2012 Films
The ones I've seen listed in order of preference from most to least favourite.
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- DirectorFlorent-Emilio SiriStarsJérémie RenierBenoît MagimelMonica ScattiniA biopic of French pop star Claude François, most famous for co-writing the song 'My Way'. Tracing his life from childhood in Egypt through success in France to his untimely death in Paris in 1978.My second watch of 2012 films and what a fantastic experience it was! I loved this film and have since purchased the dvd and soundtrack. A film filled with exuberant colour, sound and extravagance counterpointed by a sadness for the central character Cloclo (Claude Francois) whose untimely death in 1978 I vaguely recalled before it happened on screen.
10/10 - DirectorMartin McDonaghStarsColin FarrellWoody HarrelsonSam RockwellA struggling screenwriter inadvertently becomes entangled in the Los Angeles criminal underworld after his oddball friends kidnap a gangster's beloved Shih Tzu.Better than In Bruges, which is hard to believe. Sam Rockwell and Christopher Walker are the stars, but it’s the story of the ex-Viet Cong that most touches. Outstanding craftsmanship.
- DirectorPablo LarraínStarsGael García BernalAlfredo CastroAntonia ZegersAn advertising executive comes up with a campaign to defeat Augusto Pinochet in Chile's 1988 referendum.Very good film, warm and witty, which is a feat in itself given what was happening in the Chile it depicts. Gael is good, as ever. Highly recommended.
Chile, happiness is coming
10/10 - DirectorPlan BStarsRiz AhmedSliem Ben-SalahEd SkreinThe lives of four drug dealers, one user, and two prostitutes are explored.Wow! What a fantastic film: great story that folds back on itself, edgy characters, terrific soundtrack and a real sense of east London.
Second best viewing of 2012! - DirectorHaifaa Al-MansourStarsWaad MohammedReem AbdullahAbdullrahman Al GohaniAn enterprising Saudi girl signs on for her school's Koran recitation competition as a way to raise the remaining funds she needs in order to buy the green bicycle that has captured her interest.My fourth viewing of 2012 film offerings. Fantastic film that I cannot recommend enough. Provides good characters, humour and sorrow and a compelling insight into Saudi society.
Another 9/10. - DirectorWes AndersonStarsJared GilmanKara HaywardBruce WillisTwo 12-year-olds, who live on an island, fall in love with each other and elope into the wilderness. While people set out on a search mission, a violent storm approaching them catches their attention.What a lovely film! Gently humorous and whimsical with so much charm in the characters, story, setting, music and cinematography.
9/10 - DirectorJay BulgerStarsGinger BakerFemi KutiEric ClaptonGinger Baker looks back on his musical career with Cream and Blind Faith; his introduction to Fela Kuti; his self-destructive patterns and losses of fortune; and his current life inside a fortified South African compound.Compelling subject for a documentary and a well composed film with some thrilling footage.
9/10 - DirectorFrançois OzonStarsFabrice LuchiniVincent SchmittErnst UmhauerA high school French teacher is drawn into a precocious student's increasingly transgressive story about his relationship with a friend's family.Brilliant film! Original premis and very witty.
9/10 - DirectorAtiq RahimiStarsGolshifteh FarahaniHamid DjavadanHassina BurganIn a war ridden country a woman watches over the husband reduced to a vegetable state by a bullet in the neck, abandoned by Jihad companions and brothers. One day, the woman decides to say things to him she could never have done before.Excellent film set in war-torn Afghanistan. Excellent acting, fascinating story related in an original way.
9/10 - DirectorMichael HanekeStarsJean-Louis TrintignantEmmanuelle RivaIsabelle HuppertGeorges and Anne are an octogenarian couple. They are cultivated, retired music teachers. Their daughter, also a musician, lives in Britain with her family. One day, Anne has a stroke, and the couple's bond of love is severely tested.VERY Haneke! By this I mean: detailed, slow, unremitting and intense. Exceptionally well acted; Emmanuelle Riva was outstanding as Anne, the stroke victim.
9/10 - DirectorFernando TruebaStarsJean RochefortAida FolchClaudia CardinaleIn 1943, a sculptor is inspired by a young woman who has escaped from a refugee camp.Wonderful film. The black and white photography adds to the lines of the sketches and sculpture as well as a certain grimness from the period of the film.
9/10 - DirectorJohn WinterStarsKatherine HicksAnya BeyersdorfValerie BaderAngie is a prostitute, a chameleon - a butterfly. As she reveals herself, layer-by-layer, she also exposes the man who is interviewing her.Clever and touching film. I didn't like the last act from Angie which is what stopped me giving this 10/10.
