Joseph Vilsmaier
Feat. Ben Becker, Heino Ferch, Ulrich Noethen
The most popular singing group of 1920s Germany, the sextet Comedian Harmonists toured widely and were world–famous by the mid–30s.…
InsomniaInsomnia (1997) Recommended
Dir. Erik Skjoldbjaerg
Feat. Stellan Skarsgard
An edgy, ingeniously plotted psychological thriller about an amoral Swedish detective whose murder investigation in Northern Norway (where the sun…
Junk MailJunk Mail (1997)
Dir. Pal Sletaune
Feat. Robert Skjaerstad, Andrine Saether, Per Egil Aske
A sex–obsessed, surly postman tampers with the mail, stalks pretty girls and steals erotic letters from his delivery sack, one of which leads…
Kingdom II, TheKingdom II, The (Riget II) (1997) Recommended
Dir. Lars Von Trier
Feat. Ernst-Hugo Jaregard, Kirsten Rolffes, Udo Kier
Lars Von Trier's compulsive TV creation continues into its second series of medical soap opera, supernatural horror and black comedy. Raising the…
Kitchen (1997)
Dir. Yim Ho
Feat. Jordan Chan, Yasuko Tomita
Treading the same grungy Hong Kong streets as the films of Wong Kar–Wai, this adaptation of a novel by Banana Yoshimoto concerns a love affair…
La Vie de JesusLa Vie de Jesus (Life of Jesus) (1997) Recommended
Dir. Bruno Dumont
Virtuoso bleakness from the dir. of TWENTYNINE PALMS, in his debut study of alienated existence for a group of unruly skinheads in rural Flanders who…
Le Bonheur Est Dans Le PreLe Bonheur Est Dans Le Pre (Happiness Is in the Field) (1997)
Dir. Etienne Chatiliez
Feat. Michel Serrault, Carmen Maura
The director of TATIE DANIELLE puts a sly new twist on that most reliable of French film conceits – the 'imposter' genre. Grouchy…
Le BossuLe Bossu (On Guard) (1997)
Dir. Phillipe De Broca
Feat. Daniel Auteuil, Vincent Perez, Fabrice Luchini
A classically composed swashbuckler in the Dumas tradition (THE THREE MUSKETEERS), in which a wittily vengeful fencing master (Auteuil) disguises…
Live FleshLive Flesh (1997) Aro Favourite
Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Javier Bardem, Francesca Neri, Liberto Rabal
Five aggrieved characters get wrapped in a sticky web of consequence after a fateful incident leaves one paralysed and another in jail. Dir.…
Locked-In SyndromeLocked-In Syndrome (1997)
Dir. Jean-Jacques Beineix
Heart–rending look at the life of Jean–Dominque Bauby whose autobiography was filmed as THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY.
Lucie AubracLucie Aubrac (1997)
Dir. Claude Berri
Feat. Carole Bouquet, Klaus Barbie
French Resistance true–story from the period–eye of dir. Claude Berri (JEAN DE FLORETTE), offering a romantic sub–plot between…
Ma Vie En RoseMa Vie En Rose (1997) Recommended
Dir. Alain Berliner
Feat. George Du Fresne, Michele Laroque, Jean-Philippe Ecoffey
Confusion envelops an idyllic French suburban household when their youngest son starts believing he is a little girl. Solemn regard for themes of…
Ma Vie SexuelleMa Vie Sexuelle (1997)
Dir. Arnaud Desplechin
Feat. Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Devos, Emmanuel Salinger
Ponderous study of Parisian twentysomething ennui centering around a typically amoral, self–obsessed Frenchman who has few problems bedding…
Marius et JeannetteMarius et Jeannette (1997) Recommended
Dir. Robert Guediguian
Feat. Ariane Ascaride, Gerard Meylan
A laidback yet buoyant slice–of–ordinary–life set on the low–rent side of Marseille, where two wounded fortysomethings strike…
Masterworks of Abbas Kiarostami, TheMasterworks of Abbas Kiarostami, The (Taste of Cherry; The Wind Will Carry Us; Ten) (1997-2002)
Dir. Abbas Kiarostami
Three features from acclaimed Iranian dir. Abbas Kiarostami in a single box–set.
On Connait la ChansonOn Connait la Chanson (Same Old Song) (1997) Recommended
Dir. Alain Resnais
Feat. Pierre Arditi, Sabine Azema, Jean-Pierre Bacri
A winner of seven Cesar awards, this light–hearted homage to Dennis Potter applies his musical–cinematic ideas to the…
Once Upon a Time in China and AmericaOnce Upon a Time in China and America (1997)
Dir. Sammo Hung
Feat. Jet Li
Jet Li reprises his signature role in the popular saga, this time reinvented as a Kung Fu Western – the perfect setting for…
Open Your EyesOpen Your Eyes (Abre Los Ojos) (1997) Recommended
Dir. Alejandro Amenabar
Feat. Eduardo Noriega, Penelope Cruz, Chete Lera
A surrealistic nightmare unfurled with Hitchcockian precision and irony, Eduardo Noriega plays a young–man–who–has–everything…
Port Djema (1997)
Dir. Eric Heumann
Feat. Jean-Yves Dubois, Nathalie Boutefeu, Christophe Odent
A Paris surgeon gets into the thick of dangerous politics at an East African colonial port as he traces the footsteps of a murdered friend. Won Best…
Post CoitumPost Coitum (1997)
Dir. Brigitte Rouan
Feat. Brigitte Rouan
The director herself plays a 40–year–old wife, mother and book editor who has her respectable life devastated after a whirlwind affair…
Secrets of the HeartSecrets of the Heart (Secretos del Corazon) (1997)
Dir. Montxo Armendariz
Feat. Andoni Erburu, Inigo Garces
A subdued drama that views rural Spain through the childs' eye of its protaganist, a young boy whose curiosity leads him into a haunted house…
Shall We Dance?Shall We Dance? (Shall We Dansu?) (1997)
Dir. Masayuki Suo
Feat. Koji Yakusho, Tamiyo Kusakari
Happiness eludes a successful Japanese salaryman, so he plucks up the courage to attend dance lessons. Hugely popular home and international hit got…
Taste of Cherry, ATaste of Cherry, A (1997) Aro Favourite
Dir. Abbas Kiarostami
Feat. Homayon Ershadi, Abdolrahman Bagheri, Afshin Khorshid Bakhtiari
Kiarostami's Palme D'Or winner follows the 'last rites' of an affluent, suicidal middle–aged man who scours the streets of Teheran for an…
Three Men and a LegThree Men and a Leg (1997) Recommended
Dir. Aldo , Giovanni , Giacomo
Feat. Aldo , Giovanni , Giacomo
Slapstick magic from favourite Italian comic trio, Aldo, Giovanni and Giacomo, this frantic yet first rate farce was naturally a box–office…
Truce, TheTruce, The (1997)
Dir. Francesco Rosi
Feat. John Turturro, Rade Serbedzija
The aftermath of WWII locates Auschwitz survivor John Turturro on a difficult, redemptive journey back to his home town. Based on Primo Levi's…
Tykho MoonTykho Moon (1997)
Dir. Enki Bilal
Feat. Julie Delpy, Michel Piccoli
Mixed sci–fi odyssey features stunning art direction, but a rather shapeless plot involving an aging dictator’s search for life saving brain…
Unknown Pleasures / Xiao WuUnknown Pleasures / Xiao Wu (1997-2002)
Dir. Jia Zhang-ke
Feat. Zhao Tao
Two astonishing features from gifted 'sixth generation' Chinese filmmaker Jia Zhang–ke (PLATFORM, THE WORLD); his terrain the onset of popular…
WesternWestern (1997)
Dir. Manuel Poirier
Feat. Sergi Lopez, Sacha Bourdo
Soulfully transposing the conventions of the Western to the forlorn landscapes of modern–day Brittany, this road movie owes equal allegiance to…
WintersleepersWintersleepers (1997) Recommended
Dir. Tom Tykwer
Feat. Ulrich Matthes, Marie-lou Sellem, Floriane Daniel
The paths of five people on the German skifield of Berchtesgaden intersect following a car accident, resulting in a precise, chilly thriller from RUN…
Would I Lie to You? (1997)
Dir. Thomas Gilou
Feat. Richard Anconina, Vincent Elbaz, Bruno Solo
In a Jewish rag–trade district of Paris, an affable street kid maintains the ruse of being Jewish to financial, social and romantic advantage.…
Young Thugs - Innocent BloodYoung Thugs - Innocent Blood (1997)
Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Naoto Takenaka
Gangster shenanigans with cult dir. Takashi, this time taking a more measured approach to the story of four young friends who drift together and…
A Summer's TaleA Summer's Tale (1996) Recommended
Dir. Eric Rohmer
Feat. Melvil Poupaud, Amanda Langlet
Once more exploring the fickleness of love, dir. Rohmer involves holidaying student Melvil Poupard in a love–quadrangle of romantic options. In…
Antonia's LineAntonia's Line (1996) Recommended
Dir. Marleen Gorris
Feat. Willeke van Ammelrooy, Els Dottermans, Jan Decleir
The deserving winner of the '96 Best Foreign Film Oscar recalls the 50 year history of matriarch Antonia and her defiantly unconventional brood in…
Autumn SunAutumn Sun (Sol de otoño) (1996)
Dir. Eduardo Mignogna
Feat. Frederico Luppi, Norma Aleandro
Argentine drama following a Jewish woman who pretends to be in a relationship with a Jewish man from Uruguay (Frederico Luppi, CRONOS) to appease her…
Bag of RiceBag of Rice (1996)
Dir. Mohammad-Ali Talebi
Feat. Jairan Abadzade, Shirin Bina, Masume Eskandari
A child and her elderly neighbour have small adventures on the streets of Tehran while trying to buy a sack of rice. Those seeking a rare alternative…
BeaumarchaisBeaumarchais (1996)
Dir. Edouard Molinaro
Feat. Fabrice Luchini, Sandrine Kiberlain
Wigs and quippery at the ready, this is 18th century French history conceived in vivacious strokes of social satire and perfumed with a savoury wit,…
Beyond HypothermiaBeyond Hypothermia (Sip si 32 doe) (1996)
Dir. Patrick Leung
Feat. Lau Ching Wan
A master Hong Kong hitwoman is contracted to bump off top–level crime lords in this brooding suspenser, directed by a longtime assistant to…
Blade, TheBlade, The (1996)
Dir. Tsui Hark
Feat. Xin Xin Xiong, Moses Chan, Man Cheuk Chiu
Honour and retribution are the key themes in this densely–plotted, straight–faced actioner set in a mythic–historical setting.…
Boy Who Stopped Talking, TheBoy Who Stopped Talking, The (1996)
Dir. Ben Sombogaart
Feat. Brader Masiki, Ercan Orhan, Halsho Hussain
A nine–year–old boy is forced to flee war–ravaged Turkey for the Netherlands, but decides to stop talking in protest. As well as…
Celestial ClockworkCelestial Clockwork (1996)
Dir. Fina Torres
Feat. Ariadna Gil, Arielle Dombasle
Cinderella–type comedy that has a gifted Venezualan opera singer vaulting for stardom in an eccentric Parisian setting. Consistently sunny in…
Day of the BeastDay of the Beast (1996) Recommended
Dir. Alex de la Iglesia
Feat. Alex Angulo, Armando De Razza, Santiago Segura
If Almodovar made a horror movie it might look like this – beautifully shot and designed, funny and exciting. Though he can't quite sustain the…
Devil's IslandDevil's Island (1996)
Dir. Fridrik Thor Fridriksson
Feat. Baltasar Kormakur, Gisli Halldorsson
The director of COLD FEVER bites off a little more ice than he can comfortably chew, with this sprawling tale of the difficulties of life in 1950s…
East Palace / West PalaceEast Palace / West Palace (1996)
Dir. Zhang Yuan
Feat. Vicki Zhao, Si Han, Jun Hu
This rare independent mainland Chinese film is a difficult, often devastating two–hander between a gay man and the policeman sent to arrest him…
Ebola Syndrome, TheEbola Syndrome, The (1996)
Dir. Herman Yau
Feat. Anthony Wong
Birthed from the notorious "Category 3" underbelly of Hong Kong cinema, this close relative of THE UNTOLD STORY features another deranged murderer on…
Eighth Day, TheEighth Day, The (1996)
Dir. Jaco Van Dormael
Feat. Daniel Auteuil
The director of the much–loved TOTO THE HERO makes another film about magic at ground level, with Daniel Auteuil having his humdrum life…
Every Little ThingEvery Little Thing (La Monindre des choses) (1996)
Dir. Nicolas Philibert
Documentarian extraordinaire Nicholas Philibert observes the rehearsals and performance of an annual summer play by the inmates of an idyllic French…
FiestaFiesta (1996)
Dir. Pierre Boutron
Feat. Jean-Louis Trintignant, Gregoire Colin
Biting, rigorously intelligent parable of the Spanish Civil War, watches unblinking as a young soldier is intiated into the brutalities by his…
FireFire (1996) Recommended
Dir. Deepa Mehta
Feat. Shabana Azmi, Nandita Das
Blazing melodrama defiantly targets Indian sexual hypocrisy and tradition, not to mention trangressing 'Bollywood' taboo, in portraying two women…
Flower of My Secret, TheFlower of My Secret, The (1996)
Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Marisa Paredes
An artistic maturing for the director of kitsch sex comedies like HIGH HEELS and KIKA, this is an introspective study of a successful authoress…
Forbidden City CopForbidden City Cop (1996)
Dir. Vincent Tak-Chiu
Feat. Stephen Chow (Chiao)
Hysterical and kinda crazy semi–sequel to the smash hit comedy FROM BEIJING WITH LOVE, splices James Bond with A CHINESE GHOST STORY, following…
French TwistFrench Twist (Gazon Maudit) (1996) Recommended
Dir. Josiane Balasko
Feat. Victoria Abril, Josiane Balasko
Radiant Spanish star Victoria Abril plays a betrayed wife teased into an affair with a butch lesbian (director Balasko). Many permutations of a very…
Fudoh - The Next GenerationFudoh - The Next Generation (1996)
Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Shosuke Tanihara, Kenji Takano, Marie Jinno
Possibly the first film that gave the Western world an inkling of dir. Miike's unhinged worldview, investing a tale of yakuza vengeance with surreal,…
GabbehGabbeh (1996) Recommended
Dir. Mohsen Makhmalbaf
Feat. Abbas Sayah, Shaghayeh Djodat, Hossein Moharami
Unique combination of lyricism and social realism from one of the icons of Iranian cinema – a story of a remote struggling tribe, the…
God of Cookery, TheGod of Cookery, The (1996) Recommended
Dir. Stephen Chow (Chiao)
Feat. Stephen Chow (Chiao)
Stephen Chow cooks up a comic storm as a mercilessly ego–centric chef who, in great narrative tradition, is forced to truly earn his title…
Goodbye South GoodbyeGoodbye South Goodbye (1996) Recommended
Dir. Hou Hsiao-Hsien
Feat. Jack Kao, Lim Giong
Another exemplary, detailed effort from dir. Hsiao–Hsien, this time following a couple of small time grafters trying to put together 'the big…
GuantanameraGuantanamera (1996)
Dir. Tomas Gutierrez Alea, Juan Carlos Tabio
Feat. Carlos Cruz, Mirta Ibarra, Jorge Perugorria
A quirky mix of low–speed road movie and romantic comedy following the unsteady progress of a funeral procession across the length of Cuba…
Horseman on the RoofHorseman on the Roof (1996)
Dir. Jean-Paul Rappeneau
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Olivier Martinez
Strapping melodrama in the old–fashioned Errol Flynn milieu set during the cholera epidemic of 1800s France. A tale of chivalry, loyalty and…
Il CicloneIl Ciclone (1996)
Dir. Leonardo Pieraccioni
Feat. Leonardo Pieraccioni, Lorena Forteza, Barbara Enrichi
Ribald comedy that holds the local box–office record in Italy, posits a bored accountant in Tuscany whose life hits the fan when a bus filled…
Irma VepIrma Vep (1996) Aro Favourite
Dir. Olivier Assayas
Feat. Maggie Cheung, Jean-Pierre Leaud, Nathalie Richard
Ranking up there with the best movies–about–movies, this supremely stylish, sexy film showcases an unseen side of Hong Kong action diva…
Kama SutraKama Sutra (1996)
Dir. Mira Nair
Feat. Indira Varma, Sarita Choudhury, Ramon Tikaram
The director of SALAAM BOMBAY returns to her native land for this enticing, beautifully photographed tale of love, jealousy and revenge among the…
Kids ReturnKids Return (1996)
Dir. Takeshi Kitano
Feat. Ando Masanobu, Kaneko Ken
Two feckless delinquents discover the local boxing–gym, which provides inspiration for one and an entry into a yakuza gang for the other.…
King of Masks, TheKing of Masks, The (1996)
Dir. Tianming Wu
Feat. Zhu Xu
Touching paternal tale, in the Chinese mainland tradition, concerning an aging street performer determined to pass on his technique to a young…
KolyaKolya (1996) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jan Sverak
Feat. Zdenek Sverak, Andrei Chalimon
A beautifully sentimental Oscar winner for Best Foreign film – set during the 1988 Russian occupation of Czechoslovakia, when a…
Lady Ninja: Reflections of DarknessLady Ninja: Reflections of Darkness (1996)
Dir. Masaru Tsushima
Feat. Yuka Ohnishi, Tetsuo Kurata, Rina Kitahara
Snappy example of the Martial Sex–Arts sub–genre, with a gang of 'Lady Ninjas' hired by a lascivious Emperor to wipe–out his royal…
Lars von Trier CollectionLars von Trier Collection (Breaking the Waves, Tranceformer, The Idiots) (1996-1998)
Dir. Lars Von Trier
Three provocative Lars von Trier films from the director's 'Dogme' phase. Includes the documentary 'Tranceformer – A Portrait of Lars von…
LibertariasLibertarias (1996) Recommended
Dir. Vincente Aranda
Feat. Victoria Abril, Ana Belen, Miguel Bose
Examining the Spanish Civil War from a left–wing point–of–view, this passionate war drama focuses on a trio of women – a…
Nelly and Mr. AnaudNelly and Mr. Anaud (1996)
Dir. Claude Sautet
Feat. Emmanuelle Beart, Michel Serrault
Emmanuelle Beart gets caught up in a May–to–December romance with Michel Serrault in another elegant and subtle drama from the director…
Nenette & BoniNenette & Boni (1996)
Dir. Claire Denis
Feat. Gregoire Colin, Alice Houri , Jacques Nolot
Minor, though beautifully rendered slice–of–life from Claire Denis casts an eye on two teenage siblings raised separately by divorced…
Nobody Will Speak of Us When We're DeadNobody Will Speak of Us When We're Dead (1996)
Dir. Agustin Diaz Yanes
Feat. Victoria Abril, Pilar Bardem
Alcoholic and reluctant whore Victoria Abril turns a few clever tricks on a Mexican mob's laundering operation. A Spanish pulpy fiction grafted with…
O'QuatrilhoO'Quatrilho (1996)
Dir. Fabio Barreto
Feat. Fabio Barreto, Mariana Pellegrino Barreto
Steamy Latino variant on the patented love–triangle/adultery story, set among immigrants newly settled in turn of the century Brazil, freshly…
Other Side of Sunday, TheOther Side of Sunday, The (1996)
Dir. Berit Nesheim
Feat. Marie Theisen, Bjorn Sundquist, Hildegun Riise
Yearning to discover the 'other side' of life in 1950s Norway, teenager Marie Theisen evades her harshly religious father to explore the amorphous…
PonettePonette (1996) Recommended
Dir. Jacques Doillon
Feat. Victoire Thivisol
Staying at her Aunt's provincial cottage after the accidental death of her mother, a four–year–old girl comes to terms with death, while…
Pretty Village, Pretty FlamePretty Village, Pretty Flame (1996) Aro Favourite
Dir. Sadjan Dragojevic
Feat. Dragan Bjelorgrlic, Nikola Kojo
Seen in flashback from a ward in triage, the Bosnian war is portrayed in a riveting counter–play of nihilism and theatre, as a band of Serbian…
Prisoner of the MountainsPrisoner of the Mountains (1996) Recommended
Dir. Sergei Bodrov
Feat. Oleg Menshikov, Sergei Bodrov Jr, Susanna Mekhraliyeva
A Tolstoy fable is here seamlessly transposed to the Chechean conflict, with two Russian soldiers apprehended by a Chechean village elder who hopes…
Promise, ThePromise, The (La Promesse) (1996) Recommended
Dir. Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne
Feat. Jeremie Renier, Olivier Gourmet
A deceptively modest, altogether riveting early film from the Dardenne brothers, here test–driving the formal rigors of their unwavering…
Pure Formality, APure Formality, A (Una pura formalità) (1996) Aro Favourite
Dir. Giuseppe Tornatore
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Roman Polanski
A chilling interrogation of an elusive murder suspect transpires under weather most foul. Roman Polanski and Gerard Depardieu face–off…
PusherPusher (1996) Recommended
Dir. Nicolas Winding Refn
Feat. Kim Bodnia, Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen
Intense Danish thriller follows a fast–living drug dealer's (Bodnia) downward arc after he inadvertantly loses a load of product and tries to…
RidiculeRidicule (1996) Recommended
Dir. Patrice Leconte
Feat. Charles Berling, Jean Rochefort, Fanny Ardant
Delightful Cesar–winning comedy set in the Court of Louis XVI in 1700s France where the King grants favours to those endowed with only the…
Satan ReturnsSatan Returns (1996)
Dir. Allan Lam
Feat. Chingmy Yau, Donnie Yen
On a rash mission to find the devil's daughter, a cult member with strange powers resorts to wrenching the hearts (and we mean literally) of women…
Self Made Hero, ASelf Made Hero, A (1996)
Dir. Jacques Audiard
Feat. Mathieu Kassovitz
Mattieu Kassovitz (director of LA HAINE) proves to be no slouch actor here as a WW2 idler who swats up and cheekily ascends the ranks of the…
Sex and Zen Pt. 2 (1996)
Dir. Chin Man-Kei
Feat. Loletta Lee, Tat-Wah Lok
A creepy polygamist meets his match in the 'mirage woman' in this twice–as–smutty, half–as–funny sequel to the outlandish…
Summer in La GouletteSummer in La Goulette (1996)
Dir. Ferid Boughedir
Feat. Sonia Mankai, Ava Cohen-Jonathan, Sarah Pariente
Three families of disparate cultures enjoy harmony in Tunisian paradise, until three of their beautiful daughters flirt with losing their virginity,…
Temptress MoonTemptress Moon (1996)
Dir. Chen Kaige
Feat. Gong Li, Leslie Cheung
Chen Kaige elevates the sumptuous Chinese epoch of FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE with this visually rapturous, though far less coherent saga of epic…
TierraTierra (Earth) (1996)
Dir. Julio Medem
Feat. Carmelo Gómez, Emma Suarez, Karra Elejalde
Intimate portrait of Angel (Gomez), an exterminator who travels to a remote wine–making town to rid them of a plague of woodlice, and gradually…
Too LateToo Late (Prea Târziu) (1996)
Dir. Lucian Pintilie
Feat. Razvan Vasilescu
Bleak, unflinching examination of Romanian society from dir. Pintilie focuses on an inexperienced investigator who discovers a myriad of corruption…
Weatherwoman ReturnsWeatherwoman Returns (1996)
Dir. Tomoaki Hosoyama
Feat. Misa Aika, Kiyomi Ito, Ayako Kato
Sequel to WEATHERWOMAN, is equally unsettling in the way its nasty thrills are clad in cheap satire. As in the first, the rivalry between various TV…
When the Cat's AwayWhen the Cat's Away (1996)
Dir. Cedric Klapisch
Feat. Garance Clavel, Zinedine Soualem
A movie for cat lovers and young romantics alike, this Latino–tinged, funky, yet alluringly modest French film follows the dowdy–cute…
Will It Snow for Christmas?Will It Snow for Christmas? (1996)
Dir. Sandrine Veysset
Feat. Dominique Reymond, Daniel Duval
Not a seasonal film 'for the whole family', rather a slow–paced evocation of hard–won, rural life for an impoverished French family of…
A WeatherwomanA Weatherwoman (1995)
Dir. Tomoaki Hosoyama
Feat. Kei Mizutani
Manga–based comedy where debut TV weatherwoman Kei Mizutani disregards all public standards in pursuit of ratings and her own fetishistic…
All Things FairAll Things Fair (1995)
Dir. Bo Widerberg
Feat. Johan Widerberg, Marika Lagercrantz
The late Bo Widerberg's swansong records a bittersweet memoir of his love affair with a teacher 22 years his senior. The casting of his young son in…
Bait, TheBait, The (L'Appat) (1995) Recommended
Dir. Bertrand Tavernier
Feat. Marie Gillain
A claustrophobic psychological thriller dealing with a trio of young friends who naively conspire to commit a home invasion, that becomes a study of…
Beyond the CloudsBeyond the Clouds (Al di là delle nuvole) (1995)
Dir. Michelangelo Antonioni
Feat. Fanny Ardant, Chiara Caselli, Irene Jacob
Michelangelo Antonioni's final film weaves together four stories of discontented love in his characteristic cinematic style. Featuring a huge…
Black Sun: The Nanking MassacreBlack Sun: The Nanking Massacre (1995)
Dir. T.F. Mous
This extreme 'shocker' depicts in grisly detail the story of the massacre of 300 000 Chinese by Japanese soldiers following the invasion of Nanking…
Brother of SleepBrother of Sleep (1995)
Dir. Joseph Vilsmaier
Feat. Andre Eisermann, Dana Vavrova, Ben Becker
A bastard child born in remote 19th century Bavaria proves to have an eerie, powerful musical gift, causing consternation among the inbred, somewhat…
CampfireCampfire (Short Films by Bavo Defurne) (1995-2000)
Dir. Bavo Defurne
Four short films by the renowned gay Belgian filmmaker Bavo Defurne, whose work is distinguished by an aesthetic that combines an astute sense of…
Chinese Torture Chamber StoryChinese Torture Chamber Story (1995)
Dir. Bosco Lam
Salacious sex farce in the mould of SEX AND ZEN and EROTIC GHOST STORY, that wilfully pushes the boundaries of good taste, with a measure of…
Chungking ExpressChungking Express (1995)
Dir. Wong Kar-Wai
Feat. Takeshi Kaneshiro, Brigitte Lin, Tony Leung (Chiu-wai)
Influential urban style piece that brought its director serious attention in the West. There's no plot to speak of; Kar–Wai's style is an…
City of Lost ChildrenCity of Lost Children (1995) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Marc Caro
Feat. Ron Perlman, Daniel Emilfork, Judith Vittet
Visual wonderstuff from the unique genius pairing of the creators of DELICATESSEN, this is as good a follow up as one could wish for. While…
Colonel Chabert, LeColonel Chabert, Le (1995)
Dir. Yves Angelo
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Fanny Ardant, Fabrice Luchini
After being presumed dead in Napoleonic battle, Gerard Depardieu returns to his home town to find his wife, his money and his honour being betrayed…
Confessional, TheConfessional, The (1995)
Dir. Robert Lepage
Feat. Lothaire Bluteau, Kristin Scott Thomas
A man searches for lost relatives and missing pieces of family history, somehow linked to the making of Hitchcock's 'I Confess' in Quebec, 1953; past…
Convent, TheConvent, The (1995)
Dir. Manoel de Oliveira
Feat. John Malkovich, Catherine Deneuve
Academic couple John Malkovich and Catherine Deneuve survey a spooky ancient convent in a quest to prove that Shakespeare is of Spanish descent. From…
CycloCyclo (1995)
Dir. Tran Anh Hung
Feat. Le Van Loc, Tony Leung (Chiu-wai), Tran Nu Yen-Khe
Brooding expose of corruption, poverty and violence in contemporary Vietnam follows the ill fortunes of a young taxi–cyclist. Has potent…
D'Artagnan's DaughterD'Artagnan's Daughter (Revenge of the Musketeers) (1995)
Dir. Bertrand Tavernier
Feat. Sophie Marceau, Philippe Noiret
This gleefully French swashbuckler checks in as a loose sequel to the Three Muskeeters. The magnetic Sophie Marceau stars as the feisty titular…
Eko Eko AzarakEko Eko Azarak (Wizard of Darkness, Birth of the Wizard, Misa the Dark Angel) (1995) Recommended
Dir. Shimako Sato
Feat. Kimika Yoshino
Highly impressive and lurid high–school horror, has a teenage girl (Yoshino) contending with coven of Satanic witches at her new school, who…
Fallen AngelsFallen Angels (1995) Recommended
Dir. Wong Kar-Wai
Feat. Leon Lai, Michelle Reis
Seductive stylist Wong Kar–Wai here orchestrates the stories of three disreputable urbanites across a Hong Kong nightscape of impersonal…
FarinelliFarinelli (1995) Recommended
Dir. Gerard Corbiau
Feat. Stefano Dionisi, Enrico Lo Verso, Elsa Zylberstein
Il Castrato – less a freak of nature than of anatomical subtraction. This flamboyant biopic freely interprets the illustrious musical and…
French Woman, AFrench Woman, A (Une Femme Francaise) (1995)
Dir. Regis Wargnier
Feat. Emmanuelle Beart, Daniel Auteuil
Emmanuelle Beart stars in this period tale of idyllic romance compromised by the reality of war. The director of INDOCHINE again embraces the…
Gamera: Guardian of the UniverseGamera: Guardian of the Universe (1995)
Dir. Shusuke Kaneko
Feat. Shinobu Nakayama, Ayako Fujitani
Japanese Kaiju genre film (giant monsters!) which is the ninth inclusion to the Gamera film series, but enjoyable as stand–alone entertainment,…
High RiskHigh Risk (1995) Aro Favourite
Dir. Wong Jing
Feat. Jet Li, Jacky Cheung
A Hong Kong actioner worth singling out from the glut, Jet Li is charisma–on–legs as an unflappable stunt double/bodyguard who is forced…
Kamikaze TaxiKamikaze Taxi (1995)
Dir. Masato Harada
Feat. Koji Yakusho, Kazuya Takahashi, Reiko Kataoka
An apprentice gangster fouls up his first major assignment and flees Tokyo in a taxi, the driver of which turns out to be a unlikely confident with a…
L'Amour MolestoL'Amour Molesto (Wounded Love) (1995)
Dir. Mario Martone
Feat. Anna Bonaiuto, Angela Luce, Gianni Cajafa
Filial difficulties between mother and daughter act as the centre of gravity for this Italian mystery that matches its edgy storyline with a…
L'AppartementL'Appartement (The Apartment) (1995) Recommended
Dir. Gilles Mimouni
Feat. Vincent Cassel, Romane Bohringer, Monica Bellucci
Chic Parisian thriller lifts a few motifs from VERTIGO, but adds more than a few original flourishes. Vincent Cassel is about to settle down with…
La CeremonieLa Ceremonie (Judgement in Stone, A) (1995) Recommended
Dir. Claude Chabrol
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Sandrine Bonnaire, Jacqueline Bisset
Veteran new–wave director Chabrol takes this HEAVENLY CREATURES–ish tale of the unholy synergy between two women, adds some class theory,…
La HaineLa Haine (Hate) (1995) Aro Favourite
Dir. Mathieu Kassovitz
Feat. Vincent Cassel, Hubert Kounde, Said Taghmaoui
A distinctive French urban crime drama in which the idle hands of male youth form fisticuffs on mean urban streets. A whole lot punchier, intelligent…
Land of Milk and Honey (1995)
Dir. Joseph Destein
Feat. Lumi Cavazos, Richard Panebianco
A hired man plumbs the secrets of a Spanish–American family on a remote Californian coastal farm, in this stark, brooding melodrama. Stars…
Les MiserablesLes Miserables (1995) Recommended
Dir. Claude Lelouch
Feat. Jean-Paul Belmondo
Widely considered the definitive screen version of this granddaddy of French literary staples. Few concessions have been allowed in staging a…
Letters from the East (1995)
Dir. Andrew Grieve
Feat. Ewa Froling, Mark Womack, Ingeborga Dapkunaite
The political turmoil of the Baltic Republics provides a backdrop for this Anglo–Estonian drama, in which a young English woman searches for…
Like Grains of SandLike Grains of Sand (1995)
Dir. Hashiguchi Ryosuke
Feat. Yoshinori Okada, Kouta Kusano
Remarkable, intense Japanese high school romance is centrally about a gay relationship, though it essentially captures the universal,…
Maborosi (Mabaroshi) (1995) Recommended
Dir. Kore-eda Hirokazu
Feat. Makikio Esumi, Tadanobu Asano
A young woman's fear that she brings death to those around her forms the basis for this contemplative, serene drama, the dir.'s debut. Suggestively…
Mina TannenbaumMina Tannenbaum (1995)
Dir. Martine Dugowson
Feat. Romane Bohringer, Elsa Zylberstein
Two childhood girl–friends of different character and ambition endure a tempestuous friendship over three decades. A freshly drawn, stylish…
Molom (1995)
Dir. Marie Jaoul De Poncheville
Feat. Molom Tseded, Yonden Yondejunai
Mystical travelogue of a spiritual nomad/shaman who comes to earth as an eagle, then traverses the breathtaking landscapes of rural Mongolia as the…
Patriotes, LesPatriotes, Les (1995)
Dir. Eric Rochant
Feat. Yvan Attal, Richard Masur, Allen Garfield
Disillusionment erodes the ideals of a young Frenchman who emigrates to Israel to train for a career in their intelligence division. Its astute focus…
Peace HotelPeace Hotel (1995)
Dir. Wai Ka-Fai
Feat. Chow Yun-Fat
Chow Yun–Fat stars in his last Hong Kong opus before taking the Hollywood leap. A 1920s Chinatown Western, he runs the 'Peace Hotel', a refuge…
Promise, ThePromise, The (1995)
Dir. Margarethe von Trotta
Feat. Corinna Harfouch, Meret Becker, August Zirner
Separated while trying to cross the Berlin Wall to the West in 1961, two lovers traverse thirty odd years of German history apart, yet faithful. This…
Red Firecracker, Green FirecrackerRed Firecracker, Green Firecracker (1995)
Dir. He Ping
Feat. Jing Ning, Gang Wu, Xiaorui Zhao
Exotic tale of forbidden passion set among the labyrinthine traditions of Chinese society. Like the work of Zhang Yimou, the immaculate imagery does…
Rendezvous in ParisRendezvous in Paris (1995)
Dir. Eric Rohmer
Feat. Clara Bellar, Mathias Mégard, Antoine Basler
A delicately poised triptych framed around three lighthearted tales of philandering men and women. Minor, though quintessential Rohmer dalliance…
ScoreScore (1995)
Dir. Atsushi Muroga
Feat. Shu Ehara, Hiroshi Miyasaka, Ryuushi Mizukami
A kinetic, if largely derivative actioner, which comes over as a Japanese RESERVOIR DOGS set around an unstable band of Yakuza henchmen attempting to…
Shanghai TriadShanghai Triad (1995)
Dir. Zhang Yimou
Feat. Gong Li
Richly–hued encounter with the criminal high–life of 1930s Shanghai, told through the hired servant of a pampered gangster's moll, and…
Sixty Million Dollar ManSixty Million Dollar Man (1995)
Dir. Yip Wai-Man
Feat. Stephen Chow (Chiao)
Spoiled brat 'accident' victim Stephen Chow becomes a not–so–super hero when he is pieced back together Steve Austin–style for a…
Starmaker, TheStarmaker, The (1995)
Dir. Giuseppe Tornatore
Feat. Sergio Castellitto, Tiziana Lodato, Franco Scaldati
The director of CINEMA PARADISO reprises another movie–enchanted tale. An endearing con–man tours the countryside, posing as a studio…
Sun Valley (1995)
Dir. He Ping
Feat. Feng Gu, Xueqi Wang
A vengeful Chinese warrior drifts into a small village on the Silk Road, where he is destined for a climactic showdown with a rival suitor of a young…
Trick of the Light, ATrick of the Light, A (Brothers Skladanowsky) (1995)
Dir. Wim Wenders
Feat. Udo Kier
Quirky, pseudo–documentary in the tradition of FORGOTTEN SILVER recreates through faux interviews and found footage the exploits of the…
Ulysses' GazeUlysses' Gaze (1995)
Dir. Theo Angelopoulos
Feat. Harvey Keitel, Maia Morgenstern
Returning from exile in America, Yugoslavian filmmaker Harvey Keitel quests after rare film footage in the wartorn Balkans. Shot under conditions…
UndergroundUnderground (1995) Recommended
Dir. Emir Kusturica
Feat. Miki Manojlovic, Lazar Ristovski, Mirjana Jokovic
Palme D'Or–winning epic covering fifty years of Balkan history in fantastical, magic–realist style. While the brash satire may be too…
White Balloon, TheWhite Balloon, The (1995) Recommended
Dir. Jafar Panahi
Feat. Aida Mohammadkhani, Mohsen Kalifi, Fereshteh Sadr Orfani
Sophisticated kids and adults alike should seek out this multiple prize–winner from Iran that follows a seven–year–old–girl's…
Wild Reeds (Les Roseaux Sauvages)Wild Reeds (Les Roseaux Sauvages) (1995) Aro Favourite
Dir. Andre Techine
Feat. Frederick Gorny, Gael Morel
Beautifully studied coming–of–age saga set in rural France at the end of the Algerian war, as four young friends on the cusp of adulthood…
Zero KelvinZero Kelvin (1995) Recommended
Dir. Hans Petter Moland
Feat. Gard B. Eidsvold, Stellan Skarsgard
This tale of hardcore cabin fever in the 1930s has the Arctic wasteland as a backdrop for the face off between two romantic idealists – one a…
71 Fragments of a Chronology of Chance71 Fragments of a Chronology of Chance (1994) Recommended
Dir. Michael Haneke
Feat. Anne Bennent, Lukas Miko, Gabriel Cosmin Urdes
A radical and virtuoso endpoint to Michael Haneke’s ‘Glaciation Trilogy’, this serves as a template for CODE UNKNOWN in its complex mosaic of…
An Unforgettable SummerAn Unforgettable Summer (Un été inoubliable) (1994)
Dir. Lucian Pintilie
Feat. Kristin Scott Thomas, Claudiu Bleont
Spare, well–realized drama taking place in 1925 on the Romanian/Bulgarian border, where Capitaine Petre Dumitriu (Bleont) and his wife…
Ashes of TimeAshes of Time (1994)
Dir. Wong Kar-Wai
Feat. Leslie Cheung, Maggie Cheung
From revered mo–hup novelist Jing Yong's East, South, West, North, Wong Kar–Wai trailblazes the Hong Kong art movie with a cyclical tale…
Belle EpoqueBelle Epoque (1994) Recommended
Dir. Fernando Trueba
Feat. Penelope Cruz, Jorge Sanz
Oscar–winning comedy set in thirties Spain will have you grinning from ear to ear as its young army deserter finds the ultimate sanctuary at…
Blush (1994)
Dir. Shaohong Li
Feat. Ji Wang, Zhiwen Wang, Caifei He
A sensual historical epic that follows the fortunes of two prostitutes who escape the Chinese revolution by fleeing their brothel in 1949 Shanghai.…
Bodyguard from BeijingBodyguard from Beijing (1994) Recommended
Dir. Yuen Kwai
Feat. Jet Li
Jet Li is "The Bodyguard" in this delightful parody of the Kevin Costner/Whitney Houston smash. A gourmet chop suey of action, humour and simmering…
Burning ParadiseBurning Paradise (1994)
Dir. Ringo Lam
Feat. John Ching, Willi Chi
Dir. Ringo Lam hits prime form in this Kung Fu excursion into the distant Chinese past. Previous hero Fong Sai Yuk and friends must quickstep…
Burnt By the SunBurnt By the Sun (1994) Recommended
Dir. Nikita Mikhalkov
Feat. Oleg Menshikov, Nikita Mikhalkov, Ingeborga Dapkunaite
Oscar–winning drama contrasts sunlit Chekhovian lyricism with the dark undercurrents of Stalinist Russia during the "Great Purge", when…
City HunterCity Hunter (1994)
Dir. Wong Jing
Feat. Jackie Chan, Chingmy Yau, Joey Wong
Jackie Chan is the popular Japanese comic book character Ryu Saeba: part detective, part mercenary, all womanizer – is contracted to return the…
Cold FeverCold Fever (1994) Recommended
Dir. Fridrik Thor Fridriksson
Feat. Masatoshi Nagase, Lili Taylor, Fisher Stevens
Stylish one–off depicts a Japanese businessman's pilgrimage to Iceland, to where his holidaying parents died. Taking its cues from the…
Day the Sun Turned ColdDay the Sun Turned Cold (1994)
Dir. Yim Ho
Feat. Siqin Gaowa
Stark melodrama set in Northern China about a man who accuses his mother of having murdered his father some years before. Tantalising central tale,…
Drunken Master IIDrunken Master II (Legend of Drunken Master) (1994)
Dir. Lau Kar Leung
Feat. Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan gets comic mileage with the dubious idea that he can only tap into his martial art prowess while pissed as a newt. Jackie continues to…
Eat Drink Man WomanEat Drink Man Woman (1994) Recommended
Dir. Ang Lee
Feat. Sihung Lung, Yu-Wen Wang, Chien-lien Wu
Those that attended Ang Lee's WEDDING BANQUET will want to sample his tasty and sensual comedy about the perennial delights of life – sex and…
ErmoErmo (1994)
Dir. Zhou Xiaowen
Feat. Liya Ai, Liu Peiqi
A young woman yearns to acquire the largest colour tele in her village, largely as a bid in the popularity stakes. The Chinese flirt with materialism…
Fist of LegendFist of Legend (1994) Recommended
Dir. Gordon Chan Kar-Seung
Feat. Jet Li
Jet Li stars in an infinitely superior remake of Bruce Lee's FIST OF FURY. A showcase of the highest calibre martial arts choreography, but firmly…
From Beijing with LoveFrom Beijing with Love (1994) Aro Favourite
Dir. Stephen Chow (Chiao)
Feat. Stephen Chow (Chiao), Anita Yuen
Exceedingly funny James Bond spoof, perhaps the finest Hong Kong export since Jackie Chan. Assigned to retrieve a national treasure from corrupt…
Future CopsFuture Cops (1994) Recommended
Dir. Wong Jing
Feat. Andy Lau, Jacky Cheung, Aaron Kwok
Good dumb fun is the pure agenda of this kitsch, kinetic fantasy–comedy based on the popular ‘Streetfighter’ arcade game. On the trail…
God of Gamblers ReturnGod of Gamblers Return (1994)
Dir. Wong Jing
Feat. Chow Yun-Fat
Chow Yun–Fat returns as a charming poker player who enjoys the quiet life until a challenger kills his wife and begins to target his friends. …
Grosse FatigueGrosse Fatigue (1994) Recommended
Dir. Michel Blanc
Feat. Michel Blanc, Carole Bouquet, Philippe Noiret
Popular comedian Michel Blanc gently bites the hand that feeds him in this irreverent farce in which the entire cast, including himself and the…
Heroic Trio 2 - ExecutionersHeroic Trio 2 - Executioners (1994)
Dir. Johnnie To, Ching Siu Tung
Feat. Michelle Yeoh, Anita Mui, Maggie Cheung
Downbeat sequel returns the trio of feisty femmes to combat the evil mega–corporation that taken a stranglehold on the world's…
Il PostinoIl Postino (Postman, The) (1994) Recommended
Dir. Michael Radford
Feat. Massimo Troisi, Philippe Noiret
The biggest international foreign language hit since LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE stars the late Massimo Troisi as a simple postie who learns the value…
Inspector Rex (TV Series)Inspector Rex (TV Series) (1994-2004)
Feat. Tobias Moretti
Austrian TV series, with a sizable cult following around the world (especially in Australia), in which a lone policeman and his German Shepherd…
Kingdom, TheKingdom, The (Riget) (1994) Aro Favourite
Dir. Lars Von Trier
Feat. Ernst-Hugo Jaregard, Kirsten Rolffes, Ghita Norby
A Danish medical soap opera from the director of BREAKING THE WAVES that's a bizarre yet compulsive combination of ghost story, TV drama and…
Like Two CrocodilesLike Two Crocodiles (1994)
Dir. Giacomo Campiotti
Feat. Angela Baraldi, Fabrizzio Bentivoglio, Sandrine Dumas
Various step–brothers feud like crocodiles when their bigamist father is forced by circumstances to reconcile his unknowing progeny. Attractive…
Machine, LaMachine, La (1994)
Dir. Francois Dupeyron
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Nathalie Baye
Gerard Depardieu goes into mad–doctor mode for this high–tech mind–transplant thriller, as a shrink/inventor whose fleeting…
Miracle AlleyMiracle Alley (Midaq Alley) (1994)
Dir. Jorge Fons
Feat. Salma Hayek
Miracle Alley is the setting for four pungent stories of urban lovelife among Mexico City residents. Strong pacing and local humour make this lengthy…
NightwatchNightwatch (1994)
Dir. Ole Bornedal
Feat. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
A student (Nikolaj Waldau) takes a job as nightwatchman in a morgue so he can swat for his exams, but is dragged into trouble by an unruly companion…
Pom PokoPom Poko (1994)
Dir. Isao Takahata
A community of raccoon–like creatures called Tanuki battle to defend their forest community from encroaching human developers in another…
Queen MargotQueen Margot (La Reine Margot) (1994) Recommended
Dir. Patrice Chereau
Feat. Isabelle Adjani, Vincent Perez, Virna Lisi
A bodice–ripping yarn of treachery and forbidden passions between warring Catholic and Protestant factions in late 1500s France. Isabelle…
SatantangoSatantango (1994) Recommended
Dir. Bela Tarr
Feat. Mihály Vig
Daunting, one–of–a–kind event from Hungarian maestro Bela Tarr delves into seven formidable hours of East European malaise, where…
Separation, TheSeparation, The (1994) Recommended
Dir. Christian Vincent
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Daniel Auteuil
Isabelle Huppert and Daniel Auteuil provide a class double–act for this moving, mature portrait of a middle–class Parisian couple who put…
Silences of the PalaceSilences of the Palace (1994)
Dir. Moufida Tlatli
Feat. Amel Hedhili, Hend Sabri, Najia Ouerghi
The daughter of a palatial servant reflects on her upbringing and steady revolt of her birthright obligations. Impassioned look at the status of…
Six Days, Six NightsSix Days, Six Nights (1994)
Dir. Diane Kurys
Feat. Anne Parillaud, Beatrice Dalle
Favourite French fatales Anne Parillaud and Beatrice Dalle brood into Polanski territory, finding sibling and sexual rivialry, and possibly madness…
Story of XinghuaStory of Xinghua (1994)
Dir. Yin Li
Feat. Wen Jiang, Xingli Niu, Shaojun Tian
Set in a remote village at the ruins of the Great Wall in Northern China, this explores the conflict between moral corruption, ancient traditions and…
Strawberry and ChocolateStrawberry and Chocolate (Fresa y Chocolate) (1994) Recommended
Dir. Tomas Gutierrez Alea, Juan Carlos Tabio
Feat. Jorge Perugorria, Vladimir Cruz, Mirta Ibarra
Oscar–nominated for Best Foreign Film 1995, a red–blooded conservative is befriended by a gay communist who challenges his prejudices.…
Three Colours: RedThree Colours: Red (1994) Recommended
Dir. Krzysztof Kieslowski
Feat. Irene Jacob, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Julie Delpy
A haunting conclusion to the acclaimed trilogy and the career of its late director. Irene Jacob plays a fashion model who becomes oddly connected…
Three Colours: WhiteThree Colours: White (1994)
Dir. Krzysztof Kieslowski
Feat. Zbigniew Zamachowski, Julie Delpy
The second in Kieslowski's trilogy is a lighter affair than BLUE but is no less exquisite or deeply philosophical. Embroided with more plot, its…
Through the Olive TreesThrough the Olive Trees (1994)
Dir. Abbas Kiarostami
Feat. Mohamad Ali Keshavarz, Farhad Keradmand, Zerifeh Shiva
An extreme simplicity of style and storytelling disguises complex meditations on human nature and cinema in a typically distinctive film –…
To LiveTo Live (1994)
Dir. Zhang Yimou
Feat. Gong Li
An absorbing tale of Chinese peasantry in the dark shadow of politics over three decades. Distinguished by the star presence of Gong Li and her…
Torment (L'Enfer)Torment (L'Enfer) (1994)
Dir. Claude Chabrol
Feat. Emmanuelle Beart, Francois Cluzet
Based on an unproduced H.R. Clouzot screenplay from the 1950s, and not quite up to the standard of its follow–up, A JUDGEMENT IN STONE, but a…
Treasure HuntTreasure Hunt (1994)
Dir. Ricky Lau
Feat. Chow Yun-Fat
CIA operative Chow Yun–Fat falls in love while on secret assignment at mainland Shaolin monastery. Bubble–headed romance with some action…
Wing ChunWing Chun (1994) Recommended
Dir. Yuen Woo Ping
Feat. Michelle Yeoh, Donnie Yen
Martial–arts star Michelle Yeoh lends some charisma to a cotton–sugar tale of remote villagers plagued by robbers. In the title role Yeoh…
Yvonne's PerfumeYvonne's Perfume (1994)
Dir. Patrice Leconte
Feat. Jean-Pierre Marielle, Hippolyte Girardot, Sandra Majani
A deserter from the Algerian war falls for the charms of a beautiful actress and her gay companion at a lakeside hotel for pensioners. The director…
A CrimeA Crime (Un Crime) (1993)
Dir. Jacques Deray
Feat. Alain Delon
Vintage courtroom vehicle for the ice cool Delon, sturdy in its workmanlike screenplay and no–nonsense attitude.
