Currently browsing the "Foreign" category.

In a Better World (Hævnen)

Biutiful

Javier, oh, Javier! Your new movie broke my heart. In Alejandro González Iñárritu’s new film Biutiful, Javier Bardem stars as Uxbal, a father taking care of everyone, except himself. He has two young children, an unmedicated bipolar ex-wife, groups of African and Chinese illegal immigrants who are depending on him for work, and unbeknownst to all of them he is dying of cancer. He also has a talent for speaking with the dead, though not in an “I see dead people” sort of way. He’s just a working class José in Barcelona trying to make ends meet any way he can.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest

With all the hoopla about the penultimate Harry Potter and the third installment of The Chronicles of Narnia, the end of the Steig Larson Millennium Trilogy may have slipped your notice. And that’s too bad since The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest may be the best of the trilogy. Whether you’ve seen the first two, this movie is an entertaining ride on its own.

The American

It’s no big secret that the Chickflix chicks all love George Clooney and not just for his, ahem, acting skills. But rather – perhaps even more so- for his genuine passion and compassion for global justice and humanity. For that reason alone, I urge everyone (over 18) to go see The American to support Clooney… even if this movie does feature a much darker George than we’ve generally come to expect.

The Girl Who Played with Fire

The second installment of the Millennium Trilogy, The Girl Who Played with Fire, is really good, but unlike the first installment, I felt that there were lots of missing pieces that could only be filled in IF you read the book. Whether they make a difference to enjoying the ride is a different question altogether.

2010 Fall Movies

We’re moving out of the summer blockbuster kids’ movies and into the fall when traditionally a more serious adult roster hits the screens. This year? Well, there are a few that seem Oscar worthy, several with our favorite men headlining, a couple that look like real chick flicks and what just might be some nice comedies. See for yourself.

I am Love (Io sono l’amore)

Unless you watch a lot of Italian television, you are unlikely to know anyone in this film except for Tilda Swinton. But I have often found that to be a wonderful situation since without stars, you cannot decide as a film goes along who is “important” and so you pay attention to everyone in case they become a key to the story. Clearly Tilda’s character Emma is the center, but all the members of her family and their circle have important parts to play in this involving melodrama.

Micmacs

What a wonderful film! From director Jean-Pierre Jeunet who brought us the delightful Amélie, Micmacs is the story of a group of misfits who, to avenge the wrongs done to one of their family, conspire to bring down a couple of big arms dealers. It is a perfect political comedy, a genre that (with a few exceptions) only foreigners seem to be able to pull off.

The White Ribbon

The White Ribbon won the Palme d’Or at Cannes and the 2010 Golden Globe for best foreign film and seemed to have a lock on winning the Academy Award as well, but was surprisingly bested by The Secret in their Eyes. And now, having seen both, I understand why. The Golden Globes are voted on by a small group of foreign journalists, while the Academy Awards are decided by mostly American viewers. The sensibilities could not be more different.

El Secreto de Sus Ojos (The Secret in their Eyes)

El Secreto de Sus Ojos was the very deserving winner of the 2010 Academy Award for best Foreign Film. (I have to admit it is the only one of those nominated that I have seen so far, so stay tuned.) It is both an absorbing crime thriller and a heartbreaking love story. Set in Buenos Aires, in the years between 1975 and 1999, the central character Benjamín Espósito is played by Ricardo Darín who reminds me of a Latin Alan Rickman, and I LOVE Alan Rickman. Darín is the same kind of sensitive, sensual actor.