Paris, Texas

Travis (Harry Dean Stanton) wanders around trying to find the tendrils of what was once his life. Sometimes even when you find it, it's best left alone. A film about a straight lines between people and why they are erased. Sparse and gentle in movement with a beat that follows the recovering mind of Travis. Wim Wenders directs and Ry Cooder slides his way through the flick.

Rating: * * +

Amu

Kaju (Konkona Sen Sharma), a young  Indian American, returns to Delhi to spend time her extended family and discover her roots. But she finds things to be clouded by the '84 riots. A well intentioned film but executed in a tad contrived fashion with Kokona seemingly going through the motions.

Rating: * +

Gran Torino

Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood) stoically sits through the funeral of his wife showing contempt for the church and his children. That first scene paints a vivid portrait of Walt; hard nosed, grumpy and disgruntled old man. His home is in a predominantly Vietnamese neighborhood in a Michigan suburb. He hates his Asian neighbors and all he wants is for them to stay away from him. But one rarely gets what they wish for. An attempt to steal his precious Gran Torino by the neighbor boy and ensuing run in with local gang, Walt finds himself inadvertently mentoring the teenager.

Like the New York Times review mentions, the film is almost a homage to the hard nosed Eastwood characters of yesteryear. Like if Dirty Harry had a retired life, this is what it would have been like. But in the end it turns to be the weakest Eastwood flick yet.

Rating: * * +

The Dinner Game

Pierre Brochant (Thierry Lhermitte) and his bunch of mean cronies play a game every week. They each bring an "idiot" over for dinner to arouse their sadistic pleasure glands. But this time around Pierre is in for a rude gut wrenching night at his own expense.

PS: This was translated into Bollywood as Bheja Fry.

Rating: * * +

Penelope

Penelope (Christina Ricci) is born with a pig nose thanks to a curse running in her blue blood family. Unable to bear the shame of having such an offspring, her parents hide her away in their mansion from public view. The curse can only be broken when she finds true love. So when she reaches a marriageable age, they start to fret like Indian parents and bring in suitors who run from her with great speed. Will she or won't she find true love? The desire to find out will surely make you go and watch this silly but enjoyable film.

Rating: * *

The Visitor

Walter (Richard Jenkins) is a straight laced university professor, silently grieving the death of his wife by trying to recreate the sounds of the piano. He suddenly finds himself forced to visit his apartment in New York to attend a conference. He strangely finds it to be occupied by a couple, Tarek (Haaz Sleiman) and Zainab (Danai Gurira). After throwing them out initially, he inexplicably invites them back in. As he starts to get embroiled in the couple's complicated situation, Walter finds himself opening up and rediscovering the man he maybe once was. Jenkins has outdone himself in this role. A brilliant film that exposes the glaring holes and the sterile nature of the US immigration system.

Rating: * * * *

The Three Burials of Melauiades Estrada

There is a bond that only men can form. It can be vaguely described as an innate sense of fierce loyalty. One that women cannot comprehend. This is a film about such a bond.

I started writing more about the film but I would have done a grave diservice to Tommy Lee Jones. Hats off to you, sir!

Rating: * * * +

Flight of the Red Balloon

A solitary red balloon hovers over a street and a young boy talks to  it, cajoling it to come with him. This is the initial scene in Hsiao-hsien Hou first non-Taiwanese film. We are soon introduced to Simon's mother, Suzzane (Juliette Binoche), a puppeteer vocalist who has her hands full with work, being a single mom and pesky neighbors. Then there is Song (Fang Song), Simon's babysitter who has a calming effect on the scenario. We spend most of the next couple of idyllic hours with these characters and their daily lives while the solitary balloon floats. A movie that left me neither enthralled nor discontented.

Rating: * *

In the Realm of the Senses

Nagisa Oshima's sexual romp about a nympho maid (Eiko Matsuda) who is obsessed with her employer (Tatsuya Fuji). Albeit based on a true story the point of the film is hard to fathom other than to cause controversy.

Rating: * +

House of Fools

A true story set in an asylum that is abandonded by the doctors and nurses during the Chechen war. Recommended by Zeminky who I think is taking revenge for making him watch good movies. The turd lover shall pay dearly for this.

Rating: +

Flawless

Ms. Quinn (Demi Moore) has worked tirelessly for the London Diamond Corporation and slowly worked her way up. Give then fact that it's in the 60s makes it remarkable. But she soon finds her upward path blocked in the male dominated work place. Even worse she is left out to dry as a result of some oily political maneuvering.

Mr. Hobbs is a soon to retire janitor who shuffles harmlessly around the building mopping and cleaning. So much so that he is barely visible to the rest of the staff. When he approaches Ms. Quinn with a diabolical plan to steal a few diamonds, she is shocked at his audacity. But then which girl can resist diamonds especially when it can chisel through the glass ceiling she is up against. Let the heist begin...

Rating: * * +

Great World of Sound

Martin (Pat Healy) joins a small music company as a producer and finds himself paired up with the garrulous Clarence (Kene Holliday) to sign up young budding artists. The company claims to give the singers a shot at fame for a small up front fee. Take the American Idol auditions and turn it into a scam and you have "Great World of Sound". A movie with good intent that shows you a scam from the perspective of the man in the middle but the endless auditions gets to you after a while.

Rating: * *

Across the Universe

Half hour of this romantic musical reinforced the fact that they are not meant for me :-)

Rating: +

The Bubble

A chance meeting between Ashraf (Yousef 'Joe' Sweid), a Palestinian and Noam (Ohad Knoller), an Israeli reserve soldier, at a checkpoint leads to love. Ashraf clandestinely enters Noam's world shared predominately between his roommates, the gay Yelli (Alon Friedman) and the lovely Lulu (Daniela Virtzer). Director Eytan Fox exploits this relationship to show you the world of Tel Aviv through the eyes of leftist Isreali youth. Conflict fills this movie at a personal, sexual and political level all of which will leave you a little dazed.

Rating: * * +

The Bothersome Man

Andreas (Trond Fausa Aurvaag) suddenly finds that his life has been handed to him on a plate. A decent job, a home, a woman but nothing seems exciting anymore. Everything just works but it's as if the world has been emptied of its soul. Andreas starts to question and ponder like The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas...

Rating: * * *