Accion MutanteAccion Mutante (1993) Recommended
Dir. Alex de la Iglesia
Feat. Antonio Resines, Alex Angulo
A deformed terrorist group strike out against pretty society in this wildly irreverent satire that takes a gleeful turn into futuristic…
Bandit QueenBandit Queen (1993)
Dir. Shekhar Kapur
Feat. Seema Biswas
Far and away from the innocuous fluff that dominates India's film industry, comes this bold, controversial true story of Phoolan Devi, a notorious…
Barefoot Kid, TheBarefoot Kid, The (1993)
Dir. Johnnie To
Feat. Aaron Kwok
Rites–of–passage, chop–socky style with lithe HK supernova Aaron Kwok as the eponymous hero whose inititation into manhood is…
Blue Kite, TheBlue Kite, The (1993)
Dir. Tian Zhuangzhuang
Feat. Tian Yi, Wenyao Zhang, Xiaoman Chen
Emotive and honest account of the realities of daily life under chairman Mao's regime as witnessed by one Beijing family from the 1950s through…
Bride With White Hair 2, TheBride With White Hair 2, The (Bai fa mo nu zhuan II) (1993)
Dir. Ronnie Yu, David Wu
Feat. Brigitte Lin, Leslie Cheung, Christy Chung
Above–average sequel to the martial arts blockbuster continuing on directly from its cliffhanger ending, with the viciously insane Lin, now…
Butterfly and SwordButterfly and Sword (1993)
Dir. Michael Mak
Feat. Tony Leung (Chiu-wai), Michelle Yeoh, Joey Wong
Raucous, fast–paced martial arts fantasy boasts a top–flight cast and some of the most ludicrous action sequences of the 90s. Michelle…
Crime StoryCrime Story (1993)
Dir. Kirk Wong
Feat. Jackie Chan
A serious Jackie Chan movie for which he even nabbed a HK oscar! Based on a true story involving police corruption and a kidnapping ring, the…
DaensDaens (1993)
Dir. Stijn Coninx
Feat. Jan Decleir, Gerard Desarthe, Antje De Boeck
Earnest historical epic concerns labour relations in 19th Century Europe and follows one man's struggle to lead a revolt against the village elite.…
Darkness in TallinnDarkness in Tallinn (1993)
Dir. Ilka Jarvilaturi
Feat. Elina Aasa, Milena Gulbe, Juri Jarvet
In liberated Estonia, gangsters plan the elaborate ambush of gold bullion being restored from a Paris vault. A humble electrician has the pivotal job…
Especially On a SundayEspecially On a Sunday (1993)
Dir. Giuseppe Tornatore, Giuseppe Bertolucci, Marco Tul
Feat. Jean-Hugues Anglade, Patricia Arquette, Nicoletta Braschi
Three stories of love and loss from the pen of Tonino Guerra brought to screen life by three directing talents. Sublime fare in the finest European…
Faraway, So CloseFaraway, So Close (1993)
Dir. Wim Wenders
Feat. Otto Sander, Bruno Ganz, Nastassja Kinski
WINGS OF DESIRE sequel is again about an angel who finds himself sucked back into humanity. This discusses politics and philosophy more directly than…
Farewell My ConcubineFarewell My Concubine (1993)
Dir. Chen Kaige
Feat. Gong Li, Leslie Cheung
Lavish, episodic journey through 20th Century Chinese history, encompassing more revolutions than a 45. Joint winner of the Palm D'Or at Cannes is…
Fencing Master, TheFencing Master, The (1993)
Dir. Pedro Olea
Feat. Omero Antonutti, Assumpta Serna, Joaquim De Almeida
Opulent tale of lust and betrayal in politically turbulent turn–of–the–century Spain. A middle–aged celibate fencing teacher…
GerminalGerminal (1993)
Dir. Claude Berri
Feat. Renaud , Gerard Depardieu, Miou-Miou
The director of the JEAN DE FLORETTE films reunites with Gerard Depardieu for this epic recreation of the French coal–miners strike during the…
Heroic TrioHeroic Trio (1993) Recommended
Dir. Johnnie To
Feat. Maggie Cheung, Michelle Yeoh
An invisible criminal is stealing babies for a sewer–dwelling villain and it's up to three dazzling super–chicks. Hugely entertaining…
I Don't Kiss (J'embrasse Pas)I Don't Kiss (J'embrasse Pas) (1993)
Dir. Andre Techine
Feat. Emmanuelle Beart, Philippe Noiret
A 19–year old breaks away from his sheltered rural life and drifts into the seedy world of Parisian streetlife where he falls in love with…
I Don't Want to Talk About ItI Don't Want to Talk About It (1993)
Dir. Maria Luisa Bemberg
Feat. Marcello Mastroianni, Luisina Brando, Alejandra Podesta
The mother of a dwarf sets about removing all references in her town to dwarfism in order to protect her daughter from prejudice. Things complicate…
Iron MonkeyIron Monkey (Siunin Wong Fei-hung tsi titmalau) (1993) Recommended
Dir. Yuen Woo Ping
Feat. Donnie Yen
Enjoyably charged with wacky humour, this fairly traditional Hong Kong slambam concerns a doctor and his daughter who must track down a notorious…
Jamon JamonJamon Jamon (1993)
Dir. Bigas Luna
Feat. Stefania Sandrelli, Anna Galiena, Juan Diego
Brazen mix of absurd humour, outrageous melodrama and body fluid, though with all the excitement to be had during the puffing and panting, the climax…
KikaKika (1993)
Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Veronica Forque, Peter Coyote, Victoria Abril
A make–up artist juggles the dubious attentions of a porn stud, a philandering crime writer, and a trash TV journo. The perils of media…
Kung Fu Cult Master (1993)
Dir. Wong Jing
Feat. Jet Li, Sammo Hung, Chingmy Yau
Extraordinarily over–the–top martial arts epic in which Jet Li procures invincible powers while negotiating the restless hordes from…
La ScortaLa Scorta (1993) Recommended
Dir. Rick Tognazzi
Feat. Ennio Morricone
Bold dramatic thriller draws from real events surrounding the indictment of Mafia collaborators with the focus on the four bodyguards of a maverick…
Legend 2, TheLegend 2, The (1993)
Dir. Corey Yuen
Feat. Jet Li, Michelle Reis
Jet Li returns as the hero 'Fong Sai Yuk', battling the oppressive ruling Chinese government in the ranks of the subversive Red Flower Society. With…
Legend of Fong Sai Yuk, TheLegend of Fong Sai Yuk, The (1993)
Dir. Yuen Kwai
Feat. Jet Li
Hilarious and oddly satisfying mixture of character, comedy, drama, incredible action, and high camp tragedy! Jet Li stars in one of the best HK…
Les VisiteursLes Visiteurs (Visitors, The) (1993) Recommended
Dir. Jean-Marie Poire
Feat. Jean Reno, Christian Clavier
Beleaguered, not to mention slobbish, medieval knights Jean Reno and Christian Clavier are plonked down is present–day Paris to duel over…
Like Water for ChocolateLike Water for Chocolate (1993) Recommended
Dir. Alfonso Arau
Feat. Marco Leonardi, Lumi Cavazos, Regina Torne
Certifiable foreign–language block–buster blends the irresisistible ingrediants of primal female desire with old–fashioned…
MaadadayoMaadadayo (Madadayo) (1993)
Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Tatsuo Matsumura, Kyoko Kagawa
A masterful, understated last word from Japanese sensei Kurosawa, here paying tribute to an inspiration from his own life with the story of a retired…
Moon WarriorsMoon Warriors (1993)
Dir. Sammo Hung
Feat. Andy Lau, Maggie Cheung, Anita Mui
Flashy feudal martial arts adventure features the high kicks of Andy Lau, Maggie Cheung and Anita Mui, in a battle of noble siblings to regain the…
My Favourite SeasonMy Favourite Season (Ma Saison Préférée) (1993) Recommended
Dir. Andre Techine
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Daniel Auteuil, Marthe Villalonga
Involving French character drama, which observes the cracks in a woman's family dynamic when her elderly mother must move in with her due to poor…
Oh, Woe is MeOh, Woe is Me (Helas Pour Moi) (1993)
Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Gerard Depardieu
Gerard Depardieu is the most accessible thing on offer in Godard's latest enigma, a film that's controlling idea is perhaps 'the desire of a God to…
Once Upon a Time in China 3Once Upon a Time in China 3 (1993)
Dir. Tsui Hark
Feat. Jet Li, Rosamund Kwan
Jet Li must quash a Russian plot to murder the ruling eunuch, fight a band of gangsters, and find a way to propose to Rosamund Kwan. Predictable yet…
PalmsPalms (Ladoni) (1993)
Dir. Artour Aristakisian
Examining the plight of Moscow’s homeless and adrift, dir. Aristakisyan’s jarring, but resolute formalism (unfussy 16mm black and white footage…
Puppetmaster, ThePuppetmaster, The (1993)
Dir. Hou Hsiao-Hsien
Feat. Li Tianlu
The turbulent pre–WWII history of Taiwan is woven into this epic yet simple docu–drama of the early years of famous puppeteer Li Tianlu,…
Red SquirrelRed Squirrel (La Ardilla Roja) (1993) Aro Favourite
Dir. Julio Medem
Feat. Emma Suarez, Nancho Novo
On the cusp of suicide, a young man befriends the amnesiac victim of a motorcycle accident. Under a shroud of deceit, the couple 'renew' their…
Scent of Green Papaya, TheScent of Green Papaya, The (1993) Recommended
Dir. Tran Anh Hung
Feat. Tran Nu Yen-Khe, Man San Lu, Thi Loc Truong
Drama as crisp and luxuriant as its title observes a wealthy Saigon family over two turbulent decades through the eyes of a peasant servant girl. Its…
Sex and ZenSex and Zen (1993) Recommended
Dir. Michael Mak
Feat. Lawrence Ng, Kent Cheng, Xu Jin-Jang
Part comic fantasy, part porno movie, and though an imaginative example of both genres, the balancing act is a hard one to pull off (fnarr, fnarr).…
Shadow of Doubt, AShadow of Doubt, A (1993) Recommended
Dir. Aline Issermann
Feat. Mireille Perrier, Alain Bashung, Sandrine Blancke
A painfully credible exploration of how a father's alleged crime against his young daughter affects a middle class family. Well researched and…
Slingshot, TheSlingshot, The (1993)
Dir. Ake Sandgren
Feat. Jesper Salen, Stellan Skarsgard, Basia Frydman
A bittersweet snapshot of pre–war Stockholm in which an enterprising 10–year–old flirts with boyhood rebellion. This local…
SofieSofie (1993)
Dir. Liv Ulmann
Feat. Liv Ullmann
Actress Liv Ullmann makes a confident directing debut with this period drama about a Jewish woman's emotional journey over 20 years that begins with…
SonatineSonatine (1993)
Dir. Takeshi Kitano
Feat. Takeshi Kitano, Ayo Kokumai, Tetsu Watanabe
Those familiar with 'Beat' Takeshi's films will know what to expect from this latest elegy to gangster violence. His personal demons manifest in…
Sumo Do, Sumo Don'tSumo Do, Sumo Don't (1993)
Dir. Masayuki Suo
Feat. Masahiro Motoki, Misa Shimizu, Naoto Takenaka
Unabashed low–brow comedy about a gang of misfits who tussle it out in a Tokyo University wrestling ring, which also serves as the circle in…
Tai Chi Master, TheTai Chi Master, The (1993)
Dir. Yuen Woo Ping
Feat. Jet Li, Michelle Yeoh
Jet Li ascends to be the founder of the Chinese art of self–defence and healing known as Tai Chi Chuan, but not before crossing blades with,…
TangoTango (1993)
Dir. Patrice Leconte
Feat. Thierry Lhermitte, Philippe Noiret, Richard Bohringer
Left by his wife, Thierry Lhermitte hits the road to track her down with the help of his misogynist uncle, Phillippe Noiret. Hitman Richard Bohringer…
Temptation of a MonkTemptation of a Monk (1993)
Dir. Clara Law
Feat. Joan Chen, Zhang Fenyi
Graphic chronicle of blood–letting by a fierce warrior general in 7th century China, that hews to the visual traditions of the classic Japanese…
Three Colours: BlueThree Colours: Blue (1993) Recommended
Dir. Krzysztof Kieslowski
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Benoit Regent, Emmanuelle Riva
Immaculate, introspective meditation on grief, redemption and liberty, Kieslowski's masterpiece borders on the pretentious. This redefines ART…
Untold Story, TheUntold Story, The (1993)
Dir. Herman Yau
Feat. Danny Lee, Anthony Wong
Outrageous gross–out thriller that may put you off Chinese food for life – based on the "Eight Immortals Restaurant murders" that took…
Wedding Banquet, TheWedding Banquet, The (1993) Recommended
Dir. Ang Lee
Feat. Dion Birney, Jeanne Kuo Chang, Winston Chao
A simple white lie gets way out of hand for a gay Chinese–New Yorker when his excited parents fly in from Taiwan to celebrate his 'straight'…
Window to ParisWindow to Paris (1993) Aro Favourite
Dir. Yuri Mamin
Feat. Agnes Soral
A constantly inventive comic fantasy about a group of luckless Russkies who find they can enter gay Paris from a window in their appalling St.…
Accidental Golfer, TheAccidental Golfer, The (1992)
Dir. Lasse Aberg
Feat. Lasse Aberg, Jon Skolmen, Mats Bergman
A redundant factory worker becomes the object of an expensive golfing wager between a millionaire and his mistress. Big Scandanavian hit comes dubbed…
Accompanist, TheAccompanist, The (1992)
Dir. Claude Miller
Feat. Richard Bohringer, Romane Bohringer
A humble pianist is hired to accompany a wealthy soprano in occupied France, but their partnership becomes fraught with rivalry and…
Benny's VideoBenny's Video (1992) Recommended
Dir. Michael Haneke
Feat. Arno Frisch, Ulrich Muhe
This middle installment in Michael Haneke’s ‘Glaciation Trilogy’ considers under a familiar milieu of urban dread the effects of mediated…
Best IntentionsBest Intentions (1992)
Dir. Bille August
Feat. Samuel Froler, Pernilla August, Max von Sydow
Sincere, meticulous yet characteristically bleak adaptation of Ingmar Bergman's biographical account of his parents' turbulent courtship and…
Bride with White HairBride with White Hair (1992)
Dir. Ronnie Yu
Feat. Leslie Cheung, Brigitte Lin
In a remote China of superstition and legend, vicious clan skirmishes result in an eye–popping frenzy of acrobatic martial arts. Resplendent…
Conte D'hiverConte D'hiver (A Winter's Tale) (1992)
Dir. Eric Rohmer
Feat. Charlotte Very, Frederic Van Den Driessche
A whirlwind romance ends abruptly for a young woman when she accidentally gives her lover a wrong address. Four years pass and she remains possessed…
CronosCronos (1992) Aro Favourite
Dir. Guillermo Del Toro
Feat. Frederico Luppi, Ron Perlman
Elderly antique dealer Federico Luppi discovers the ancient (and sought–after) 'Cronos' device, which has the power to give eternal life, but…
Dark at NoonDark at Noon (1992)
Dir. Raul Ruiz
Feat. John Hurt, David Warner
John Hurt and David Warner join in the spirit of this bizarre fancy from exiled Chilean director Ruiz. Set in a Portugese village where anything…
Dear DiaryDear Diary (Caro Diario) (1992) Recommended
Dir. Nanni Moretti
Feat. Nanni Moretti
Often hilarious and inspiring film travelogue follows the endearing Nanni Moretti's personal experiences over 18 months. Over three chapters, he…
DelicatessenDelicatessen (1992) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Marc Caro
Feat. Marie-Laure Dougnac, Dominique Pinon, Karin Viard
Two former Ad–men splash down with an audacious, darkly comic masterpiece set in a vegetarianist, post–apocalyptic future. Consumed with…
Discrete, LaDiscrete, La (1992) Recommended
Dir. Christian Vincent
Feat. Fabrice Luchini, Judith Henry, Maurice Garrel
Things don't go to plan for a philandering writer who refuses to commit emotionally. A literary yet accessible essay on sexual game–playing,…
Dragon InnDragon Inn (New Dragon Gate Inn) (1992)
Dir. Tsui Hark
Feat. Maggie Cheung, Brigitte Lin, Tony Leung (Kar-fai)
Gory Ming Dynasty–set epic in which forces of good and evil clash swords over the fate of feudal China. An extravagant climax, featuring…
El MariachiEl Mariachi (1992) Aro Favourite
Dir. Robert Rodriguez
Feat. Carlos Gallardo, Consuelo Gomez
A cause celebre of low–budget film–making, this $7000 Tex–Mex wonder about a guitar–player mistaken for a gangster contains…
FiorileFiorile (1992)
Dir. Paolo Taviani, Vittorio Taviani
Feat. Claudio Bigagli, Galatea Ranzi, Michael Vartan
The brothers' Taviani spin three torrid tales of hot–blooded Italians at love and war, recounted by a father to his children about family myths…
Flight of the Innocent (1992)
Dir. Carlo Carlei
Feat. Manuel Colao, Federico Pacifici, Sal Borgese
A swirling steady–cam follows the chase of a young boy across Northern Italy after his family are slaughtered by a kidnapping ring. Thriller is…
Full ContactFull Contact (1992)
Dir. Ringo Lam
Feat. Chow Yun-Fat
Chow Yun–Fat rescues his friend from a loan shark, but the friend leaves him for dead in a botched robbery and takes off with his girlfriend. A…
Hard-BoiledHard-Boiled (1992) Recommended
Dir. John Woo
Feat. Chow Yun-Fat, Tony Leung (Chiu-wai), Anthony Wong
An action film to end all action films, John Woo's technical command of the genre reaches its peak with this ballistic ballet in which Chow…
House of AngelsHouse of Angels (1992) Recommended
Dir. Colin Nutley
Feat. Helena Bergstrom, Rikard Wolff, Sven Wollter
Two Harley–riding city slickers descend on a country village and obliviously stir up a hornet's nest among the townfolk. Old–fashioned,…
In the Land of the DeafIn the Land of the Deaf (Le Pays des sourds) (1992)
Dir. Nicolas Philibert
The extraordinary debut of dir. Philibert (ETRE ET AVOIR) giving unrushed insight into the deaf community in France. Recounting their stories and…
IndochineIndochine (1992) Recommended
Dir. Regis Wargnier
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Vincent Perez, Linh Dan Pham
Oscar–winning Foreign Film of 1993 set during the Inochinese revolution of 1930. Catherine Deneuvre plays a French landowner coming to terms…
Ip5Ip5 (1992)
Dir. Jean-Jacques Beineix
Feat. Yves Montand, Olivier Martinez, Sotigui Kouyate
Beineix's visual flair props up this slight story of a graffiti artist and his young pal who journey in search of escape and/or love. They meet an…
Johnny StecchinoJohnny Stecchino (1992) Recommended
Dir. Roberto Benigni
Feat. Roberto Benigni
Celebrated comedian Roberto Benigni, also co–writes and directs this tale of a meek bus–driver mistaken for a notorious gangster. The…
L627L627 (1992)
Dir. Bertrand Tavernier
Feat. Didier Bezace, Jean-Paul Comart
A sharp, unsentimental depiction of the daily grind that a Paris drugs–squad detective must endure, contending with dealers, addicts and…
La CriseLa Crise (1992) Recommended
Dir. Coline Serreau
Feat. Vincent Lindon, Patrick Timsit, Zabou
Another smart comedy of crises from the comedienne director of THREE MEN AND A CRADLE and ROMUALD ET JULIETTE. A high–powered corporate…
La Reine BlancheLa Reine Blanche (1992)
Dir. Jean-Loup Hubert
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Richard Bohringer
The return of a childhood friend to his home fishing village has fateful consequences for a long–married couple.
La SentinelleLa Sentinelle (The Sentinel) (1992)
Dir. Arnaud Desplechin
Feat. Emmanuel Salinger, Thibault de Montalembert, Jean-Louis Richard
French chiller from director Arnaud Desplechin (A CHRISTMAS TALE) about a forensic medicine student who finds himself mysteriously in possession of a…
La Vie De BohemeLa Vie De Boheme (1992) Recommended
Dir. Aki Kaurismaki
Feat. Matti Pellonpaa, Evelyne Didi, Andre Wilms
An achingly deadpan treatment of the book that served as the basis for Puccini's opera. Ironically romantic portrait of deadbeat, impoverished…
LeoloLeolo (1992)
Dir. Jean-Claude Lauzon
Feat. Maxime Collin, Ginette Reno, Julien Guiomar
A rites–of–passage drama seen through a warped looking–glass, the story of ten–year–old Leolo is a blackly humorous…
LoloLolo (1992)
Dir. Francisco Athie
Feat. Damian Alcazar, Lorena Caballero, Alonso Echanove
An unflinching portrait of an urban Mexican slum in which a 17–year–old's pursuit of happiness is shattered when a petty crime leads to…
MimaMima (1992)
Dir. Philomene Esposito
Feat. Nino Manfredi, Margarita Lozano, Virginie Ledoyen
The first–time director captures the nuance and feeling of her own experience as a young girl who witnesses the mysterious disappearance of her…
Naked KillerNaked Killer (1992) Recommended
Dir. Clarence Fok-Yiu
Feat. Chingmy Yau, Simon Yam, Carrie Ng
Sex and violence potently combust in a tale of nubile assassins and a love–struck, traumatised cop. The plot may typically wander but it…
Oak, TheOak, The (Balanta) (1992)
Dir. Lucian Pintilie
Feat. Maia Morgenstern, Razvan Vasilescu, Victor Rebengiuc
Provocative director Pintilie strikes the perfect balance of surreal comedy and powerful realism as he examines the progressive disillusionment of a…
Once Upon a Time in China 2Once Upon a Time in China 2 (1992)
Dir. Tsui Hark
Feat. Jet Li, Donnie Yen
Comic emphasis is given to the continuing adventures of a traditional martial artiste in late 1900s. Escapist elements are graced with fine…
Ox, TheOx, The (1992)
Dir. Sven Nykvist
Feat. Stellan Skarsgard, Ewa Froling, Lennart Hjulstrom
During the famine years of Sweden in the 1860s, a peasant family slaughter their employer's ox, then reap the consequences. Directed by Ingmar…
Police Story 3Police Story 3 (Supercop) (1992)
Dir. Stanley Tong
Feat. Jackie Chan, Michelle Yeoh
Jackie Chan returns as death–defying maverick cop Ka Kui, while Michelle Yeoh offers some savvy sidekick. From the director of Jackie's first…
Savage NightsSavage Nights (1992)
Dir. Cyril Collard
Feat. Cyril Collard, Romane Bohringer, Carlos Lopez
A audaciously frank and romantic tale of the life, love and passions of its bisexual director and star, who died of AIDS and was posthumously…
Saviour of the SoulSaviour of the Soul (1992) Recommended
Dir. David Lai
Feat. Andy Lau, Aaron Kwok
Breathtaking camerawork and special effects combine with hallucinatory plotting as two city–dwelling mercenaries do battle with the silver fox,…
Schtonk!Schtonk! (1992)
Dir. Helmut Dietl
Following the broad outlines of the 1983 'Hitler diaries' case, in which a forgery of the Fuhrer's scatological jottings was 'discovered', this…
StalingradStalingrad (1992) Recommended
Dir. Joseph Vilsmaier
Feat. Dominique Horwitz, Thomas Kretschmann, Jochen Nickel
Superlative evocation of WW2 tragedy from a German perspective. A unit of soldiers are posted to the front line in the merciless Russian winter to…
Station, The (1992)
Dir. Sergio Rubini
Feat. Sergio Rubini, Margherita Buy, Ennio Fantastichini
Beguiling film about a disillusioned society woman who becomes drawn to a humble station–master while waiting for the first available train.
Stolen Children, TheStolen Children, The (1992)
Dir. Gianni Amelio
Feat. Enrico Lo Verso, Valentina Scalici, Giuseppe Ieracitano
Two kids are reluctantly escorted from Milan to Palermo after they are refused asylum at an orphanage. A warts–and–all, portrait of…
Story of Qiu Ju, TheStory of Qiu Ju, The (1992)
Dir. Zhang Yimou
Feat. Gong Li
Docu–drama about a peasant wife's determined fight for her justice after her husband is assaulted. An insight into modern China is glimpsed…
VacasVacas (Cows) (1992) Recommended
Dir. Julio Medem
Feat. Emma Suarez, Ana Torrent, Karra Elejalde
Debut film of dir. Julio Medem follows in vivid, swift fashion the growing connections between two Basque families over the decades between the…
Vita Cane (Life's a Bitch aka Vita da Cane) (1992)
Dir. Carlo Liconti
An Italian hairdresser plays loverboy with a bevy of clients, but things snowhall hilariously when, to everyone's dismay, he falls in strictly…
WarszawaWarszawa (1992)
Dir. Janusz Kijowski
Feat. Julie Delpy, Lambert Wilson, Hanna Schygulla
Tense and original drama has a young Jewish couple (Lambert and Delpy) escaping the Warsaw massacre in 1943, by hiding with an older woman…
Wild TargetWild Target (1992)
Dir. Pierre Salvadori
Feat. Jean Rochefort, Guillaume Depardieu
Jean Rochefort is a fastidious hitman whose mania for control, both at home and on assignment, is dangerously weakened when he apprentices Gerard…
A Heart in WinterA Heart in Winter (Un Coeur en Hiver) (1991)
Dir. Claude Sautet
Feat. Emmanuelle Beart, Andre Dussollier
Impeccable romantic tragedy examines a love triangle between a virtuoso violinist, her violin–making boyfriend and his emotionally crippled…
Amants Du Pont Neuf, LesAmants Du Pont Neuf, Les (1991) Recommended
Dir. Leos Carax
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Denis Lavant
Extravagant production breathes fire into this unusual epic love story of two young Paris street punks. Through the ebbs and the flows, Carax adjusts…
AutobusAutobus (1991) Recommended
Dir. Eric Rochant
Feat. Yvan Attal, Kristin Scott Thomas
A desperate, attention–seeking young man (Yvan Attal – superb) hijacks a school bus, taking its two adults and little passengers hostage.…
Black CatBlack Cat (1991)
Dir. Dickson Poon
Feat. Jade Leung
The Hong Kong industry could not resist a crack at French action fave Nikita, the foxy misfit trained as an assassin for the secret service. A…
Brighter Summer Day, ABrighter Summer Day, A (1991) Aro Favourite
Dir. Edward Yang
Feat. Chen Chang
Sublime ode to adolescence set in early 1960's Taiwan, Edward Yang's sprawling, novelistic narrative reflects the personal and political turmoil of…
Centre StageCentre Stage (Actress) (1991)
Dir. Stanley Kwan
Feat. Maggie Cheung
Maggie Cheung won the Silver Bear in Berlin for her moving portrayal of Ruan Lingyu, a '30s Chinese matinee idol who committed suicide at age 25. A…
Chinese Ghost Story 3Chinese Ghost Story 3 (1991)
Dir. Ching Siu Tung
Feat. Tony Leung (Chiu-wai), Joey Wong, Jacky Cheung
Spirited retread of the first movie, in which the evil Tree Spirit is back with yet another ghost played by Joey Wong. It takes place 100 years…
Conte De PrintempsConte De Printemps (A Tale of Springtime) (1991)
Dir. Eric Rohmer
Feat. Anne Teyssedre, Hugues Quester, Florence Darel
The first of the director's 'Tales of Four Seasons', as invigorating as its Springtime theme. Complex relationships are woven from the meeting of two…
DanzonDanzon (1991) Recommended
Dir. Maria Novaro
Feat. Maria Rojo
Lovely film about a phone operator and mother in Mexico City enthralled by the popular Cuban dance, known as "danzon". When her regular dance partner…
Days of Being WildDays of Being Wild (1991)
Dir. Wong Kar-Wai
Feat. Leslie Cheung
An excellent example of the other side of Hong Kong movie–making. Set in 1960, Leslie Cheung plays a disillusioned, spoiled youth who…
Double Life of VeroniqueDouble Life of Veronique (1991) Recommended
Dir. Krzysztof Kieslowski
Feat. Irene Jacob
An incandescent meditation on the lives of two identical young women – one Polish, one French – both played by Irene Jacob (RED). A…
Erotic Ghost Story 2Erotic Ghost Story 2 (1991)
Dir. Lam Ngai Kai
Feat. Charine Chan, King-Man Chik, Yiu-Wah Kwok
Sequel mixes up similar ingredients, but story is unrelated to the first.
Europa, EuropaEuropa, Europa (1991) Aro Favourite
Dir. Agnieszka Holland
Feat. Marco Hofschneider, Salomon Perel, Rene Hofschneider
A riveting account of the real–life ordeal experienced by German Jew Soloman Perel, who concealed his ethnicity for seven years when drafted…
Great Day On the BeachGreat Day On the Beach (1991)
Dir. Stellan Olssen
Feat. Erik Clausen, Nina Gunke, Benjamin Rothenborg
A family day at a seaside resort enlightens a six–year–old boy with grand illusions of his extrovert father. A comic, perceptive view of…
Hairdresser's Husband, TheHairdresser's Husband, The (1991)
Dir. Patrice Leconte
Feat. Jean Rochefort, Anna Galiena
Everything you may love or loathe about French movies is taken to an (intentional?) extreme in this whimsical venture into the one–track mind…
HermanHerman (1991)
Dir. Erik Gustavson
Feat. Anders Danielsen Lie, Elisabeth Sand, Bjorn Floberg
A gentle, wry tale of a boy who finds his hair is falling out at the ripe old age of 11 but, instead of wallowing in puberty blues, chooses to turn…
High HeelsHigh Heels (1991) Recommended
Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Victoria Abril
Victoria Abril finds herself accused of murder while trying to fill the 'high heels' of her glamourous celebrity mum. At once ludicrous and enjoyable.
Highway PatrolmanHighway Patrolman (1991)
Dir. Alex Cox
Feat. Roberto Sosa, Bruno Bichir, Vanessa Bauche
A wayward film–maker returns to form in using road–movie conventions to enrich this tale of poverty, drugs, prostitution and rampant…
Hors La VieHors La Vie (Life on Hold) (1991)
Dir. Maroun Bagdadi
Feat. Hippolyte Girardot, Rafic Ali Ahmad, Nidal Ashkov
A fictionalised depiction of a freelance photographer's ten months in Shi'ite custody. Charged with political anger but unsensationalist and…
How to Be a Woman and Not Die in the AttemptHow to Be a Woman and Not Die in the Attempt (1991)
Dir. Ana Belen
Feat. Carmen Maura, Antonio Resines
Carmen Maura, the morning–star of many an early Almodovar film, enlivens this slight–ish, breezy comedy of domestic meltdown, having to…
Indecent Woman, TheIndecent Woman, The (1991) Recommended
Dir. Ben Verbong
Feat. Jose Way, Coen Van Vrijberghe de Coningh, Huub Stapel
A married violinist is drawn into a no–holds–barred relationship with a mystery man. A decent erotic parable that perceptively explores…
Jacquot De NantesJacquot De Nantes (1991)
Dir. Agnes Varda
Feat. Philippe Maron, Edouard Joubeaud, Laurent Monnier
Beautifully–crafted, affectionate tribute to the director's late husband, the film–maker Jacques Demy (UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG, LOLA).…
Journey of HopeJourney of Hope (1991)
Dir. Xavier Koller
Feat. Necmettin Cobanoglu, Emin Sivas, Yaman Okay
Powerful but heart–breaking drama about an exiled Turkish family who trek through the Swiss alps in a desperate bid for a new homeland. Upset…
La Belle NoiseuseLa Belle Noiseuse (1991) Recommended
Dir. Jacques Rivette
Feat. Michel Piccoli, Emmanuelle Beart
Rivette's four–hour portrait of an artist as an old man explores the process and politics of a retired artist painting a nude model. Subtle,…
Life On a StringLife On a String (1991)
Dir. Chen Kaige
Feat. Zhongyuan Liu, Lei Huang, Qing Xu
A richly poetic chronicle of a blind man who devotes himself to music. Like the director's subsequent FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE, some messages may be…
LoversLovers (1991) Recommended
Dir. Vincente Aranda
Feat. Victoria Abril
Almodovar–regular Victoria Abril brings her sultry star presence to this smouldering tale of illicit lovers who conspire to a horrendous crime…
Madame BovaryMadame Bovary (1991)
Dir. Claude Chabrol
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Jean-Francois Balmer, Christophe Malavoy
Chabrol remains faithful to the text of this oft–filmed classic of French literature, with Isabelle Huppert bringing a glacial refinement to…
MediterraneoMediterraneo (1991)
Dir. Gabriele Salvatores
Feat. Claudio Bigagli, Diego Abatanthono, Giuseppe Cederna
Oscar–winning tale of eight Italian soldiers who find themselves stranded on a remote Greek isle during WW2. An affecting and surprising…
Merci La VieMerci La Vie (1991)
Dir. Bertrand Blier
Feat. Charlotte Gainsbourg, Anouk Grinberg
Two young girls bond on a magical, mysterious tour played out against shifts in time, from the present to Occupied France. The audacious mix of ideas…
Mon Pere Ce HerosMon Pere Ce Heros (1991)
Dir. Gerard Lauzier
Feat. Gerard Depardieu
Gerard Depardieu is the adoring roly–poly father of a pubescent daughter whose emerging hormones prompt her to proclaim dad as her lover on a…
Olivier OlivierOlivier Olivier (1991)
Dir. Agnieszka Holland
Feat. Francois Cluzet, Brigitte Rouan, Gregoire Colin
After disappearing from his country home six years earlier, a boy's mysterious return brings with it a mix of salvation and suspicion to his…
Once a ThiefOnce a Thief (1991)
Dir. John Woo
Feat. Chow Yun-Fat, Leslie Cheung, Kenneth Tsang
Whimsical actioner combines directorial flair with the charisma of Chow Yun–Fat. He leads an elite team of art thieves who encounter the…
Once Upon a Time in ChinaOnce Upon a Time in China (1991)
Dir. Tsui Hark
Feat. Jet Li, Biao Yuen, Rosamund Kwan
Extravagent epic about legendary Chinese martial artiste and conqueror, Wong Fei Hung. Beautifully filmed spectacle, punctuated with exciting combat…
Quince Tree Sun, TheQuince Tree Sun, The (1991) Recommended
Dir. Victor Erice
Feat. Antonio Garcia
Quietly–paced, fascinating semi–documentary about Spanish painter Antonio Garcia and his attempts to capture the effects of light falling…
Raise the Red LanternRaise the Red Lantern (1991) Aro Favourite
Dir. Zhang Yimou
Feat. Gong Li
Gong Li is unforgettable as an educated woman who bitterly serves as the fourth arranged wife of a feudal nobleman. A magnificent tragedy, enriched…
Rhapsody in AugustRhapsody in August (1991)
Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Sachiko Murase, Richard Gere
A Japanese grandmother shares painful memories of Nagasaki with her four grandchildren who travel to meet extended kin–folk in Hawaii. Dir.…
Ripoux Contre RipouxRipoux Contre Ripoux (1991)
Dir. Claude Zidi
Feat. Philippe Noiret, Thierry Lhermitte, Guy Marchand
Sequel to LES RIPOUX reunites the odd couple of petty corrupt cops for another comic round of mischevious errors.