9/10 - DirectorTom Van AvermaetStarsMatthias SchoenaertsLaura VerlindenPeter Van den EedeStuck in a dark limbo between life and death, a deceased soldier Nathan Rijckx collects shadows of dying men and women to buy back his own second chance at life. Obsessed by a girl he met the moment before he died, the thought of seeing his beloved again drives the soldier to regain access to the world of the living. But when he discovers that she's already in love with someone else, jealousy clouds his mind and pushes him toward a bitter decision, a decision not without its consequences...Brilliant short film. Exquisitely shot, full of atmosphere and sorrow. It's almost a solo effort from Matthias Schoenaerts, not that I'm complaining as I could watch him again and again.
9/10 - DirectorCarlos ReygadasStarsNathalia AcevedoAdolfo Jiménez CastroRut ReygadasJuan and his urban family live in the Mexican countryside, where they enjoy and suffer a world apart. And nobody knows if these two worlds are complementary or if they strive to eliminate one another.I didn't understand this film entirely but enough to appreciate it. The visuals and sounds were astounding and the characterisations well done in such minimalist style.
9/10 - DirectorLee DanielsStarsMatthew McConaugheyNicole KidmanJohn CusackA reporter returns to his Florida hometown to investigate a case involving a death row inmate.This has such a poor rating on IMDb but I thought it was brilliant. So dark, so sad and a great ensemble.
9/10 - DirectorMeyar RoumiStarsAmmar Haj AhmadAlexandra KahwagiWalid and Souhaire are unmarried lovers, which poses lots of problems for them in Damascus. Souhaire connives a visit to family in Tehran so that she and Walid can enjoy a weekend together but the journey leaves them questioning their relationship.Hard to find, I saw this at a BFI screening and jolly glad I did. Most interesting story set in countries in upheaval now. Great exploration of relationships and mores.
9/10 - DirectorMalik BendjelloulStarsRodriguezStephen 'Sugar' SegermanDennis CoffeyTwo South Africans set out to discover what happened to their unlikely musical hero, the mysterious 1970s rock n roller, Rodriguez.There are several things that make this a great film: It's very focused, has a great soundtrack courtesy of Sixto Rodriguez and, most importantly, Rodriguez the man is an amazing person.
9/10 - DirectorManuel von StürlerStarsCarole NoblancJean-Paul PeguironPascal ÉguisierA 600 kilometre winter trek for 800 sheep, accompanied by 3 donkeys, 4 dogs and led by two shepherds, Pascal and Carole.Beautiful film following shepherds escorting their flock during winter to new grazing grounds. I love winter snow scenes and they abound in this film.
9/10 - DirectorBen WheatleyStarsAlice LoweKenneth HadleySteve OramChris wants to show girlfriend Tina his world, but events soon conspire against the couple and their dream caravan holiday takes a very wrong turn.Brilliant film. Great premis, witty script, strong acting, great cinematography and a terrific soundtrack used well for dramatic effect.
9/10 - DirectorCate ShortlandStarsSaskia RosendahlKai-Peter MalinaNele TrebsAs the Allies sweep across Germany, Lore leads her siblings on a journey that exposes them to the truth of their parents' beliefs. An encounter with a mysterious refugee forces Lore to rely on a person she has always been taught to hate.Visually and audially stunning film telling the end of WW2 from the losers' perspectives and in particular, from that of children. It could be described as a coming-of-age film that is depicted without obvious judgement.
8.5/10 - DirectorJoshua OppenheimerAnonymousChristine CynnStarsAnwar CongoHerman KotoSyamsul ArifinA documentary which challenges former Indonesian death-squad leaders to reenact their mass-killings in whichever cinematic genres they wish, including classic Hollywood crime scenarios and lavish musical numbers.I didn't want to give this film a high rating because the people in it were ALL thoroughly horrible and despicable. I know that the film's rating shouldn't be about the people featured but I felt violently towards them all and wish that I believed in hell where they would be disembowelled every day. Once I got over that I realised how powerful the film was at allowing the people to speak and relish what they had done and their pleasure at putting together Hollywood style films to depict their actions.
So I give it 9/10. I can't bring myself to give a 10 because I hate the people. - DirectorLeos CaraxStarsDenis LavantEdith ScobEva MendesA man boards a limousine to be driven to his day's work: nine mysterious "appointments."Wow! Visually stunning with a lovely soundtrack, this is a paean from the director to cinema, her actors and the operators who made cinema as we knew it possible.