RobotrixRobotrix (1991)
Dir. Luk Kim Ming
Feat. Amy Yip
A scientist's discovery that the mind of a dying person can be transferred to a robot leads to perversion. Controversial sci–fi/exploitation…
Scene at the Sea, AScene at the Sea, A (1991)
Dir. Takeshi Kitano
Feat. Kuroudo Maki, Hiroko Oshima, Sabu Kawahara
One from dir. Kitano’s (HANA–BI) quieter side, this fable of deaf–mute garbageman’s obsession with surfing is deceptively minimal,…
Story of RickyStory of Ricky (Riki-Oh aka Lai Wong) (1991) Aro Favourite
Dir. Nam Nai-Choi
Feat. Fan Siu-wong
Hong Kong cult sensation that comedically stir–fries prison ultra–violence with Western–style splatter. Rib–cracking,…
Stranger, TheStranger, The (1991) Recommended
Dir. Satyajit Ray
Feat. Deepankar Dey, Mamata Shankar
An absorbing domestic parable from revered film–maker Satyajit Ray, whose last film here explores familial bonds when a long–lost…
Tatie DanielleTatie Danielle (1991) Recommended
Dir. Etienne Chatiliez
Feat. Tsilla Chelton, Catherine Jacob, Isabelle Nanty
Brilliantly absurd black comedy about an elderly widow who does her best to make life miserable for her relatives. Tsilla Chelton is irresistible as…
Tous Les Matins Du MondeTous Les Matins Du Monde (All the Mornings of the World) (1991) Recommended
Dir. Alain Corneau
Feat. Jean-Pierre Marielle, Gerard Depardieu, Anne Brochet
Gerard Depardieu duets with real–life son Guillaume in this romantic tale of love, betrayal and classical music in the 17th Century. Exquisite…
Van GoghVan Gogh (1991) Recommended
Dir. Maurice Pialat
Feat. Jacques Dutronc
The ultra–naturalistic style of Maurice Pialat may not seem the best choice for a costume drama about probably the most–often filmed…
Volere VolareVolere Volare (1991)
Dir. Maurizio Nichetti
Feat. Maurizio Nichetti
From the director of THE ICICLE THIEF comes another enjoyable comic fantasy inter–relating real and fictional worlds. Nichetti himself plays a…
ZentropaZentropa (Europa) (1991) Recommended
Dir. Lars Von Trier
Feat. Jean-Marc Barr, Barbara Sukowa, Udo Kier
A multi–lingual visual essay from upstart director Von Trier, who unfolds his story of post–war European unease through metaphor and a…
Ages of Lulu, TheAges of Lulu, The (1990)
Dir. Bigas Luna
Feat. Francesca Neri, María Barranco, Javier Bardem
Spanish erotic drama depicting the sexual explorations of a young woman as she descends into the dangerous and kinky underworld of Madrid –…
Ay CarmelaAy Carmela (1990)
Dir. Carlos Saura
Feat. Carmen Maura
Matriarchal siren Carmen Maura leads a vaudeville troupe to the other side of enemy lines during the Spanish Civil War – where they are forced…
Boiling PointBoiling Point (3-4x10) (1990)
Dir. Takeshi Kitano
Feat. Takeshi Kitano
Director 'Beat' Takeshi captures the relentlessly simmering tensions between yakuza factions mainly focusing on a docile gas station attendant and a…
Bullet in the HeadBullet in the Head (1990) Aro Favourite
Dir. John Woo
Feat. Tony Leung (Chiu-wai), Jacky Cheung, Waise Lee
John Woo's indictment of war as raw and visceral as its title. Three friends flee Hong Kong and find themselves knee deep in the corruption and…
C'est La Vie (1990)
Dir. Diane Kurys
Feat. Nathalie Baye, Richard Berry
Another twee autobiographical snapshot, set at a French holiday resort in a late–'50s summer. A teenager's coming of age is marked by the…
Chinese Ghost Story 2Chinese Ghost Story 2 (1990) Recommended
Dir. Ching Siu Tung
Feat. Leslie Cheung, Joey Wong, Jacky Cheung
The original cast return for another surreal, big–budget fantasy that delivers as much as the first one, with more of a comedic slant. This…
Cinema ParadisoCinema Paradiso (1990) Recommended
Dir. Giuseppe Tornatore
Feat. Antonella Attili, Enzo Cannavale, Isa Danieli
Enchanting, achingly sweet film in which young Toto falls into a lifelong adoration of movies at the village theatre and its grumpy old…
Close to EdenClose to Eden (Urga) (1990) Recommended
Dir. Nikita Mikhalkov
Feat. Badema , Bayaertu , Vladimir Gostyukhin
The vanishing ancient culture of Mongolia is offered spellbinding yet humourous insight through a herdsman's family whose simple life is threatened…
Close-UpClose-Up (1990) Recommended
Dir. Abbas Kiarostami
Feat. Hossain Sabzian, Mohsen Makhmalbaf
A uniquely–devised work intermingling life and art, documentary and fiction, born of a real life incident in which an unemployed film buff is…
Cup FinalCup Final (1990)
Dir. Eran Riklis
Feat. Moshe Ivgy, Mohamed Bakri, Salim Dau
An engaging Israeli film about a soccer player whose dreams of representing his country at the World Cup in Spain are shattered by war. He is…
Cyrano De BergeracCyrano De Bergerac (1990) Recommended
Dir. Jean-Paul Rappeneau
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Anne Brochet, Vincent Perez
Rostand's classic play filmed in its native tongue, with the man born to play the poet with the outsized hooter, Gerard Depardieu. Little expense has…
Doctor PetiotDoctor Petiot (1990)
Dir. Christian De Chalonge
Feat. Michel Serrault, Pierre Romans, Berangere Bonvoisin
A dark, expressionistic account of a depraved physician who, in occupied Paris, used his practise to facilitate emigration for hopeful Jews, only to…
Elegant Criminel, L' (1990)
Dir. Francis Girod
Feat. Daniel Auteuil, Jean Poiret, Jaques Weber
Daniel Auteuil stars in this irreverent and witty biography of suave petty thief and condemned killer Pierre Lacenaire, whose brief flame burned…
Elementary School, TheElementary School, The (1990) Recommended
Dir. Jan Sverak
Feat. Jan Triska, Zdenek Sverak, Libuse Safrankova
Sly comedy in which a class of badly behaved Czech schoolboys drive away their timid teacher and learn to love her uniformed, baton–weilding…
Erotic Ghost StoryErotic Ghost Story (1990)
Dir. Lam Ngai Kai
Feat. Amy Yip
Buxom starlet Amy Yip lets it all hang out with other 'foxes' in this Eastern spin on the WITCHES OF EASTWICK. Generous nudity and dry ice steam up…
Everybody's Fine (Stanno Tutti Bene) (1990)
Dir. Giuseppe Tornatore
Feat. Marcello Mastroianni
Marcello Mastroianni plays a fiercely proud but distanced father who embarks unwittingly on a voyage of discovery when he sets out on a surprise…
God of Gamblers (1990)
Dir. Wong Jing
Feat. Chow Yun-Fat
Chow Yun–Fat plays a gambling king who is de–throned by amnesia, then embraced by a petty hustler who discovers he can trigger his memory…
Good Evening, Mr. WallenbergGood Evening, Mr. Wallenberg (1990)
Dir. Kjell Grede
Feat. Stellan Skarsgard, Karoly Eperjes
Swedish WWII film starring Stellan Skarsgard as Raoul Wallenberg, a businessman who saved over 60000 Hungarian Jews by helping them to acquire…
Holy Virgin vs. the Evil Dead (1990)
Dir. Chun-Yeung Wong
Feat. Sonny Chang, Kathy Chow, Hei Man Chui
In taking advantage of the relaxation of some Asian countries regarding nudity, this comic horror mixes erotic fantasy into a tale of a wimpish…
Ju DouJu Dou (1990) Aro Favourite
Dir. Zhang Yimou
Feat. Gong Li
Immaculately composed fable about a village girl who conducts an illicit affair with the nephew of the bitter factory owner she has been forced to…
Kid from Tibet, A (1990)
Dir. Yuen Biao
Feat. Biao Yuen, Michelle Reis, Wah Yuen
Amiable, energetic actioner stars the director as a young monk who must avenge a friend's death using Tibetan magic, pyrotechnics and a host of…
Kurosawa's DreamsKurosawa's Dreams (1990)
Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Akira Terao, Mitsuko Baisho, Martin Scorsese
Opinions vary wildly over this sequence of eight re–enactments of Akira's very own dreams – stunning photography and subtle use of…
Life and Nothing ButLife and Nothing But (1990)
Dir. Bertrand Tavernier
Feat. Philippe Noiret, Sabine Azema
Philippe Noiret plays a Missing–in–Action chief officer whose obsession to account for the anonymous casualties of WW1 draws him to a…
Little Gangster, TheLittle Gangster, The (Le Petit Criminel) (1990)
Dir. Jacques Doillon
Feat. Gerald Thomassin, Richard Anconina, Clotilde Courau
Jacques Doillon (PONETTE) combines his eye for youthful naturalism with technical and storytelling assurance in this neatly formed movie about a…
Mahabharata, TheMahabharata, The (1990)
Dir. Peter Brook
Feat. Erika Alexander, Maurice Benichou, Amba Bihler
This 'great story of mankind' forms the basis of Indian religion and mythology. Some 15 times the length of the bible, stage maestro Peter Brook has…
Man and Two Women, A (1990)
Dir. Valerie Stroh
Feat. Valerie Stroh, Lambert Wilson, Dianne Pierens
Inspired by the writings of Doris Lessing, three sensuous stories are thoughtfully realised from the imagination of an emotionally inhibited writer.
Martha and IMartha and I (1990)
Dir. Jiri Weiss
Feat. Michel Piccoli, Marianne Sagebrecht
A touching, humourous yarn from the director's childhood memoirs. He witnesses his eccentric uncle (Michel Piccoli) marry his under–educated…
Match Factory Girl, TheMatch Factory Girl, The (1990)
Dir. Aki Kaurismaki
Feat. Kati Outinen, Elina Salo
Aki Kaurismaki concludes his "Proletariat Trilogy" with this bleakly ironic fable following the drab fortunes of a factory–worker (Kati…
Moon 44Moon 44 (1990)
Dir. Roland Emmerich
Feat. Michael Pare, Lisa Eichhorn, Malcolm McDowell
Low–rent, but tolerable sci–fi action set on a remote corporate mining colony which is under siege from rival interests. Pare plays an…
My Father's GloryMy Father's Glory (La Gloire de Mon Pere) (1990)
Dir. Yves Robert
Feat. Philippe Caubere, Nathalie Roussel, Didier Pain
Archetypal French art movie adapted from the memoirs of author Marcel Pagnol (JEAN DE FLORETTE). Little Marcel takes to life in Provence where even…
My Mother's CastleMy Mother's Castle (Le Chateau de Ma Mere) (1990)
Dir. Yves Robert
Feat. Philippe Caubere, Nathalie Roussel, Didier Pain
Sequel to MY FATHER'S GLORY continues life in Provence with the Pagnol family. The nostalgic vignettes unfold with each frame a scenic wonder to…
Nasty Girl, TheNasty Girl, The (1990)
Dir. Michael Verhoeven
Feat. Lena Stolze, Hans-Reinhard Muller, Monika Baumgartner
Poignant comedy about an essay prize–winning scholar who creates community havoc when she decides to write about her home town during the Third…
Night Sun (Il Sole Anche Di Notte) (1990)
Dir. Paolo Taviani, Vittorio Taviani
Feat. Julian Sands, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Nastassja Kinski
After rejecting nobility, a soldier (Julian Sands) struggles to find fulfilment at a monastery. A thoughtful, near–mythical meditation based on…
NikitaNikita (La Femme Nikita) (1990) Aro Favourite
Dir. Luc Besson
Feat. Anne Parillaud, Jean-Hugues Anglade, Tcheky Karyo
A stylish thriller if ever there was one. The director combines the visual ostentation from his THE BIG BLUE with the plot mechanics of a classic…
Ronin-gaiRonin-gai (Roningai: Street of the Samurai) (1990)
Dir. Kazuo Kuroki
Feat. Yoshio Harada, Renji Ishibashi, Kanako Higuchi
Samurai drama set in the 19th century near the end of the Japanese civil war, following several disgraced and listless ronin who attempt to regain…
Roselyne and the LionsRoselyne and the Lions (1990)
Dir. Jean-Jacques Beineix
Feat. Isabelle Pasco, Gerard Sandoz, Gabriel Monnet
Another visual triumph from the director of DIVA, this is an absorbing account of a teen couple's yearning to tame and perform with lions. The…
Royal Hunt, The (1990)
Dir. Vitaly Melnikov
Feat. Nikolai Yeryomenko Ml, Svetlana Kryuchkova, Anna Sumokhing
Erotic and exotic expose of Catherine the Great and the claimants to her throne in 17th Century Russia. Passion, scandal and lavish costumes come…
Seduction: The Cruel Woman (1990)
Dir. Monika Treut, Elfi Mikesch
Feat. Udo Kier
The director of VIRGIN MACHINE takes her subversive sensibilities further with this outing exploring the activities of a domanatrix. Udo Kier takes…
She Shoots StraightShe Shoots Straight (Huang jia nu jiang) (1990)
Dir. Corey Yuen
Feat. Joyce Godenzi, Sammo Hung
Taut and melodramatic, this HK policier concerns a decorated and ultra–competent female police officer (Godenzi) who arouses jealousy in her…
Skinny Tiger Fatty DragonSkinny Tiger Fatty Dragon (Shou hu fei long) (1990)
Dir. Liu Chia Liang
Feat. Sammo Hung, Liu Chia Liang, Carrie Ng
Amusing action spoof starring the incomparable Samo Hung as one of a pair of bumbling cops who go on the hunt for drug traffickers in Hong Kong, but…
Story of Boys and GirlsStory of Boys and Girls (1990)
Dir. Pupi Avati
Feat. Felice Andreasi, Angiola Baggi, Davide Bechini
A piquant soap opera in which love, lust and class rivalry add to a twenty course meal shared by the thirty relatives of a newly engaged couple in…
SwordsmanSwordsman (1990)
Dir. Ching Siu Tung
Feat. Jacky Cheung, Man Cheung, Sam Hui
A good–natured swordsman from Ming Dynasty China, gets involved in a scramble for a priceless book. Excellent special effects but confusing…
YaabaYaaba (1990)
Dir. Idrissa Ouedraogo
Feat. Fatimata Sanga, Noufou Ouedraogo, Roukietou Barry
All–too–rare African film to emerge on Western shores is a simple delight about a friendship between a 12–year–old boy and an…
A World Without PityA World Without Pity (Un Monde Sans Pitie) (1989)
Dir. Eric Rochant
Feat. Hippolyte Girardot, Mireille Perrier, Yvan Attal
A young Parisian slacker falls in love with an ambitious, bright student but finds the tables turning on his egocentric existence. Rochant's debut…
Belt, TheBelt, The (La Cintura) (1989)
Dir. Giuliana Gamba
Feat. James Russo
American teacher James Russo embarks on an affair with a beautiful Italian woman in Rome, which gets interesting when she buys him a belt... to whip…
Black RainBlack Rain (Kuroi Ame) (1989) Recommended
Dir. Shohei Imamura
Feat. Yoshiko Tanaka, Katzuo Kitamura, Etsuko Ichihara
Alarming, mournful insider's view of post–nuclear devastation that focuses on a surviving family that have been contaminated by the fallout of…
Canton Godfather, TheCanton Godfather, The (Miracles; Mr. Canton and Lady Rose) (1989) Recommended
Dir. Jackie Chan
Feat. Jackie Chan, Anita Mui
Though light on martial arts, this lavish period production is generally considered Jackie Chan's most accomplished movie. At once inspired by THE…
Circus BoysCircus Boys (1989)
Dir. Kaizo Hayashi
Feat. Hiroshi Mikami, Moe Kamura, Shu Ken
Sumptuous film blends illusion and reality in contrasting the paths of two brothers from a circus family, one an idealist who attempts to rejuvenate…
City of Sadness, ACity of Sadness, A (Beiging Chengsi) (1989) Recommended
Dir. Hou Hsiao-Hsien
Feat. Tony Leung (Chiu-wai), Hsin Shu-fen, Chen Sown-yung
The first of the director’s trilogy of films about the modern history of Taiwan, here depicting the unstable post–WW2 period through the eyes…
Complete Works of Michael Haneke BoxsetComplete Works of Michael Haneke Boxset (Seventh Continent, Benny's Video, 71 Fragments, Funny Games, Code Unknown, The Piano Teacher, Time of the Wolf, Hidden) (1989-2005)
Dir. Michael Haneke
The (almost) complete film ouevre of Austrian provocateur Michael Haneke. Includes the previously unreleased (to Region 4) CODE UNKNOWN.
Dark Woods, The (1989)
Dir. Jacques Deray
Feat. Beatrice Dalle
Beatrice Dalle (BETTY BLUE) marries a stranger on a whim, and lives to regret it when her affections for his brother leads to a brutal crime of…
Emma's Shadow (1989)
Dir. Soeren Jacobsen
Feat. Line Kruse, Borje Ahlstedt, Erik Wedersoe
12–year–old Emma, feeling that her affluent parents would care more for her if she were missing, fakes her own kidnapping, and discovers…
Five Days in June (1989)
Dir. Michel Legrand
Feat. Sabine Azema, Annie Girardot, Matthieu Roze
Yet another addition to the canon of dramas based on childhood memoirs. A renowned composer takes the helm to recall five days in his life on the…
I Can No Longer Hear the Guitar / Emergency KissesI Can No Longer Hear the Guitar / Emergency Kisses (1989-1991)
Dir. Philippe Garrel
Feat. Philippe Garrel
Two French drama films by Philippe Garrel, both semi–autobiographical in nature: 'I Can No Longer Hear The Guitar' depicts youthful romance in…
I Want To Go HomeI Want To Go Home (1989)
Dir. Alain Resnais
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Linda Lavin, Laura Benson
Satirical French comedy focused on a washed–up American comic artist who reluctantly visits France for an exhibition, only to run into his…
Iceman Cometh, TheIceman Cometh, The (Time Warriors) (1989) Recommended
Dir. Fok Yiu Leung
Feat. Biao Yuen, Maggie Cheung
A pair of Ming Dynasty adversaries find themselves defrosted 300 years later in contemporary Hong Kong. Film festival fave combines outrageous farce…
Icicle Thief, TheIcicle Thief, The (1989) Recommended
Dir. Maurizio Nichetti
Feat. Maurizio Nichetti
Italy's answer to Woody Allen directs and stars in this zany love story–cum–media satire using the film–within–a–film…
In The Line of DutyIn The Line of Duty (In The Line of Duty 4: The Witness) (1989)
Dir. Yuen Woo Ping
Feat. Donnie Yen, Cynthia Khan , Michael Wong
Although the fourth in a film series about a flashy martial–arts cop, this is generally considered the best, with Yen taking his police job in…
Killer, TheKiller, The (1989) Aro Favourite
Dir. John Woo
Feat. Chow Yun-Fat
Action at break–neck speed with a body–count to match the running time, this smorgasbord of super–violence with lashings of good…
Leningrad Cowboys Go AmericaLeningrad Cowboys Go America (Leningrad Cowboys Meet Moses, Total Balalaika Show) (1989) Recommended
Dir. Aki Kaurismaki
Feat. Jim Jarmusch
Laconic, often funny road movie follows an awful Soviet rock group with outlandish hairstyles across backwater USA. Director is Europe's answer to…
Lily Was Here (1989)
Dir. Ben Verbong
Feat. Marion Van Thijn, Thom Hoffman, Coen Van Vrijberghe de Coningh
Well known for Eurythmics' Dave Stewart's seductive score, the film follows the desperate plight of a young woman forced to resort to prostitution…
Little Thief, TheLittle Thief, The (1989)
Dir. Claude Miller
Feat. Charlotte Gainsbourg, Didier Bezace
Penned by the late Francois Trauffant and completed by his protege, this engaging tale of mis–spent youth follows the adventures of a…
Milou En MaiMilou En Mai (May Fools) (1989) Recommended
Dir. Louis Malle
Feat. Michel Piccoli, Miou-Miou
In May of '68, a rural family gather for the reading of their matriarch's will, an event that will strangely affect their idyllic existence. Stephane…
Nocturne IndienNocturne Indien (1989)
Dir. Alain Corneau
Feat. Jean-Hugues Anglade, Clémentine Célarié, Otto Tausig
Moody drama from dir. Corneau (TOUS LES MATINS DU MONDE) sees a young Frenchman travel to India to search for a missing friend, and get lost in…
Open DoorsOpen Doors (1989)
Dir. Gianni Amelio
Feat. Gian Maria Volente, Ennio Fantastichini, Renato Carpentieri
A resonant political drama set in corrupt fascist Italy about a juror's attempt to save a political murderer from the gallows.
RikyuRikyu (1989)
Dir. Hiroshi Teshigahara
Feat. Rentaro Mikuni, Tsutomu Yamazaki
A unique dramatic meditation on the symbolic qualities of the Japanese tea ceremony, set around a Buddhist priest and the ruling Shogun of Japan in…
Romuald et JulietteRomuald et Juliette (1989) Aro Favourite
Dir. Coline Serreau
Feat. Daniel Auteuil, Firmine Richard, Pierre Vernier
French comedy at its very best contrasts the lives of a yoghurt company director and a black mother–of–five cleaning lady who through…
Sandwich YearsSandwich Years (Les années sandwiches) (1989)
Dir. Emile Ghigo
Feat. Michel Aumont, Clovis Cornillac
In post–war France, a young Jewish boy befriends an elderly op–shop owner after his parents are arrested.
Secret WeddingSecret Wedding (1989)
Dir. Alejandro Agresti
Feat. Floria Bloise, Mirta Busnelli, Tito Haas
An amnesic returns to his home village after 15 years to try to reconstruct his life, but the townspeople shun him and the authorities get…
Seventh Continent, TheSeventh Continent, The (1989) Recommended
Dir. Michael Haneke
Feat. Dieter Berner, Leni Tanzer, Birgit Doll
The disintegration of a seemingly content, middle–class family is at the center of this chilling domestic autopsy; a clinical and cynical…
This Dance Is Ours (Waltzing Regitze) (1989)
Dir. Kaspar Rostrup
Feat. Frits Helmuth, Mikael Helmuth, Ghita Norby
Longtime married couple reminisce the good times and bad when Regitze hosts a party for family and friends. Finely crafted family drama with inspired…
Tie Me Up, Tie Me DownTie Me Up, Tie Me Down (Atame!) (1989) Aro Favourite
Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Antonio Banderas, Victoria Abril
A mental patient kidnaps his sexy B–movie idol in the hope that she will fall in love with him. Teasingly politically unsound, Almodovar…
Tiger On the BeatTiger On the Beat (1989)
Dir. Liu Chia Liang
Feat. Chow Yun-Fat, Conan Lee
Chow Yun Fat buddies up with martial artiste Conan Lee as a pair of mismatched cops in hot pursuit of an international drug syndicate, climaxing in a…
Trop Belle Pour ToiTrop Belle Pour Toi (Too Beautiful For You) (1989)
Dir. Bertrand Blier
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Josiane Balasko, Carole Bouquet
Car salesman Gerard Depardieu has a beautiful wife, but becomes infatuated with his plain yet passionate receptionist. Insightful, melancholy comedy.
Violent CopViolent Cop (1989) Aro Favourite
Dir. Takeshi Kitano
Feat. Takeshi Kitano
Popular entertainer 'Beat' Takeshi's directing debut is a stylish, witty yet cynical and disturbing elegy to violence executed with alarming…
Why has Bodhi-Dharma Left for the East?Why has Bodhi-Dharma Left for the East? (1989) Recommended
Dir. Bae Yong-kyun
A mystical journey into the riddles and symbols of Zen Buddhism through various characters ensconced in a remote monastery. Loosely threaded by a…
ZanzibarZanzibar (1989)
Dir. Christine Pascal
Feat. Fabienne Babe, Andre Marcon, Francis Girod
An enigmatic, sensual work set in the tumultuous and fickle world of film–making where three self–interested obsessives – the…
Zatoichi 26Zatoichi 26 (Darkness Is His Ally) (1989)
Dir. Shintaro Katsu
Feat. Shintaro Katsu
An enjoyable, autumnal revival of the 1960s–70s samurai movie franchise, with a much older Katsu reprising his role of the blind swordsman and…
36 Filette36 Filette (Virgin) (1988)
Dir. Catherine Breillat
Feat. Delphine Zentout, Etienne Chicot, Olivier Parniere
The thrills and fears of a young girl's willed sexual awakening are explored when she opts to accept a ride from a mysterious stranger in order to…
ArielAriel (1988)
Dir. Aki Kaurismaki
Feat. Turo Pajala, Susanna Haavisto, Matti Pellonpaa
A redundant miner takes his newly acquired Thunderbird to Helsinki in search of financial and emotional security, but is hampered with rotten luck. A…
As Tears Go ByAs Tears Go By (Wong gok ka moon) (1988)
Dir. Wong Kar-Wai
Feat. Andy Lau, Maggie Cheung, Jacky Cheung
Dir. Wong Kar–Wai debuted with this ambitious remake of MEAN STREETS, where best buddies Andy Lau and Jacky Cheung struggle through the…
As Thick As Thieves (1988)
Dir. Claude Zidi
Feat. Christophe Malavoy, Claire Nebout, Francois Cluzet
A practical joke goes awry for a group of successful business men who mislead an aspiring friend into thinking he's struck it rich. Hilarious…
Camille ClaudelCamille Claudel (1988)
Dir. Bruno Nuytten
Feat. Isabelle Adjani, Gerard Depardieu, Alain Cuny
Intense, robust biopic of the French artist and lover of fellow sculptor, Auguste Rodin. Their tumultuous affair is passionately incarnated by…
ChocolatChocolat (1988)
Dir. Claire Denis
Feat. Isaach de Bankole, Giulia Boschi, Francois Cluzet
Quietly rewarding autobiographical work follows a young woman to West Africa where she reminisces her childhood. Early work by the director of BEAU…
Cobra VerdeCobra Verde (1988)
Dir. Werner Herzog
Feat. Klaus Kinski
Klaus Kinski stars for the last time for Herzog as another doomed outcast in an alien environment. West Africa is portrayed as a cruel, highly…
DamnationDamnation (Karhozat) (1988) Recommended
Dir. Bela Tarr
Feat. Miklós B. Székely, Vali Kerekes, Gyula Pauer
A magnificent representation of the earlier feature films of Hungarian master of miserabilism Béla Tarr, telling the story of a lonely barfly who…
Decalogue - Parts 1 - 5Decalogue - Parts 1 - 5 (Dekalog) (1988) Aro Favourite
Dir. Krzysztof Kieslowski
The Polish master's extraordinary series of hour–long dramas, each pertaining to one of the ten commandments. He matches the high concept with…
Decalogue - Parts 6 - 10Decalogue - Parts 6 - 10 (Dekalog) (1988) Aro Favourite
Dir. Krzysztof Kieslowski
Continuing Kieslowski's exemplary series of hour–long dramas, with a further five 'commandments'. Episodes: Dekalog 6 – "Thou Shalt…
Dragons ForeverDragons Forever (1988)
Dir. Sammo Hung, Corey Yuen
Feat. Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Biao Yuen
Final martial–arts rumble for the 'three brothers' team of Chan, Hung and Biao (see PROJECT–A), here playing three spokes in a nefarious…
Essential Patrice LeconteEssential Patrice Leconte (Monsieur Hire, Tango, My Best Friend) (1988-2006)
Dir. Patrice Leconte
Three modern French classics from the Patrice Leconte oeuvre.
Flaming BrothersFlaming Brothers (Jiang hu long hu men) (1988)
Dir. Tung Cho 'Joe' Cheung
Feat. Chow Yun-Fat, Alan Tang, Pat Ha
Two close friends from the island of Macao (Tang and Yun–Fat) become dangerously involved in the Chinese triads through decades of prosperity…
HanussenHanussen (1988)
Dir. Istvan Szabo
Feat. Klaus Maria Brandauer
Klaus Maria Brandauer adds to his list of distinctive roles in this allegedly true tale of an Austrian soldier who recovers from shotgun wounds and…
I'm the King of the CastleI'm the King of the Castle (1988)
Dir. Regis Wargnier
Feat. Jean Rochefort, Dominic Blanc, Regis Arpin
The young sons of a rich widowed industrialist and his house matron enter into an increasingly dangerous power play as their parents become close.…
KingsajzKingsajz (Kingsize) (1988)
Locked inside an abandoned library basement, tiny dwarfs work hard to maintain their all–male dwarf commune. When a scientist synthesizes…
La LectriceLa Lectrice (1988)
Dir. Michel Deville
Feat. Miou-Miou, Christian Ruche, Maria Casares
Miou–Miou plays a hired 'reader' who leads us through a series of exchanges with various disabled personalities. A sensual treat for those…
Last Stop ParadiseLast Stop Paradise (Terminus paradis) (1988)
Dir. Lucian Pintilie
Feat. Costel Cascaval, Dorina Chiriac, Gheorghe Visu
French/Romanian drama set against the outskirts of Budapest, centered around the ill–fated love affair between a waitress and a young pig…
Legend of the Holy Drinker, TheLegend of the Holy Drinker, The (1988)
Dir. Ermanno Olmi
Feat. Rutger Hauer, Anthony Quayle, Sandrine Dumas
Rutger Hauer plays a drunken homeless man in Paris who is lent 200 francs by a stranger as long as he promises to repay it to a local church when he…
MapantsulaMapantsula (1988) Recommended
Dir. Oliver Schmitz
Feat. Eugene Majola, Darlington Michaels, Thomas Mogotlane
A disturbingly accurate evocation of township unrest in Soweto, as a young black petty criminal is throne into jail with a militant fraternity whom…
Monsieur HireMonsieur Hire (1988) Recommended
Dir. Patrice Leconte
Feat. Michel Blanc, Sandrine Bonnaire
A lonely, middle–aged tailor becomes obsessed with a glamourous but suspicious woman, whom he observes from his opposing apartment. Melancholy…
Muscle (Kitami) (1988)
Dir. Hisayasu Sato
Feat. Kiyomi Ito, Takeshi Ito, Simon Kamai
Interesting, expressively stylised item from cult Japanese dir. Hisayasu set in the muscle clubs, bars and bedrooms of Tokyo.…
Music Teacher, TheMusic Teacher, The (1988)
Dir. Gerard Corbiau
Feat. Jose Van Dam, Anne Roussel, Patrick Bauchau
Sterling voiced Jose Van Dam plays an opera star who retires to train an aspiring nymphette and her wayward peer. Like the superlative operatic…
Pathfinder (Ofelas) (1988) Recommended
Dir. Nils Gaup
Feat. Mikkel Gaup
Over icy, unforgiving terrain, a 16–year–old boy diverts a group of marauders who have raided his village. Powerful adventure film…
Police Story 2Police Story 2 (1988)
Dir. Jackie Chan
Feat. Jackie Chan, Maggie Cheung
Jackie Chan directs this follow–up to his landmark hit, playing a demoted detective who must use his wiles to track down bomb–scare…
Red SorghumRed Sorghum (1988) Recommended
Dir. Zhang Yimou
Feat. Gong Li, Wen Jiang
A love story set among village winemakers who fight back against Japanese marauders in 1930's China. Blackly humorous and agonisingly horrific, this…
Rouge (1988)
Dir. Stanley Kwan
Feat. Leslie Cheung
Beautiful, haunting ghost story about a 1930s courtesan whose restless spirit roams modern Hong Kong. Asian stars Anita Mui and Leslie Cheung…
Salaam Bombay!Salaam Bombay! (1988) Recommended
Dir. Mira Nair
Feat. Shafiq Syed, Hansa Vithal
Breakthrough Indian film that eschews Bollywood tradition is a compassionate account of an 11–year–old village boy, stranded on the…
Short Film About Killing, AShort Film About Killing, A (1988) Aro Favourite
Dir. Krzysztof Kieslowski
Feat. Miroslaw Baka, Krzysztof Globisz, Jan Tesarz
Feature–length version of Kieslowski's indelibly chilling Decalogue Pt.5 further protracts a cold–blooded murder and the subsequent…
Short Film About Love, AShort Film About Love, A (1988) Recommended
Dir. Krzysztof Kieslowski
Feat. Grazyna Szapolowska, Olaf Lubaszenko, Stefania Iwinska
Extended version of the director's DEKALOG Part 6 – "Thou shalt not commit adultery" shares its voyeuristic premise with MONSIEUR HIRE, though…
Three Seats for the 26thThree Seats for the 26th (1988)
Dir. Jacques Demy
Feat. Yves Montand, Mathilda May, Francoise Fabian
Musical maestro Jacques Demy's last picture was this pseudo–documentary conceived around singer and actor Yves Montand, who returns to his home…
Une Affair Des Femmes (a Story of Women)Une Affair Des Femmes (a Story of Women) (1988)
Dir. Claude Chabrol
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Francois Cluzet
Traumatic, gripping fact–based story about the last woman to be guillotined in France. Isabelle Huppert is in feverish form as the woman both…
Vanishing, TheVanishing, The (1988) Aro Favourite
Dir. George Sluzier
Feat. Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu, Gene Berroets, Johanna Ter Steege
A genuinely creepy psychological thriller – a woman vanishes while on holiday in France, later her boyfriend is taunted in a battle of wits…
Virgin MachineVirgin Machine (1988)
Dir. Monika Treut
Feat. Ina Blum, Marcelo Uriona, Gad Klein
A frustrated German journalist takes her work to San Fransisco in this lesbian odyssey that proudly parades its fringe philosophy and contemporary…
Women On the Verge of a Nervous BreakdownWomen On the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988) Recommended
Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Carmen Maura
Speedy sparkling slapstick from Almodovar, in which pregnant Carmen Maura is dumped by her boyfriend, harassed by his suicidal ex–wife and…
A Taxing WomanA Taxing Woman (1987)
Dir. Juzo Itami
Feat. Nobuko Miyamoto
A nicely offbeat look at the potentially boring subject of tax evasion. Nobuko Miyamoto plays our star tax collector who meets her match in a hotshot…
Angel DustAngel Dust (1987)
Dir. Edouard Niermans
Feat. Bernard Giraudeau, Fanny Bastien, Fanny Cottencon
Accomplished thriller in the film noir tradition about an out–of–luck cop who falls for a woman he later begins to suspect of murder.
Au Revoir Les EnfantsAu Revoir Les Enfants (1987) Aro Favourite
Dir. Louis Malle
Feat. Gaspard Manesse, Raphael Fejto, Francine Racette
Dir. Malle has transformed a childhood memoir into a powerful and vivid account of a catholic schoolboy who unknowingly witnesses anti–semitism…
Babette's FeastBabette's Feast (1987) Aro Favourite
Dir. Gabriel Axel
Feat. Stephane Audran
Oscar–winning and mouth watering delight which tells a wistful, wise tale with a subtle sense of humour. Exiled French housekeeper Stephane…
Better Tomorrow II, ABetter Tomorrow II, A (1987)
Dir. John Woo
Feat. Chow Yun-Fat, Kenneth Tsang, Emily Chu
Sequel to Woo's breakout genre classic finds Chow Yun–Fat shoehorned (as the twin brother of his original role, no less) into another fire…
Blind ChanceBlind Chance (Przypadek) (1987)
Dir. Krzysztof Kieslowski
Feat. Boguslaw Linda
In the opening scene a young Polish medical student (Linda) hurries to catch a train departing from Lodz to Warsaw, from which point dir.…
Boyfriends and GirlfriendsBoyfriends and Girlfriends (My Girlfriend's Boyfriend) (1987)
Dir. Eric Rohmer
Feat. Emmanuelle Chaulet, Sophie Renoir
Through a series of deceptions and misunderstandings, four Parisians come to discover their true feelings for each other. Entrancing tale of…
Chinese Ghost Story, AChinese Ghost Story, A (1987) Aro Favourite
Dir. Ching Siu Tung
Feat. Leslie Cheung
The first of a marvellous trilogy of outrageous fantasies set in Ming Dynasty–era China, in which student Leslie Cheung falls in love with an…
City On Fire (1987)
Dir. Ringo Lam
Feat. Chow Yun-Fat, Danny Lee
Undercover cop Chow Yun Fat is wounded in the aftermath of a bloody heist gone horribly wrong, and trapped in the thieves' hideout as they determine…
Cry of the Owl, TheCry of the Owl, The (Le Cri du hibou) (1987)
Dir. Claude Chabrol
Feat. Christophe Malavoy, Mathilda May, Jacques Penot
Rich adaptation of the Patricia Highsmith novel from New Wave director Claude Chabrol, who probes the mind of a troubled artist obsessed with his…
Dark EyesDark Eyes (1987)
Dir. Nikita Mikhalkov
Feat. Marcello Mastroianni
The Soviet director ventures to Italy for this exquisite Chekhovian romantic tragedy in which Marcello Mastroianni abandons rationale for the allure…
Debajo Del Mundo Debajo Del Mundo (Underground) (1987)
Dir. Beda Docampo Feijóo
Feat. Oscar Ferrigno Jr., Gabriel Rovito
Intense WW2 drama focused on a Polish family who make the drastic decision to bury themselves underground to hide from the Nazis. Based on a true…
EpidemicEpidemic (1987)
Dir. Lars Von Trier
Feat. Lars Von Trier
Typically divisive earlier Lars von Trier effort concerns the making of a low–budget horror movie about a highly contagious disease, thrown…
Girl Who Lived Twice, The (1987)
Dir. Francois Villiers
Feat. Julian Sands
Julian Sands stars in this fantasy/drama about an Indian girl's obsession with finding her alleged rich husband of a past life. Shot in Nepal.
Grand Chemin, Le (1987)
Dir. Jean-Loup Hupert
Feat. Anemone , Richard Bohringer
A charming, heartfelt drama about a childless and unhappy couple who are entrusted with the care of a 9–year–old relative over the summer…
IntervistaIntervista (1987)
Dir. Federico Fellini
Feat. Marcello Mastroianni, Anita Ekberg, Sergio Rubini
An easy–going ode to dir. Fellini's early career at Cinecitta Studios, this takes the form of a mock interview–flashback, with the…
Life Is a Long Quiet RiverLife Is a Long Quiet River (1987) Recommended
Dir. Etienne Chatiliez
Feat. Benoit Magimel, Helene Vincent, Andre Wilms
Wry, off–beat comedy with a resonant message about two families of different classes who discover that their twelve–year–old…
Loner, TheLoner, The (Le Solitaire) (1987)
Dir. Jacques Deray
Feat. Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jean-Pierre Malo, Pierre Vernier
Sub–par Belmondo outing has him play the routine jaded cop out to avenge his partner's death. Low on stunts but high on cruelty this is one for…
Long Live the Lady (1987)
Dir. Ermanno Olmi
Feat. Marco Esposito, Simone Brandalise, Stafania Busanello
Six teenage catering scholars await a banquet at a remote chateau. A telling observation of boyhood evolves, with an emphasis on action and…
MasquesMasques (1987)
Dir. Claude Chabrol
Feat. Philippe Noiret, Bernadette Lafont
Showbiz thriller with an offbeat setting and treatment typical of the director. Phillip Noiret excels as a vain and complacent TV celebrity, with…
Pelle the ConquerorPelle the Conqueror (1987) Recommended
Dir. Bille August
Feat. Max von Sydow
Swedish widower Max Von Sydow emigrates in the 19th century to Denmark with his son, where they struggle against injustice and poverty. Won an Oscar…
SurSur (1987)
Dir. Fernando Solanas
Feat. Susu Pecoraro, Miguel Angel Sola, Philippe Leotard
A political prisoner, freed after five years, confronts his haunting past and alien present before reconciling with his wife. Deeply personal,…
Under the Sun of SatanUnder the Sun of Satan (Soues Le Soleil De Satan) (1987) Recommended
Dir. Maurice Pialat
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Sandrine Bonnaire, Maurice Pialat
Both booed and awarded the top prize at Cannes Film Festival, Pialat's visionary film exemplifies the director's style and his thematic preoccupation…
Wings of DesireWings of Desire (1987) Recommended
Dir. Wim Wenders
Feat. Bruno Ganz, Solveig Dommartin, Otto Sander
Wenders ambitious and hypnotic film centres around two angels who can listen into human thought in pre–unified Berlin. This rich and surreal…
YeelenYeelen (Brightness) (1987) Recommended
Dir. Souleymane Cisse
One the few internationally–seen films from the African continent, this myth–like narrative concerns a young man of the Bambara culture…
Armour of GodArmour of God (1986)
Dir. Jackie Chan
Feat. Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan blows a bigger budget than usual for this crazy quest for some relics of a Crusader's armour in Eastern Europe. Drab stretches are…
Bashu, The Little StrangerBashu, The Little Stranger (1986)
Dir. Bahram Beizai
Feat. Susan Taslimi, Parvis Pourhosseini, Adrian Afravian
Compassionate film follows the plight of a 10–year–old boy whose raided Iranian village forced him to take contentious refuge. Certain to…
Better Tomorrow, ABetter Tomorrow, A (1986)
Dir. John Woo
Feat. Chow Yun-Fat
Chow Yun–Fat stars in the high–octane gangster flick that literally changed the face of the genre. A cop becomes ostracized by the force…
Betty BlueBetty Blue (1986) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jean-Jacques Beineix
Feat. Beatrice Dalle, Jean-Hugues Anglade
Beatrice Dalle stars as the ultra crazy and ultra sexy Betty in this lusty, over–the–top drama as only the French aspire to create.…
CamorraCamorra (1986)
Dir. Lina Wertmuller
Feat. Angela Molina, Harvey Keitel
Complicated but well–judged thriller about the Naples underworld and specifically the use of children in the drug trade. More conventional than…
Decline of the American EmpireDecline of the American Empire (1986) Aro Favourite
Dir. Denys Arcand
Feat. Pierre Curzi, Remy Girard, Yves Jacques
An astute and devastatingly frank expose of the sexes from the director of JESUS OF MONTREAL, that alternately eavesdrops on the separate gatherings…
Eastern CondorsEastern Condors (Dung fong tuk ying) (1986)
Dir. Sammo Hung
Feat. Sammo Hung, Biao Yuen
A Hong Kong riff on THE DIRTY DOZEN, in which 12 Chinese convicts accept a mission into Vietnam to destroy an abandoned American weapons…
Essential Almodovar: Volume TwoEssential Almodovar: Volume Two (Law of Desire, Kika, Flower of My Secret) (1986-1996)
Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Three more Pedro Almodovar films presented in a Collector's Edition box set.
Essential ArcandEssential Arcand (Decline of the American Empire, Jesus of Montreal, Love and Human Remains, The Barbarian Invasions) (1986-2003)
Dir. Denys Arcand
Four of French–Canadian dir. Denys Arcand's quality works in one box–set.
Good Morning, Babylon (1986)
Dir. Paolo Taviani, Vittorio Taviani
Feat. Vincent Spano, Joaquim De Almeida, Greta Scacchi
Two artisan Italian brothers seek their fortune in America and wind up sculpting for D.W. Griffith on the set of INTOLERANCE. An elegant tribute to…
Green Ray, TheGreen Ray, The (Summer) (1986) Recommended
Dir. Eric Rohmer
Feat. Marie Riviere, Lisa Heredia, Beatrice Romand
Exemplary Rohmer material, this bittersweet story follows a reserved young woman on her Riviera holiday, who must assert herself if she is to find…
Heroes Shed No Tears Heroes Shed No Tears (1986)
Dir. John Woo
Feat. Eddy Ko
Bloody actioner has elite commandos having to capture a drug lord and smuggle him into Thailand. Things do not go smoothly. Early John Wood effort…
Jean De FloretteJean De Florette (1986) Aro Favourite
Dir. Claude Berri
Feat. Yves Montand, Gerard Depardieu, Daniel Auteuil
A modern classic of love, greed and revenge set against the beauty of 1920s French Provence, superbly performed by three of France's biggest…
Law of DesireLaw of Desire (1986) Recommended
Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Antonio Banderas, Carmen Maura
Sexual acrobatics and absurd humour abound as it explores the increasingly complex sex–life of a gay film director. Fun screwball romp.
Les Fugitifs Les Fugitifs (1986) Recommended
Dir. Francis Veber
Feat. Pierre Richard, Gerard Depardieu
The inept Pierre Richard teams up with the innocent Gerard Depardieu in a madcap criminal escape after a botched bank–job. The situation…
Man and A Woman: 20 Years Later, AMan and A Woman: 20 Years Later, A (1986)
Dir. Claude Lelouch
Feat. Anouk Aimee, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Richard Berry
Worthy follow–up to Lelouch's seminal 60's romantic drama benefits from appealing performances by it's two leads.
Manon Des SourcesManon Des Sources (1986) Aro Favourite
Dir. Claude Berri
Feat. Yves Montand, Emmanuelle Beart, Daniel Auteuil
Indispensible sequel to JEAN DE FLORETTE concludes Marcel Pagnol's story of innocence, greed, envy and revenge in 1920s Provence. At the time the…
MatadorMatador (1986)
Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Assumpta Serna, Antonio Banderas, Nacho Martinez
Almodovar breaks a few more screen taboos with this erotic black comedy about a bull–fighter and a smart female lawyer who share a morbid…
Mauvais SangMauvais Sang (The Night Is Young) (1986)
Dir. Leos Carax
Feat. Michel Piccoli, Denis Lavant, Juliette Binoche
A street–punk joins a gang of hoods intent on stealing a top–secret serum, but complications prevail. Romantic thriller contains…
Max Mon AmourMax Mon Amour (1986)
Dir. Nagisa Oshima
Feat. Charlotte Rampling
Charlotte Rampling does her stuff... with a chimpanzee called Max? A very dry comedy with some decidedly dicey morality about Man and his closest…
MeloMelo (1986)
Dir. Alain Resnais
Feat. Sabine Azema, Fanny Ardant, Pierre Arditi
New Wave dir. Resnais explores unusually restrained, linear territory in this bittersweet melodrama centered around a love triangle between longtime…
Millionaire's ExpressMillionaire's Express (Foo gwai lit che) (1986)
Dir. Sammo Hung
Feat. Sammo Hung, Biao Yuen, Rosamund Kwan
Camp and hysterical genre mash–up, has Samo Hung as a bumbling brothel–owner who entraps a group of millionaire's in his hometown (by…
Peking Opera BluesPeking Opera Blues (1986) Recommended
Dir. Tsui Hark
Feat. Brigitte Lin, Cherie Chung, Sally Yeh
One of prolific Hong Kong director/producer Tsui Hark's most celebrated films is a genre–blending romp set around the Peking Opera in 1913. A…
Sacrifice, TheSacrifice, The (1986) Recommended
Dir. Andrei Tarkovsky
Feat. Erland Josephson, Susan Fleetwood, Allan Edward
Tarkovsky's final film is this harrowing tale of a man who vows to sacrifice all that he is in order for the world to avoid the apocalypse. Further…
Shadows in ParadiseShadows in Paradise (Varjoja paratiisissa) (1986) Recommended
Dir. Aki Kaurismaki
Feat. Matti Pellonpaa, Kati Outinen, Sakari Kuosmanen
The first film in Kaurismäki's Proletariat Trilogy follows a lonely garbage collector who finds romance with a check–out clerk (Kaurismäki…
TampopoTampopo (1986) Recommended
Dir. Juzo Itami
Feat. Tsutomu Yamazaki, Nobuko Miyamoto, Ken Watanabe
A crazy, satirical comedy in which heroine Tampopo and her cronies strive to create the perfect noodle. A wonderful movie full of hilarious madness…
ThereseTherese (1986)
Dir. Alain Cavalier
Feat. Catherine Mouchet, Aurore Prieto, Sylvie Habault
Brooding realisation of the diaries of a convent girl who achieved sainthood. The meticulous, stylised treatment offers an experience akin to…
Colonel RedlColonel Redl (1985)
Dir. Istvan Szabo
Feat. Klaus Maria Brandauer
Klaus Maria Brandauer offers another tour–de–force performance for the second in Szabo's WW2 trilogy (between MEPHISTO and HANUSSEN)…
Come and SeeCome and See (1985) Aro Favourite
Dir. Elim Klimov
Feat. Aleksei Kravchenko, Olga Mironova, Liubomiras Lauciavicius
Shattering film that chronicles the devastating effect the Nazi occupation had on Russian peasantry, focusing on one impoverished youth. The brutal…
Death in a French GardenDeath in a French Garden (1985)
Dir. Michel Deville
Feat. Anemone , Richard Bohringer, Nicole Garcia
A guitar tutor arrives at the house of a beautiful nymphette and her suspicious mother, where games of sex, power and manipulation unfold ultimately…
Detective, TheDetective, The (1985)
Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Claude Brasseur, Nathalie Baye, Johnny Hallyday
Late, vague genre piece mismatches big name French stars (Baye, Leaud, and a young Julie Delpy) and trench coat chic with Godard’s newfound…
Great Wall, AGreat Wall, A (The Great Wall is A Great Wall) (1985)
Dir. Peter Wang
Feat. Peter Wang, Sharon Iwai, Kelvin Han Yee
The first American film to be shot in China follows a Chinese–American computer executive (the director) and his family to Peking where they…
Hail MaryHail Mary (1985)
Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Myriem Roussel, Thierry Rode, Juliette Binoche
Controversial and ultimately reverent update on the story of the immaculate conception, with Mary as a gas station attendant and Joseph as her cab…
Heart of the DragonHeart of the Dragon (Long de xin) (1985)
Dir. Sammo Hung, Fruit Chan
Feat. Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Emily Chu
Uncharacteristically serious Chan–Hung drama follows police detective Chan's difficulties in caring for his mentally disabled, child–like…
Hour of the StarHour of the Star (1985)
Dir. Suzana Amaral
Feat. Marcelia Cartaxo, Jose Dumont, Tamara Taxman
Distinctive Brazilian drama following the life of an impoverished, orphaned young girl who moves to Rio de Janeiro to take a job as a typist after…
Mishima - A Life in Four ChaptersMishima - A Life in Four Chapters (1985) Recommended
Dir. Paul Schrader
Feat. Ken Ogata
Fascinating study of the controversial Japanese author/militarist whose desire to merge life and art led to his ritualistic suicide. A luminous…
Mr. VampireMr. Vampire (1985)
Dir. Ricky Lau
Feat. Ching-Ying Lam, Siu-hou Chin, Ricky Hui
Influential kung–fu ghostbusting flick is a distinctively Eastern slant on the 'vampire' genre – less like caped Counts, more like…
My Life As a DogMy Life As a Dog (1985) Recommended
Dir. Lasse Hallstrom
Feat. Arnold Alfredsson, Ing-Marie Carlsson, Ralph Carlsson
A young boy is taken away from his ill mother to a rural village where he confronts the likes of death, soccer, guilt and his first love. Ultimately…
My Sweet Little VillageMy Sweet Little Village (1985)
Dir. Jiri Menzel
Feat. Janos Ban, Marian Labuda, Rudolf Hrusinsky
This good–natured charmer examines the comic, sad, quirky and downright ordinary affairs of village life, highlighted by the exploits of a pair…
No EndNo End (Bez konca) (1985)
Dir. Krzysztof Kieslowski
Feat. Grazyna Szapolowska
Bleak but powerful drama about life under martial law in early–1980s Poland, centred around the consequences that follow the death of an…
Official Story, TheOfficial Story, The (1985) Recommended
Dir. Luis Puenzo
Feat. Hector Alterio, Norma Aleandro, Chunchuna Villafane
The heart–wrenching official story of a woman who discovers her adopted daughter was stolen at birth by the then military dictatorship. This…
One Woman or Two (1985)
Dir. Daniel Vigne
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Sigourney Weaver
Screwball comedy has Gerard Depardieu as an archeologist who must choose between the two women in his life – Sigourney Weaver and a…
ParkingParking (1985)
Dir. Jacques Demy
Feat. Francis Huster
Little–seen Jacques Demy musical fantasy that transposes Jean Cocteau's "Orpheus" into the world of 1980s rock.
PolicePolice (1985) Recommended
Dir. Maurice Pialat
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Sophie Marceau, Richard Anconina
Brilliantly idiosyncratic crime thriller co–written by French auteurs Maurice Pialat (who also directs) and Catherine Breillat (A MA SOEUR!),…
Police AssassinsPolice Assassins (Yes Madam) (1985)
Dir. Corey Yuen
Feat. Michelle Yeoh, Cynthia Rothrock, Tsui Hark
Cheesy but fun outing has two hard–as–nails policewomen Michelle Yeoh (in her first lead role) and Cynthia Rothrock turning in their…
Police StoryPolice Story (1985) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jackie Chan
Feat. Jackie Chan, Brigitte Lin, Maggie Cheung
The incomparable Jackie Chan – a mix of Bruce Lee and Buster Keaton – is in prime form here, weaving his brand of sly Asian humour into a series…
RanRan (1985) Recommended
Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Tatsuya Nakadai
The title translates to 'chaos'; it is Kurosawa's vast and bloody interpretation of Shakespeare's King Lear. Grandiose in every sense – a…
SubwaySubway (1985)
Dir. Luc Besson
Feat. Christopher Lambert, Isabelle Adjani
Fast paced action thriller set in the Paris underground. A cool rebel–hero (Christopher Lambert) teams up with Isabelle Adjani in stylish…
Three Men and a CradleThree Men and a Cradle (1985)
Dir. Coline Serreau
Feat. Roland Giraud, Michel Boujenah, Andre Dussollier
Hugely successful comedy that spawned the U.S. remake about three domesticated bachelors who grapple with the needs of an infant and an unsolicited…
VagabondVagabond (1985) Recommended
Dir. Agnes Varda
Feat. Sandrine Bonnaire
Award–winning drama that artfully presents poetic moments from young vagabond Sandrine Bonnaire’s last month alive, listlessly drifting…
Voyeur (Abel) (1985)
Dir. Alex Van Warmerdam
Feat. Alex Van Warmerdam, Henri Garcin, Olga Zuiderhoek
So many windows, so little time! An oddball sex farce in which the director himself plays a binocular–happy mummy's boy who falls in love with…
When Father Was Away on BusinessWhen Father Was Away on Business (1985) Recommended
Dir. Emir Kusturica
Feat. Moreno de Bartolli, Miki Manojlovic, Mira Furlan
A delightful dramedy of social upheaval, set during Yugoslavia’s Tito–Stalin conflict of the 1950s. Kusturica filters the tribulations of…
An Amorous Woman of Tang DynastyAn Amorous Woman of Tang Dynasty (Tong chiu ho fong nui) (1984)
Dir. Eddie Ling-Ching Fong
Feat. Alex Man, Patricia Ha
Patricia Ha stars as the 'amorous woman' in this oddly liberal erotic drama from the Shaw Brothers stable, set around a woman's desire to experience…
And the Ship Sails OnAnd the Ship Sails On (1984)
Dir. Federico Fellini
Feat. Freddie Jones, Barbara Jefford, Victor Poletti
An idyllic odyssey aboard an ocean liner, where celebrated guests who have gathered for the funeral voyage of a great opera star are introduced in…
Comperes, LesComperes, Les (1984)
Dir. Francis Veber
Feat. Pierre Richard, Gerard Depardieu
Pierre Richard and Gerard Depardieu star in this screwball film as two strangers enlisted to help a mutual ex–lover, both thinking they are the…
Eight Diagram Pole Fighter, TheEight Diagram Pole Fighter, The (1984)
Dir. Kar-leung Lau
Feat. Gordon Liu, Alexander Fu, Kara Hui
Hong Kong martial arts epic set circa the 10th century, with a Mongol army attempting to overthrow the influential Yang family, defenders of the Song…
Element of Crime, TheElement of Crime, The (1984)
Dir. Lars Von Trier
Feat. Michael Elphick
A detective’s unconventional methods qualify him for the investigation of child murders in a dark, decaying, post–apocalyptic Germany.…
Full Moon in ParisFull Moon in Paris (1984)
Dir. Eric Rohmer
Feat. Pascale Ogier, Fabrice Luchini, Christian Vadim
From Rohmer's 'Comedies and Proverbs' series, wit and subtlety is derived from the simplest of plots. This time a headstrong woman's plans backfire…
Funeral, TheFuneral, The (1984)
Dir. Juzo Itami
Feat. Tsutomu Yamazaki, Nobuko Miyamoto
A Buddhist funeral service for a brothel owner makes an ideal vehicle for both fiendish black comedy and social satire. An assured debut from the…
Holy Innocents, The (1984)
Dir. Mario Camus
Feat. Alfredo Landa, Terele Pavez, Belen Ballesteros
A soldier returns to his rural croft and recalls his impoverished family's struggle with daily life and unscrupulous landlords. The bitter climate of…
KaosKaos (1984) Recommended
Dir. Paolo Taviani, Vittorio Taviani
Marvellous but rarely seen compendium of four tales (and an epilogue) by Luigi Pirandello set in the parched landscape of Sicily. 'The Other Son'…
Ladies On the Rocks (1984)
Dir. Christian Thomsen
Feat. Gotha Anderson, Bruno Bjorn, Peter Boesen
Two women cabaret performers win the hearts of provincial audiences with their raucous brand of feminist humour. Ironically, their increasing…
Legend of the Suram FortressLegend of the Suram Fortress (1984)
Dir. Sergei Paradjanov
Soviet dir. Sergei Paradjanov resumed his filmmaking career after years of exile with this visually rapturous, obscure folk tale. More opaque in…
Love Unto DeathLove Unto Death (L'amour à Mort) (1984)
Dir. Alain Resnais
Feat. Sabine Azema, Fanny Ardant, Pierre Arditi
Alain Resnais (HIROSHIMA, MON AMOUR) pursues his themes of love and death with this symbolic tale of lovers Simon (Arditi) and Elizabeth (Azema)…
Lust For Love of a Chinese CourtesanLust For Love of a Chinese Courtesan (Ai nu xin zhuan) (1984)
Dir. Yuen Chor
A middling remake by dir. Chor of his own classic 1972 Shaw Brothers sexploitationer INTIMATE CONFESSIONS OF A CHINESE COURTESAN. Tending towards a…
My New PartnerMy New Partner (Les Ripoux) (1984) Recommended
Dir. Claude Zidi
Feat. Philippe Noiret, Thierry Lhermitte
The genial Phillipe Noiret plays a slobbish corrupt cop saddled with a straight–laced partner in this hilarious caper comedy. It's a delight…
Runner, TheRunner, The (1984)
Dir. Amir Naderi
Feat. Abbas Nazeri, Majid Niroumand, Musa Torkizadeh
On a coastline strewn with the flotsam of the Arabian Gulf, an Iranian orphan boy scrapes a living together scavenging and selling ice before it…
Sunday in the Country, ASunday in the Country, A (1984)
Dir. Bertrand Tavernier
Feat. Louis Ducreux, Sabine Azema, Michel Aumont
An elderly painter invites his family to his country villa; in a single day their happinesses and sorrows come to be expressed. Subtle, intelligent…
Swann in LoveSwann in Love (1984)
Dir. Volker Schlondorff
Feat. Jeremy Irons, Ornella Muti, Alain Delon
Lavish filming of Proust's novel 'Remembrance of Things Past' which centres around a high class man who risks everything for his erotic obsessions.…
Three of Us, TheThree of Us, The (Noi Tre) (1984)
Dir. Pupi Avati
Feat. Christopher Davidson, Ida De Benedetto, Gianni Cavina
Charming, though slender, portrayal of Mozart’s teenage life as the 14–year old musical prodigy spends a summer in Italy and starts to…
What Have I Done to Deserve This?What Have I Done to Deserve This? (1984) Recommended
Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Carmen Maura
Carmen Maura plays a delirious feminist housewife in this early black–comic farce from Almodovar, here working at his freshest and most…
Wheels on MealsWheels on Meals (1984)
Dir. Sammo Hung
Feat. Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Biao Yuen
The kung–fu trio of Chan, Hung and Biao travel, to Spain for this rambunctious minor classic, in a tale about food–vendors helping out a…
Yellow EarthYellow Earth (1984) Recommended
Dir. Chen Kaige
Feat. Quiang Liu, Tuo Tan, Xueyin Wang
This spearheaded the wave of modern Chinese cinema to be seen outside the People's Republic. A communist soldier visits a backwards village in 1939…
À Nos AmoursÀ Nos Amours (To Our Loves) (1983) Recommended
Dir. Maurice Pialat
Feat. Sandrine Bonnaire, Maurice Pialat, Cyril Collard
One of dir. Pialat's most satisfying dramas, this concerns a journey of a teenage girl (Bonnaire, in a stunning debut) when her family life turns…
Ballad of NarayamaBallad of Narayama (1983)
Dir. Shohei Imamura
Feat. Ken Ogata, Sumiko Sakamoto, Tonpei Hidari
Austere beauty characterises this second retelling of a Japanese legend, originally filmed in stylised, Kabuki–inspired vignettes. Ken…
CarmenCarmen (1983) Aro Favourite
Dir. Carlos Saura
Feat. Antonio Gades, Laura Del Sol
A choreographer casting Bizet's opera falls for a woman who transpires to be as passionate and treacherous Carmen herself. Carlos Saura's mesmerizing…
Dark HabitsDark Habits (1983)
Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Cristina Pascual
Red–light denizen on the run, Cristina Pascual holes up in a bizarre, wildly improbable Convent of the Humble Redeemers, frequented by…
Devil's SwordDevil's Sword (1983) Recommended
Dir. Ratno Timoer
Feat. Barry Prima
A villager must race a band of marauding psychopaths to find and acquire the legendary Devil's Sword. Unfortunately, the sword is no match for the…
El NorteEl Norte (The North) (1983)
Dir. Gregory Nava
Feat. Zaide Silvia Gutierrez, David Villalpando
The journey northward of a Guatemalan brother and sister (Zaide Silvia Gutierrez and David Villalpando) on the run is an epic saga of the modern…
Fanny and AlexanderFanny and Alexander (1983) Recommended
Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Kristina Adolphson, Borje Ahlstedt, Pernilla Allwin
Dir. Bergman's last film is his least typical, yet one of his finest. It tells a semi–autobiographical family saga through the eyes of two…
Finally SundayFinally Sunday (Vivement Dimanche!) (1983)
Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Fanny Ardant, Jean-Louis Trintignant
A businessman in trouble with the police over the murder of his wife's lover finds solace in his secretary who decides to investigate the case…
First Name: CarmenFirst Name: Carmen (Prenom Carmen) (1983)
Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Maruschka Detmers, Jacques Bonnaffe
Late Godard standout is a markedly nostalgic throwback to his New Wavy years, combining an ad hoc terrorist, ill–fated romance, a…
Fourth Man, TheFourth Man, The (1983)
Dir. Paul Verhoeven
Feat. Jeroen Krabbe
Jeroen Krabbe is a gay alchoholic writer prone to hallucinations who suspects his hairdresser of triple murder. Weird and stylish…
Hong Kong 1941Hong Kong 1941 (Dang doi lai ming) (1983)
Dir. Po-Chi Leong
Feat. Chow Yun-Fat, Alex Man, Kien Shih
One of Chow Yun–Fat's early classics, this portrays the disturbing invasion of Hong Kong by the Japanese in 1941, which disrupts the dreams and…
L'ArgentL'Argent (1983)
Dir. Robert Bresson
Feat. Christian Patey
This bleak, enigmatic crime study depicts the tragic chain of events which emanate from a counterfeit bank note being passed through a photo shop.…
Lady is the Boss, TheLady is the Boss, The (Chang men jen) (1983)
Dir. Liu Chia Liang
Feat. Liu Chia Liang, Chia Hui Liu
Amiable flick concerns a curmudgeonly martial arts teacher who begrudgingly hires a young marketing woman to help keep his martial arts school open,…
Le Dernier CombatLe Dernier Combat (The Last Battle) (1983) Recommended
Dir. Luc Besson
Feat. Pierre Jolivet, Jean Bouise, Jean Reno
The director's impressive debut (at the age of 24) is a post–apocalyptic fable, strikingly filmed in black and white with almost no…
Life Is A Bed Of RosesLife Is A Bed Of Roses (1983)
Dir. Alain Resnais
Feat. Ruggero Raimondi, Fanny Ardant, Geraldine Chaplin
Ambitious fantastical oddity from dir. Resnais was made as a tribute to era–defining French directors Melies, L'Herbier and Rohmer, weaving…
Makioka Sisters, TheMakioka Sisters, The (Sasame-yuki) (1983)
Dir. Kon Ichikawa
Feat. Keiko Kishi, Yoshiko Sakuma, Sayuri Yoshinaga
Lyrical Japanese drama set in the 1930's, following the lives of four siblings who have taken on their father's kimono manufacturing business. Based…
Moon in the GutterMoon in the Gutter (1983)
Dir. Jean-Jacques Beineix
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Nastassja Kinski, Victoria Abril
Dockworker Gerard Depardieu befriends Nastassja Kinski as he hunts for the killer of his sister. Pompous or excellent? Watch and decide for yourself.…
NostalgiaNostalgia (Nostalghia) (1983)
Dir. Andrei Tarkovsky
Feat. Oleg Jankovsky
A lingering essay on the angst of living in exile, with Oleg Jankovsky as a beleaguered Russian academic subsisting in Italy (like Tarkovsky…
Pauline a La PlagePauline a La Plage (Pauline at the Beach) (1983)
Dir. Eric Rohmer
Feat. Amanda Langlet, Arielle Dombasle
Teenage Pauline visits her older cousin plagued with boy trouble. Rohmer again demonstrates his knack for eliciting candid performances from…
Power of Emotion, ThePower of Emotion, The (1983)
Dir. Alexander Kluge
A bold, kaleidoscopic essay film from theorist and New German Cinema co–founder Alexander Kluge, combining staged vignettes with raw archival…
RembetikoRembetiko (1983)
Dir. Costas Ferris
Feat. Sotiria Leonardou, Nikos Kalogeropoulos, Michalis Maniatis
Stirring fictionalized biopic of Marika Ninou, a Greek Rebetiko (urban Greek folk music) singer who lived through some of the most dramatic…
Sheer MadnessSheer Madness (Heller Wahn) (1983)
Dir. Margarethe von Trotta
Feat. Hanna Schygulla, Angela Winkler
Two women, one a withdrawn painter and the other a confident professor, start to rely upon their friendship as an alternative to their unhappy…
Zu WarriorsZu Warriors (Zu Warriors From The Magic Mountain) (1983)
Dir. Tsui Hark
Feat. Biao Yuen, Moon Lee, Brigitte Lin
A renowned fantasy film, in which four medieval warriors search the universe for twin swords with which to defeat a powerful demon, which threatens…
A Good MarriageA Good Marriage (Le Beau Marriage) (1982)
Dir. Eric Rohmer
Feat. Beatrice Romand, Andre Dussollier, Féodor Atkine
An art history student is growing tired of being the mistress of a married painter, then meets a handsome and wealthy younger man whom she vows to…
Balance, LaBalance, La (1982) Recommended
Dir. Bob Swaim
Feat. Nathalie Baye, Philippe Leotard, Richard Berry
Money, loyalty and death hang in the balance in this gritty, Cesar–winning thriller. A crime king–pin is exposed by an…
DantonDanton (1982) Recommended
Dir. Andrzej Wajda
Feat. Gerard Depardieu
A gripping depiction of the political struggle faced by charismatic revolutionary Danton (Gerard Depardieu), whose campaign for peace and tolerance…
DivaDiva (1982) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jean-Jacques Beineix
Feat. Frederic Andrei, Wilhelmenia Wiggins Fernandez, Richard Bohringer
Stylish romantic thriller in which an opera–intoxicated youth bootlegs a concert of an unrecorded opera star which leads to trouble with shady…
Dragon LordDragon Lord (Long xiao ye) (1982)
Dir. Jackie Chan
Feat. Jackie Chan, Wai-Man Chan
Chiefly of interest to Chan–completists, this wraps a threadbare plot about stolen Chinese artifacts around some admittedly spectacular…
Duel to the DeathDuel to the Death (Xian si jue) (1982) Recommended
Dir. Ching Siu Tung
Feat. Norman Chu, Damian Lau
Groundbreaking martial–arts actioner from dir. Ching Siu–Tung (CHINESE GHOST STORY) about a Ming–era duel between a Chinese (Lau)…
FitzcarraldoFitzcarraldo (1982) Recommended
Dir. Werner Herzog
Feat. Klaus Kinski, Claudia Cardinale
Colonialist visionary Klaus Kinski attempts to haul a huge riverboat over a hill in 19th century S. America with the help of Indian…
Human LanternsHuman Lanterns (Ren pi deng long) (1982)
Dir. Chung Sun
Feat. Leih Lo
The Shaw Brothers' first international star, Lo Leih, excels in this horror–suspenser as a mad lampshade maker in olden–day China who…
Impossible Kid, TheImpossible Kid, The (1982)
Dir. Eddie Nicart
Feat. Weng Weng, Romy Diaz, Nina Sara
Chop–socky sequel with world's smallest spy again coming up another baddie intent to destroy the world. Comical dialogue, and more ball busting…
Labyrinth of PassionLabyrinth of Passion (1982)
Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Antonio Banderas, Cecilia Roth, Luis Ciges
A nympho pop singer and her bisexual buddy cruise the decadent nightlife of Madrid, encountering Almodovar's usual slate of deviants –…
Le BalLe Bal (1982) Recommended
Dir. Ettore Scola
A unique ‘concept ballet’, where a revolving cast of dancers wordlessly act out the 20th century history of France in a ballroom. As…
Legend of a FighterLegend of a Fighter (Huo Yuan-Jia) (1982)
Dir. Yuen Woo Ping
Feat. Kar-yan Leung
A 'wireless' kung–fu masterclass from one of Hong Kong's most feted martial arts exponent, dir. Ping (choreographer for THE MATRIX), here…
Legendary Weapons of ChinaLegendary Weapons of China (1982)
Dir. Liu Chia Liang
Feat. Liu Chia Liang
Forthright Shaw Brothers classic with the invincible Gordon Liu as a dogged kung fu master pursued relentlessly by hired assassins. And intriguing…
Living Dead Girl, The (1982)
Dir. Jean Rollin
Feat. Marina Pierro, Francoise Blanchard, Mike Marshall
Rollin's dream–like visual style dominates this Gallic blood–lusting romp about a sexy vampire whose trail of gore engulfs her in bitter…
Night of the Shooting Stars, TheNight of the Shooting Stars, The (Night of San Lorenzo, The) (1982) Recommended
Dir. Paolo Taviani, Vittorio Taviani
Feat. Omero Antonutti, Margarita Lozano, Claudio Bigagli
Set during the German retreat from Italy in 1944, this tragicomedy of War carries a magical nostalgia by being told through the memories of woman who…
Ninja WarsNinja Wars (Iga ninpûchô) (1982)
Dir. Mitsumasa Saito
Feat. Hiroyuki Sanada, Sonny Chiba
Period fantasy action involving magicians, love potions and endangered royalty in ancient Japan, a story resolved with a fair amount of…
PassionPassion (1982)
Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Hanna Schygulla, Michel Piccoli
'Film within a film' from France's thorniest director, sowing narrative confusion in his story of director Michel Piccoli trying to make a arthouse…
QuerelleQuerelle (1982)
Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Brad Davis, Jeanne Moreau
Fassbinder's parting shot is a fittingly bleak, ultra–stylised adaptation of Jean Genet's writings about the (bi)sexual escapades of a…
Return of Martin GuerreReturn of Martin Guerre (1982) Recommended
Dir. Daniel Vigne
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Nathalie Baye
A legendary French tale with Gerard Depardieu as the 16th century peasant who returns to his family after an eight year absense but is suspected of…
Shaolin PrinceShaolin Prince (1982)
Dir. Chia Tang
Feat. Ti Lung
Respected fight choreographer Tang Chia helms one of his few films as director: two princes are separated at birth; one is raised by Shaolin monks…
State of Things, TheState of Things, The (1982)
Dir. Wim Wenders
Feat. Patrick Bauchau, Samuel Fuller, Roger Corman
Reliving the personal turmoil of his first American production (HAMMETT), Wenders fashions a scathing yet oddly comedic…
That Night in VarennesThat Night in Varennes (1982) Recommended
Dir. Etore Scolla
Feat. Marcello Mastroianni, Jean-Louis Barrault, Harvey Keitel
An enthralling, vivid historical drama set during the last days of Louis XVI's reign during the 1791 revolution, but focusing largely on a band of…
Une Chambre en VilleUne Chambre en Ville (1982)
Dir. Jacques Demy
Feat. Dominique Sanda, Danielle Darrieux, Michel Piccoli
Another entirely sung–through French musical from the director of THE UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG, this time set against the backdrop of a workers'…
Veronika VossVeronika Voss (1982)
Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Rosel Zech, Hilmar Thate, Cornelia Froboess
Fictionalised biography of a once famous actress whose career surrendered to drug–addiction, neurosis and the dubious motives of a medical…
Wim Wenders DocumentariesWim Wenders Documentaries (Room 666, Tokyo-Ga, Notebook on Cities and Clothes) (1982-1989)
Dir. Wim Wenders
Three documentaries from the hand of Wim Wenders, concerned with his chief obsessions in Japanese culture and the state of cinema.
36 Chowringhee Lane36 Chowringhee Lane (1981)
Dir. Aparna Sen
Feat. Jennifer Kendal, Dhritiman Chatterjee, Debashree Roy
An English spinster living out her twilight years teaching in India befriends a young couple whose motives might not be what she suspects. Tender…
Aviator's Wife, TheAviator's Wife, The (La femme de l'aviateur) (1981)
Dir. Eric Rohmer
Feat. Philippe Marlaud, Marie Riviere
A young student is devastated when he finds that his girlfriend is cheating on him. In order to find out why she did it, he decides to spy on her and…
Blood WeddingBlood Wedding (1981)
Dir. Carlos Saura
Feat. Antonio Gades
The first of Saura's hot–blooded flamenco dance films captures the preparation and performance a tragic ballet by choreographer/actor Antonio…
Choix Des Armes, LeChoix Des Armes, Le (Choice of Arms) (1981)
Dir. Alain Corneau
Feat. Yves Montand, Catherine Deneuve, Gerard Depardieu
Two disparate ex–convicts face difficulties settling into normal society. Boasts France's greatest acting talents.
Christiane F.Christiane F. (1981) Recommended
Dir. Ulrich Edel
Feat. David Bowie
Absorbing account of the decline and fall into the Berlin's degrading drug and prostitution scene of two young heroin addicts. Features the music and…
City of WomenCity of Women (1981)
Dir. Federico Fellini
Feat. Marcello Mastroianni
Dir. Fellini pushes his fantasies to their zenith (or nadir), again with Marcello Mastroianni as the surrogate male. Falling asleep on a train, he…
Coup de TorchonCoup de Torchon (Clean Slate) (1981) Recommended
Dir. Bertrand Tavernier
Feat. Philippe Noiret, Isabelle Huppert, Jean-Pierre Marielle
Mordantly humourous suspense set in dusty French Senegal, with Noiret playing a much–abused police chief who begins to have dreams of…
Das BootDas Boot (The Boat) (1981) Aro Favourite
Dir. Wolfgang Petersen
Feat. Jurgen Prochnow
Nail biting, meticulous and realistic account of a German U–boat's prowlings through the North Atlantic. The most expensive German film to…
For Your Height OnlyFor Your Height Only (1981)
Dir. Eddie Nicart
Feat. Weng Weng, Yehlen Catral, Carmi Martin
Schlocky riff on the 007 franchise with pint sized ass–kicker Weng Weng as the world's smallest super spy, Agent 00, doing battle with mad…
House By the CemeteryHouse By the Cemetery (1981)
Dir. Lucio Fulci
Feat. Paolo Malco, Giovanni Frezza, Catriona MacColl
One of the most notable from the filmography of director Lucio Fulci is this haunted house movie in which the guests at a New England home are…
La ChevreLa Chevre (1981)
Dir. Francis Veber
Feat. Pierre Richard, Gerard Depardieu
Irrepressible comic duo Richard and Depardieu are paired for the first time; here, the chronically unlucky daughter of a businessman goes missing in…
Les Uns et Les Autres (Bolero) (1981)
Dir. Claude Lelouch
Feat. James Caan, Geraldine Chaplin, Robert Hossein
Sprawling extravaganza of questionable taste is not without its devotees. It charts the impact that music has made on the lives of four…
Lola Lola (1981)
Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Barbara Sukowa, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Mario Adorf
Shattering Fassbinder drama depicting an exotic singer searching for true happiness and survival in post–war Germany. Fassbinder again excels…
Man of IronMan of Iron (1981)
Dir. Andrzej Wajda
Feat. Jerzy Radziwilowicz, Krystyna Janda, Marian Opania
Angry sequel to MAN OF MARBLE covers much the same ground with an alcoholic journalist sent to cover the Polish Solidarity strike and to discredit…
MephistoMephisto (1981) Recommended
Dir. Istvan Szabo
Feat. Klaus Maria Brandauer
An astonishing portrait of the seductive allure of pre–war fascism, faced by a talented actor, aptly played by fine thesp, Klaus Maria…
MontenegroMontenegro (1981)
Dir. Dusan Makavejev
Feat. Susan Anspach, Erland Josephson, Marianna Jacobi
A bored housewife gets caught up in Slavic sex and violence and discovers that she quite likes it. Unpredictable and weird, things become wickedly…
Mysterious Castle in the Carpathians, TheMysterious Castle in the Carpathians, The (Tajemstvi hradu v Karpatech) (1981)
Dir. Oldrich Lipsky
Feat. Michal Docolomansky, Rudolf Hrusinsky, Vlastimil Brodsky
Cult oddity based on the Jules Verne novel The Carpathian Castle, a sci–fi horror story about a campy count who haunts a house overlooking a…
No Time for Tears (1981)
Dir. Hark Bohm
Feat. Marie Colbin, Michael Gwisdek
True story of Marianne Bachmeier who shot the murderer of her child during his trial. Subtle yet disturbing film concentrates on the background to…
PixotePixote (1981) Aro Favourite
Dir. Hector Babenco
Feat. Marilia Pera, Ramos Da Silva
Inspired by the plight of his country's homeless children, dir. Babenco created this semi–improvised odyssey of three boys in the slums of…
Professional, TheProfessional, The (1981)
Dir. Georges Lautner
Feat. Jean-Paul Belmondo
Action and humour alternate in this carefree Belmondo vehicle, in which the French larrikin plays a secret service agent out for revenge.
They Call Her...Cleopatra WongThey Call Her...Cleopatra Wong (1981)
Dir. Bobby A. Suarez
Feat. Marrie Lee
Singapore's top policewoman, the deadly Miss Cleopatra Wong, teams up with her Filipino counterpart to bust a counterfeit operation in this…
Warrior, theWarrior, the (Jaka Sembung) (1981)
Dir. Sisworo Gautama Putra
Feat. Barry Prima
A shirtless Robin hood figure with magical powers fights off the evil Dutch Imperialists. Jam packed with ambitious stunts and unique special effects…
Woman Next Door, TheWoman Next Door, The (1981)
Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Fanny Ardant
Emotional chaos ensues for a happily married man when his old flame, now also married, becomes his immediate neighbour. Taut, intimate melodrama…
Berlin Alexanderplatz (TV Series)Berlin Alexanderplatz (TV Series) (1980) Recommended
Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Gunter Lamprecht, Hanna Schygulla, Elisabeth Trissenaar
This monolithic tome set in Weimar–era Germany represented the peak of dir. Fassbinder's filmmaking career. Across 15 hours, it details the…
Encounters of the Spooky KindEncounters of the Spooky Kind (Gui da gui) (1980) Recommended
Dir. Sammo Hung
Feat. Sammo Hung, Biao Yuen
A groundbreaking Hong Kong blend of martial arts action, horror, and slapstick humour, set around Hung's attempts to battle the voodoo and hopping…
Essential Almodovar: Volume OneEssential Almodovar: Volume One (Pepi Luci Bom, Dark Habits, What Have I Done to Deserve This, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown) (1980-1988)
Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Four early Pedro Almodovar films presented in a Collector's Edition box set.
From the Life of the MarionettesFrom the Life of the Marionettes (1980)
Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Robert Atzom, Heinz Bennent, Martin Benrath
A dark themed and intricately plotted drama from dir. Bergman's later period, concerning a businessman who commits the sex–murder of a…
Germany, Pale MotherGermany, Pale Mother (Deutschland bleiche Mutter) (1980) Recommended
Dir. Helma Sanders-Brahms
Feat. Eva Mattes, Ernst Jacobi
Bleak WWII drama that follows the tragic fate of a couple who marry the day before the war breaks out when he is drafted to the Eastern front only to…
KagemushaKagemusha (1980)
Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Tatsuya Nakadai, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Kenichi Hagiwara
A majestic 16th century saga about a petty thief who ascends to tribal leadership on account of his resemblance to a dying warlord. Shared the top…
La Cage Aux Folles 2La Cage Aux Folles 2 (1980)
Dir. Edouard Molinaro
Feat. Michel Serrault, Ugo Tognazzi, Michel Galabru
Cast and crew reunite for this enjoyable sequel to one of the most successful French comedies of all time. This time our two heroes find themselves…
Last Metro, TheLast Metro, The (1980)
Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Gerard Depardieu
Elegant war story in occupied France, Catherine Deneuve struggles to keep her Jewish husband's theatre operating while concealing his whereabouts.
Lili MarleenLili Marleen (1980)
Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Hanna Schygulla, Giancarlo Giannini, Mel Ferrer
Fassbinder's fact–based account of the recording of the Nazi anthem, sung by a jaded cabaret singer with a Jewish love interest.
LoulouLoulou (1980)
Dir. Maurice Pialat
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Isabelle Huppert, Guy Marchand
Charismatic street rogue Gerard Depardieu lures an impetuous Isabelle Huppert out her stale, bourgeois partnership with Guy Marchand. Star chemistry…
Mon Oncle D'AmeriqueMon Oncle D'Amerique (My American Uncle) (1980) Recommended
Dir. Alain Resnais
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Marie Dubois, Jean Daste
The dir. of LAST YEAR IN MARIENBAD experiments with notions of human behaviour in this unusual drama, centred around the theories of a French…
Un Mauvais FilsUn Mauvais Fils (A Bad Son) (1980) Recommended
Dir. Claude Sautet
Feat. Patrick Dewaere, Brigitte Fossey, Yves Robert
Affecting working–class drama about a young man returning to France after a jail term in the US for narcotics, where his attempt to restart his…
Wim Wenders on FilmWim Wenders on Film (Lightning over Water, The State of Things, A Trick of the Light) (1980-1995) Recommended
Dir. Wim Wenders
Boxset of three underseen Wim Wenders classics, each concerning the agony and ectasy of filmmaking.
Young Master, TheYoung Master, The (Shi di chu ma) (1980)
Dir. Jackie Chan
Feat. Jackie Chan, Biao Yuen
A fine early action–comedy from the phenomenal Jackie Chan, here trying to lure a wayward fellow student back to the 'right' side of martial…
Alexandria... Why? Alexandria... Why? (1979)
Dir. Youssef Chahine
An autobiographical film about the early life of director Youssef Chahine, set in Alexandria. Winner of the Silver Bear at the 29th Berlin…
Amour en fuite, L'Amour en fuite, L' (Love on the Run) (1979)
Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Jean-Pierre Leaud, Marie-France Pisier
The fifth and final entry in dir. Truffaut's loosely autobiographical 'Anoine Doinel' series. Here, the footloose hero reaches his 30s and a new…
Buffet Froid (Cold Cuts)Buffet Froid (Cold Cuts) (1979)
Dir. Bertrand Blier
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Bernard Blier, Jean Carmet
When his lost switchblade turns up as a murder weapon, petty crim Gerard Depardieu goes on the lam in a nightmarish Paris, several disreputable…
Camera BuffCamera Buff (Amator) (1979) Recommended
Dir. Krzysztof Kieslowski
Pointed, if slightly familiar satire of Communist life, has a smalltown clerk in Poland buy a Super8 film camera and begin to film life around him,…
Christ Stopped at EboliChrist Stopped at Eboli (1979) Recommended
Dir. Francesco Rosi
Feat. Gian Maria Volente, Paolo Bonacelli, Alain Cuny
A writer is exiled to the remote South in the mid 1930s. Based on the autobiography of Carlos Levi, this film in four parts contrasts his political…
Egouts Du Paradis, LesEgouts Du Paradis, Les (The Sewers of Paradise) (1979)
Dir. Jose Giovanni
Feat. Francis Huster, Jean-François Balmer, Lila Kedrova
Romantic dramatization of "The Great Drain Robbery" of 1976, in which the Societe Generale Bank of France was robbed of over $10 million dollars by a…
Heroes Of The EastHeroes Of The East (Zhong hua zhang fu) (1979)
Feat. Chia Hui Liu, Yuka Mizuno
Graceful martial arts film focused around a Chinese man who must prove the superiority of Chinese kung fu over Japanese to his disillusioned Japanese…
La Cage Aux FollesLa Cage Aux Folles (1979)
Dir. Edouard Molinaro
Feat. Ugo Tognazzi, Michel Serrault, Michel Galabru
A gay couple masquerade as husband and wife for the sake of their son's marriage prospects. Screwball drag comedy was a phenomenal hit worldwide.
La LunaLa Luna (1979)
Dir. Bernardo Bertolucci
Feat. Jill Clayburgh, Matthew Barry, Alida Valli
A wayward young junkie cuddles up to his Opera–singing mother (Jill Clayburgh) in this peculiar incest drama, shot in lush Bertolucci overtones.
LauraLaura (Laura, Shadows of a Summer) (1979)
Dir. David Hamilton
Feat. Maud Adams, Dawn Dunlap, James Mitchell
One of the dreamy, soft focus movies of fashion photographer Hamilton, featuring his characteristic themes: the coming of age of a young girl in an…
Legend of the MountainLegend of the Mountain (Shan zhong zhuan qi) (1979)
Dir. King Hu
Feat. Shih Chun, Hsu Feng, Sylvia Chang
A scholar translating Buddhist sutras visits a monastery filled with various mysterious characters, in this soothing spiritual drama with elements of…
Magnificent ButcherMagnificent Butcher (Lin shi rong) (1979)
Dir. Sammo Hung, Yuen Woo Ping
Feat. Sammo Hung, Biao Yuen
Peak Samo Hung martial artistry, collaborating here with with action legend Yuen Woo Ping for a tale based on the true–life exploits of Lam Sai…
Passe ton Bac d'abordPasse ton Bac d'abord (Graduate First) (1979) Recommended
Dir. Maurice Pialat
Feat. Sabine Haudepin, Philippe Marlaud, Bernard Tronczak
Dir. Pialat’s matter–of–fact realism and blasé cast of young actors conveys all the aimlessness and uncertainty of youth in this…
Resurrection of Golden WolfResurrection of Golden Wolf (1979)
Dir. Toru Murakawa
Feat. Yusaku Matsuda, Sonny Chiba
A moderately subversive actioner which revolves around an apparently mild–mannered 'salary man' (Matsuda), who by night sheds wig and glasses…
Shaolin TempleShaolin Temple (1979)
Dir. Cheung Hsin Yen
Feat. Jet Li
Martial Arts superstar Jet Li’s debut film, as a Shaolin–trained fighter who exacts revenge upon an evil warlord, already displaying the…
Sisters or the Balance of HappinessSisters or the Balance of Happiness (Schwestern oder Die Balance des Glücks) (1979)
Dir. Margarethe von Trotta
1970s West German drama about two sisters whose unusually close relationship negatively impacts their individual personal lives.
StalkerStalker (1979) Aro Favourite
Dir. Andrei Tarkovsky
Feat. Aleksandr Kajdanovsky, Alisa Frejndlikh, Anatoli Solonitsyn
A stark, apocalyptic vision into a world where the Stalker guides those who wish to enter the forbidden Zone. Intimate, dilatory work conjures images…
Third Generation, TheThird Generation, The (Die Dritte Generation) (1979) Recommended
Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Hanna Schygulla, Margit Carstensen, Eddie Constantine
A scathing black comedy about terrorism, one of the final films of German provocateur Rainer Werner Fassbinder. A hilariously indiscriminate plot…
Tin Drum, TheTin Drum, The (1979) Recommended
Dir. Volker Schlondorff
Feat. David Bennett
One the best films ever made with a child protagonist, David Bennett is unforgettable as a 12–year–old who refuses to grow up and…
To Forget Venice (1979)
Dir. Franco Brusati
Feat. Mariangela Melato, Eleonora Giorgi, Erland Josephson
Brooding melodrama about an extended family reunion in the house of an Operatic matriach.
5 Deadly Venoms, The5 Deadly Venoms, The (Five Deadly Venoms) (1978) Recommended
Dir. Chang Cheh
Feat. Sheng Chiang, Philip Kwok, Feng Lu
A martial arts master commands a student to track down some of his other students and get them to stop those that have used their skills for…
Autumn SonataAutumn Sonata (1978)
Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Ingrid Bergman, Liv Ullmann, Lena Nyman
The resumes of director Bergman and actress Bergman intersect for the first and only time in this, ahem, Bergmanesque (sombre, brutally honest,…
Blood FeudBlood Feud (Fatto di sangue fra due uomini per causa di una vedova - si sospettano moventi politici) (1978)
Dir. Lina Wertmuller
Feat. Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni, Giancarlo Giannini
Convoluted romantic drama set against the rise of Mussolini has recently widowed Loren torn between an attorney and petty thief. Overheated (and…
Drunken MasterDrunken Master (1978)
Dir. Yuen Woo Ping
Feat. Jackie Chan
The martial arts comedy that put Jackie Chan on the map tells the tale of a disobedient son learning the art of Drunken Fist Kung Fu in order to stop…
Empire of the PassionsEmpire of the Passions (ai no borei) (1978)
Dir. Nagisa Oshima
Feat. Tatsuya Fuji, Kazuko Yoshiyuki
Searing, underrated crime of passion from the dir. of IN THE REALM OF THE SENSES focuses less on explicit sex, unfolding as a ghost…
Get Out Your HandkerchiefsGet Out Your Handkerchiefs (Preparez Vos Mouchoirs) (1978)
Dir. Bertrand Blier
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Carole Laure, Patrick Dewaere
Naive, frustrated husband Gerard Depardieu embarks on an unconventional quest to find his listless wife some happiness, firstly by 'lending' her to a…
Grapes of Death, TheGrapes of Death, The (Les Raisins de la Mort) (1978)
Dir. Jean Rollin
Eco–thriller set in the French countryside where a dangerous pesticide used in a local vineyard has turned residents into the walking dead.…
Hitler - A Film From GermanyHitler - A Film From Germany (1978) Recommended
Dir. Hans-Jurgen Syberberg
An epic and highly original exploration of the sources of German fascism, in which experimentalist dir. Syberberg weaves a tapestry of surreal…
In a Year of 13 MoonsIn a Year of 13 Moons (1978)
Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Volker Spengler, Ingrid Caven, Gottfried John
Volker Spengler plays a hopelessly insecure trans–sexual cast adrift amid imposing cityscapes of modern Berlin. Fassbinder trawls out the…
Les Rendez-vous D'annaLes Rendez-vous D'anna (Anna's Meetings) (1978)
Dir. Chantal Akerman
Feat. Aurore Clement, Helmut Griem, Magali Noel
Dir. Akerman channels her nomadic existence in this semi–autobiographical account of a female filmmaker's tour of Europe to promote her latest…
Marriage of Maria BraunMarriage of Maria Braun (1978)
Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Hanna Schygulla
During the reconstruction of post–war Germany, a woman emerges from the ruins of war and marriage to build an empire. Hanna Schygulla oozes…
Orchestra Rehearsal, TheOrchestra Rehearsal, The (1978)
Dir. Federico Fellini
Feat. Baldwin Baas, Clara Colosimo, Elizabeth Labi
A comedy of the absurd about a group of orchestra musicians who stage a revolt against the conductor after the building collapses. Allegory may be…
Tree of Wooden Clogs, TheTree of Wooden Clogs, The (1978) Recommended
Dir. Ermanno Olmi
Feat. Luigi Ornaghi, Francesca Moriggi
Portrayal of early 20th century peasantry in Lombardy, this un–melodramatic alternative to Bertolucci’s NOVACENTO, examines with quiet…
You Are Not AloneYou Are Not Alone (Du er ikke alene) (1978) Recommended
Dir. Ernst Johansen, Lasse Nielsen
Feat. Anders Agensø, Peter Bjerg
Beautifully evocative Danish coming–of–age story set in an all–boys boarding school, which confronts themes of homosexuality and…
A Special DayA Special Day (1977)
Dir. Ettore Scola
Feat. Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni, John Vernon
Quietly subversive drama set entirely in a working–class apartment building in Rome, on the fateful day in 1938 that Mussolini welcomed Hitler…
Ascent, TheAscent, The (Voskhozhdeniye) (1977) Recommended
Dir. Larisa Shepitko
Feat. Boris Plotnikov, Vladimir Gostyukhin, Anatoli Solonitsyn
A Soviet WWII classic shot in appalling winter conditions in which two partisans on a mission to gather food contend with the winter cold, the…
BilitisBilitis (1977)
Dir. David Hamilton
Feat. Patti D'Arbanville
Tissue–thin sex drama from famed 1970s photographer Hamilton (he of those misty images of nude or lace–clad women), going into dreamy…
Chess Players, TheChess Players, The (1977)
Dir. Satyajit Ray
Feat. Richard Attenborough
India's first internationally renowned film–maker draws upon the ancient game of chess as a metaphor for Anglo–Indian political relations…
Clans of IntrigueClans of Intrigue (Chu liu xiang) (1977) Recommended
Dir. Che Yuan
Feat. Ti Lung
Another collaboration between dir. Yuan and the charismatic Ti Lung, in a historical detective story set around a legendary swordsman who tries to…
Death DuelDeath Duel (San shao ye de jian) (1977) Recommended
Dir. Che Yuan
Feat. Derek Yee, Chen Ping, Yu An-an
A Shaw Bros. extravaganza that benefits from its pared–down take on the swordplay–and–intrigue formula and impressive visuals,…
DespairDespair (1977)
Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Dirk Bogarde
Fassbinder's blackly comic adaptation of Nabakov's novel about delusion, depression and decline of the human spirit. Dirk Bogarde plays a Russian…
Golgo 13: Kowloon AssignmentGolgo 13: Kowloon Assignment (1977)
Dir. Yukio Noda
Feat. Sonny Chiba
Sonny Chiba oozes masculine cool as the titular hitman of Takao Saito's best–selling manga. A hard–boiled exploitation noir which doesn't…
HouseHouse (Hausu) (1977) Aro Favourite
Dir. Nobuhiko Obayashi
Feat. Kimiko Ikegami
Words don't do justice to this one–of–a–kind Japanese horror romp about a gaggle of teen girls caught in a haunted house whose…
Man Who Loved Women, TheMan Who Loved Women, The (1977)
Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Charles Denner, Leslie Caron, Brigitte Fossey
Charles Denner plays a dedicated skirt–chaser, who falls in love with women so constantly he is brought to the point of…
Mighty Peking Man, TheMighty Peking Man, The (Hsing Hsing wang) (1977)
Dir. Meng-Hwa Ho
Feat. Danny Lee
A hilarious Shaw Brothers riff on KING KONG, with an earthquake disturbing the slumbers of a giant ape in the Himalayas who then heads into India to…
Padre PadronePadre Padrone (1977)
Dir. Paolo Taviani, Vittorio Taviani
Feat. Omero Antonutti, Saverio Marconi, Marcella Michelangeli
An affecting true story about a Shepherd's son who escapes the shackles of family expectations and returns mature and educated to confront his…
Serpent's Egg, TheSerpent's Egg, The (1977)
Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Isolde Barth, Heinz Bennent, Toni Berger
Jewish trapeze–artist Keith Carradine endures the depravities and anti–semitism of 1920's Berlin. Out of the director's most grotesque…
Soldier of OrangeSoldier of Orange (1977)
Dir. Paul Verhoeven
Feat. Rutger Hauer, Jeroen Krabbe, Derek De Lint
Dutch WWII film by Paul Verhoeven, following several young students during the German occupation of the Netherlands, and the different paths each of…
That Obscure Object of DesireThat Obscure Object of Desire (1977) Recommended
Dir. Luis Bunuel
Feat. Fernando Rey, Carole Bouquet
Masterpiece of loopy morals, terrorist attacks and chastity belts that turns that age old loves–me–loves–me–not story once…
The Devil, ProbablyThe Devil, Probably (Le diable probablement) (1977) Recommended
Dir. Robert Bresson
Feat. Antoine Monnier, Tina Irissari, Henri de Maublanc
Distinctive late–period inclusion into the incredible canon of films from director Robert Bresson (DIARY OF A COUNTRY PRIEST), following a…
18 Bronzemen18 Bronzemen (Return of the 18 Bronzemen) (1976)
Dir. Joseph Kuo
Feat. Tien Peng, Carter Hwang, Polly Shang-Kuan
Two friends must fight their way out of a Shaolin temple – and 18 formidable bronze warriors – in this celebrated kung fu classic.…
19001900 (Novecento) (1976)
Dir. Bernardo Bertolucci
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Robert De Niro
Spectacular saga spans the first half of 20th Century Italy, and follows two men, one a peasant (Gerard Depardieu), the other a nobleman (Robert de…
Allegro Non TroppoAllegro Non Troppo (1976) Recommended
Dir. Bruno Bozzetto
This pastiche of Disney's FANTASIA holds its own with a variety of animators having a ball with the freedom to interpret some popular classical…
American Friend, TheAmerican Friend, The (1976)
Dir. Wim Wenders
Feat. Bruno Ganz, Samuel Fuller, Nicholas Ray
Twisting thriller stars Bruno Ganz as an apparently terminally–ill man duped into murder. Dennis Hopper plays the American 'friend', while…
Body Of My Enemy, TheBody Of My Enemy, The (Le Corps De Mon Ennemi) (1976)
Dir. Henri Verneuil
Feat. Jean-Paul Belmondo, Bernard Blier, Marie-France Pisier
Slow burning thriller with Belmondo as a man wrongly imprisoned for drug trafficking looking to exact revenge on those who framed him. Trading…
BoomerangBoomerang (Comme un boomerang) (1976)
Dir. Jose Giovanni
Feat. Alain Delon, Carla Gravina, Dora Doll
French crime film with Alain Delon playing an ex–gangster and father of a delinquent teen, who is determined to clear his son's name after he…
Challenge of the MastersChallenge of the Masters (Huang Fei-hong yu liu a cai) (1976)
Dir. Liu Chia Liang
Feat. Gordon Lau, Chan Koon Tai, Lai Lai Lee
One of the great exponents of shaolin kung fu cinema, dir. Chia Liang, here casts his attention on the Chinese legend of Fei–hung. Played by…
Chinese Roulette Chinese Roulette (Chinesisches Roulette) (1976)
Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Anna Karina, Margit Carstensen, Brigitte Mira
Daunting Fassbinder drama concerning a cheating mother and father unwittingly convinced by their disabled daughter to each take their lovers on a…
Cria CuervosCria Cuervos (1976) Aro Favourite
Dir. Carlos Saura
Feat. Ana Torrent, Geraldine Chaplin
The remarkable Ana Torrent (SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE) turns in another mesmerizing performance as the middle child of recently deceased parents. A…
Desert of the Tartars, TheDesert of the Tartars, The (1976)
Dir. Valerio Zurlini
Feat. Vittorio Gassman, Jacques Perrin, Helmut Griem
Italian drama set in a hostile East Asian desert, where a isolated Lieutenant defends an old, unmaintained border fortress while awaiting an attack…
Face to FaceFace to Face (1976)
Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Liv Ullmann
A harrowing insight into a nervous breakdown suffered by a woman psychiatrist. Bleak yet compulsive through stylised photography and Liv Ullmanns…
Fellini's CasanovaFellini's Casanova (1976)
Dir. Federico Fellini
Feat. Donald Sutherland
Fellini indulges himself just short of self–parody for a gorgeously stylised, absurdist revision of the life of the 18th Century lover. Donald…
Hand Of DeathHand Of Death (Shao Lin men) (1976)
Dir. John Woo
Feat. Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Biao Yuen
Fairly standard HK action fare with a young Shaolin martial–artist given the difficult task of avenging the death of a member of his order.…
Heart of GlassHeart of Glass (1976)
Dir. Werner Herzog
Feat. Clemens Scheitz
Werner Herzog committed his cast to six months of hypnosis, before embarking on a spellbinding tale of an 18th Century Bavarian glassblower whose…
Hunter Will Get YouHunter Will Get You (L'Alpagueur) (1976)
Dir. Philippe Labro
Feat. Jean-Paul Belmondo, Bruno Cremer
Ice–cool Belmondo thriller about government mercenary who poses undercover as a prisoner to smoke out an insidious criminal mastermind.
In the Realm of the SensesIn the Realm of the Senses (Ai No Corrida) (1976)
Dir. Nagisa Oshima
Feat. Tatsuya Fuji, Eiko Matsuda
Hailed as an erotic masterpiece in some quarters and condemned as mere sexually explicit exploitation in others, Oshima’s indisputably elegant…
Kieslowski Collection, TheKieslowski Collection, The (The Scar, Camera Buff, No End, Blind Chance, I'm So So) (1976-1987) Aro Favourite
Dir. Krzysztof Kieslowski
The acclaimed early works of Krzysztof Kieslowski in a five disc box–set. Includes I'M SO SO, an hour–long tribute to the director…
Kings of the RoadKings of the Road (1976)
Dir. Wim Wenders
Feat. Rudiger Vogler, Hanns Zischler, Lisa Kreuzer
Two men embark on an odyssey of discovery along Germany's East/West border. A thoughtful, illuminating road movie that will ultimately reward…
L'InnocenteL'Innocente (1976) Recommended
Dir. Luchino Visconti
Feat. Giancarlo Giannini, Laura Antonelli, Jennifer O'Neill
Visconti's swan–song is an exquisite noble period drama in which a faithless husband in driven to extremes when his wife bears a child to…
Magic Blade, TheMagic Blade, The (Tien ya, ming yueh tao) (1976) Recommended
Dir. Che Yuan
Feat. Ti Lung, Ching Li, Lo Lieh
Excellent action tale from the prime era of "Wu Xia" cinema, this has three rival swordsman in medieval China compete for possession of a secret…
MaitresseMaitresse (1976) Recommended
Dir. Barbet Schroeder
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Bulle Ogier
An eye–watering, willfully transgressive tale of a petty crook (Depardieu) who enters into a seemingly conventional romance with a…
Man of MarbleMan of Marble (1976) Recommended
Dir. Andrzej Wajda
One of dir. Wadja's later masterpieces is a strong attack on the tactics and hypocrisy of the Communist government of the day. A film student…
Mr. KleinMr. Klein (1976)
Dir. Joseph Losey
Feat. Alain Delon, Jeanne Moreau
A dark, dread–inducing moral tale, with Delon fleecing vulnerable Jews under German–occupied–France, only to be mistaken by…
News From HomeNews From Home (La Chambre, Hotel Monterey) (1976)
Dir. Chantal Akerman
Feat. Chantal Akerman
A beautifully composed tableaux of New York in the seventies, cut to a reading of letters from dir. Akerman's mother. Also includes the…
Satan's Brew Satan's Brew (Satansbraten) (1976)
Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Margit Carstensen, Volker Spengler, Ingrid Caven
Schizophrenic Fassbinder dramedy involving a German poet struck with writer's block that partakes in a number of moneymaking schemes involving his…
Scar, TheScar, The (Blizna) (1976)
Dir. Krzysztof Kieslowski
Feat. Franciszek Pieczka
Dir. Kieslowski's debut theatrical feature follows on from his earlier documentary work in dramatising what happens when a large chemical plant is…
Shaolin Wooden MenShaolin Wooden Men (1976)
Feat. Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan cut his teeth on these cheap fist–and–feet–fests. More intentionally serious than his later star–turns, but…
Small ChangeSmall Change (L'argent de Poche) (1976)
Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Nicole Felix, Chantal Mercier
Childhood in a small French village is portrayed as a series of witty poetic moments in a comedy that’s sunny, tender and finally serious in…
StroszekStroszek (1976)
Dir. Werner Herzog
Feat. Bruno S., Eva Mattes
Powerful tragi–comedy follows a simple–minded Bruno S to America with a prostitute trying to escape her unsavoury past. The film's…
The Marquise of OThe Marquise of O (Die Marquise von O) (1976)
Dir. Eric Rohmer
Feat. Edith Clever, Bruno Ganz
An Eric Rohmer period drama set in 1799 telling the story of the Marquise von O, a virtuous widow, who finds herself pregnant who protests her…
Web of Death, TheWeb of Death, The ( Wu du tian luo) (1976) Recommended
Dir. Yuen Chor
Feat. Yang Chiang, Ching Li, Norman Chu
Shaw Brothers 'wu xia' at its ripest and most expressive, injecting a tale of ancient clan rivalry with great action, creative polish and bizarre…
Woman at Her Window, AWoman at Her Window, A (Une femme à sa fenêtre) (1976)
Dir. Pierre Granier-Deferre
Feat. Romy Schneider, Philippe Noiret
Romy Schneider plays a lovelorn aristocrat torn between a nobleman and a political activist in 1936 Greece.
WoyzeckWoyzeck (1976)
Dir. Werner Herzog
Feat. Klaus Kinski
A version of Georg Buchner's play, matching Herzog to another gloomy Germanic visionary, with Klaus Kinski as the soldier tormented by visions and…
Best French Crime FlicksBest French Crime Flicks (1975-1981)
Dir. Georges Lautner, Jose Giovanni, Alain Corneau
Feat. Jean-Paul Belmondo, Alain Delon, Yves Montand
Three seminal French crime dramas in one collection: THE PROFESSIONAL (1981), THE GYPSY (1975), and CHOICE OF ARMS (1981).
Bullet Train, TheBullet Train, The (1975)
Dir. Jun'ya Sato
Feat. Ken Takakura, Sonny Chiba
Unstoppable, no–holds–barred action vehicle finds Sonny Chiba steering a passenger train rigged with a bomb to explode if its speed drops…
Cousin CousineCousin Cousine (1975)
Dir. Jean-Charles Tacchella
Feat. Marie-Christine Barrault, Victor Lanoux, Marie-France Pisier
Warm, witty and immensely successful comedy in which cousins by marriage take their relationship way beyond the…
Dersu UzalaDersu Uzala (1975)
Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Maksim Munzuk, Yuri Solomin, Svetlana Danilchenko
Kurosawa ventured to Russia for this Oscar–winning epic detailing the experiences of a Russian military explorer in Siberia, and his friendship…
EmilienneEmilienne (1975)
Dir. Guy Cararil
Feat. Betty Mars, Pierre Oudry
French art house erotica based on a novel by Claude Des Olbes about a threesome between a young model, an artist and his wife. Straight faced and as…
Fear of Fear Fear of Fear (Angst vor der Angst) (1975)
Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Margit Carstensen, Brigitte Mira
Overlooked Fassbinder drama following an isolated young mother suffering from post–natal depression who turns to drugs to help her cope. A fine…
Fox and His FriendsFox and His Friends (1975)
Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Peter Chatel, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Adrian Hoven
Fassbinder himself stars in one of his best melodramas as a working class lottery–winner who is exploited by his middle–class lover. A…
Gypsy, TheGypsy, The (Le Gitan) (1975)
Dir. Jose Giovanni
Feat. Alain Delon, Annie Girardot, Paul Meurisse
Alain Delon humours the plight of the gypsy as a gangster with a nomadic past. An obscure, moody crime vehicle.
Je tu il elleJe tu il elle (I, You, He, She) (1975)
Dir. Chantal Akerman
Feat. Chantal Akerman, Niels Arestrup, Claire Wauthion
Dir. Chantal Akerman stars in her debut feature as a lonely drifter whose road trip to nowhere detours via encounters with a male truck driver and a…
Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 BruxellesJeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975) Recommended
Dir. Chantal Akerman
Feat. Delphine Seyrig, Jan Decorte
Delphine Seyrig plays a repressed housewife whose rigid domestic routine – with, secretly, the occasional trick turned on the side –…
Lost Honor of Katherina Blum, TheLost Honor of Katherina Blum, The (1975)
Dir. Volker Schlondorff
Feat. Angela Winkler, Jurgen Prochnow
Taken from the novel by Heinrich Boll, this reproach to the powers–that–be in mid–70s West Germany portrays the hardheaded…
Magic Flute, TheMagic Flute, The (1975) Recommended
Dir. Ingmar Bergman
An immaculately delivered version of Mozart's operatic fairytale, filmed on a special replica of the original 18th century stage. At its simplest,…
Man from Hong Kong, The Man from Hong Kong, The (1975) Recommended
Dir. Brian Trenchard-Smith
Feat. George Lazenby, Bill Hunter, Rebecca Gilling
Cracking martial arts adventure tracking an inspector sent to Australia to expel a drug courier. Photogenically set against the backdrops of Ayers…
Master of the Flying GuillotineMaster of the Flying Guillotine (1975) Recommended
Dir. Yu Wang
Feat. Yu Wang
Legendary martial arts anomaly cited by Quentin Tarantino as his favourite kung fu film, this stars (and is directed by) Jimmy Yu Wang as a…
Mother Kuesters Goes to HeavenMother Kuesters Goes to Heaven (1975) Recommended
Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Brigitte Mira, Ingrid Caven, Karlheinz Bohm
A furiously witty political black comedy from New German Cinema iconoclast Rainer Werner Fassbinder, heavily inspired by the melodramas of Douglas…
SaloSalo (1975)
Dir. Pier Paolo Pasolini
Feat. Paolo Bonacelli, Giogio Cataldi, Umberto Paolo Quintavalle
More extreme in content than anything else in our library, an embittered Pasolini spares the viewer nothing in his faithful adaptation of The Marquis…
Seven BeautiesSeven Beauties (1975) Recommended
Dir. Lina Wertmuller
Feat. Giancarlo Giannini, Shirley Stoler
Wimpish Casanova Giancarlo Giannini is cast wherever the winds of WWII fling him: eventually into a German concentration camp run by Shirley Stoler…
SholaySholay (Flames) (1975) Recommended
Dir. Ramesh Sippy
Feat. Dharmendra , Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjeev Bhaskar
This roundabout Bollywood classic, about a former law enforcer who enlists two criminal misfits to help him seek revenge, plunders spaghetti…
Story Of Adele H.,TheStory Of Adele H.,The (1975)
Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Isabelle Adjani, Bruce Robinson, Sylvia Marriott
A towering performance by Isabelle Adjani anchors this moody, but somewhat turgid romance. Based on the diaries of Victor Hugo's daughter that…
Wrong MoveWrong Move (1975)
Dir. Wim Wenders
Feat. Rudiger Vogler, Nastassja Kinski
A young writer works through his artistic angst and laments the decline of German society in Wenders disquieting road movie. Downbeat, but compelling…
XalaXala (Impotence) (1975) Recommended
Dir. Ousmane Sembene
When a government official (Thierno Leye) in newly–independent Senegal marries a third wife he finds himself struck down with impotence, in…
Alice in the CitiesAlice in the Cities (1974)
Dir. Wim Wenders
Feat. Rudiger Vogler, Yella Rottlander, Lisa Kreuzer
A German journalist's homeward trek is diverted through various cities when he helps a young companion re–locate her family. Wenders'…
AmarcordAmarcord (1974) Recommended
Dir. Federico Fellini
Feat. Bruno Zanin, Pupella Maggio, Armendo Brancia
Fellini's last bonafide masterpiece – an inspired recreation of his memories of growing up in small–town Italy during the Fascist 1930s…
Arabian NightsArabian Nights (Il Fiore Delle Mille e Una Notte) (1974) Recommended
Dir. Pier Paolo Pasolini
Feat. Ninetto Davoli, Franco Citti, Tessa Bouche
For the final part of his “Trilogy of Life”, Pasolini interweaves several of the tales of the ‘Thousand and One Nights’,…
Celine & Julie Go BoatingCeline & Julie Go Boating (Celine et Julie vont en bateau) (1974)
Dir. Jacques Rivette
Feat. Juliet Berto, Dominique Labourier, Bulle Ogier
Rivette assaults the narrative form for his epic–lengthed, dream–like, near indescribable tale of two girls whose lives and imaginations…
Conversation PieceConversation Piece (1974)
Dir. Luchino Visconti
Feat. Burt Lancaster, Helmut Berger, Silvana Mangano
A retired professor, who leads of solitary and ordered existence is disturbed by rich and overbearing new tenants in his Roman palazzo. Assembles…
Effi Briest Effi Briest (1974)
Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Hanna Schygulla
Thoughtful drama, from provocative German Dir. Fassbinder, recounting the story of a stifled married woman whose long hidden affair reveals itself…
Enigma of Kaspar HauserEnigma of Kaspar Hauser (1974) Recommended
Dir. Werner Herzog
Feat. Bruno S., Walter Ladengast, Brigitte Mira
The title refers to the only case of a man who was 'born' as an adult. He has lived in a dark cellar all his life and has never seen another human…
French Screen Icons: Alain Delon 2French Screen Icons: Alain Delon 2 (Icy Flesh, The Gypsy, Like a Boomerang, A Crime) (1974-1993)
Feat. Alain Delon
Four films starring French leading–man Alain Delon.
French Screen Icons: Romy SchneiderFrench Screen Icons: Romy Schneider (Love in the Rain, A Woman at Her Window) (1974-1976)
Feat. Romy Schneider
Two French films from the 1970's starring German–born screen icon, Romy Schneider.
Golden LotusGolden Lotus (Jin ping shuang yan) (1974)
Dir. Han Hsiang Li
Feat. Yang Chun, Hu Jien, Tien Ni
Now rather obscure erotica from the Shaw Brothers, adapting the classic Chinese novel about a 'Casanova' of the Sung Dynasty and various intertwined…
Icy FleshIcy Flesh (Icy Breasts; Les seins de glace) (1974)
Dir. Georges Lautner
Feat. Alain Delon, Mireille Darc, Claude Brasseur
Alain Delon potboiler, with the French leading man succumbing to the wiles of an alluring, if deadly femme fatale. Better known as 'Icy Breasts'.
La Gueule OuverteLa Gueule Ouverte (The Mouth Agape) (1974) Recommended
Dir. Maurice Pialat
Feat. Hubert Deschamps, Monique Mélinand, Philippe Leotard
Devastating drama from dir. Pialat distills autobiographical material into an edifying portrait of terminal illness, and the emotional state of the…
La Maman Et La Putain (the Mother and the Whore)La Maman Et La Putain (the Mother and the Whore) (1974) Recommended
Dir. Jean Eustache
Feat. Bernadette Lafont, Jean-Pierre Leaud, Francoise Lebrun
At just over three and a half hours, this domestic chamber drama – probably the last great film of the French New Wave – is not for the…
Lacombe LucienLacombe Lucien (1974) Aro Favourite
Dir. Louis Malle
Feat. Pierre Blaise, Aurore Clement
A subtle, probing study of the psychology of collaboration set in WW2 rural France, sees young peasant lad Pierre Blaise drawn into the local…
Lady Snowblood 2: Love Song of VengeanceLady Snowblood 2: Love Song of Vengeance (Shura-yuki-hime: Urami Renga) (1974)
Dir. Toshiya Fujita
Feat. Meiko Kaji, Yoshio Harada, Kazuko Yoshiyuki
Excellent, though not widely celebrated sequel, has Kaji put her sword skills to work in Meiji Japan playing off the ruthless government against an…
Lancelot Du LacLancelot Du Lac (1974)
Dir. Robert Bresson
Feat. Luc Simon, Laura Duke Condominas, Humbert Balsan
Bresson endows the legend of King Arthur with his unique style and vision, and exposes a density of ideas by stripping the story back to its base…
Lone Wolf & Cub 6: White Heaven in HellLone Wolf & Cub 6: White Heaven in Hell (1974)
Dir. Yoshiyuki Kuroda
Feat. Tomisaburo Wakayama, Akihiro Tomikawa, Junko Hitomi
The continuing adventures of disgraced Shogun assassin Ogami Itto and his infant son Daigoro. Lone wolf and Cub return for their final battle…
Love in the RainLove in the Rain (Un amour de pluie) (1974)
Dir. Jean-Claude Brialy
Feat. Romy Schneider, Nino Castelnuovo, Suzanne Flon
More pomp and circumstance from Romy Schneider, here playing a well–to–do French woman indulging in various love affairs while holidaying…
MarthaMartha (1974)
Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Margit Carstensen, Karlheinz Bohm
Addressing his favourite subject, emotional cruelty, Dir. Fassbinder skillfully works a vein of pitch–black comedy in depicting Margit…
MirrorMirror (Zerkalo) (1974)
Dir. Andrei Tarkovsky
Feat. Margarita Terekhova, Ignat Daniltsev, Larisa Tarkovskaya
Appropriately titled autobiography of Tarkovsky's childhood, impressioned by the volatile cultural environment. Unique in both form and vision, this…
Nuits RougesNuits Rouges (1974)
Dir. Georges Franju
Feat. Jacques Champreux, Gayle Hunnicutt
Another Franju masked adventure launched from Louis Feuillade serials and his own excellent JUDEX, only this time in filmed in a garish, exagerrated…
Phantom of Liberty, ThePhantom of Liberty, The (1974)
Dir. Luis Bunuel
Feat. Jean-Claude Brialy, Monica Vitti
The great surrealist's penultimate film uses a Chinese–box structure to weave a dream–like tableau of set pieces that waver from to the…
StaviskyStavisky (1974)
Dir. Alain Resnais
Feat. Jean-Paul Belmondo, Francois Perier, Anny Duperey
Belmondo lends his shafty screen persona to the role of notorious financier, swindler, and raconteur Alexandre Stavisky, whose monetary exploits and…
Street Fighter, TheStreet Fighter, The (1974)
Dir. Shigehiro Ozawa
Feat. Sonny Chiba
Career–making martial arts outing for Japanese icon Sonny Chiba, mugging his heart out as a brutal enforcer who turns the tables on his…
Vincent, François, Paul et les autresVincent, François, Paul et les autres (1974)
Dir. Claude Sautet
Feat. Yves Montand, Michel Piccoli, Serge Reggiani
French drama following three friends facing mid–life crises, based on the novel La grande Marrade by Claude Néron.
Wim Wenders Road MoviesWim Wenders Road Movies (Alice in the Cities, Wrong Move, Kings of the Road) (1974-1976)
Dir. Wim Wenders
Boxset compilation of a further three Wim Wenders touchstones, each variations on the quintessential road movie.
Burned Barns, TheBurned Barns, The (Les granges brulées) (1973)
Dir. Jean Chapot
Feat. Alain Delon, Simone Signoret
Moody provincial drama of death and betrayal reunites Delon and Signoret, this time on opposite sides of the law. More a character study than a…
Cauldron Of DeathCauldron Of Death (Ricco) (1973)
Dir. Tulio DeMicheli
Feat. Christopher Mitchum, Barbara Bouchet, Malisa Longo
Masquerading as a B–grade horror, this is actually a melodramatic Italian revenge thriller concerning the son of a murdered mobster who is…
Day For NightDay For Night (La Nuit Americaine) (1973) Recommended
Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Jacqueline Bisset, Valentina Cortese, Jean-Pierre Leaud
The blueprint film about film–making – made a few decades before it became fashionable – mirroring the first–hand experiences…
Don Juan (or if Don Juan Were a Woman)Don Juan (or if Don Juan Were a Woman) (1973)
Dir. Roger Vadim
Feat. Brigitte Bardot, Robert Hossein, Mathieu Carriere
Notable mainly as the last appearance from screen goddess Brigitte Bardot, this erotic drama sees the sex–kitten playing a lusty seductress who…
Fear Eats the SoulFear Eats the Soul (1973)
Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Brigitte Mira, El Hedi ben Salem
A sort of remake of Douglas Sirk's older woman–younger man melodrama "All That Heaven Allows", with added plot weirds countered by typical…
Female Yakuza TaleFemale Yakuza Tale (Yasagure anego den: sôkatsu rinchi) (1973)
Dir. Teruo Ishii
Feat. Reiko Ike
A scorned Reiko Ike returns in this remarkably trashier sequel to SEX AND FURY, ready to unleash another roaring rampage of revenge on sadistic…
Grande Bouffe, LaGrande Bouffe, La (1973) Recommended
Dir. Marco Ferreri
Feat. Marcello Mastroianni, Philippe Noiret, Michel Piccoli
A wonderful bare–faced satire that indulges its social metaphor through a dinner party of four rich, bored middle–aged men who decide to…
I Will Walk Like A Crazy HorseI Will Walk Like A Crazy Horse (J'irai comme un cheval fou) (1973)
Dir. Fernando Arrabal
Feat. Emmanuelle Riva, George Shannon
With VIVA LA MUERTE, this represents the peak of the cinematic surrealism of dir. Arrabal, threading another quasi–medieval fable with liberal…
Illicit DesireIllicit Desire (Feng liu yun shi) (1973)
Dir. Han Hsiang Li
Feat. Hong-Yip Cheng, Chen Ping
Shaw Brothers sexploitation from the early 1970s, this was actually a huge hit at the Hong Kong box–office with three steamy scantily costumed…
Lady Snowblood 1Lady Snowblood 1 (Shurayukihime) (1973) Aro Favourite
Dir. Toshiya Fujita
Feat. Meiko Kaji, Toshio Kurosawa, Masaaki Daimon
A classic samurai B–movie made in the heyday of 'Wu Xia' influence, with Kaji playing a bereaved young woman who seeks revenge on the gangsters…
Lone Wolf & Cub 5: Baby Cart in the Land of DemonsLone Wolf & Cub 5: Baby Cart in the Land of Demons (1973)
Dir. Kenji Misumi
Feat. Tomisaburo Wakayama, Akihiro Tomikawa, Michiyo Ookusu
The continuing adventures of disgraced Shogun assassin Ogami Itto and his infant son Daigoro. In this 5th instalment, Itto must battle 5 samurai to…
Love and Anarchy (1973)
Dir. Lina Wertmuller
Feat. Giancarlo Giannini, Mariangela Melato, Eros Pagni
Cult director Lina Wertmuller's political parable about the would–be assassin of Mussolini who falls in love with a prostitute at his…
Scenes from a MarriageScenes from a Marriage (1973) Recommended
Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Liv Ullmann, Erland Josephson
Married couple Liv Ullmann and Erland Josephson undergo a lengthy emotional ordeal as their marriage disintegrates. Shot in a sparse functional…
Sex and FurySex and Fury (Furyô anego den: Inoshika Ochô) (1973) Recommended
Dir. Norifumi Suzuki
Feat. Reiko Ike
Japanese exploitation cinema proves itself unrivaled with this slice of 70s celluloid anarchy, trailing a mostly nude Reiko Ike as she slashes and…
Shock TreatmentShock Treatment (Traitement de Choc) (1973)
Dir. Alain Jessua
Feat. Alain Delon, Annie Girardot
Pointed medical chiller set in an anti–aging clinic overseen by Delon. This minor genre film is memorable for Girardot and Delon's risque beach…
Slightly Pregnant Man, ASlightly Pregnant Man, A (1973)
Dir. Jacques Demy
Feat. Marcello Mastroianni, Catherine Deneuve
Minor, though broadly enjoyable Demy farce partners Mastroianni and Deneuve as expecting husband and wife. The twist? He's pregnant! Gender politics…
Spirit of the BeehiveSpirit of the Beehive (1973) Aro Favourite
Dir. Victor Erice
Feat. Ana Torrent
Set after the Spanish Civil War, this gorgeous, moving still–life accounts a young girl's obsession with finding a 'spirit' after seeing…
Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe / Return of the Tall Blond ManTall Blond Man with One Black Shoe / Return of the Tall Blond Man (1973)
Dir. Yves Robert
Feat. Pierre Richard, Bernard Blier, Jean Rochefort
A secret service chief arranges for his assistant to investigate an innocent person chosen at random in order to prove him inept. A little dated…
ThemrocThemroc (1973) Recommended
Dir. Claude Faraldo
Feat. Michel Piccoli
Satirical in a most primitive, bestial way, this astonishing fable sees frustrated factory–worker Michel Piccoli cease to speak one morning,…
Touki BoukiTouki Bouki (1973) Recommended
Dir. Djibril Diop Mambety
Feat. Magaye Niang, Mareme Niang
A Senegalese drama, recently restored, about a cowherd and a university student try to make money in order to go to Paris and leave their boring past…
World on a WireWorld on a Wire (1973) Recommended
Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Klaus Löwitsch, Mascha Rabben, Adrian Hoven
Fassbinder's one–and–only sci–fi foray is awash with trademark visual motifs, gaudy fashion, and dramatic power struggles of the…
Zatoichi's ConspiracyZatoichi's Conspiracy (Zatoichi 25) (1973)
Dir. Kimiyoshi Yasuda
Feat. Shintaro Katsu
Blind masseur and swordsman Zatoichi returns to his home town after decades of wandering and trouble, only to find inevitable conflict with a…
A Gorgeous Girl Like MeA Gorgeous Girl Like Me (Une Belle Fille Comme Moi) (1972)
Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Bernadette Lafont, Andre Dussollier
Twisted French black comedy of a licentious, manipulative murderess recounting her sordid past to a green criminology student. Dripping in silly…
Aguirre, Wrath of GodAguirre, Wrath of God (1972) Aro Favourite
Dir. Werner Herzog
Feat. Klaus Kinski
Stunningly shot on location in the Amazon, this spellbinding adventure details the decline and fall of a conquistador (Klaus Kinski) in his maniacal…
All Men are BrothersAll Men are Brothers (Sui woo juen) (1972) Recommended
Dir. Chang Cheh
Feat. David Chiang, Ti Lung, Danny Lee
Slathered with great fight scenes, this Shaw Brothers sequel to THE WATER MARGIN ups the ante considerably, with the band of Outlaw warriors…
Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant, TheBitter Tears of Petra Von Kant, The (1972) Recommended
Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Margit Carstensen, Hanna Schygulla
Lurid, feverish masterpiece from the incredibly prolific Fassbinder, chronicles a doomed lesbian relationship from the claustrophobic confines of…
Canterbury Tales, TheCanterbury Tales, The (I Racconti di Canterbury) (1972) Recommended
Dir. Pier Paolo Pasolini
Feat. Hugh Griffith, Tom Baker, Pier Paolo Pasolini
Pasolini interprets four of Geoffrey Chaucer’s tales in the second of the director's medieval trilogy, set in a bawdy, perverse and dark vision of…
Cesar & RosalieCesar & Rosalie (1972)
Dir. Claude Sautet
Feat. Yves Montand, Romy Schneider, Sami Frey
French romantic drama with Yves Montand and Sami Frey playing contrasting romantic rivals to divorced single mum Romy Schneider. Montand is a coarse…
Cries and WhispersCries and Whispers (1972)
Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Ingrid Thulin, Liv Ullmann, Harriet Andersson
“It’s Monday morning and I’m in pain…” So begins one of Bergman’s most nerve–wrecking psychodramas, set in a 19th household of…
Dead Pigeon on Beethoven StreetDead Pigeon on Beethoven Street (1972)
Dir. Samuel Fuller
Feat. Glenn Corbett, Anton Diffring, Stephane Audran
German police procedural directed by Samuel Fuller, made as part of the television series Tatort but also given a theatrical release in the USA. An…
Dirty MoneyDirty Money (Un Flic) (1972) Recommended
Dir. Jean-Pierre Melville
Feat. Alain Delon, Richard Crenna, Catherine Deneuve
Final film by the suspense–specialist Melville (LE SAMOURAI), spins a familiar tale of cops and bank–robbers involving Alain Delon,…
Discreet Charm of the BourgeiosieDiscreet Charm of the Bourgeiosie (1972) Recommended
Dir. Luis Bunuel
Feat. Fernando Rey, Delphine Seyrig, Stephane Audran
Best Foreign Film Oscar–winner in which six guests convene for a meal they never actually get to eat! Bunuel veers between reality and illusion…
Don't Torture a DucklingDon't Torture a Duckling (1972)
Dir. Lucio Fulci
Feat. Barbara Bouchet, Florinda Bolkan, Tomas Milian
A compelling Giallo mystery from Italian master Lucio Fulci (THE BEYOND) following a detective investigating a series of child murders in a southern…
Fellini's RomaFellini's Roma (1972)
Dir. Federico Fellini
Feat. Federico Fellini
The Italian master's eclectic home town portrait blends reconstructed memoirs and contemporary images (incl. a stunning traffic jam sequence) into a…
Female Convict Scorpion: Jailhouse 41Female Convict Scorpion: Jailhouse 41 (1972) Aro Favourite
Dir. Shunya Ito
Feat. Meiko Kaji, Fumio Watanabe, Kayuko Shiraishi
A classic of Japanese 70s exploitation cinema, this charts the grim road to freedom for a gaggle of women escaped–convicts with a feverish…
French Screen Icons: Jean-Paul Belmondo 2French Screen Icons: Jean-Paul Belmondo 2 (The Inheritor, Scoumoune: Mafia Warfare, The Body of My Enemy) (1972-1976)
Feat. Jean-Paul Belmondo
Three films starring French leading–man Jean–Paul Belmondo.
French Screen Icons: Jean-Paul Belmondo 3French Screen Icons: Jean-Paul Belmondo 3 (The Professional, The Outside Man, The Loner, Amazone) (1972-1987)
Feat. Jean-Paul Belmondo
Four films starring French leading–man Jean–Paul Belmondo.
Hanzo The Razor TrilogyHanzo The Razor Trilogy (The Razor: Sword of Justice; Razor 2: The Snare; Razor 3: Who's Got the Gold?) (1972-1974)
Dir. Kenji Misumi
Feat. Shintaro Katsu
Mind–boggling samurai film series combines a 1970s taste for heroic bloodshed with a strongly Japanese sexploitation angle. Featuring the…
Hapkido Hapkido (Lady Kung Fu) (1972)
Dir. Feng Huang
Feat. Angela Mao, Carter Wong
Old–school chop socky flick centring round rival martial arts schools features none of that tiresome rapid fire editing, but plenty of rapid…
Herzog Kinski CollectionHerzog Kinski Collection (Aguirre, Fitzcarraldo, Nosferatu, Cobra Verde, Woyzeck, My Best Fiend) (1972-1999)
Dir. Werner Herzog
Feat. Klaus Kinski
Fabulous box–set containing six collaborations between the visionary dir. Werner Herzog and his most manic collaborator: Klaus Kinski.
Inheritor, TheInheritor, The (L'Heritier) (1972)
Dir. Philippe Labro
Feat. Jean-Paul Belmondo, Carla Gravina, Jean Rochefort
Shadowy thriller in which a wealthy industrialist dies in an air crash but his son suspects foul play. Soon he finds his own life in peril. Set…
Intimate Confessions of a Chinese CourtesanIntimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan (1972) Recommended
Dir. Yuen Chor
Feat. Lily Ho, Yue Hua, Bei Di
One of the most controversial, yet best directed films of Hong Kong erotic cinema, this shocked avid audiences in its day and exerts a raw power even…
LizaLiza (Love To Eternity) (1972)
Dir. Marco Ferreri
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Marcello Mastroianni, Corrine Marchand
Another fetish piece from dir. Ferreri (GRANDE BOUFFE & BYE BYE MONKEY) sees Liza (Deneuve) stranded on an island playing a 'dog' for Giorgio's…
Lo Scopone ScientificoLo Scopone Scientifico (1972)
Dir. Luigi Comencini
Feat. Bette Davis, Alberto Sordi, Silvana Mangano
Little–known Italian comedy stars Bette Davis as a wealthy, Nora Desmond–esque countess who entices those less fortunate to gamble with…
Lone Wolf & Cub - Complete BoxsetLone Wolf & Cub - Complete Boxset (1972-1981)
Dir. Kenji Misumi
Feat. Tomisaburo Wakayama, Akihiro Tomikawa, Fumio Watanabe
Boxset of all six 'Lone Wolf & Club' installments plus the re–cut/re–dubbed feature film, SHOGUN ASSASSIN.
Lone Wolf & Cub 1: Sword of VengeanceLone Wolf & Cub 1: Sword of Vengeance (1972) Recommended
Dir. Kenji Misumi
Feat. Tomisaburo Wakayama, Akihiro Tomikawa, Fumio Watanabe
The LONE WOLF AND CUB series chronicles the adventures of disgraced Shogun assassin Ogami Itto and his infant son Daigoro, who sell their services to…
Lone Wolf & Cub 2: Baby Cart at the River StyxLone Wolf & Cub 2: Baby Cart at the River Styx (1972)
Dir. Kenji Misumi
Feat. Tomisaburo Wakayama, Akihiro Tomikawa, Kayo Matsuo
The continuing adventures of disgraced Shogun assassin Ogami Itto and his infant son Daigoro. In this second episode, Ogami battles a group of…
Lone Wolf & Cub 3: Baby Cart to HadesLone Wolf & Cub 3: Baby Cart to Hades (1972)
Dir. Kenji Misumi
Feat. Tomisaburo Wakayama, Akihiro Tomikawa, Go Kato
The continuing adventures of disgraced Shogun assassin Ogami Itto and his infant son Daigoro. Ogami volunteers to be tortured by the Yakuza gang…
Lone Wolf & Cub 4: Baby Cart In PerilLone Wolf & Cub 4: Baby Cart In Peril (1972)
Dir. Buichi Sato
Feat. Tomisaburo Wakayama, Akihiro Tomikawa, Michie Azuma
The continuing adventures of disgraced Shogun assassin Ogami Itto and his infant son Daigoro. In the fourth installment of the series, Itto is…
Love in the AfternoonLove in the Afternoon (L'Amour l'après-midi) (1972)
Dir. Eric Rohmer
Feat. Bernard Verley, Zouzou , Françoise Verley
The sixth and final movie in Rohmer's "Six Moral Tales" series concerning a bourgeois man who is still tempted to pursue other women despite being…
LudwigLudwig (1972) Recommended
Dir. Luchino Visconti
Feat. Helmut Berger, Romy Schneider, Trevor Howard
A sumptuous biopic of 'mad' Prince Ludwig II of Bavaria (Berger) who reigned in the mid–1800s, creating and inhabiting his own bizarre world of…
Merchant of Four Seasons, The Merchant of Four Seasons, The (Händler der vier Jahreszeiten) (1972)
Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Hanna Schygulla, Ingrid Caven, Peter Chatel
Crushing melodrama centred on a man whose life begins to cave in on him after returning from service in the Foreign Legion to find his dreams…
Scoumoune: Mafia Warfare Scoumoune: Mafia Warfare (La Scounoune) (1972)
Dir. Jose Giovanni
Feat. Jean-Paul Belmondo, Claudia Cardinale, Michael Constantine
Punchy underworld tale charts the rise and fall of icy hitman Belmondo who returns to Marseilles to help clear his friend of a murder charge. Told…
Seduction of Mimi, TheSeduction of Mimi, The (1972)
Dir. Lina Wertmuller
Feat. Giancarlo Giannini, Mariangela Melato
Satirical comedy taking plenty of shots at Italianisms, about a poor labourer who is forced to leave his family in Sicily to take an illegal factory…
SolarisSolaris (1972) Recommended
Dir. Andrei Tarkovsky
Feat. Donatas Banionis, Natalya Bondarchuk, Juri Jarvet
Brilliant imagery permeates this provocative insight into life on an isolated space station, where madness threatens all who work there. Paced to…
State of SiegeState of Siege (1972)
Dir. Costa-Gavras
Feat. Yves Montand, Renato Salvatori, Maurice Teynac
Influenced by the rise to power of Uruguay's 1970s dictatorship, Costa–Gavras's gritty drama follows the kidnapping and interrogation of U.S.…
Tout Va BienTout Va Bien (Everything’s All Right) (1972)
Dir. Jean-Luc Godard, Jean-Pierre Gorin
Feat. Yves Montand, Jane Fonda, Anita Caprioli
Radical political drama from Nouvelle Vague luminary Jean Luc–Godard and frequent collaborator Jean–Pierre Gorin, set during a wildcat…
Water MarginWater Margin (Seven Blows Of The Dragon) (1972)
Dir. Chang Cheh
Feat. David Chiang, Ti Lung
Perhaps the most spectacular of the 1970s Hong Kong swordplay productions by the Shaw Bros, this epic is set in 12th century Sung Dynasty China,…
We Won't Grow Old TogetherWe Won't Grow Old Together (Nous Ne Vieillirons Pas Ensemble) (1972) Recommended
Dir. Maurice Pialat
Feat. Marlène Jobert, Jean Yanne, Christine Fabréga
A uniquely disquieting film covering the dissolution of an affair between an aged filmmaker and a much younger secretary, based on French director…
Who Saw Her Die?Who Saw Her Die? (1972)
Dir. Aldo Lado, Vittorio De Sisti
Feat. George Lazenby, Anita Strindberg, Adolfo Celi
Moody Italian giallo horror about a child killer roaming the streets of Venice. The family of the latest victim begin their own investigation…
Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the KeyYour Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key (1972)
Dir. Sergio Martino
Feat. Edwige Fenech, Anita Strindberg, Luigi Pistilli
Another brilliantly lurid psycho–sexual horror from Italian giallo master Sergio Martino (THE STRANGE VICE OF MRS. WARDH). Edwige Fenech…
Zatoichi At LargeZatoichi At Large (Zatoichi 23) (1972)
Dir. Kazuo Mori
Feat. Shintaro Katsu, Rentaro Mikuni, Hisaya Morishige
Late–period inclusion to the Zatoichi series has the eponymous blind swordsman helping to deliver a baby, then finding himself honour bound to…
Zatoichi In DesperationZatoichi In Desperation (Zatoichi 24) (1972)
Dir. Shintaro Katsu
Feat. Shintaro Katsu, Kiwako Taichi, Kyôko Koizumi
A particularly bleak inclusion in the iconic ZATOICHI series, with the eponymous blind swordsman (Shintaro Katsu, also directing) seeking to atone…
Alfredo Alfredo (1971)
Dir. Peitro Germi
Feat. Dustin Hoffman
Even Dustin Hoffman is dubbed in this low–rent sex farce that only the Italians seem to find funny. Time has procured it novelty value.
Beware Of A Holy WhoreBeware Of A Holy Whore (Warnung vor einer heiligen Nutte, The Little Chaos, The City Tramp) (1971)
Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Hanna Schygulla
Dubbed Fassbinder's most autobiographical work, this ambiguous comedy investigates relations between a clan of artists attempting to make a film in…
Daughters of DarknessDaughters of Darkness (Le Rouge aux Levres) (1971) Aro Favourite
Dir. Harry Kumel
Feat. Delphine Seyrig, Danielle Ouimet, Andrea Rau
Significant, sultry vampire horror, justly celebrated for its blend of understated dread, unusual eroticism and elegant trappings which has been…
Death in VeniceDeath in Venice (1971)
Dir. Luchino Visconti
Feat. Dirk Bogarde
Dirk Bogarde plays a gay composer whose unspoken obssesion with a young boy detains him in Venice during a cholera epidemic. This soft–focus,…
Duel of FistsDuel of Fists (Kuen gik) (1971)
Dir. Chang Cheh
Feat. David Chiang, Ti Lung, Ching Li
Chiang plays a Chinese boxer who travels to Bangkok, Thailand to find his long–lost brother. Although he is successful, events precipitate a…
Garden of the Finzi-ContinisGarden of the Finzi-Continis (1971)
Dir. Vittorio De Sica
Feat. Helmut Berger, Dominique Sanda
Remarkable comeback for dir. De Sica after being written off by the critics, this winner of 1971s Best Foreign Film Oscar recreates the tragically…
Goalkeeper's Fear of the Penalty, TheGoalkeeper's Fear of the Penalty, The (1971)
Dir. Wim Wenders
Feat. Arthur Brauss
Enigmatic tale of a maturing goalkeeper who abandons his soccer team and ambles about Germany. Dir. Wender's typical sketchbook narrative provides…
Le Souffle Au CoeurLe Souffle Au Coeur (Murmur of the Heart) (1971)
Dir. Louis Malle
Feat. Benoit Ferreux
A much praised coming–of–age tale concerns a sickly, but promiscuous teenage boy growing up in a stilted bourgeois family in 1950s Dijon…
LoveLove (Szerelem) (1971) Aro Favourite
Dir. Karoly Makk
A quiet miracle of the little–seen Hungarian cinema, this quietly impressive story follows a woman's ongoing attention to her vibrant but…
Max and the JunkmenMax and the Junkmen (Max Et Les Ferrailleurs) (1971)
Dir. Claude Sautet
Feat. Romy Schneider
French crime drama set in the noir shaded streets of Paris follows a frustrated detective getting tangled up in a love triangle after commissioning a…
Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh, TheStrange Vice of Mrs. Wardh, The (1971)
Dir. Sergio Martino
Feat. Edwige Fenech, George Hilton, Bruno Corazzari
Mesmerising giallo horror starring 70's Italian cinema queen and frequent Martino collaborator Edwige Fenech as the socialite wife of a diplomat who…
Third Part of the NightThird Part of the Night (Trzecia czesc nocy) (1971)
Dir. Andrzej Zulawski
A World War II film told as a feverish abstract nightmare. Set in Nazi–occupied Poland, the story follows a young man who joins the resistance…
Tombs of the Blind DeadTombs of the Blind Dead (1971)
Dir. Amando De Ossorio
Feat. Lone Fleming, Cesar Burner, Maria Elena Arpon
Savage 13th Century Templars are resurrected in modern times to exact revenge on young nymphs. The Redemption label redeems another trashy bloodlust…
TraficTrafic (Traffic) (1971)
Dir. Jacques Tati
Feat. Jacques Tati
Mr. Hulot's final clownish outing sees him invent a revolutionary motor car which proves to be problematic en route to Amsterdam.
TristanaTristana (1971)
Dir. Luis Bunuel
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Fernando Rey, Franco Nero
Catherine Deneuve plays a beautiful young heroine burdened with a vulgar husband and a knee ailment that will require her leg to be amputated!…
Two English GirlsTwo English Girls (Anne and Muriel) (1971) Recommended
Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Jean-Pierre Leaud, Kika Markham, Stacey Tendeter
A French writer encounters the delicate dilemma of falling in love with both English sisters at a Welsh coastal cottage. Tantalising romance is…
W.R. Mysteries of the OrganismW.R. Mysteries of the Organism (1971)
Dir. Dusan Makavejev
Documentary footage, late sixties counter–culture and fictional elements are freely mixed to explore the ideas of radical sexologist, Wilhelm…
Widow Couderc, TheWidow Couderc, The (La veuve Couderc) (1971)
Dir. Pierre Granier-Deferre
Feat. Alain Delon, Simone Signoret
Rustic thriller with Delon as a brooding stranger embroiled in a torrid affair with hard–bitten widow Signoret. Witty adaptation of a George…
Zatoichi Meets The One Armed SwordsmanZatoichi Meets The One Armed Swordsman (Zatoichi 22) (1971)
Dir. Kimiyoshi Yasuda
Feat. Shintaro Katsu, Yu Wang
An above–average entry in the continuing series, this has the titular blind swordsman assist the Chinese One–Armed Swordsman, who has…
A Swedish Love StoryA Swedish Love Story (1970) Recommended
Dir. Roy Andersson
Feat. Ann-Sofie Kylin, Rolf Sohlman
The debut feature film from director Roy Andersson (YOU, THE LIVING) is an unforgettably beautiful coming–of–age tale inspired by the…
American Soldier, TheAmerican Soldier, The (Der Amerikanische Soldat) (1970)
Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Karl Scheydt, Elga Sorbas, Jan George
The third in a loose trilogy of gangster films directed by prolific German iconoclast Rainer Werner Fassbinder early in his career. A…
Borsalino (1970)
Dir. Jacques Deray
Feat. Jean-Paul Belmondo, Alain Delon, Michel Bouquet
Delightful seriocomic film of two likeable hoods who become gangland chieftains in 1930s Marseilles. Music by Claude Bolling.
Cercle Rouge, LeCercle Rouge, Le (The Red Circle) (1970)
Dir. Jean-Pierre Melville
Feat. Alain Delon, Gian Maria Volonte, Yves Montand
A precisely–crafted colour 'noir' from the French master, dir. Melville, which rejigs the usual ingredients into an exemplary heist…
Claire's KneeClaire's Knee (1970) Recommended
Dir. Eric Rohmer
Feat. Jean-Claude Brialy
The director's fifth moral tale gained him major international recognition. A curiously droll tale of a middle–aged man's obsession with the…
Confession, TheConfession, The (L'Aveu) (1970)
Dir. Costa-Gavras
Feat. Yves Montand, Simone Signoret, Gabriele Ferzetti
A high–ranking government official in Communist Czechoslovakia is taken prisoner and forced to confess to treason he never committed.
Conformist, TheConformist, The (Conformista, Il) (1970) Aro Favourite
Dir. Bernardo Bertolucci
Feat. Jean-Louis Trintignant, Stefania Sandrelli, Gastone Moschin
Dazzling images and a potent brew of sex and politics merge seamlessly in this milestone of cinema about a submissive Italian Fascist recruited to…
Decameron, TheDecameron, The (1970)
Dir. Pier Paolo Pasolini
Feat. Franco Citti, Ninetto Davoli, Jovan Jovanovic
The first part of dir. Pasolini’s ‘medieval trilogy’, this adapts ten of Boccaccio’s famously ribald tales of the Italian Middle Ages. With…
Domicile ConjugalDomicile Conjugal (Bed and Board) (1970)
Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Jean-Pierre Leaud
Serio–comic misadventures of Truffaut's alter–ego, Antoine Doinel, an immature father–to–be who is unsettled in matrimonial…
Donkey SkinDonkey Skin (Peau d'âne) (1970) Recommended
Dir. Jacques Demy
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Jean Marais, Delphine Seyrig
A vibrant, whimsical and genuinely fantastic adaptation of Perrault's classic 17th century fairy tale in which a Princess (Deneuve) disguises herself…
Ear, TheEar, The (Ucho) (1970) Recommended
Dir. Karel Kachyna
Feat. Jirina Bohdalova, Radoslav Brzobohaty, Jiri Cisler
Set over the course of an evening this is a searing look at life under an oppressive totalitarian system and an equally harsh examination of a…
Even Dwarfs Started SmallEven Dwarfs Started Small (1970)
Dir. Werner Herzog
Feat. Helmut Doring, Gerd Gickel, Paul Glauer
A group of dwarfs run riot and take over their penal colony on a bleak volcanic island. Bizarre and unsettling parable will leave an indelible mark…
Fellini SatyriconFellini Satyricon (1970) Recommended
Dir. Federico Fellini
Feat. Martin Potter, Hiram Keller, Max Born
Freely adapted from the Roman author Petronious, this follows the adventures of two bisexual youths through the decadent, fragmented age of Rome's…
Gods of the PlagueGods of the Plague (Götter der Pest) (1970)
Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Hanna Schygulla, Margarethe von Trotta, Harry Baer
The second in a loose trilogy of gangster films directed by prolific German iconoclast Rainer Werner Fassbinder early in his career. In this…
Heroic Ones, TheHeroic Ones, The (1970)
Dir. Chang Cheh
Feat. David Chiang, Chin Han, Ti Lung
Martial arts film set in 1880s imperial China, where a Mogul king secretly assembles his loyal generals on a mission to take on his greatest rivals.…
Incident at Blood Pass, TheIncident at Blood Pass, The (Machibuse) (1970)
Dir. Hiroshi Inagaki
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Shintaro Katsu
Pedigree shogun face off between genre icons Mifune and Katsu in a tautly conceived show down over hijacked gold between a remote mountain pass.…
La RuptureLa Rupture (The Breach) (1970)
Dir. Claude Chabrol
Feat. Stephane Audran, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Jean-Claude Drouot
Stéphane Audran plays a good mother with a chequered past who divorces her deadbeat husband and is targeted by her aggrieved in–laws. In a bit…
MedeaMedea (1970)
Dir. Pier Paolo Pasolini
Feat. Maria Callas
Pasolini's stylised, passionate rendering of Euripides play blessed with the formidable presence of Maria Callas, in a non–operatic role, as…
One Plus OneOne Plus One (Sympathy for the Devil) (1970)
Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Controversial work from dir. Godard's 'Mao–ist' period intercuts a fascinating, disorganised recording session by the Rolling Stones…
Quiet Days in ClichyQuiet Days in Clichy (1970)
Dir. Jens Jørgen Thorsen
Feat. Paul Valjean, Wayne Rodda, Ulla Koppel
Fascinating Danish adaptation of Henry Miller's ribald novel set around the sexual adventures of a young writer and his roommate in 1930s Paris.…
Secret Of Dorian Gray, TheSecret Of Dorian Gray, The (Dorian Gray) (1970)
Dir. Massimo Dallamano
Feat. Helmut Berger, Herbert Lom, Richard Todd
Fleshy retelling of Oscar Wilde's classic tale with Helmut Berger living it up as the decadent naif who fails to age. Certainly the raunchier of…
Spider's Stratagem, TheSpider's Stratagem, The (1970)
Dir. Bernardo Bertolucci
Feat. Giulio Brogi, Alida Valli
Investigating the death of his anti–fascist father, Giulio Brogi is enveloped in an atmosphere of mystery as he strolls the sleepy town where…
Things of Life, The Things of Life, The (Les Choses De La Vie) (1970)
Dir. Claude Sautet
Feat. Romy Schneider, Michel Piccoli, Jean Bouise
Golden Palm nominated French comedy focusing on the life of a fatally injured man who upon seeing his life flash before his eyes realizes he must…
Twelve Gold Medallions, TheTwelve Gold Medallions, The (Shi er jin pai) (1970)
Dir. Cheng Kang
Feat. Yue Hua
A Shaw Brothers "wuxia" film starring Yueh Hua as an emperor loyalist trying to prevent a message enscribed on twelve gold medallions delivered by…
Valerie and Her Week of WondersValerie and Her Week of Wonders (Valerie a tyden divu) (1970) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jaromil Jireš
Feat. Jaroslava Schallerová
Mesmerising surrealist horror film from Czechoslovakia, following a young heroine as she encounters vampires, priests, and other fantasy characters…
Zatoichi Meets YojimboZatoichi Meets Yojimbo (Zatoichi 20) (1970)
Dir. Kihachi Okamoto
Feat. Shintaro Katsu, Toshiro Mifune
An enjoyable spin on the Japanese samurai genre, depicts a comedic rivalry between Katsu and Mifune in a secluded mountain village. Although lacking…
Zatoichi: Festival of FireZatoichi: Festival of Fire (Zatoichi 21) (1970)
Dir. Kenji Misumi
Feat. Shintaro Katsu, Tatsuya Nakadai
One of the strongest of the later films in the 25–strong Zatoichi cycle (this is 21), with the blind masseur with the cane sword getting into…
Army of ShadowsArmy of Shadows (L'Armée des Ombres, aka Army in the Shadows) (1969) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jean-Pierre Melville
Feat. Lino Ventura, Paul Meurisse, Jean-Pierre Cassel
Melville’s heavyweight masterpiece – by turns sombre, exhilarating, and tension–filled – tackles the clandestine rearguard…
Boucher, LeBoucher, Le (The Butcher) (1969) Recommended
Dir. Claude Chabrol
Feat. Stephane Audran, Jean Yanne
Psychological thriller probes the perhaps dangerous liaison between a celibate school–teacher and a murder suspect, the local butcher. Rich in…
Colour of PomegranatesColour of Pomegranates (Color of Pomegranates) (1969)
Dir. Sergei Paradjanov
Feat. Sofiko Chiaurel, Melkon Aleksanyan, Vilen Galstyan
A visually exquisite, at times baffling film from the much–censored Armenian director. Retells the life of 18th century mystic poet Sayat Nova…
Dillinger is DeadDillinger is Dead (1969) Recommended
Dir. Marco Ferreri
Feat. Michel Piccoli, Anita Pallenberg, Annie Girardot
Indefinable late–sixties curio finds gas mask designer Michel Piccoli at a loose end in his gaudy suburban home. A gun that may have belonged…
Double SuicideDouble Suicide (Shinjû: Ten no amijima) (1969) Recommended
Dir. Masahiro Shinoda
Feat. Kichiemon Nakamura, Shiwa Iwashita, Hosie Komatsu
A landmark of avant–garde Japanese cinema aims to replicate the startling aesthetic of traditional 'bunraku' puppetry in its enactment of an…
Femme Infidele, LaFemme Infidele, La (The Unfaithful Wife) (1969)
Dir. Claude Chabrol
Feat. Michel Bouquet, Stephane Audran, Maurice Ronet
French bourgeoisie couple Michel Bouquet and Stephane Audran form a murderous love–triangle with seducer Maurice Ronet, revealing the hidden…
Funeral Parade of RosesFuneral Parade of Roses (Bara no Soretsu) (1969) Recommended
Dir. Toshio Matsumoto
Feat. Shinnosuke Ikehata (aka Peter), Yoshio Tsuchiya
A bold and significant product of the Japanese New Wave that loosely transposes Oedipus Rex to the underground gay culture of 1960s Tokyo with a…
Katzelmacher Katzelmacher (1969)
Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Hanna Schygulla
Daring Fassbinder drama focused on a group of Munich friends indulging in the banality of their ordered lives until the arrival of a Greek immigrant…
Le Gai SavoirLe Gai Savoir (Joy Of Learning) (1969)
Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Juliet Berto, Jean-Pierre Leaud
Challenging offering from dir. Godard puts two actors on a soundstage and allows them to dwell on ideologies, concepts and complex understandings of…
Love is Colder Than DeathLove is Colder Than Death (Liebe ist kälter als der Tod) (1969)
Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Ulli Lommel, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Hanna Schygulla
The first in a loose trilogy of gangster films directed by prolific German iconoclast Rainer Werner Fassbinder early in his career. Fassbinder…
Ma Nuit Chez MaudMa Nuit Chez Maud (My Night at Maud's / My Night with Maud) (1969)
Dir. Eric Rohmer
Feat. Jean-Louis Trintignant, Francoise Fabian, Marie-Christine Barrault
Rohmer's fourth moral tale again presents the idea of a man's romantic dilemma with more than one woman in his life. The wordy philosophising is…
Mississippi MermaidMississippi Mermaid (1969)
Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Jean-Paul Belmondo
Tobacco baron Belmondo sends for a mail–order bride, gets the ravishing Deneuve. Too bad she's a con–artist with an inescapable past.…
Passion of Anna, ThePassion of Anna, The (1969) Recommended
Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Liv Ullmann, Max von Sydow, Bibi Andersson
Unpleasant drama set on a barren island with widow Ullman finding misery loves company in the form of tortured ex–convict von Sydow. Meanwhile…
Perversion StoryPerversion Story (1969)
Dir. Lucio Fulci
Feat. Jean Sorel, Elsa Martinelli, Marisa Mell
Erotic shocker from the priest of perversion. An unfortunate doctor falls in with an amoral stripper who happens to resemble his dead wife.
Que La Bete MeureQue La Bete Meure (This Man Must Die) (1969)
Dir. Claude Chabrol
Feat. Michel Duchaussoy, Jean Yanne, Caroline Cellier
Thriller based on the book called The Beast Must Die by Cecil Day–Lewis (under the pseudonym Nicholas Blake), about a man who becomes involved…
Red LionRed Lion (Akage) (1969)
Dir. Kihachi Okamoto
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Shiwa Iwashita
A fine samurai comedy from dir. Okamoto (KILL!), has a luckless soldier (Toshiro Mifune) don a brilliant red hairpiece (thus impersonating a…
SloganSlogan (1969) Recommended
Dir. Pierre Grimblat
Feat. Jane Birkin, Serge Gainsbourg
Vivacious French romance about a reckless advertising director who throws caution to the wind and abandons his preggers wife to embark on a worldwide…
Spirits of the DeadSpirits of the Dead (Histoires Extraordinaires) (1969)
Dir. Louis Malle, Federico Fellini, Roger Vadim
Feat. Brigitte Bardot, Terence Stamp, Alain Delon
A classy compendium of three Edgar Allan Poe stories directed by Europe's finest. Metzengerstein (Dir. Roger Vadim) – Jane and Peter Fonda…
Touch of Zen, ATouch of Zen, A (Hsia Nu) (1969) Recommended
Dir. King Hu
Feat. Hsu Feng
A dazzling blend of medieval potboiler, religious fable and martial arts spectacular, set in an ancient China wracked by civil war. Centred on the…
Bouncing Beauty, TheBouncing Beauty, The (The Little Bather) (1968)
Dir. Robert Dhéry
Feat. Louis de Funès, Franco Fabrizi
A zany and plotless comic gem from France's top comedian, Louis de Funès, distinctive for its hilarious visual gags. Funès plays a maniacal CEO of…
Bride Wore Black, TheBride Wore Black, The (La Mariée était en noir) (1968)
Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Jeanne Moreau, Michel Bouquet, Jean-Claude Brialy
Traumatised by her fiance's death, moments before due to be wed, Jeanne Moreau dedicates herself to a long–term plan of revenge, hunting and…
Chronicle of Anna Magdalena BachChronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach (1968)
Dir. Daniele Huillet, Jean-Marie Straub
Feat. Gustav Leonhardt, Christiane Lang
Less astringent than the reputation of husband and wife filmmakers Straub–Huillet would suggest, this lean but invigorating treatment of Johann…
Claude Chabrol Boxset Vol. 1Claude Chabrol Boxset Vol. 1 (Les Biches, Le Boucher, Que La Bete Meure, La Femme Infidele) (1968-1969)
Dir. Claude Chabrol
Four classic films from the French master of suspense's late sixties output. Also includes the documentary GRAND MANEGE: THE LIFE AND WORK OF CLAUDE…
Cremator, TheCremator, The (1968)
Dir. Juraz Herz
Feat. Rudolf Hrusinsky, Vlasta Chramostova
Widely considered one of the greatest films of the Czech new wave, a blackly humorous fantasy horror following the increasingly deranged impulses of…
Damned, TheDamned, The (1968)
Dir. Luchino Visconti
Feat. Dirk Bogarde, Ingrid Thulin, Helmut Berger
Italian dir. Luchino Visconti casts a languorous eye over the decline of a German industrialist family during the Nazi era. Heavyweight cast includes…
Farewell, FriendFarewell, Friend (Honor Among Thieves) (1968)
Dir. Jean Herman
Feat. Alain Delon, Charles Bronson
Dependable French caper, centered on an elaborate heist, with warhorses Branson and Delon thick as thieves in vying to crack the same high security…
Hour Of The WolfHour Of The Wolf (Vargtimmen) (1968) Recommended
Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Max von Sydow, Liv Ullmann
One of dir. Bergman's most troubled visions, this concerns the descent of an unstable artist (von Sydow) and his sensitive wife (Ullmann) into a…
Ingmar Bergman CollectionIngmar Bergman Collection (The Serpent's Egg, The Hour of the Wolf, The Passion of Anna, Skammen) (1968-1977)
Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Liv Ullmann, Max von Sydow
A collection of four of the Swedish master's most challenging and thought provoking works: THE SERPENT'S EGG, THE HOUR OF THE WOLF, THE PASSION OF…
Kill!Kill! (Kiru) (1968)
Dir. Kihachi Okamoto
Feat. Tatsuya Nakadai
A sharp and blackly comic tale set in 1830s Japan around two bedraggled swordsman – one a former samurai (Nakadai), the other a farmer aspiring…
KuronekoKuroneko (1968)
Dir. Kaneto Shindo
Feat. Kichiemon Nakamura, Nobuko Otowa, Kiwako Taichi
Visually exquisite black and white horror film from Japanese director Kaneto Shindo (ONIBABA). An adaptation of a supernatural folktale set during…
L'Enfance-NueL'Enfance-Nue (Naked Childhood) (1968) Recommended
Dir. Maurice Pialat
Feat. Michel Terrazon
Astonishingly sober coming–of–age tale represents Pialat at his most profoundly unsentimental. The director brilliantly blends naturalism…
La ChamadeLa Chamade (Heartbeat) (1968)
Dir. Alain Cavalier
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Michel Piccoli
Catherine Deneuve flitters between youthful passion and the comfort of an older, wealthy lover in this elegant menage a trios, lessened only by an…
Les BichesLes Biches (Bad Girls) (1968)
Dir. Claude Chabrol
Feat. Jean-Louis Trintignant, Jacqueline Sassard, Stephane Audran
A love–triangle between an heiress, an architect and a young woman, is tested to unsettling effect in this psychological drama. Chabrol…
MandabiMandabi (The Money Order) (1968) Recommended
Dir. Ousmane Sembene
The first significant film to be made in an African language (Wolof), directed by the 'father of African cinema', Ousmane Sembène. The title…
Memories of UnderdevelopmentMemories of Underdevelopment (1968)
Dir. Tomas Gutierrez Alea
Feat. Sergio Corrieri
Merging the political and personal to stunning effect, this witty and artful assemblage of documentary, still photography, and dramatic fiction…
Milky Way, TheMilky Way, The (1968)
Dir. Luis Bunuel
Feat. Paul Frankeur, Laurent Terzieff, Alain Cuny
Bunuel experiments with narrative in relating theories of traditional Catholicism to the encounters of two wandering vagrants.
Signs of LifeSigns of Life (Lebenszeichen) (1968)
Dir. Werner Herzog
Feat. Peter Brogle
An early descent into madness for dir. Werner Herzog, in which a soldier charged with guarding a remote island fortress must overcome the boredom of…
SkammenSkammen (Shame) (1968) Recommended
Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Liv Ullmann, Max von Sydow, Gunnar Bjornstrand
Bleak parable set against the back drop of a fictional war finds an apolitical couple aloofly living out their days on an island indulging in various…
Stolen KissesStolen Kisses (Baisers Voles) (1968)
Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Jean-Pierre Leaud, Delphine Seyrig
Third film in the director's Antoine Doinel series (see also THE FOUR HUNDRED BLOWS) starring Jean–Pierre Leaud, here as a careless young man…
TheoremTheorem (Teorema) (1968)
Dir. Pier Paolo Pasolini
Feat. Terence Stamp, Silvana Mangano, Massimo Girotti
A mysterious stranger seduces and corrupts each member of a bourgeois family. Pasolini stitches religious, social and political metaphors into his…
Werner Herzog CollectionWerner Herzog Collection (Signs of Life, Even Dwarfs Started Small, Kaspar Hauser, Stroszek, Heart of Glass, Where the Green Ants Dream) (1968-1982)
Dir. Werner Herzog
Comprehensive box–set containing six early films from renowned German director Werner Herzog.
ZZ (1968) Recommended
Dir. Costa-Gavras
Feat. Yves Montand, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Irene Papas
Pioneering conspiracy thriller based on the true story of the murder of a doctor and the raw sore of Greek political corruption it exposes. Oscars…
Assassin, TheAssassin, The (Da ci ke) (1967)
Dir. Chang Cheh
Feat. Yu Wang
More understated than later Shaw Brothers efforts, this costume actioner stars 'Jimmy' Wang Yu as a patriotic swordsman of ancient Han–era…
Belle De JourBelle De Jour (Beauty of the Day) (1967) Recommended
Dir. Luis Bunuel
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Jean Sorel, Michel Piccoli
Cool and elegant comedy of manners about a virginal newlywed who works the day shift in a high class brothel. Bunuel's surrealist…
Champagne Murders, TheChampagne Murders, The (Le scandale) (1967)
Dir. Claude Chabrol
Feat. Anthony Perkins, Maurice Ronet, Yvonne Furneaux
Claude Chabrol transitions into his revered period of thrillers with this potboiler about a champagne tycoon's partner who suspects his partner's…
Diabolically YoursDiabolically Yours (Diaboliquement vôtre) (1967)
Dir. Julien Duvivier
Feat. Alain Delon, Senta Berger, Sergio Fantoni
Creepy thriller has amnesiac Delon recovering in his opulent mansion with beautiful wife Berger, living the good life. Trouble comes when he begins…
Elvira MadiganElvira Madigan (1967)
Dir. Bo Widerberg
Feat. Pia Degermark, Thommy Berggren, Lennart Malmer
Ultra–romantic story of an army officer and a tightrope dancer who sacrifice everything for each other. Filmed like a shampoo commercial, it…
Firemen's Ball, TheFiremen's Ball, The (1967)
Dir. Milos Forman
Feat. Jan Vostrcil, Josef Sebanek, Josef Valnoha
Early film from the director of AMADEUS and CUCKOO'S NEST is an engaging, off–beat collection of comic vignettes, including a clumsy beauty…
French Screen Icons: Alain Delon 1 French Screen Icons: Alain Delon 1 (Diabolically Yours, The Burned Barns, The Widow Coudrec, Shock Treatment) (1967-1973)
Feat. Alain Delon
Four films starring French leading–man Alain Delon.
I am Curious Yellow / I am Curious BlueI am Curious Yellow / I am Curious Blue (1967)
Dir. Vilgot Sjoman
Feat. Vilgot Sjoman, Lena Nyman
Originally intended to be one 3.5–hour film but later split into two parts, both presented in a faux–documentary style, with director…
King Kong EscapesKing Kong Escapes (1967)
Dir. Ishiro Honda
Feat. Mie Hama, Akira Takarada, Rhodes Reason
Kaiji co–production between Japan and the USA which pits a robot version of King Kong (MechaniKong!) against a giant dinosaur Gorosaurus. A…
La ChinoiseLa Chinoise (1967)
Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Jean-Pierre Leaud, Anne Wiazemsky, Juliet Berto
Five Parisian students dabble in the possibilities of enacting a Mao–ist revolution in the West, in one of dir. Godard's more overt flirtations…
Ladies of the NightLadies of the Night (Plus vieux métier du monde, Le) (1967)
Dir. Jean-Luc Godard, Philippe de Broca, Claude Autant-Lara
Feat. Anna Karina, Elsa Martinelli, Jeanne Moreau
A six–segment portmanteau comedy which traces the history of prostitution from its Stone Age version (being the 'oldest profession') through to…
Le SamouraiLe Samourai (The Samurai) (1967) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jean-Pierre Melville
Feat. Alain Delon
Alain Delon plays an ultra–cool assassin whose flawless disposition is impenetrable to the Gendarmerie but not to a sexy key witness. Steely…
Les Grandes VacancesLes Grandes Vacances (The Big Vacation) (1967)
Dir. Jean Girault
Feat. Louis de Funès, Ferdy Mayne
French comedy great Louis de Funès plays dictatorial headmaster to his two wayward sons, who rock the boat when sent to England as exchange students.
Marketa LazarovaMarketa Lazarova (1967) Recommended
Dir. František Vláčil
Feat. Josef Kemr, František Velecký, Magda Vášáryová
A revelation of the Czech new wave, this dark medieval tale of feuding family clans beautifully evokes the historical tensions between Christianity…
MouchetteMouchette (1967)
Dir. Robert Bresson
Feat. Nadine Nortier, Jean-Claude Guilbert, Maria Cardinal
An impoverished young girl in rural France bears the brunt of hard times in this perfectly formed study, taken from the novel by George Bernanos.…
Oedipus RexOedipus Rex (1967)
Dir. Pier Paolo Pasolini
Feat. Silvana Mangano, Franco Citti, Alida Valli
Striking visual achievement, filmed amidst the Moroccan desert and Bologna, describes the Oedipal tale of a tortured soul who murders his father and…
One Armed SwordsmanOne Armed Swordsman (Dubei dao) (1967)
Dir. Chang Cheh
Feat. Yu Wang
Jimmy Wu Yang predates his one–armed boxer classic MASTER OF THE FLYING GUILLOTINE as a disabled swordsman training in the art of…
PlaytimePlaytime (1967) Recommended
Dir. Jacques Tati
Feat. Jacques Tati
Tati's satirical vision of modern city life and brutalist architecture is his magnum opus. His alter–ego Mr. Hulot goes about his third…
Red and the White, TheRed and the White, The (Csillagosok, katonak) (1967)
Dir. Miklos Jancso
Feat. Jozsef Madaras
Russia’s bloody civil war of 1918 is lamented in this visionary war movie from influential Hungarian auteur Miklos Jancso. A formally stunning…
Thief of Paris, TheThief of Paris, The (Le Voleur) (1967)
Dir. Louis Malle
Feat. Jean-Paul Belmondo, Genevieve Bujold, Marie Dubois
Enjoyable comedy with Belmondo as a young man cheated of his inheritance who in turn develops a taste for thieving. Set in Paris at the turn of the…
WeekendWeekend (1967)
Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Mireille Darc, Jean Yanne
A poetic, stylised and savage vision as only Godard could dream up and/or get away with. Road chaos and carnage is his metaphor for the decline of…
Young Girls of Rochefort, TheYoung Girls of Rochefort, The (Les Demoiselles de Rochefort) (1967) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jacques Demy
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Francois Dorleac, Gene Kelly
The carrot of love is dangled in Jacques Demy's positively radiant follow–up to UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG: an unbridled, colour–saturated…
Zatoichi: The OutlawZatoichi: The Outlaw (Zatoichi 16) (1967)
Dir. Satsuo Yamamoto
Feat. Shintaro Katsu
A middle–installment in the longrunning Zatoichi series, sees the wandering masseur become embroiled in a violent plot involving two rival…
Andrei RublevAndrei Rublev (1966) Recommended
Dir. Andrei Tarkovsky
Feat. Anatoli Solonitsyn, Ivan Lapikov, Nikolai Grinko
Enthralling historical drama vividly portrays the 15th Century Russian painter who was encumbered by the political turbulence of the time.
Au Hasard BalthazarAu Hasard Balthazar (1966)
Dir. Robert Bresson
Feat. Anne Wiazemsky, Francois Lafarge, Philippe Asselin
Robert Bresson's immediately recognisable minimalist style is here lent to one of the few films whose central character is a donkey.
Before the RevolutionBefore the Revolution (1966)
Dir. Bernardo Bertolucci
Feat. Adriana Asti, Francisco Barilli
Bertolucci's second film – made at the age of 22! – demonstrates his bravura visual style fully formed around this coming of age in the…
Black GirlBlack Girl (La Noire de...) (1966)
Dir. Ousmane Sembene
A French–Senegalese drama film and the directorial debut of Ousmane Sembene, often considered to be the first Sub–Saharan African film by…
Closely Observed TrainsClosely Observed Trains (1966)
Dir. Jiri Menzel
Feat. Vaclav Neckar, Josef Somr, Vlastimil Brodsky
Oscar–winning Czech film about a lonely train guard's attempt to lose his virginity while his country copes with the German occupation. The…
Daimajin: Wrath of DaimajinDaimajin: Wrath of Daimajin (1966)
Dir. Kazuo Mori
Feat. Masahide Iizuka, Hideki Ninomiya, Shinji Hori
One in a series of Japanese films about the great demon god Daimajin, who repeatedly comes to the aid of villagers when tyrannical warlords threaten…
DaisiesDaisies (1966)
Dir. Vera Chytilova
Feat. Julius Albert, Jitka Cerhova, Marie Ceskova
Much–loved cinematic firecracker from the halcyon days of 60s Czech radicalism, in which two girls (both called Marie) live out their anarchist…
Delirious Fictions of William Klein, TheDelirious Fictions of William Klein, The (Who are You, Polly Maggoo?; Mr. Freedom; The Model Couple) (1966-1977)
Feat. Anemone , Jacques Boudet, Eddie Constantine
An American photographer in new wave Paris; Dir. Klein has been making challenging cinema for more than forty years. In his three obscure fiction…
Don't Look Now We're Being Shot AtDon't Look Now We're Being Shot At (La Grande Vadrouille) (1966) Recommended
Dir. Gerard Oury
Feat. Andre Bourvil, Gerard Oury, Louis de Funès
Side–splitting war caper turns a downed British bomber over Paris into a hilarious escape from German clutches. One of France’s highest…
Fighting ElegyFighting Elegy (Kenka Erejii) (1966)
Dir. Seijun Suzuki
Feat. Hideki Takahashi
As pre–war nationalism spreads through the youth of Japan, A teenage gangster falls in love with a catholic schoolgirl. She tries her best to…
Guerre Est Finie, LaGuerre Est Finie, La (1966)
Dir. Alain Resnais
Feat. Yves Montand, Ingrid Thulin, Genevieve Bujold
(The War is Over). Deeply romantic film in which Spanish Civil War refugee Yves Montand tries in vain to keep alive the memory of his struggle.
Le Deuxieme SouffleLe Deuxieme Souffle (Second Breath) (1966)
Dir. Jean-Pierre Melville
Feat. Lino Ventura, Paul Meurisse, Raymond Pellegrin
A gangster escapes from prison and returns to his criminal ways, but a determined inspector is on his tail. Has all the style and restraint we can…
Made in U.S.AMade in U.S.A (1966)
Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Anna Karina, Jean-Pierre Leaud, Marianne Faithful
Further political horseplay from Godard in the skin of a Nouvelle Vague alternate reality: this time, Anna Karina plays a war journalist on the hunt…
MademoiselleMademoiselle (Summer Fires) (1966)
Dir. Tony Richardson
Feat. Jeanne Moreau, Ettore Manni, Umberto Orsini
Divisive and disturbing portrait of a repressed school teacher who unleashes a plague of 'accidents' upon on the inhabitants of her rural…
Man and a Woman, AMan and a Woman, A (1966) Recommended
Dir. Claude Lelouch
Feat. Anouk Aimee, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Pierre Barouh
Classic love story is one of the most popular foreign films of all time. Intelligent, sensitive script is ignited with exotic locations and Francis…
Masculin FemininMasculin Feminin (1966)
Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Jean-Pierre Leaud, Chantal Goya, Brigitte Bardot
Godard steers toward the political with this bittersweet social comment about the Parisian youth culture of '65 through a series of oddly connected…
NayakNayak (The Hero) (1966)
Dir. Satyajit Ray
Feat. Sharmila Tagore
Satyajit Ray deconstructs the male ego–centre in this tale of a Bengali movie star who must summon his own internal critic after coming under…
PatriotismPatriotism (Yûkoku) (1966)
Dir. Yukio Mishima
Feat. Yukio Mishima, Yoshiko Tsuruoka
Short film directed by Japanese writer and revolutionary Yukio Mishima, based on his short story of the same name published in 1961. Set in February…
PersonaPersona (1966) Aro Favourite
Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Liv Ullmann, Bibi Andersson
Perhaps dir. Bergman's most renowned and haunting work, a study of the psychological processes between a mute patient and her repressed nurse. Liv…
Sword of DoomSword of Doom (Dai-bosatsu tôge) (1966) Recommended
Dir. Kihachi Okamoto
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai
Based on a long–running Japanese newspaper serial, this stars Tatsuya Nakadai as an evil wandering samurai in feudal Japan who sees himself as…
Trace of StonesTrace of Stones (Spur der Steine) (1966)
Dir. Frank Beyer
Feat. Manfred Krug, Krystyna Stypulkowska, Eberhard Esche
An East German film which was censored by the ruling communist party for years before being finally released in 1989, depicting the working…
War and PeaceWar and Peace (1966) Aro Favourite
Dir. Sergei Bondarchuk
Feat. Lyudmila Savelyeva, Vyacheslav Tikhonov, Irina Gubanova
The definitive version of Leo Tolstoy's gargantuan novel, set during the Napoleonic invasion of Russia in the early 19th century. Nothing else quite…
WingsWings (Krylya) (1966) Recommended
Dir. Larisa Shepitko
Feat. Maya Bulgakova, Zhanna Bolotova
Elegant black and white drama about an ex–WWII Soviet fighter pilot, the directorial debut of Ukrainian filmmaker Larisa Shepitko. A…
Young TorlessYoung Torless (Der junge Törless) (1966)
Dir. Volker Schlondorff
Feat. Mathieu Carriere
Early film in the career of German director Volker Schlondorff (THE TIN DRUM), set in an Austrain military academy in the early 20th century which is…
A Blonde in LoveA Blonde in Love (1965) Recommended
Dir. Milos Forman
Feat. Hana Brejchova, Vladimir Pucholt, Vladimir Mensik
This early film from the director of AMADEUS tells the simple story of a young girl's search for a pianist with whom she spent the night. Forman…
AlphavilleAlphaville (1965)
Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Eddie Constantine, Anna Karina, Akim Tamiroff
A private eye is sent to a futuristic city run by a computer to rescue a trapped scientist. Amalgam of film noir and science fiction illustrates the…
Battle of Algiers, TheBattle of Algiers, The (1965) Aro Favourite
Dir. Gillo Pontecorvo
Feat. Brahim Haggiag
Gripping account of the Muslim uprising which led to the withdrawal of France from Algeria was shot merely four years after the revolution, and as…
Fists in the PocketFists in the Pocket (1965)
Dir. Marco Bellochio
Feat. Lou Castel, Paola Pitagora, Marino Mase
A ferocious intensity pervades this bitter yet utterly startling tale of a family afflicted with epilepsy, blindness and frustration, unafforded the…
Intimate LightingIntimate Lighting (1965)
Dir. Ivan Passer
Feat. Zdenek Bezusek
Intimacy and lightness are two words that fit this excellent Czech New Wave film like a glove. Ivan Passar (CUTTER’S WAY) contrasts the urbane…
Juliet of the SpiritsJuliet of the Spirits (1965) Recommended
Dir. Federico Fellini
Feat. Giulietta Masina
Perhaps the female flipside of Fellini's 8 1/2, he again infuses stylised flashbacks and fantasies into the real world of a gregarious housewife who…
Oshima's Outlaw SixtiesOshima's Outlaw Sixties (Pleasures of the Flesh, Violence at Noon a.k.a. Violence at High Noon, Sing a Song of Sex, Japanese Summer: Double Suicide, Three Resurrected Drunkards) (1965-1968) Recommended
Dir. Nagisa Oshima
Five films from provocative Japanese director Nagisa Oshima, all from the 60's, when he formed his own film production company and enjoyed the most…
Paris vu parParis vu par (Six in Paris) (1965)
Dir. Eric Rohmer, Jean-Luc Godard, Claude Chabrol
Passionate, parochial anthology of New Wave shorts from six of France's best: Godard, Chabrol and Rohmer headline a concoction of Parisian sketches…
Pierrot Le FouPierrot Le Fou (Crazy Pete) (1965)
Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Jean-Paul Belmondo, Anna Karina
A striking example of the French New Wave. It's kiss, kiss, bang, bang all the way with Jean Paul Belmondo and Anna Karina as maverick intellectual…
Red BeardRed Beard (Akahige) (1965)
Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Yuzo Kayama, Tsutomu Yamazaki
An unusual hospital drama from dir. Kurosawa, collaborating for the final time with Mifune, who here plays a tough doctor coaching an intern (Kayama)…
Samurai AssassinSamurai Assassin (1965) Recommended
Dir. Kihachi Okamoto
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Keiju Kobayashi, Michiyo Aratana
Sharply delivered samurai epic based on the infamous Sakurada Gate Incident of 1860 in which a high–ranking shogunite official was assassinated…
Samurai SpySamurai Spy (1965)
Dir. Masahiro Shinoda
Feat. Koji Takahashi, Tetsuro Tamba, Kei Sato
This atypical samurai saga ventures from the norm through overenthusiastic plotting, a Latin–infused score, and arresting…
Shadows of Forgotten AncestorsShadows of Forgotten Ancestors (1965)
Dir. Sergei Paradjanov
Feat. Ivan Mikolajchuk, Larisa Kadochnikova, Tatyana Bestayeva
A tragic, Carpathian folk tale of two lovers separated by a family feud is the basis for Parajanov’s staggering debut. Miraculous visuals and a…
Shop on High Street, TheShop on High Street, The (The Shop on Main Street) (1965) Recommended
Dir. Jan Kadar
A key film of the Czech film renaissance of the 1960s, that explores 'everyday fascism' through the story of a Jewish shopkeeper who mistakes her…
Simon of the DesertSimon of the Desert (1965) Recommended
Dir. Luis Bunuel
Feat. Silvia Pinal, Claudio Brook
A short surrealist fantasy concerning the life of Simon Stylites (Claudio Brook), an early Christian ascetic, who stood for years atop a column in…
Sucker, TheSucker, The (Le Corniaud) (1965) Recommended
Dir. Gerard Oury
Feat. Andre Bourvil, Gerard Oury, Louis de Funès
Quintessential French farce finds the affable Bourvil tricked into driving a Cadillac to Bordeaux containing thousands of dollars of jewelry and…
Two or Three Things I Know About HerTwo or Three Things I Know About Her (1965)
Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Joseph Gehrard, Marina Vlady, Anny Duperey
The life of a Parisian prostitute, analysing the likes of women, language, western society as well as cinema itself. Godard's cinematic essay broke…
AssassinationAssassination (Ansatsu) (1964)
Dir. Masahiro Shinoda
Feat. Tetsuro Tamba, Eiji Okada
Japan’s turbulent, late 19th century landscape is the backdrop to this fiercely stylized tale of a masterless whose sword edge thrusts between the…
Bande a PartBande a Part (Band of Outsiders) (1964)
Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Anna Karina, Claude Brasseur, Sami Frey
One of the dir.’s more accessible films follows the carefree criminal adventures of Anna Karina, Claude Brasseur and Sami Frey, while still…
Black God White DevilBlack God White Devil (1964)
Dir. Glauber Rocha
Feat. Maurício do Valle, Geraldo Del Rey, Othon Bastos
A landmark of Brazil’s Cinema Novo movement, fusing discordant sound and imagery with the embittered folktale of a…
CharulataCharulata (The Lonely Wife) (1964)
Dir. Satyajit Ray
Feat. Madhabi Mukherjee
One of Satyajit Ray’s most accomplished (and Western–influenced) films, whose central female protagonist falls for the young, aspiring cousin…
Diamonds of the NightDiamonds of the Night (1964) Recommended
Dir. Jan Nemec
Feat. Ladislav Jansky, Antonin Kumbera, Irma Bischofova
Extraordinarily intense account, told with almost no dialogue, of two Jewish teenagers running for their lives after escaping from a train bound for…
Diary of a ChambermaidDiary of a Chambermaid (1964)
Dir. Luis Bunuel
Feat. Jeanne Moreau, Georges Geret, Michel Piccoli
Maid Jeanne Moreau manipulates two blue–blooded households to ascend her status in pre–war France. Another shrewd political jape from the…
GertrudGertrud (1964)
Dir. Carl Dreyer
Exploring similar territory to fellow Scandinavian Ingmar Bergman, Dreyer's final film is an intense psychological study about a middle–aged…
Godzilla Vs MothraGodzilla Vs Mothra (Godzilla Vs The Thing) (1964)
Dir. Inoshiro Honda
Feat. Akira Takarada, Yuriko Hoshi
The hulk lizard of Japanese comic book legend takes on the recently hatched spawn of Mothra, with a little help from some spirited stop–motion…
Gospel According to St. MatthewGospel According to St. Matthew (1964)
Dir. Pier Paolo Pasolini
Feat. Enrique Irazoqui, Margherita Caruso, Susanna Pasolini
Acted entirely by non–professionals, this is a startlingly visual rendering of the biblical text, blending breath–taking photography with…
HamletHamlet (1964) Aro Favourite
Dir. Grigori Kozintsev
Feat. Innokenti Smoktunovsky
The legendary Russian version of Shakespeare's play, which visually at least, stands as the greatest yet. Staged amidst the massive battlements of…
Intentions of MurderIntentions of Murder (Akai satsui, Unholy Desire) (1964)
Dir. Shohei Imamura
Feat. Masumi Harukawa, Ko Nishimura, Shigeru Tsuyuguchi
Unsentimental drama from Japanese director Shohei Imamura (THE INSECT WOMAN), depicting a rape survivor's determination to overcome her pitiless…
KwaidanKwaidan (1964) Recommended
Dir. Masaki Kobayashi
Feat. Rentaro Mikuni, Michiyo Aratana, Misako Watanabe
A four part anthology of visually intoxicating Japanese period ghost stories. Each tale expanding domestic melodramas into the paranormal realm.…
Le BonheurLe Bonheur (Happiness) (1964) Aro Favourite
Dir. Agnes Varda
Feat. Jean-Claude Drouot, Claire Drouot, Marie-France Boyer
Agnes Varda's sly subversion of romantic norms courted controversy with its frank depiction of the infidelity of a happily married man and the…
Marriage Italian StyleMarriage Italian Style (Matrimonio All'italiana) (1964)
Dir. Vittorio De Sica
Feat. Marcello Mastroianni, Sophia Loren
This hilarious marriage farce features Sophia Loren as a long–suffering unwedded woman: on her deathbed, she convinces the commitment–shy…
My Way HomeMy Way Home (Igy jottem) (1964)
Dir. Miklos Jancso
Feat. Andras Kozak, Sergei Nikonyenko, Janos Gorbe
In the final days of World War II, a young Hungarian is making his way home, through countryside full of the debris of war, when he is captured and…
OnibabaOnibaba (the Hole) (1964) Aro Favourite
Dir. Kaneto Shindo
Feat. Nobuko Otowa, Jitsuko Yoshimura
An eerie, brazenly sensual medieval folk tale about a mother and daughter–in–law who kill just to survive and eventually turn on each…
Red Desert (il Deserto Rosso)Red Desert (il Deserto Rosso) (1964)
Dir. Michelangelo Antonioni
Feat. Monica Vitti, Richard Harris
Housewife Monica Vitti embarks on a casual affair with Richard Harris following a nervous breakdown. Set amidst an oppressive industrial landscape,…
Soft Skin, TheSoft Skin, The (La Peau Douce) (1964)
Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Francois Dorleac, Jean Desailly
Moving New Wave drama from Francois Truffaut tells the story of a scholar pursuing a torrid affair with a stewardess while attempting to juggle his…
Tintin and the Blue OrangesTintin and the Blue Oranges (1964)
Dir. Philippe Condroyer
Feat. Jean-Pierre Talbot, Jean Bouise, Félix Fernández
Second live–action version of Herge’s cult boy journalist, this time in pursuit of some valuable ‘blue oranges’ in Valencia, Spain. As…
Umbrellas of Cherbourg, TheUmbrellas of Cherbourg, The (1964) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jacques Demy
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Nino Castelnuovo
Gorgeous French musical with Catherine Deneuve, in her acting debut, one of its many pleasures. A bittersweet romantic story is allied to a lush…
Une Femme MarieeUne Femme Mariee (A Married Woman: Fragments of a Film Shot in 1964 in Black and White) (1964)
Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Bernard Noël, Macha Meril, Philippe Leroy
Key work from the first phase of Godard's career which deconstructs the life of a married woman in a series of complex and humorous portraits. Over a…
Weekend at DunkirkWeekend at Dunkirk (1964)
Dir. Henri Verneuil
Feat. Jean-Paul Belmondo, Catherine Spaak, Georges Geret
The decimation of French and English troops who retreated to the coastal settlement of Dunkirk in 1940 is the sobering subject of this otherwise…
Woman of the DunesWoman of the Dunes (1964) Aro Favourite
Dir. Hiroshi Teshigahara
Feat. Eiji Okada, Kyoko Kishida
From a simple premise – a man becomes trapped in a valley of sand in which a solitary woman lives – the director is able to draw out…
An Actor's RevengeAn Actor's Revenge (1963) Aro Favourite
Dir. Kon Ichikawa
Feat. Kazuo Hasegawa, Fujiko Yamamoto
Unusual storyline concerns a Kabuki female impersonator, who seduces and arranges the destruction of three nobles responsible for his parents'…
Bay of AngelsBay of Angels (La baie des anges) (1963)
Dir. Jacques Demy
Feat. Jeanne Moreau, Claude Mann, Paul Guers
A young bank employee is enticed into the world of gambling and travels to Nice where he falls in love with divorced mother and gambling addict…
Doulos, LeDoulos, Le (The Finger Man) (1963) Recommended
Dir. Jean-Pierre Melville
Feat. Jean-Paul Belmondo, Serge Reggiani
Eschewing the French New Wave movement in favour of homage to the then ‘passe’ genre of film noir, dir. Jean–Pierre Melville adds shades of…
Fellini's 8 1/2Fellini's 8 1/2 (1963) Aro Favourite
Dir. Federico Fellini
Feat. Marcello Mastroianni
Fellini's most revered film is a self–analytical exercise casting Marcello Mastroianni as a troubled director trapped by his own visions and…
Hands Over the CityHands Over the City (Le mani sulla città) (1963) Recommended
Dir. Francesco Rosi
Feat. Rod Steiger, Salvo Randone, Guido Alberti
An astute and ever–pertinent story of political corruption in post–World War II Italy starring Rod Steiger as a ruthless developer and…
High and LowHigh and Low (1963) Aro Favourite
Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Toshiro Mifune
Adapted from a crime–novel by Ed McBain, this kidnapping–thriller is a central work in dir. Kurosawa’s series of film noirs, combining…
Insect Woman, TheInsect Woman, The (1963) Recommended
Dir. Shohei Imamura
Feat. Sachiko Hidari, Masumi Harukawa, Emiko Aizawa
The social upheaval of Japanese life between the wars is examined through the eyes of a struggling but resilient women in a poor farming village. The…
JudexJudex (1963)
Dir. Georges Franju
Feat. Edith Scob, Channing Pollock, Francine Bergé
Georges Franju's magical remake of Louis Feuillade’s 1916 serial, in which a masked crime fighter seeks revenge on a corrupt banker. A lyrical…
Le Feu FolletLe Feu Follet (The Fire Within) (1963) Recommended
Dir. Louis Malle
Feat. Maurice Ronet, Jeanne Moreau, Alexandra Stewart
Brilliantly measured account of an alcoholic (Maurice Ronet) who makes a final social round to find reason why he should not take his own life. Rich…
Le MeprisLe Mepris (Contempt) (1963)
Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Brigitte Bardot, Jack Palance, Fritz Lang
An insecure screen–writer struggles with vulgar producers as well as his movie–star wife on the set of Homer's Odyssey. Brigitte Bardot,…
Leopard, TheLeopard, The (Il Gattopardo) (1963) Aro Favourite
Dir. Luchino Visconti
Feat. Burt Lancaster, Alain Delon, Claudia Cardinale
An Italian classic, concerning the decline of the 19th century Sicilian aristocracy – represented by Burt Lancaster– that fulfils its…
Little Soldier, TheLittle Soldier, The (Petit soldat, Le) (1963)
Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Anna Karina, Michel Subor
Unheralded Godard sidebar has Michel Subor attempting to assassinate an Algerian sympathizer – if he can resist the charms of left–winger…
MahanagarMahanagar (The Big City) (1963)
Dir. Satyajit Ray
Feat. Anil Chaterjee
Subtle and provoking satire of gender equality finds the wife of a once high–flying, but now redundant banker seeking employment, absorbing the…
Organizer, TheOrganizer, The (I Compagni) (1963) Recommended
Dir. Mario Monicelli
Feat. Marcello Mastroianni, Renato Salvatori, Annie Girardot
Engrossing, beautifully filmed Italian drama about working class solidarity, set amidst the rapid expansion of industrial society in 19th Century…
RoGoPaGRoGoPaG (Let's Wash our Brains) (1963)
Dir. Roberto Rossellini, Jean-Luc Godard, Pier Paolo Pasolini
Feat. Orson Welles, Rosanna Schiaffino, Ugo Tognazzi
A curious anthology of four short films each written and directed by three Italian and one French film director; Jean–Luc Godard ("Il Nuovo…
Samurai PirateSamurai Pirate (Daitozoku) (1963)
Dir. Senkichi Taniguchi
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Mie Hama, Kumi Mizuno
Odd hybrid of feudal Japan and swashbuckler fantasy, with Toshiro Mifune as a ruffian sailor assigned with rescuing a captive King’s daughter from…
Silence, TheSilence, The (1963)
Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Ingrid Thulin, Gunnel Lindblom
Final part of Bergman's Faith Trilogy (begun with THROUGH THE GLASS DARKLY and WINTER LIGHT) is set in an anonymous war–torn country where…
Yesterday, Today and TomorrowYesterday, Today and Tomorrow (1963)
Dir. Vittorio De Sica
Feat. Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni
A compendium of three stories starring Sophia Loren in her luscious prime in three very different roles. Together with Marcello Mastroianni, it…
47 Ronin, The47 Ronin, The (Genroku chushingura) (1962)
Dir. Hiroshi Inagaki
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Yuzo Kayama, Setsuko Hara
A grand and spectacular take on a famous Japanese legend, with 47 ronin (masterless samurai) in feudal Japan seeking revenge on those responsible for…
An Autumn AfternoonAn Autumn Afternoon (1962) Recommended
Dir. Yasujiro Ozu
Feat. Chishu Ryu, Shiwa Iwashita, Keiji Sada
Dir. Ozu's final work is one of his best – an appropriately autumnal evocation of age and dependency, set around a widower who sorrowfully…
Andrei Tarkovsky Collection, TheAndrei Tarkovsky Collection, The (Ivan’s Childhood, Andrei Rublev, Solaris, The Mirror, Stalker) (1962-1979) Aro Favourite
Dir. Andrei Tarkovsky
Five cinematic landmarks from the visionary Russian filmmaker.
Boccaccio '70Boccaccio '70 (1962)
Dir. Vittorio De Sica, Luchino Visconti, Federico Fellini
Feat. Anita Ekberg, Romy Schneider, Marisa Solinas
Naughty for the time, this all–star portmanteau film is loosely based on updated versions of the bawdy stories of 14th century writer Giovanni…
CartoucheCartouche (Swords of Blood) (1962)
Dir. Philippe de Broca
Feat. Jean-Paul Belmondo, Claudia Cardinale
The dashing Jean–Paul Belmondo cut, thrusts, and courts the ravishing Claudia Cardinale in this quasi–Robin Hood swashbuckler steeped in…
Cleo from 5 to 7Cleo from 5 to 7 (1962) Recommended
Dir. Agnes Varda
Feat. Corrine Marchand
One of the treasures of the French New Wave, dir. Varda’s debut is, Pauline Kael contends “one of the few films directed by a woman where the…
Divorce Italian StyleDivorce Italian Style (1962) Recommended
Dir. Pietro Germi
Feat. Marcello Mastroianni, Stefania Sandrelli
Italy’s archaic marital laws – where divorce was still illegal in the sixties – are the star in this devious satire of an unhappy…
EvaEva (1962)
Dir. Joseph Losey
Feat. Jeanne Moreau, Sir Stanley Baker, Virna Lisi
Jeanne Moreau is that obscure object of desire which novelist Stanley Baker falls for, and is taken for a ride. Interesting, if lurid Losey melodrama…
Exterminating Angel, TheExterminating Angel, The (1962) Aro Favourite
Dir. Luis Bunuel
Feat. Silvia Pinal
A psychic 'disaster movie', in which guests become trapped at a dinner party by a mysterious forcefield. As the days go by, dinner–table…
Fencing Master, TheFencing Master, The (1962)
Dir. Harumi Mizuho
Feat. Raizo Ichikawa, Ganjiro Nakamura, Kinuyo Tanaka
Thoughtful, if minor exploration of samurai traditions concerns an aging swordsman struggling to keep his feudal art form alive in early 20th century…
Grim Reaper, TheGrim Reaper, The (La Commare Secca) (1962)
Dir. Bernardo Bertolucci
Feat. Carlotta Barilli, Lorenza Benedetti, Clorinda Celani
Dir. Bertolucci's first film – with trademark technical virtuosity already in evidence – is a whodunnit about a prostitute murdered in a…
HarakiriHarakiri (Seppuku) (1962) Recommended
Dir. Masaki Kobayashi
Feat. Tatsuya Nakadai, Shima Iwashita, Akira Ishihama
Japanese jidaigeki (period drama) set at the beginning of the Edo period, following a masterless samurai (ronin) who wishes to commit suicide…
Ivan's ChildhoodIvan's Childhood (1962)
Dir. Andrei Tarkovsky
Feat. Nikolai Burlyayev, Valentin Zubkov, Yevgeni Zharikov
A teenage spy works behind enemy lines in WW2 Germany. The Russian master's first feature is his least self–conscious and most efficient…
Knife in the WaterKnife in the Water (1962) Recommended
Dir. Roman Polanski
Feat. Leon Niemczyk, Jolanta Umecka, Zygmunt Malanowicz
The old adage 'three is a crowd' is chillingly played out in Polanski's directing debut about a couple's troubled yachting weekend with a…
La JeteeLa Jetee (1962) Recommended
Dir. Chris Marker
Classic science–fiction short told almost entirely in stills takes a man from the future on a terrifying journey back to his childhood. The…
Le Combat Dans L'îleLe Combat Dans L'île (1962)
Dir. Alain Cavalier
Feat. Romy Schneider, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Henri Serre
French drama exploring the tension between right and left wing politics in the early 60's, through the romantic conflict faced by a woman (Romy…
Madame (1962)
Dir. Christian-Jaque
Feat. Sophia Loren, Robert Hossein
Rags–to–riches tale set in Napoleonic France mirrors the real life of its Italian bomb–shell star, Sophia Loren.
Mamma RomaMamma Roma (1962) Recommended
Dir. Pier Paolo Pasolini
Feat. Anna Magnani
Pasolini, in this early minor–masterpiece, demonstrates a keen awareness of Italy’s altered social and political landscape in the…
Planeta Bur: The Planet of StormsPlaneta Bur: The Planet of Storms (1962)
Dir. Pavel Klushantsev
Feat. Vladimir Yemelyanov, Georgi Zhzhyonov, Yuri Sarantsev
Cult science–fiction with Russian cosmonauts landing on a Venus teeming with flesh–eating plants, lizard men and dinosaurs! Ingeniously…
Roman Polanski Collection, TheRoman Polanski Collection, The (Knife in the Water, Repulsion, Cul-de-Sac) (1962-1966)
Dir. Roman Polanski
The first three features of the Polish master – "Knife in the Water", "Repulsion" and "Cul–de–Sac".
Salvatore GiulianoSalvatore Giuliano (1962) Recommended
Dir. Francesco Rosi
Feat. Salvo Randone, Frank Wolff, Frederico Zardi
An epic Italian political drama, charting in a non–linear fashion the true story of Sicilian bandit Salvatore Giuliano, a criminal and…
SanjuroSanjuro (1962)
Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai
The sequel to YOJIMBO unravels the story of nine would–be Samurai unveiling a government corruption ring. Kurosawa adopts a satirical…
Sundays and CybeleSundays and Cybele (Les Dimanches de Ville d'Avray) (1962) Recommended
Dir. Serge Bourguignon
Feat. Hardy Kruger, Patricia Gozzi
Touching, if occasionally over–sentimentalised drama that contemplates the relationship between a mentally scarred bomber pilot and the…
Tale of Zatoichi Continues, TheTale of Zatoichi Continues, The (1962)
Dir. Kazuo Mori
Feat. Shintaro Katsu
The first of many sequels to the iconic TALE OF ZATOICHI, in which a blind, affable masseur (Katsu) who happens to be a lethally skillful swordsman…
Tale of Zatoichi, TheTale of Zatoichi, The (1962) Recommended
Dir. Kenji Misumi
Feat. Shintaro Katsu
The inaugural movie in the iconic 'Zatoichi' series – which followed the intriguing adventures in mythical Japan of a blind masseur, who has…
Trial of Joan of Arc, TheTrial of Joan of Arc, The (Procès de Jeanne d'Arc) (1962)
Dir. Robert Bresson
One of dir. Bressons' more difficult works, depicting the final days of 15th century French religious patriot Joan of Arc and utilising the actual…
Vivre Sa VieVivre Sa Vie (My Life to Live) (1962)
Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Anna Karina
While filtered through dir. Godard's preoccupations with genre, this series of twelve vignettes about a Parisian woman's marriage breakup and gradual…
Winter LightWinter Light (1962)
Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Ingrid Thulin, Gunnar Bjornstrand, Gunnel Lindblom
The second in Bergman's faith trilogy, in which a village priest finds himself drawn towards atheism after the death of his wife. Crisp, reflective…
A Man Called La RoccaA Man Called La Rocca (Un nommé La Rocca) (1961)
Dir. Jean Becker
Feat. Jean-Paul Belmondo, Christine Kaufmann, Nico
French thriller with Jean Paul Belmondo playing an ex–gangster tracking down the man responsible for putting his friend in prison. Based on the…
AccattoneAccattone (1961) Recommended
Dir. Pier Paolo Pasolini
Feat. Franco Citti
The debut feature of Italian filmmaker–novelist–poet–provocateur Pasolini, which depicts the underbelly of Roman street life in a…
AntigoneAntigone (1961)
Dir. Yorgos Javellas
Feat. Irene Papas
An impressive Irene Papas heads this black and white epic adapted from Sophocles' Greek tragedy, about the twisted family legacy left behind by…
Daredevil in the CastleDaredevil in the Castle (Osaka jo monogatari) (1961)
Dir. Hiroshi Inagaki
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Kyoko Kagawa, Yuriko Hoshi
Another solid genre excursion from seasoned dir. Hiroshi Inagaki (THE SAMURAI TRILOGY), with Toshiro Mifune again taking the lead as a despondent,…
End of Summer, TheEnd of Summer, The (Kohayagawa-ke no aki) (1961)
Dir. Yasujiro Ozu
Feat. Ganjiro Nakamura, Setsuko Hara
Another intimate portrayal of Japanese family life from the dir. of TOKYO STORY that explores the breakdown of traditional family values in the face…
Essential Bergman: The Faith Trilogy BoxsetEssential Bergman: The Faith Trilogy Boxset (Through a Glass Darkly, Winter Light, The Silence) (1961-1963)
Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Ingmar Bergman's trilogy of films dealing with questions of religion and faith, contained here in one essential boxset.
Femme Est Une Femme, UneFemme Est Une Femme, Une (A Woman is a Woman) (1961)
Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Anna Karina, Jean-Claude Brialy, Jean-Paul Belmondo
Godard flirts with the Hollywood musical, and any other idea that takes his fancy to tell his buoyant tale of a free–spirited stripper who…
Il PostoIl Posto (1961) Recommended
Dir. Ermanno Olmi
Feat. Loredana Detto, Sandro Panseri
This Italian neo–realist classic is a simply told yet beautiful depiction of a small–town boy whose employment search in Milan lands him…
Jules and JimJules and Jim (Jules et Jim) (1961) Recommended
Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Jeanne Moreau, Oskar Werner, Henri Serre
Jeanne Moreau stars in this famous New Wave melodrama caught up in the spirit of its swinging times. A twenty–year love triangle, lightening…
Last Year at MarienbadLast Year at Marienbad (L'Annee Dernier a Marienbad) (1961)
Dir. Alain Resnais
Feat. Delphine Seyrig, Giorgio Albertazzi
All the rules of film–making are broken in this notorious question mark of a film in which a past event plagues the occupants of a grand…
Mother Joan of AngelsMother Joan of Angels (Matka Joanna od Aniolow) (1961) Recommended
Dir. Jerzy Kawalerowicz
A landmark of post–WW2 Polish cinema recounts in stunningly composed b&w images the disturbing true–story of a 17th century French…
Notte, LaNotte, La (The Night) (1961)
Dir. Michelangelo Antonioni
Feat. Marcello Mastroianni, Jeanne Moreau, Monica Vitti
A compelling bout of urban alienation, with Marcello Mastroianni and Jeanne Moreau as a despairing married couple coming slowly apart at the seams.…
Pierre Etaix: Restored Complete Film WorksPierre Etaix: Restored Complete Film Works (1961-1971)
Feat. Pierre Étaix
A long–overdue collection of film works from French comedy master Pierre Etaix, the delightfully witty clown, comedian and filmmaker whose…
Through a Glass DarklyThrough a Glass Darkly (1961)
Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Harriet Andersson, Gunnar Bjornstrand, Max von Sydow
Husband, father and brother must cope with the disintegrating mental health of a young woman on an island. The focus is on religion, madness and the…
Tintin and the Mystery of the Golden FleeceTintin and the Mystery of the Golden Fleece (1961) Recommended
Dir. Jean-Jacques Vierne
Feat. Jean-Pierre Talbot, Georges Wilson, Georges Loriot
One of two live–action adaptations of Herge’s Tintin adventures, this stars a look–alike Jean–Pierre Talbot as the eponymous boy…
Two WomenTwo Women (1961)
Dir. Vittorio De Sica
Feat. Sophia Loren
Sophia Loren won the Best Actress Oscar for her role as a WW2 widow who endures turmoil with her 13–year–old daughter before they are…
ViridianaViridiana (1961)
Dir. Luis Bunuel
Feat. Silvia Pinal, Francisco Rabal, Fernando Rey
Bunuel purges his spiritual demons in this potent psychological study of a novice nun who loses her innocence when she visits her…
YojimboYojimbo (1961) Recommended
Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai, Yoko Tsukasa
Mercenary Sanjuro walks into town and sells his services to both factions of rival gangs – to stand back and watch them destroy each other.…
Bad Sleep Well, TheBad Sleep Well, The (1960)
Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Toshiro Mifune
A contemporary gangster saga that uses a Hamlet–esque narrative to indict corporate and political corruption. Government officials were not…
Classe Tous RisquesClasse Tous Risques (Consider All Risks) (1960) Recommended
Dir. Claude Sautet
Feat. Lino Ventura, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Sandra Milo
French–Italian gangster film following the exploits of a French mobster (Lino Ventura, based on a real life henchman for the French Gestapo)…
Cloud-Capped Star, TheCloud-Capped Star, The (1960)
Dir. Ritwik Ghatak
Feat. Supriya Choudhury
The kind–hearted daughter of a middle–class refugee family from East Pakistan sacrifices her own happiness for her unappreciative family,…
Die 1000 Augen des Dr. MabuseDie 1000 Augen des Dr. Mabuse (The 1000 Eyes of Dr. Mabuse) (1960)
Dir. Fritz Lang
Feat. Dawn Addams, Peter Van Eyck, Gert Frobe
The final film in Fritz Lang's DR. MABUSE series, which includes DR. MABUSE, THE GAMBLER and THE TESTAMENT OF DR. MABUSE, is also the director's…
Eyes Without a FaceEyes Without a Face (Yeux sans visage, Les) (1960) Aro Favourite
Dir. Georges Franju
Feat. Pierre Brasseur, Alida Valli, Edith Scob
Landmark European horror tells with French artistry and tonal malevolence the magnificent obsession of a surgeon determined to restore his…
French Screen Icons: Jean-Paul Belmondo 1French Screen Icons: Jean-Paul Belmondo 1 (Moderato Cantabile, A Man Called La Rocca, Weekend at Dunkirk) (1960-1964)
Feat. Jean-Paul Belmondo
Three films starring French leading–man Jean–Paul Belmondo.
L'AvventuraL'Avventura (1960)
Dir. Michelangelo Antonioni
Feat. Monica Vitti
The quintessential Euro–arthouse film of the 60s – a rambling yet elegant voyage through the sterile lives of the bourgeiousie, following…
La Dolce VitaLa Dolce Vita (1960) Recommended
Dir. Federico Fellini
Feat. Marcello Mastroianni
An episodic film following the very cool Marcello Mastroianni, a disillusioned journalist trapped in shallow, so called 'decadent' society. A…
Le TrouLe Trou (The Hole; The Night Watch) (1960) Recommended
Dir. Jacques Becker
Feat. Marc Michel
Classic, noir–ish prison suspense in the mould of A MAN ESCAPED and RIFIFI chronicles an ambitious tunnel escape. Sparse and tense.
Les Bonnes FemmesLes Bonnes Femmes (1960)
Dir. Claude Chabrol
Feat. Bernadette Lafont, Clotilde Joano, Stephane Audran
An early comedy from French new wave director Claude Chabrol (LE BOUCHER), following four single Parisian women as they encounter the romantic…
LolaLola (1960)
Dir. Jacques Demy
Feat. Anouk Aimee, Marc Michel
Irresistible 'New Wave' confection breezily spins its romantic tale around the alluring presence of Anouk Aimee, here a cheery cabaret–dancer…
Moderato CantabileModerato Cantabile (Seven Days...Seven Nights) (1960)
Dir. Peter Brook
Feat. Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jeanne Moreau
New Wave two–hander stars Jeanne Moreau as a bored housewife who falls for Belmondo's brooding stranger. Stunning wide–screen…
Naked IslandNaked Island (Hadaka no shima) (1960) Recommended
Dir. Kaneto Shindo
Feat. Nobuko Otowa, Taiji Tonoyama
An exquisitely simple and moving Japanese drama, notable for having almost no spoken dialogue in depicting a year of struggle for a small farming…
Plein SoleilPlein Soleil (Purple Noon) (1960) Recommended
Dir. Rene Clement
Feat. Alain Delon, Marie Laforet, Maurice Ronet
The original adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's gripping novel 'The Talented Mr Ripley', who is here embodied by a sleek Delon in only his third…
Rocco and His BrothersRocco and His Brothers (1960)
Dir. Luchino Visconti
Feat. Alain Delon, Renato Salvatori, Annie Girardot
An uncompromising, richly detailed portrait of an impoverished family who travel to Milan where they are beset by violent misfortune.
Shoot the PianistShoot the Pianist (Shoot the Piano Player) (1960)
Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Charles Aznavour, Marie Dubois, Nicole Berger
Part homage to Hollywood film noir, part love story and part and parcel of the new wave, a down–on–his–luck pianist is drawn into…
Testament of OrpheusTestament of Orpheus (Testament D'orphee) (1960)
Dir. Jean Cocteau
Feat. Jean Cocteau, Yul Brynner, Jean-Pierre Leaud
Cocteau's swansong is an intensely personal odyssey, with the director himself immersed in a world of his cumulative creation. Like a moving…
Virgin Spring, TheVirgin Spring, The (1960) Aro Favourite
Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Max von Sydow
Bergman won his first Oscar for this brooding yet gripping medieval tale about a peasant couple who avenge the savage murderers of their daughter.
When a Woman Ascends the StairsWhen a Woman Ascends the Stairs (1960) Aro Favourite
Dir. Mikio Naruse
Feat. Hideko Takamine
Melancholic masterpiece from a largely overshadowed figure in Japanese cinema: concerning the post–war ‘water trade’ of bar hostesses in…
Zazie Dans Le MetroZazie Dans Le Metro (Zazie in the Underground) (1960)
Dir. Louis Malle
Feat. Catherine Demongeot, Philippe Noiret
Anarchistic comedy drops the impudent 11yr old Zazie into the care of Uncle Phillipe Noiret and the whirlygig chaos of modern Paris. Adapted from…
400 Blows, The400 Blows, The (1959) Recommended
Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Jean-Pierre Leaud, Claire Maurier, Albert Remy
Truffaut's first film rocketed him to fame as some kind of New Wave radical, but at a second glance this story of a teenage delinquent thrown in and…
A Bout de SouffleA Bout de Souffle (Breathless) (1959)
Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jean Seberg, Daniel Boulanger
Godard's landmark first film pulls out all the stops in the style department – with Jean–Paul Belmondo as the romantic fugitive,…
Adventures Of Antoine Doinel, TheAdventures Of Antoine Doinel, The (400 Blows, Stolen Kisses, Bed and Board, Love on the Run) (1959-1979)
Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Jean-Pierre Leaud
Francois Truffaut's most enduring cinematic creation, the irrepressible Antoine Doinel (played synonymously by Jean–Pierre Leaud) is…
Amants, LesAmants, Les (Lovers, The) (1959)
Dir. Louis Malle
Feat. Jeanne Moreau, Alain Cuny
This helped push the envelope of frank sexuality in cinema and made a star of Jeanne Moreau, as the rich, bored housewife whose extra–marital…
Ballad of a SoldierBallad of a Soldier (1959)
Dir. Grigori Chukhrai
Feat. Vladimir Ivashov
Soviet poetic realism brings a contemplative tone to the theatre of war, following a soldier’s pilgrimage back home after being granted leave for…
Black OrpheusBlack Orpheus (1959) Recommended
Dir. Marcel Camus
Feat. Breno Mello, Marpessa Dawn, Lourdes De Oliveira
Get caught up in the rhythms and colour of Rio De Janiero at Carnival time for an exotic, utterly unique spin on the Greek legend of doomed lovers…
Come Dance with MeCome Dance with Me (Voulez-Vous Danser Avec Moi?) (1959)
Dir. Michel Boisrond
Feat. Brigitte Bardot, Dawn Addams
Surprisingly entertaining French mystery thriller tracking a wife attempting to clear her husband's name from involvement in a dance studio murder.…
Floating WeedsFloating Weeds (Ukigusa) (1959) Recommended
Dir. Yasujiro Ozu
Feat. Ganjiro Nakamura
An aging actor who returns with his troupe to his provincial town, and becomes caught between his long–lost family and his jealous…
Francois Truffaut CollectionFrancois Truffaut Collection (1959-1983)
Dir. Francois Truffaut
A boxed collection of key films from French auteur Francois Truffaut, who was at the forefront of the "Nouvelle Vague" in the 1960s. Eight discs,…
Good MorningGood Morning (Ohayo) (1959)
Dir. Yasujiro Ozu
Feat. Shimazu Masahiko, Koji Shidara, Chishu Ryu
Ozu’s most accessible and scathing film amuses with its deceptively light–hearted tale of two boys’ vow of silence after being refused a…
Head Against the WallHead Against the Wall (La tête contre les murs) (1959)
Dir. Georges Franju
Feat. Pierre Brasseur, Paul Meurisse, Anouk Aimee
Georges Franju’s first film is a high–intensity examination of post–war psychiatric care, centred on the survival of a delinquent youth…
Hiroshima Mon AmourHiroshima Mon Amour (1959)
Dir. Alain Resnais
Feat. Emmanuelle Riva, Eiji Okada
Romance between a French actress and a Japanese architect rekindles their traumatic wartime experiences. The twin threads of despair and sensual love…
Human Condition, TheHuman Condition, The (No Greater Love, Road to Eternity, A Soldier's Prayer) (1959-1961) Aro Favourite
Dir. Masaki Kobayashi
Feat. Tatsuya Nakadai, Michiyo Aratana
An epic Japanese film trilogy following the life of a well–intentioned yet naïve pacifist and socialist as he tries to survive in the…
Les Cousins Les Cousins (1959)
Dir. Claude Chabrol
Feat. Jean-Claude Brialy, Gerard Blain
Claude Chabrol continues his city / country theme from LE BEAU SERGE with this estranging drama following a country boy who ends up in a despicable…
PickpocketPickpocket (1959) Recommended
Dir. Robert Bresson
Dir. Bresson's austere meditation on the motive personal forces of criminal enterprise, this trails a directionless young man into a flirtation with…
Samurai SagaSamurai Saga (Aru kengo no shogai) (1959)
Dir. Hiroshi Inagaki
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Yoko Tsukasa
Feudal Japanese retelling of Rostand's 'Cyrano de Bergerac', with the charismatic Toshiro Mifune as the shogun–poet with a…
Umberto D.Umberto D. (1959) Aro Favourite
Dir. Vittorio De Sica
Feat. Carlo Battisti, Maria-Pia Casilio, Lina Gennari
A pensioner struggles to make ends meet in post–war Italy. Gloomy neo–realist piece wrenches the heart through a compassionate lead…
World of Apu, TheWorld of Apu, The (1959) Recommended
Dir. Satyajit Ray
Feat. Soumitra Chatterjee, Sharmila Tagore, Alok Chakravarty
Final installment of the 'Apu trilogy' sees the complexities of adulthood painfully and euphorically realised for Apu through ambition, marriage and…
Ashes and DiamondsAshes and Diamonds (1958) Recommended
Dir. Andrzej Wajda
Feat. Zbigniew Cybulski, Ewa Krzyzanowksa
Set on the day after WWII, the striking–looking Zbigniew Cybulski plays a Polish freedom fighter torn between wartime duties and peacetime…
Ballad of Narayama, TheBallad of Narayama, The (Narayama bushiko) (1958)
Dir. Keisuke Kinoshita
Feat. Kinuyo Tanaka
Sombre but stylised retelling of a Japanese legend, about a poverty–stricken village and its eldest resident who, in accordance with tradition,…
Brink of LifeBrink of Life (Nara Livet) (1958)
Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Eva Dahlbeck, Ingrid Thulin, Bibi Andersson
Minor, but accomplished Bergman potboiler concerns three women in a maternity ward, who must each decide whether to give up their babies for…
Elevator to the GallowsElevator to the Gallows (Lift to the Scaffold, aka. Ascenseur Pour L'echafaud) (1958) Aro Favourite
Dir. Louis Malle
Feat. Jeanne Moreau, Maurice Ronet, Georges Poujouly
A young Jeanne Moreau stars in this elegant thriller about a crime of passion that backfires when the murderer gets trapped in a lift. Ambience par…
Giants and ToysGiants and Toys (1958)
Dir. Yasuzo Masumura
Feat. Hiroshi Kawaguchi, Hitomi Nozoe
Japanese satirical comedy about an advertising war between three candy production companies, and a teenage girl who becomes a celebrity after one of…
Hidden FortressHidden Fortress (1958)
Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Toshiro Mifune
Toshiro Mifune displays astounding skill with horse and sword as the ultimate warrior in this innovative amalgam of fairy–tale and Samurai…
Le Beau Serge Le Beau Serge (1958)
Dir. Claude Chabrol
Feat. Jean-Claude Brialy, Gerard Blain
Accepted as the first film of the French New Wave, this Claude Chabrol drama tells the story of a man returning to his hometown only to discover his…
Magician, TheMagician, The (The Face) (1958)
Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Max von Sydow
Bergman's allegorical self–portrait of a controversial travelling magician who exacts revenge on a cynical doctor, but becomes trapped in his…
Mon OncleMon Oncle (1958)
Dir. Jacques Tati
Feat. Jacques Tati
Monsieur Hulot returns in another gag–laden adventure. His whimsical ways endear him to his nephew, but leave the boy's trendy parents cold.…
Cranes are Flying, TheCranes are Flying, The (Letyat Zhuravli) (1957) Recommended
Dir. Mikhail Kalatozov
Feat. Tatyana Samojlova, Aleksei Batalov, Vasili Merkuryev
A Russian classic which conveys homefront anxieties during WW2 for a young bride whose original fiance has gone to the front. Pursued by his…
Il GridoIl Grido (The Outcry) (1957)
Dir. Michelangelo Antonioni
Feat. Steve Cochran, Alida Valli, Betsy Blair
This lesser–known work from Antonioni provides a missing link between Italian neorealism and the director's later works like L'AVVENTURA,…
Le Notti BiancheLe Notti Bianche (White Nights) (1957)
Dir. Luchino Visconti
Feat. Marcello Mastroianni, Maria Schell, Jean Marais
A departure from neo–realist beginnings, this surreal Visconti masterwork adapts Dostoyevsky’s ‘White Nights’ through dreamlike art…
Les MiserablesLes Miserables (1957)
Dir. Jean-Paul Le Chanois
Feat. Jean Gabin, Bernard Blier, Daniele Delorme
Adaptation of the Victor Hugo novel with Jean Gabin playing the peasant who is jailed for stealing a loaf of bread in 19th century France. A faithful…
Lower Depths, TheLower Depths, The (Donzoko) (1957)
Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Kyoko Kagawa, Isuzu Yamada
Arresting Maxim Gorky stage adaptation (previously filmed by Jean Renoir) is transposed to Japan’s Edo–era slums. Social realisms and the…
Mother IndiaMother India (1957) Recommended
Dir. Mehboob Khan
Feat. Nargis , Sunil Dutt, Raaj Kumar
A quintessential Indian classic, depicting the struggle of a woman through her adult life to reconcile traditional values and village life with a…
Mysterians, The Mysterians, The (1957)
Dir. Inoshiro Honda
Feat. Takashi Shimura, Kenji Sahara, Susumu Fujita
Pastel coloured invader movie from the creative team behind GODZILLA. Aliens refugees from a planet destroyed by atomic bombs flee to Earth in the…
Nights of CabiriaNights of Cabiria (1957) Recommended
Dir. Federico Fellini
Feat. Giulietta Masina
Giulietta Masina is marvelous as a waifish prostitute dreaming of a rich, wonderful life but always finding sorrow. Tragicomic masterpiece won an…
Seventh Seal, TheSeventh Seal, The (1957) Recommended
Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Max von Sydow
The solemn Swede garnered world prominence with this stunning, poetic allegory set in the plague–ridden 16th Century, where a disillusioned…
Sissi - The Fateful Years of an EmpressSissi - The Fateful Years of an Empress (1957)
Dir. Ernst Marischka
Feat. Romy Schneider
Concluding film in the Sissi trilogy ends on a somber note with Romy Schneider struggling with Viennese court life as she moves towards a tragic end.
Throne of BloodThrone of Blood (1957)
Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Isuzu Yamada, Takashi Shimura
Kurosawa transposes MacBeth into a Samurai setting and the result justifies his reputation. Nothing short of an awesome spectacle Shakespeare himself…
Une ParisienneUne Parisienne (1957)
Dir. Michel Boisrond
Feat. Brigitte Bardot, Charles Boyer
Dated yet enjoyably fluffy Bardot comedy, with the sex kitten playing the mischief–making daughter of the French Premier who seduces a cabinet…
Wide Blue Road, TheWide Blue Road, The (La grande strada azzurra) (1957)
Dir. Gillo Pontecorvo
Feat. Yves Montand, Alida Valli, Francisco Rabal
Italian neorealist melodrama drama which marks the feature debut of Gillo Pontecorvo (THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS). Set on a small rugged island off the…
Wild StrawberriesWild Strawberries (1957) Recommended
Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Victor Sjostrom, Bibi Andersson, Ingrid Thulin
A classic film of one man's reminiscences and his dramatic search for the meaning of human existence. The bleakness is imbued with a quiet optimism.
Akasen ChitaiAkasen Chitai (Street of Shame) (1956)
Dir. Kenji Mizoguchi
Feat. Machiko Kyo
Prostitution and the female plight are the chief concerns of this sympathetic, heartbreaking ensemble piece examining the trade of five headstrong,…
And God Created WomanAnd God Created Woman (1956)
Dir. Roger Vadim
Feat. Brigitte Bardot, Curt Jurgens, Jean-Louis Trintignant
The Bardot movie, set in sleepy St. Tropez where Bridget is the misunderstood town hussy who impulsively marries the brother of a boyfriend. Works…
AparajitoAparajito (1956) Recommended
Dir. Satyajit Ray
Feat. Kanu Bannerjee, Karuna Bannerjee, Pinaki Sengupta
Sequel to PATHER PANCHALI sees Apu now as an adolescent who abandons his village and travels to Calcutta, where he is inevitably confused with his…
Burmese Harp, TheBurmese Harp, The (Biruma no tategoto) (1956) Recommended
Dir. Kon Ichikawa
Feat. Rentaro Mikuni
Another muted anti–war elegy conceived during Japan’s post–WWII recovery, this tells the journey of a Japanese private, who upon…
Crazed FruitCrazed Fruit (1956)
Dir. Ko Nakahira
Feat. Yujiro Ishihara, Masahiko Tsugawa, Mie Kitahara
Two hedonistic brothers chase the skirt of a voracious young temptress in this scorching, jazz–infused statement on reckless youth. A seminal…
Elena and Her MenElena and Her Men (Paris Does Strange Things) (1956)
Dir. Jean Renoir
Feat. Ingrid Bergman, Jean Marais, Mel Ferrer
Ingrid Bergman plays a Polish princess torn between marrying for love, or wealth, in this slinky, sweet–natured comic romance. Mel Ferrer, Jean…
FlowingFlowing (Nagareru ) (1956) Recommended
Dir. Mikio Naruse
Feat. Kinuyo Tanaka, Hideko Takamine, Isuzu Yamada
Dir. Naruse’s compassionate portrait of the fading post–war geisha trade. Considered one of the director's best among his many films to…
Her Bridal NightHer Bridal Night (Mariée est trop belle, La) (1956)
Dir. Pierre Gaspard-Huit
Feat. Brigitte Bardot, Micheline Presle, Louis Jourdan
Light comedy dating from Brigette Bardot's early years in which she plays a country girl who gets 'discovered' by the Parisian fashion industry and…
KanalKanal (1956)
Dir. Andrzej Wajda
Feat. Teresa Izewska, Tadeusz Janczar
The darkest chapter of dir. Wadja's WWII 'Trilogy', is an unremitting portrayal of the last gasps of the 1944 Warsaw uprising. With desperate…
Man Escaped, AMan Escaped, A (1956) Recommended
Dir. Robert Bresson
Feat. Francois Leterrier
Bresson's films are all extremely controlled in style: no suspense, no histrionics, flat acting, spare and simple camerawork, yet this is an…
Naughty GirlNaughty Girl (Cette Sacree Gamine) (1956)
Dir. Michel Boisrond
Feat. Brigitte Bardot, Francoise Fabian
A con–artist father leaves his devious minx of a daughter in the hands of a performer who discovers the girl is bent on disrupting his life the…
Plucking the DaisyPlucking the Daisy (Mademoiselle Striptease) (1956)
Dir. Roger Vadim
Feat. Brigitte Bardot, Roger Vadim
One of the Brigitte Bardot/Roger Vadim light comedies that relies on Bardot's charms rather more than the simple story of a smalltown woman who is…
Roof, TheRoof, The (Tetto, Il) (1956)
Dir. Vittorio De Sica
Feat. Gabriella Pallotta, Giorgio Listuzzi
Moving (and until recently, exceptionally hard to find) neo–realist drama that latches onto the hard times of a newly married couple who…
Sissi - The Young EmpressSissi - The Young Empress (1956)
Dir. Ernst Marischka
Feat. Romy Schneider
Royal life is not quite the bed of roses for Princess Sissi, now married to her beloved Franz but under the constant gaze of her meddling…
Bob Le FlambeurBob Le Flambeur (Bob the Gambler) (1955) Recommended
Dir. Jean-Pierre Melville
Feat. Roger Duchesne, Isabelle Corney
Superb French noir from the dir. of LE SAMOURAI, here debuting with a taut plan to rob the Deauville casino, that grows ever more perilous for…
DreamsDreams (Kvinnodröm; Journey Into Autumn) (1955)
Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Eva Dahlbeck, Harriet Andersson, Gunnar Bjornstrand
Early, flawed Bergman microscope on relationships focuses on two women – a photographer and her model on a fashion shoot – as they…
French Can CanFrench Can Can (French Cancan, Only the French Can) (1955) Recommended
Dir. Jean Renoir
Feat. Jean Gabin, Michel Piccoli, Dora Doll
Jean Renoir returned to France after 15 years absence to make this vibrant tribute to the Parisian world of his father, the Impressionist painter…
Grandes Manoeuvres, LesGrandes Manoeuvres, Les (1955)
Dir. Rene Clair
Feat. Michele Morgan, Gerard Philipe, Brigitte Bardot
Sophisticated French fare is a battle of the sexes between a notorious womanizer, and the divorcee he’s convinced he’ll be able to seduce and…
I Live in FearI Live in Fear (Ikimono no Kiroku) (1955)
Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura
Convinced a nuclear holocaust is imminent, an elderly industrialist (Mifune) decides to uproot his reluctant family (even his mistresses!) from Tokyo…
Il BidoneIl Bidone (The Swindlers) (1955)
Dir. Federico Fellini
Feat. Broderick Crawford, Giulietta Masina, Richard Basehart
An early work from dir. Fellini in which a trio of conmen roam the Italian countryside swindling peasants in order to fund the future they believe…
La StradaLa Strada (The Road) (1955) Recommended
Dir. Federico Fellini
Feat. Anthony Quinn
Fellini hit his stride and won a Foreign Film Oscar with this gentle road odyssey about a simple–minded clown whose loyalty to her boorish…
Lola MontesLola Montes (1955) Recommended
Dir. Max Ophuls
Feat. Martine Carol, Peter Ustinov, Anton Walbrook
The life of the famous 19th century courtesan provides the basis for this sophisticated portrayal of the capriciousness of fate, which leads to the…
Napoleon Napoleon (1955)
Dir. Sacha Guitry
Feat. Daniel Gelin, Raymond Pellegrin, Yves Montand
A somewhat farcical film that suffers from being dubbed into English, over–narration, and the attempt to give a complete account of Napoleon's…
OrdetOrdet (1955) Recommended
Dir. Carl Dreyer
Hailed by many critics as dir. Dreyer's masterpiece, this deep exploration of the true meaning of Christianity, set in rural Denmark, will repay the…
Pather PanchaliPather Panchali (1955) Recommended
Dir. Satyajit Ray
Feat. Kanu Bannerjee, Karuna Bannerjee, Subir Bannerjee
The first film from Asia's most respected film–maker also initiates his 'Apu trilogy', three of most admired films in history. A lyrical…
RififiRififi (1955) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jules Dassin
Feat. Jean Servais, Jules Dassin, Magali Noel
The French reclaim film noir with this methodical and stylish heist movie, famous for its 35 minute real–time bank robbery, executed in virtual…
SissiSissi (1955) Recommended
Dir. Ernst Marischka
Feat. Romy Schneider
Regal saga finds 16–year–old princess Sissi fall in love with husband–to–be Franz Josef in the first of an ongoing series of…
Smiles of a Summer NightSmiles of a Summer Night (Sommarnattens Leende) (1955) Recommended
Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Ulla Jacobsson, Eva Dahlbeck, Harriet Andersson
An enjoyable, ultimately serious comedy of deception set among the Swedish gentry of the early 20th century who are engaged in a poetic dance of…
Wajda's War TrilogyWajda's War Trilogy (A Generation, Kanal, Ashes & Diamonds) (1955-1958) Recommended
Dir. Andrzej Wajda
Polish visionary Wajda's trilogy of war masterworks.
YokihiYokihi (Empress Yang Kwei-Fei) (1955)
Dir. Kenji Mizoguchi
Feat. Machiko Kyo, Masayuki Mori
Mizoguchi’s rare colour turn, a lush, poignant ancient fable centred on a commoner maid who marries an emperor, only to be destined for sacrifice.
4 by Agnès Varda4 by Agnès Varda (La Pointe Courte, Cléo from 5 to 7, Le bonheur and Vagabond) (1954-1985)
Dir. Agnes Varda
Agnès Varda used the skills she honed early in her career as a photographer to create some of the most nuanced, thought–provoking films of the…
Crucified Lovers, TheCrucified Lovers, The (Chikamatsu Monogatari) (1954)
Dir. Kenji Mizoguchi
Feat. Kazuo Hasegawa, Kyoko Kagawa, Eitaro Shindo
Powerful, Bunraku–inspired tragidrama of adulterous lovers whose illicit romance is doomed in Feudal, 17th century Japan. Essential Mizoguchi.
Dov'e La Liberta...?Dov'e La Liberta...? (Where Is Freedom?) (1954)
Dir. Roberto Rossellini
Feat. Toto, Vera Molnar, Nita Dover
Legendary Italian comic Toto plays a barber who cannot abide the hypocritical society he is thrust into after spending two decades in prison, and…
Generation, AGeneration, A (Pokolenie) (1954)
Dir. Andrzej Wajda
Feat. Roman Polanski
Fast–moving account of the Polish Resistance during WWII, as a scrappy young recruit falls in love with his unit leader. Depicts the spirited,…
GodzillaGodzilla (Gojira) (1954) Recommended
Dir. Inoshiro Honda
Feat. Akira Takarada, Akihiko Hirata, Takashi Shimura
The original Japanese version of GODZILLA, complete with the anti–nuclear subplot which was cut from the 1956 US version. Concerns a…
Les DiaboliquesLes Diaboliques (1954) Recommended
Dir. Henri-Georges Clouzot
Feat. Simone Signoret, Vera Clouzot, Paul Meurisse
Simone Signoret stars as one of two women who conspire to murder the man they share – a sadistic schoolmaster. Iconic French thriller with a…
Peek-a-BooPeek-a-Boo (Ah! Les belles bacchantes) (1954)
Dir. Jean Loubignac
Feat. Louis de Funès, Robert Dhéry
Peppy parody of musical revues, with Louis de Funès's small–town copper finding himself inadvertently cast in an all–singing,…
Samurai Trilogy, TheSamurai Trilogy, The (Musashi Miyamoto, Duel at Ichijoji Temple, Duel at Ganryu Island) (1954-1956) Recommended
Dir. Hiroshi Inagaki
Feat. Toshiro Mifune
Sweeping saga of a legendary 17th century samurai Musashi Miyamoto, that made an icon of actor Toshiro Mifune. Played out against the turmoil of a…
Sansho DayuSansho Dayu (Sansho the Bailiff) (1954) Recommended
Dir. Kenji Mizoguchi
Feat. Kinuyo Tanaka, Yoshiaki Hanayagi, Kyoko Kagawa
One of Mizoguchi's great classics, based on an 11th century Japanese folktale elaborated into a sprawling vision of a cruel, mysterious cosmos, where…
SensoSenso (1954) Recommended
Dir. Luchino Visconti
Feat. Alida Valli, Farley Granger, Christian Marquand
A period love story set in the tumultuous 1860's in Italy, when it was occupied by invading Austrians. Dir. Visconti turns his eye on a love…
Seven Samurai, TheSeven Samurai, The (1954) Aro Favourite
Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Takashi Shimura, Toshiro Mifune
Kurosawa's classic 'Eastern Western' about a village who hire an elite band of warriors to fend off marauders. Compassionate storytelling with combat…
Sound of the MountainSound of the Mountain (Yama No Oto) (1954)
Dir. Mikio Naruse
Feat. Setsuko Hara, Ken Uehara, Soh Yamamura
Dir. Naruse reprises the disintegrating marriage (and cast) of his earlier film, REPAST, in this profoundly affecting tale of a young woman (Hara)…
Touchez Pas au GrisbiTouchez Pas au Grisbi (Hands Off the Loot) (1954) Recommended
Dir. Jacques Becker
Feat. Jean Gabin, René Dary, Jeanne Moreau
Laid–back though influential French noir chronicling a wealthy, retired racketeer (Gabin) who is pulled back into the life of crime when his…
Twenty-Four EyesTwenty-Four Eyes (24 Eyes/Nijushi no hitomi) (1954) Recommended
Dir. Keisuke Kinoshita
Feat. Hideko Takamine, Chishu Ryu
An elegiac triumph of nostalgia for youth and wartime humanism, this cherished landmark of Japanese cinema gracefully chronicles the 20–years…
Uwasa no onnaUwasa no onna (Her Mother's Profession, The Woman in the Rumour) (1954)
Dir. Kenji Mizoguchi
Feat. Kinuyo Tanaka, Yoshiko Kuga
Dir. Mizoguchi's longtime muse, Kinuyo Tanaka, plays the madame of a geisha house who falls prey to rumour when both herself and her daughter become…
Victoria in DoverVictoria in Dover (The Story of Vickie) (1954)
Dir. Ernst Marischka
Feat. Romy Schneider, Adrian Hoven
A prequel of sorts to the SISSI trilogy lovingly details the formative romance between Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Romy Schneider features…
Albert Lamorisse's Classic ShortsAlbert Lamorisse's Classic Shorts (White Mane, The Red Balloon) (1953-1956) Aro Favourite
Dir. Albert Lamorisse
Feat. Alain Emery
French director Albert Lamorisse's two landmark films WHITE MANE and THE RED BALLOON presented together on a single DVD is a must–have…
Gate of HellGate of Hell (Jigokumon) (1953)
Dir. Teinosuke Kinugasa
Feat. Machiko Kyo, Kazuo Hasegawa, Isao Yamagata
Tragic story of unrequited love set during the Heiji Rebellion in 1159, where a samurai warrior falls in love with a married…
I VitelloniI Vitelloni (1953) Recommended
Dir. Federico Fellini
Feat. Franco Interlenghi, Alberto Sordi, Franco Fabrizi
This neo–realist Fellini combines humour and pathos for a truthful study of aimless youths either ill–equipped or unwilling to embrace…
Life of OharuLife of Oharu (1953)
Dir. Kenji Mizoguchi
Feat. Kinuyo Tanaka, Toshiro Mifune
The prolific, though rarely seen dir. Mizoguchi came to attention with this chronicled downfall of a court–concubine in 17th century Japan,…
Madame De...Madame De... (Earrings Of Madame De..., The) (1953) Recommended
Dir. Max Ophuls
Feat. Danielle Darrieux, Vittorio De Sica, Charles Boyer
Widely considered one of the dir.'s peak achievements, this gracefully and ironically traces a doomed menage–a–trois in 18th century…
Mr. Hulot's HolidayMr. Hulot's Holiday (Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot) (1953) Recommended
Dir. Jacques Tati
Feat. Jacques Tati, Nathalie Pascaud
Jacques Tati fine–tunes the virtues of JOUR DE FETE to create his most eponymous character. The first of four Hulot features follows the…
Sawdust and TinselSawdust and Tinsel (Gycklarnas Afton) (1953)
Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Ake Gronberg
This grim flipside to Fellini’s loony, carnivalesque films powerfully relays the degradation of several circus performers at the end of their…
Tokyo StoryTokyo Story (1953) Aro Favourite
Dir. Yasujiro Ozu
Feat. Chishu Ryu, Chieko Higashiyama, Setsuko Hara
The master of Japanese cinema, this is Ozu's masterpiece. An emotional tour–de–force is drawn from an elderly couple's ill–fated…
Ugetsu MonogatariUgetsu Monogatari (1953) Aro Favourite
Dir. Kenji Mizoguchi
Feat. Masayuki Mori, Machiko Kyo, Kinuyo Tanaka
Stories by the 18th century writer Akinari Ueda are woven into an odyssey of civil–war misfortune, in which two peasant–potters and their…
Voyage to ItalyVoyage to Italy (Journey to Italy/ Journey in Italy) (1953)
Dir. Roberto Rossellini
Feat. Ingrid Bergman, George Sanders
A meditative journey through the landscapes of Italy, accompanying Ingrid Bergman and George Sanders in the midst of a breakup. The ongoing drama of…
Wages of FearWages of Fear (Salaire de la Peur, Le) (1953) Aro Favourite
Dir. Henri-Georges Clouzot
Feat. Yves Montand, Charles Vanel
A young Yves Montand leads a group of impoverished men over rocky Latin American terrain with a dangerous load of nitro–glycerine. Considered…
Casque d'OrCasque d'Or (Golden Marie) (1952)
Dir. Jacques Becker
Feat. Simone Signoret, Serge Reggiani, Claude Dauphin
A gangster’s moll falls in love with a reformed criminal, igniting underworld violence, in this lush, overwhelming tragi–romance set in Paris…
Fanfan la TulipeFanfan la Tulipe (1952)
Dir. Christian-Jaque
Feat. Gerard Philipe, Gina Lollobrigida, Genevieve Page
Irresistible swashbuckling fluff, with Gerard Philipe imperious on the battlefield and in the bedroom. A daredevil pace matched with lusty female…
Flavour Of Green Tea Over Rice, TheFlavour Of Green Tea Over Rice, The (Ochazuke no aji) (1952) Recommended
Dir. Yasujiro Ozu
Feat. Shin Saburi, Michiyo Kogure, Kōji Tsuruta
Dir. Ozu once again explores the subtleties of Japanese family life, this time drawing our attention to the struggles of those in arranged marriages…
Forbidden GamesForbidden Games (Jeux Interdits) (1952) Aro Favourite
Dir. Rene Clement
Feat. Georges Poujouly, Brigitte Fossey, Laurence Badie
After her parents are killed in an air raid during WWII, a small girl makes friends with a peasant boy, and the pair gradually come to terms with the…
French Comedy Greats: Louis De FunèsFrench Comedy Greats: Louis De Funès ( Monsieur Leguignon, Lampistel; Peek-a-Boo; The Bouncing Beauty; The Big Vacation.) (1952-1968)
Feat. Louis de Funès
Four films starring legendary French funnyman Louis de Funès.
Golden CoachGolden Coach (Le Carrosse d'or) (1952) Recommended
Dir. Jean Renoir
Feat. Anna Magnani, Odoardo Spadaro, Nada Fiorelli
Dir. Renoir's classic comedy focuses on a group of commedia dell'arte actors in the eighteenth Century and the much–desired central figure of…
IkiruIkiru (1952)
Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Takashi Shimura, Shinichi Himori, Haruo Tanaka
A patient meditation on life and death about a sullen yet dutiful office clerk of 30 years whose terminal illness compels him to rediscover his…
Le PlaisirLe Plaisir (House Of Pleasure) (1952)
Dir. Max Ophuls
Feat. Jean Gabin, Danielle Darrieux, Simone Simon
Three tales by Guy de Maupassant go into this visually elegant treatise on the changing moods of love, youth and memory. The most successful…
Manina la Fille Sans VoileManina la Fille Sans Voile (The Lighthouse-Keeper's Daughter; The Girl in the Bikini) (1952)
Dir. Willy Rozier
Feat. Brigitte Bardot
An obscure, almost forgettable French frolic, save for the eye–catching debut of one Brigitte Bardot. Here, the future sex symbol plays a…
Monsieur Leguignon, lampistelMonsieur Leguignon, lampistel (1952)
Dir. Maurice Labro
Feat. Yves Deniaud, Louis de Funès
Spirited and screwball–esque, this 'workers' comedy concerns a down–on–his–luck railway labourer who discovers treasure…
Summer with MonikaSummer with Monika (1952)
Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Harriet Andersson
Early Bergman turns his lens on a pair of working class, teenage lovers. At first this rebellious holiday boat ride comes across as dreamy escapism…
White Sheik, TheWhite Sheik, The (Sceicco bianco, Lo) (1952)
Dir. Federico Fellini
Feat. Alberto Sordi, Leopoldo Trieste, Giulietta Masina
Fellini’s against–the–grain feature debut coaxes the marital problems of a newlywed couple into a light, playful comedy that wasn’t…
Early SummerEarly Summer (Bakushû) (1951) Recommended
Dir. Yasujiro Ozu
Feat. Setsuko Hara, Chishu Ryu, Chikage Awashima
Another of dir. Ozu's majestic domestic dramas, this time concerning the inner–family conflicts over the spinsterhood of a daughter (Hara) and…
Idiot, TheIdiot, The (Hakuchi) (1951) Recommended
Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Setsuko Hara, Masayuki Mori
Flawed but compelling adaptation of Dostoyevsky's classic novel of human frailty, in which a madman and war criminal (Mori), is released from an…
RashomonRashomon (1951) Recommended
Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Machiko Kyo, Masayuki Mori
The film that brought Kurosawa to the attention of the world, and an Oscar winner for Best Foreign Film. Four wildly varying perspectives on a…
RepastRepast (Meshi) (1951)
Dir. Mikio Naruse
Feat. Setsuko Hara, Ken Uehara
A perceptive study of a fading marriage, in which a housewife (Hara) confronts the tedium and unhappiness of her domestic life, brought into sharp…
River, TheRiver, The (1951) Recommended
Dir. Jean Renoir
Feat. Nora Swinburne, Arthur Shields
A sublime and serene drama set on the banks of India's holy Bengal River in the 1920s, where a trio of young English girls come under the spell of a…
SusanaSusana (The Devil and the Flesh) (1951)
Dir. Luis Bunuel
Feat. Rosita Quintana
A sexually devious reform girl seeks refuge in a decent working class family, only to cause upheaval with her devilish ways. Early Bunuel…
Diary of a Country PriestDiary of a Country Priest (Journal D'Un Cure De Campagne) (1950) Aro Favourite
Dir. Robert Bresson
Feat. Claude Laydu
Compelling and uncompromising – this adaptation of Georges Bernanos' classic French novel is one of dir. Bresson's best examinations of the…
Francesco giullare di DioFrancesco giullare di Dio (Francis, God's Jester; The Flowers of St Francis) (1950) Recommended
Dir. Roberto Rossellini
Feat. Aldo Fabrizi
Following after dir. Rossellini's more obviously left–wing films (ROME OPEN CITY, PAISA), this unusual biopic would prove a transition work to…
La RondeLa Ronde (1950) Recommended
Dir. Max Ophuls
Feat. Anton Walbrook, Simone Signoret, Serge Reggiani
A witty chronicle of circular love–affairs and seductions in 19th century Vienna. Lavish sets and extravagent spiralling camerawork complement…
Los OlvidadosLos Olvidados (The Young and the Damned, aka The Forgotten Ones) (1950) Aro Favourite
Dir. Luis Bunuel
Ground–breaking masterwork from dir. Luis Bunuel's Meixcan period, set among slum children in Mexico City, whose harsh circumstances and…
Miracle in MilanMiracle in Milan (1950) Aro Favourite
Dir. Vittorio De Sica
Feat. Paolo Stoppa
Memorable foray into satirical fantasy for dir. de Sica, in which a hobo philanthropist is given the power to work miracles in the…
ScandalScandal (Shubun) (1950)
Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Shirley Yamaguchi, Takashi Shimura
This excellent early Kurosawa, has Mifune playing a painter who becomes acquainted with a pop–singer, and thus the target of a tabloid…
Story of a Love AffairStory of a Love Affair (Cronaca di un amore) (1950)
Dir. Michelangelo Antonioni
Feat. Lucia Bose, Massimo Girotti, Ferdinando Sarmi
Although more stylistically conventional than his 'mature' films, dir. Antonioni's debut feature is a strongly delivered, almost film noir,…
StromboliStromboli (1950) Recommended
Dir. Roberto Rossellini
Feat. Ingrid Bergman
After his neo–realist masterpieces, this is one of the dir.'s best films, concerning a WW2 refugee who hastily marries an Italian fisherman and…
Summer InterludeSummer Interlude (1950)
Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Maj-Britt Nilsson, Birger Malmsten, Alf Kjellin
Perhaps Bergman's first significant work, about an aging ballerina who reflects on a youthful romance with her now–deceased lover in moody…
Un Chant D'amourUn Chant D'amour (A Song of Love) (1950) Recommended
Dir. Jean Genet
Sole foray into cinema for French convict–turned–playwright Jean Genet is a brief and intense visual poem about the fantasies of…
Variety LightsVariety Lights (1950)
Dir. Federico Fellini, Alberto Lattuada
Feat. Giulietta Masina
Fellini co–directed this carnivalesque drama about a mediocre theatre troupe in need of a crowd puller before breaking out solo with THE WHITE…
56 Rue Pigalle56 Rue Pigalle (1949)
Dir. Willy Rozier
Feat. Raymond Cordy, Marie Dea
Distinctive French noir telling the tale of a boss, suspected of murdering his blackmailing manservant, who flees to Africa with his mistress once…
De Sica Collection, TheDe Sica Collection, The (The Bicycle Thief, Miracle in Milan, The Roof) (1949-1956)
Dir. Vittorio De Sica
Three films from Italian master Vittorio De Sica. Includes the previously unreleased THE ROOF (1956).
Late SpringLate Spring (1949) Aro Favourite
Dir. Yasujiro Ozu
Feat. Setsuko Hara, Chishu Ryu
Ozu’s greatest film outside of the universally acclaimed TOKYO STORY magically distils the director’s reoccurring family concerns: that of a…
OrpheusOrpheus (Orphee) (1949) Recommended
Dir. Jean Cocteau
Feat. Jean Marais, Maria Casares, Marie Dea
Cocteau's surrealist retelling of the classical tragedy stars Jean Marais as Orphee, the writer who retrieves his wife Eurydice from the dead. A…
Quiet Duel, TheQuiet Duel, The (Shizukanaru ketto) (1949)
Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura
A pre–RED BEARD Toshiro Mifune plays an idealistic doctor who fatally contracts syphilis from performing surgery in this minor Kurosawa…
Stray DogStray Dog (Nora Inu) (1949) Recommended
Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Toshiro Mifune
An early film noir from Japan’s best–known director tracks police detective Toshiro Mifune into the underbelly of Tokyo in search of a pistol…
Yasujiro Ozu BoxsetYasujiro Ozu Boxset (Early Summer; Tokyo Story; An Autumn Afternoon; Floating Weeds; Good Morning; The Flavour Of Green Tea Over Rice; Late Spring) (1949-1959)
Dir. Yasujiro Ozu
Eight masterpieces from the great Japanese filmmaker.
Bicycle ThievesBicycle Thieves (The Bicycle Thief, Ladri di biciclette) (1948) Aro Favourite
Dir. Vittorio De Sica
Feat. Lamberto Maggiorani, Enzo Staiola, Lianella Carell
A huge sentimental favourite about a man whose chance at meaningful labour is taken from him when his precious bicycle is stolen from him. Though not…
Drunken AngelDrunken Angel (Yoidore tenshi) (1948)
Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura
The film that made Toshiro Mifune a star – playing a petty gangster with TB, who turns to an alcoholic doctor for help after a shoot–out.…
Jacques Tati BoxsetJacques Tati Boxset (Jour De Fete, Mon Oncle, Mr. Hulot's Holiday, Playtime, Trafic, Parade) (1948-1967)
Dir. Jacques Tati
Feat. Jacques Tati
A newly remastered collection of films from the legendary French comedian. Includes Tati's six features, seven rare shorts, and the 2009 documentary…
Les Enfants TerriblesLes Enfants Terribles (The Strange Ones) (1948) Recommended
Dir. Jean-Pierre Melville
Feat. Edouard Dermithe, Nicole Stephane
A poetic drama–fantasy from the pen of Jean Cocteau (who also directed several scenes), that centres round the narcissistic,…
Germany Year ZeroGermany Year Zero (1947) Aro Favourite
Dir. Roberto Rossellini
A heart–breaking depiction of life in the post–WW2 ruins of Berlin, in which a boy struggles to help his family who are forced to live in…
Jour De FeteJour De Fete (1947)
Dir. Jacques Tati
Feat. Jacques Tati
Jacques Tati established himself as a major new comic as a postman who attempts to modernise his mail service. Such precise visual humour had not…
La Terra TremaLa Terra Trema (1947)
Dir. Luchino Visconti
Feat. Luchino Visconti, Antonio Pietrangeli
Life–study of a poor Sicilian fishing village that is reverently neo–realist in its approach. Lovely B&W photography never distracts from…
Quai Des OrfevresQuai Des Orfevres (1947) Recommended
Dir. Henri-Georges Clouzot
Feat. Louis Jouvet, Bernard Blier, Suzy Delair
Romantically bleak French noir about an ambitious starlet and her protective husband who find themselves implicated in the murder of a lecherous…
Ship Bound for India, AShip Bound for India, A (1947)
Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Holger Löwenadler
An early, overlooked play adaptation finds Bergman's visual and dramatic style in its formative stages. Four troubled souls are drawn together by a…
Silence de la Mer, LeSilence de la Mer, Le (The Silence of the Sea) (1947)
Dir. Jean-Pierre Melville
Feat. Howard Vernon
A German officer is billeted with an elderly man and his niece during the occupation of France in this introspective and talky chamber piece, heavy…
Belle Et La Bete, LaBelle Et La Bete, La (Beauty and the Beast) (1946) Recommended
Dir. Jean Cocteau
Feat. Jean Marais, Josette Day
Cocteau brings a fine sense of fantasy to the old fable, creating a luxuriant atmosphere unique to his film–making. A true classic.
It Rains On Our LoveIt Rains On Our Love (1946)
Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Barbro Kollberg, Birger Malmsten
Bergman experiments with this awkward combination of romance and misery, in which a couple's happiness is dogged by their criminal and vagrant past.…
PaisaPaisa (1946) Recommended
Dir. Roberto Rossellini
Feat. Carmela Sazio, Robert Van Loon, Benjamin Emmanuel
Six short films focusing on the minor victories and losses of ordinary folk during WW2. Pioneering the now–familiar use of documentary footage,…
PaniquePanique (1946) Recommended
Dir. Julien Duvivier
Feat. Michel Simon, Viviane Romance
Exemplary French noir based on the novel Les Fiançailles de M. Hire by Georges Simenon, the source of the Patrice Leconte film, MONSIEUR HIRE…
ShoeshineShoeshine (Sciuscia) (1946) Recommended
Dir. Vittorio De Sica
Perhaps Vittorio De Sica's first acknowledged masterpiece, concerns two young boys struggling to survive on the streets of post–WWII Rome by…
Les Dames Du Bois De BoulogneLes Dames Du Bois De Boulogne (1945)
Dir. Robert Bresson
Feat. Maria Casares
Dir. Bresson and writer Jean Cocteau are strange bedfellows in this lush, stylish drama, well–removed from the director’s austere later…
Les Enfants Du ParadisLes Enfants Du Paradis (Children of Paradise) (1945) Aro Favourite
Dir. Marcel Carne
Feat. Arletty, Jean-Louis Barrault, Pierre Brasseur
This resplendent evocation of nineteeth century Paris street theatre follows the love of mime Jean–Louis Barrault for the highly–strung…
Rome: Open CityRome: Open City (1945) Recommended
Dir. Roberto Rossellini
Feat. Anna Magnani, Aldo Fabrizi
Neo–realist war drama about resistance fighters in fascist Italy places the action right inside the everyday and humanises the heroic.…
Sanshiro Sugata 2Sanshiro Sugata 2 (1945)
Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Denjirô Ôkôchi, Susumu Fujita
Sequel to dir. Kurosawa’s debut picture about a studious judo disciple in training continues the director’s own development as a future master of…
TormentTorment (Hets) (1944)
Dir. Alf Sjoberg
Feat. Stig Jarrel, Alf Kjellin, Mai Zetterling
Impressionistic study of authoritarian education and adolescent love was scripted by a young Ingmar Bergman, and its universe of cruel twists and…
Day of WrathDay of Wrath (1943)
Dir. Carl Dreyer
Feat. Thorkild Roose, Lisbeth Movin, Sigrid Neiiendam
Witchcraft drama set in 17th century rural Denmark, where an innocent young woman is denounced following the death of her much older, harshly…
Ivan the Terrible Pts. 1 & 2Ivan the Terrible Pts. 1 & 2 (1943) Recommended
Dir. Sergei Eisenstein
Feat. Nikolai Cherkassov, Serafima Birman, Lyudmila Tselikovskaya
Spectacularly staged chronicle of the life of Czar Ivan IV, and his struggle to consolidate the Russian empire in the 16th Century. One of the…
Le CorbeauLe Corbeau (1943) Recommended
Dir. Henri-Georges Clouzot
Feat. Pierre Fresnay
Fascinating as a wartime allegory made under the German Occupation of France, a small town becomes a hot–bed of paranoia following a rash of…
Munchhausen (1943) Recommended
Dir. Josef von Baky
Feat. Hans Albers
This adaptation of the Rudolph Raspe novel about the extraordinary tall–tales of a German baron is a genuine oddity, both historically and…
Sanshiro SugataSanshiro Sugata (1943)
Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Denjirô Ôkôchi, Susumu Fujita
Notable chiefly as the debut directorial effort for Akira Kurosawa, this adaptation of Tsuneo Tomita's novel finds an immature Judo exponent (Fujita)…
Eternel Retour, L' (1942)
Dir. Jean Delannoy
Feat. Jean Marais, Madeleine Sologney, Yvonne de Bray
(Love Eternal) A contemporary take on the legend of Tristan and Isolde, lovers united after death. Jean Cocteau's script is realised with the…
Les Visiteurs Du SoirLes Visiteurs Du Soir (1942) Recommended
Dir. Marcel Carne
Feat. Arletty, Marie Dea, Fernand Ledoux
Two of the Devil's henchmen are dispatched to a fairytale–like 15th century castle with an eye to corrupting its inhabitants, especially a pair…
OssessioneOssessione (1942)
Dir. Luchino Visconti
Feat. Clara Calamai, Massimo Girotti, Dhia Cristiani
Visconti's awesome debut interprets James Cain's novel of lust, greed, murder and recrimination, The Postman Always Rings Twice. Its stark rendering…
Jean Grémillon: During the OccupationJean Grémillon: During the Occupation (Remorques, Lumière d'été, Le Ciel Est à Vous) (1941-1944)
Dir. Jean Gremillon
Feat. Jean Gabin, Madeleine Renaud
Three character–driven dramas from the heralded French film director who has been little represented outside of his home country: Remorques…
Loyal 47 Ronin, TheLoyal 47 Ronin, The (47 Ronin) (1941)
Dir. Kenji Mizoguchi
Feat. Yoshizaburo Arashi
Sombre rendition of a famous Japanese legend that's both quietly dignified and overtly nationalistic, tooled as propaganda during the height of…
Jour Se Leve, LeJour Se Leve, Le (Daybreak) (1939) Recommended
Dir. Marcel Carne
Feat. Jean Gabin, Arletty
A renowned example of 'poetic realism', Jean Gabin gives another consummate performance as a doomed anti–hero. His tragic story is told in…
La Regle Du JeuLa Regle Du Jeu (Rules of the Game) (1939) Aro Favourite
Dir. Jean Renoir
Feat. Marcel Dalio, Nora Gregor, Roland Toutain
Considered one the greatest films in history, this downbeat yet incisive satire centres around weekend shooting party that results in a myriad of…
Alexander NevskyAlexander Nevsky (1938)
Dir. Sergei Eisenstein
Feat. Nikolai Cherkassov, Nikolai Okhlopkov
Eisenstein's first sound film is a patriotic epic about the 13th century hero who led his people against the Teutonic Knights. Monumental battle…
Bete Humaine, LaBete Humaine, La (1938) Recommended
Dir. Jean Renoir
Feat. Jean Gabin, Simone Simon, Fernand Ledoux
Adaptation of Zola's romantic tragedy brims with tension and exults the presense of French icon Jean Gabin as a hot–headed train driver coaxed…
I Accuse (J'Accuse) (1938)
Dir. Abel Gance
Feat. Victor Francen, Line Noro, Marie Lou
Dir. Gance’s own remake of his 1919 silent classic, in which a soldier traumatised by the slaughter of WWI attempts to prevent future…
Le Quai Des BrumesLe Quai Des Brumes (Port of Shadows) (1938) Recommended
Dir. Marcel Carne
Feat. Jean Gabin, Michel Simon, Michele Morgan
The forever anti–heroic Jean Gabin takes on an underworld of pimps and perverts in this gloomy French classic, a major influence on the film…
Marseillaise, LaMarseillaise, La (1938)
Dir. Jean Renoir
Feat. Pierre Renoir, Lisa Delamare, Leon Larive
Renoir's classic depicts events leading up to the French revolution in the 18th Century, electing to extract history from the heart of the common…
Grand IllusionGrand Illusion (La Grande Illusion) (1937) Recommended
Dir. Jean Renoir
Feat. Jean Gabin, Pierre Fresnay, Erich von Stroheim
The heroics and hypocrasies of war are illustrated through an imprisoned French squadron in WW1 and their cultured German commandant. A hailed…
Pepe Le MokoPepe Le Moko (1937) Aro Favourite
Dir. Julien Duvivier
Feat. Jean Gabin, Mireille Balin
Jean Gabin plays a super–cool gangster who finds immunity in the Algierian Casbah. Marvellously romantic, this classic of the French golden age…
CésarCésar (1936)
Dir. Marcel Pagnol
Feat. Raimu, Orane Demazis, Pierre Fresnay
Playwright Marcel Parcol takes over the director's reins himself for this concluding part of his Marseille trilogy, following 'Marius' and 'Fanny'.…
Jacques Tati ShortsJacques Tati Shorts (1936)
Dir. Jacques Tati
Three rare short comedies for those that can't get enough of the French funnyman. Watch your Left! (1936), School for Postmen (1947), and Evening…
Une Partie de CampagneUne Partie de Campagne (A Day in the Country) (1936)
Dir. Jean Renoir
Feat. Sylvia Bataille
This evocative, unfinished short (originally part of a full–length feature) lovingly captures the flirtations of a young girl as she detours…
Le Crime De Monsieur LangeLe Crime De Monsieur Lange (1935) Recommended
Dir. Jean Renoir
Feat. Rene Lefevre, Florelle , Jules Berry
One of the dir.’s early classics. Rene Leferve rises to newsprint fame as the author of the serial “Arizona Jim” after his boss, a…
Goddess, TheGoddess, The (Shen nu) (1934) Recommended
Dir. Wu Yonggang
Feat. Ruan Lingyu
One of the best–known films of China's cinematic golden age, with the legendarily tragic actress Ruan Lingyu playing an unnamed woman who lives…
L'AtalanteL'Atalante (1934)
Dir. Jean Vigo
Feat. Michel Simon, Jean Daste
A recently restored master work from the French film archive combines lyrical romance with inspired touches of fantasy.
EcstasyEcstasy (1933)
Dir. Gustav Machety
Feat. Hedy Lamarr
Hedy Lamarr came to world attention in this 1932 film, playing a sexually–frustrated bride who goes on a fifteen minute nude romp in an alpine…
Las HurdesLas Hurdes (Land Without Bread) (1933)
Dir. Luis Bunuel
Surrealist non–fiction short film focused around Las Hurdes, the poorest region of Western Spain. An unnervingly straight travelogue delivered…
LiebeleiLiebelei (1933)
Dir. Max Ophuls
Feat. Arthur Schnitzler
An early work from the German maestro of the tracking shot, whose tale of doomed romance between a young soldier and fraulein (taken from a play by…
Boudu Saved from DrowningBoudu Saved from Drowning (1932) Recommended
Dir. Jean Renoir
Feat. Michel Simon, Charles Granval, Marcelle Hania
Renoir's joyfully anarchic attack on the bourgeoisie in which vagrant Michel Simon wreaks emotional havoc in the orderly household that have offered…
FannyFanny (1932)
Dir. Marc Allegret
Feat. Raimu, Orane Demazis, Pierre Fresnay
Leisurely French romantic drama based on the play by Marcel Pagnol that marks the second part in the Marseille film trilogy that started with Marius…
Le MillionLe Million (1931) Aro Favourite
Dir. Rene Clair
Feat. Annabella, Rene Lefevre, Louis Allibert
An early French musical, so delightful it was to inspire the likes of the Marx Brothers and Charlie Chaplin and even the American Musical as a…
M... Worst Crime of AllM... Worst Crime of All (1931) Recommended
Dir. Fritz Lang
Feat. Peter Lorre
A chilling expressionist classic starring Peter Lorre as psychotic child molester. Dir. Lang masterfully fills the screen with understated but…
MariusMarius (1931)
Dir. Alexander Korda
Feat. Raimu, Pierre Fresnay, Orane Demazis
Based on the play by revered French writer Marcel Pagnol, this is the first film in the Marseille Trilogy featuring the characters of Marius (Pierre…
Silent NaruseSilent Naruse (Flunky, Work Hard; No Blood Relation; Apart From You; Every-Night Dreams; Street Without End) (1931-1934)
Dir. Mikio Naruse
A collection of silent era films from renowned Japanese director Mikio Naruse, the only five from the 1930's that still exist today, featuring new…
Blood of a PoetBlood of a Poet (1930)
Dir. Jean Cocteau
Feat. Lee Miller, Pauline Carton
Cocteau's first film is a surrealist gem that sewed the seeds of his style. The Dali/Bunuel influence is clear, but this goes one step further with…
Blue Angel, TheBlue Angel, The (1930) Aro Favourite
Dir. Josef von Sternberg
Feat. Marlene Dietrich, Emil Jannings
A masterwork of the twenties German grotesquerie, this enjoyed great success and gave an early career boost to Marlene Dietrich.
EarthEarth (Zemlya) (1930) Recommended
Dir. Alexander Dovzhenko
One of the poetic highpoints of Soviet cinema, this sets its simple tale amid the life of a Ukrainian peasant village undergoing modernization after…
Films of Jean Vigo, TheFilms of Jean Vigo, The (À propos de Nice; Taris, roi de l'eau; Zero De Conduite, L' Atlante) (1930-1933)
Dir. Jean Vigo
Feat. Jean Daste
Three early, formative short works from seminal French filmmaker Jean Vigo. A PROPOS DE NICE (1930, 21 min): Vigo juxtaposes the affluence and…
Prix de BeautePrix de Beaute (1930)
Dir. Augusto Genina
Feat. Louise Brooks, Georges Charlia, Augusto Bandini
Louise Brooks is vivacious beyond compare in her first sound film, a jazz–age classic about a young office worker who enters a beauty…
Diary of a Lost GirlDiary of a Lost Girl (1929) Recommended
Dir. G.W. Pabst
Feat. Louise Brooks
Exceptional follow–up to the eye–opening PANDORA’S BOX, with Louise Brooks again provoking disorder with her unrestrained vitality and…
New Gentlemen, TheNew Gentlemen, The (Les Nouveaux Messiers) (1929)
Dir. Jacques Feyder
Feat. Albert Prejean
A satirical French silent film, which uses a number of inventive visual techniques to comic effect. A dancer at the Paris Opera is the mistress of an…
People on SundayPeople on Sunday (Menschen am Sonntag) (1929) Recommended
Dir. Robert Siodmak, Edgar G. Ulmer
Scripted by a young Billy Wilder, this pivotal silent film harnessed the nascent talents of many other German film–makers that would come to…
Woman in the MoonWoman in the Moon (Frau im Mond) (1929) Recommended
Dir. Fritz Lang
Feat. Willy Fritsch, Fritz Rasp, Gerda Maurus
Silent–era sci–fi from director Fritz Lang. Based on the 1928 novel "The Rocket to the Moon" by his collaborator (and wife at the time)…
L'ArgentL'Argent (Money) (1928) Recommended
Dir. Marcel L'Herbier
Feat. Pierre Alcover, Brigitte Helm, Alfred Abel
Classic of the late silent era from French filmmaker, writer and film theorist Marcel L'Herbier, based on the book of the same name by Émile…
Passion of Joan of ArcPassion of Joan of Arc (1928) Aro Favourite
Dir. Carl Dreyer
Feat. Renee Maria Falconetti, Eugene Silvain, Michel Simon
An intense recreation of Joan of Arc’s trial and sentence that qualifies as one of cinema’s most transcendental achievements. Consisting…
Un Chien AndalouUn Chien Andalou (1928) Recommended
Dir. Luis Bunuel
Feat. Salvador Dali
Bunuel and Salvador Dali collaborated for this sensational short film that blew the lid off convention in a way history could never repeat. A…
Chess Player, TheChess Player, The (Le Joueur d'échecs) (1927)
Dir. Raymond Bernard
Feat. Pierre Blanchar, Charles Dullin
French silent film based on the novel by Henry Dupuy–Mazuel, set in the 18th century, during the Russian domination of Polish Lithuania. After…
End of St. Petersburg, TheEnd of St. Petersburg, The (1927)
Dir. Vsevolod Pudovkin
Feat. Vera Baranovskaya, Aleksandr Chistyakov
The tensions that exploded with the 'October Revolution' in Russia, 1917 are schematised here using understated characterisations (of workers and…
GribicheGribiche (Mother of Mine) (1926)
Dir. Jacques Feyder
A silent French film by Jacques Feyder. A 13–year–old working–class boy lives alone with his mother. While shopping in a Paris…
Battleship PotemkinBattleship Potemkin (1925) Recommended
Dir. Sergei Eisenstein
Feat. Alexander Antonov, Vladimir Blasky, Grigori Alexandrov
This landmark Soviet propaganda film about the 1905 revolution is one of the greatest classics of all time. The smart use of visual metaphor and that…
Carl Theodor Dreyer: Master FilmmakerCarl Theodor Dreyer: Master Filmmaker (Master of the House, Day of Wrath, Ordet, Gerturd, My Metier.) (1925-1995)
Dir. Carl Dreyer
Fetching boxset featuring four films – MASTER OF THE HOUSE, DAY OF WRATH, ORDET, GERTRUD – by admired but often underrated Danish film…
Late Mathias Pascal, TheLate Mathias Pascal, The (Feu Mathias Pascal) (1925)
Dir. Marcel L'Herbier
Feat. Ivan Mosjoukine, Michel Simon
A French silent film, based on the novel by Luigi Pirandello. Russian actor Ivan Mosjoukine stars as Mathias, an assistant librarian from a…
Master of the HouseMaster of the House (Thou Shalt Honour Thy Wife, Du Skal Aere Din Hustru) (1925)
Dir. Carl Dreyer
Feat. Johannes Meyer
Deceptively simple, penetrating chamber piece from Dreyer, centered on an abusive husband who is dealt to by the long–suffering family’s…
Aelita: Queen of MarsAelita: Queen of Mars (1924)
Dir. Yakov Protazanov
Feat. Nikolai Tseretelli, Valentina Kuindzhi
Russian silent science–fiction film based on Alexei Tolstoy's novel about a young man in post–war Soviet Union given the chance to travel…
Kean (1924)
Dir. Alexandre Volkoff
Feat. Ivan Mosjoukine
A French silent film depicting the life of Shakespearean actor Edmund Kean, played by Ivan Mosjoukine, focusing on his romance with countess Elena de…

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