8.5/10 - DirectorNabil AyouchStarsAbdelhakim RachidAbdelilah RachidHamza SouidekA fictional account of the lives of the men responsible for the suicide bombings in Casablanca in 2003.This is a depressing film. Seen 10 days after the bombs at the Boston marathon, it was timely. Well filmed, superb acting and a detailed study of the lives of slum dwellers on the outskirts of Casablanca. I saw this with a post-Q/A session involving the novelist of the book on which the film is based. He, the novelist, was an engaging speaker about the research he conducted for his book and his comments on some of the factors that contribute to the development of a 'human bomb' were apposite.
8.5/10 - DirectorBoudewijn KooleStarsRick LensLoek PetersCahit ÖlmezA young boy and his father have a difficult relationship, but are trying to reach each other. They need a catalyst to make that happen.Very good film: realistic and devastating.
8.5/10 - DirectorRama BurshteinStarsHadas YaronYiftach KleinIrit ShelegWhen the older sister of Shira, an 18-year-old Hasidic Israeli, dies suddenly in childbirth, Shira must decide if she can and should marry her widowed brother-in-law, which also generates tensions within her extended family.Film with a strong aesthetic about a community of orthodox Jews. It's funny how one can find the best personal lessons in films depicting cultures quite different to one's own.
8.5/10 - DirectorMarc-Henri WajnbergStarsGabi BolengeBebson ElembaJoël EziegueA film crew follow a group of children that live rough on Kinshasa's streets. The children are thought of as shegues, or witches, by many adults including their families. The kids' desire is to make money and music.An interesting film; I'd like to know more about its concept and how it was filmed because it seems part-documentary, part-fiction. Ultimately it's an unlifting film in spite of its tragic contents: following the lives of a few of the 25,000 kids living as street urchins in Kinshasa, most cast out by families who believe them to be witches. The 'cast' are funny and sad and unique.
8.5/10 - DirectorPablo BergerStarsMaribel VerdúEmilio GaviraDaniel Giménez CachoA twist on the Snow White fairy tale that is set in 1920s Seville and centered on a female bullfighter.Beautiful looking black and white film that pays homage to the silent films. A novel telling of the Snow White and 7 Dwarves story.
8.5/10 - DirectorPeter StricklandStarsToby JonesAntonio MancinoGuido AdorniA sound engineer's work for an Italian horror studio becomes a terrifying case of life imitating art.Italian giallo homage by the talented director of Katalin Varga. My third watch of 2012 films. This is probably one of the most innovative films I will see this year and shows the director's genius. The soundtrack, i.e. all the noises not just songs/music, was amazing and I'm glad that I watched (and heard) it on the big screen.
Easily 8/10, perhaps a bit more for its genius ... - DirectorHugo GélinStarsFrançois-Xavier DemaisonNicolas DuvauchellePierre NineySince Charlie is no longer there, the lives of Boris, Elie, and Maxime have been torn apart. These three men, who have nothing in common, all shared one thing: their love for Charlie. One loved her like a sister, one loved her like the woman of his dreams, one loved her like a friend. Except that Charlie is dead and none of them - not Boris, an accomplished businessman, not Elie, a night owl scriptwriter, and not Maxime, still living at home with his mother - know how to deal with it. But because she asked them to do so, they abruptly decide to undertake a journey together, heading for Corsica and the house that Charlie loved so much. Except that here they are stuck in a car together for over 500 miles. It's going to be a long journey. Boris, Elie and Maxime, three men, three generations, no affinity. But by the time they arrive at their destination, they will have realized one majorly important thing: Charlie has changed their lives forever.A film to warm one's hearts. Lots of little things to take in about life in the shadow of death.
8/10 - DirectorPascal ArnoldJean-Marc BarrStarsMathias MelloulValérie MaësStephan HersoenThree generations of a French family open up about their sexual experiences and desires after young Romain is caught masturbating in his biology class.Very funny film with lots of observations about sex, life and family.
8/10 - DirectorGilles BourdosStarsMichel BouquetChrista ThéretVincent RottiersSet on the French Riviera in the summer of 1915, Jean Renoir -- son of the Impressionist painter, Pierre-Auguste -- returns home to convalesce after being wounded in World War I. At his side is Andrée, a young woman who rejuvenates, enchants, and inspires both father and son.Very beautiful film and an interesting story about Pierre August Renoir, Jean Renoir and the latter's first wife Catherine Hessling.
8/10 - DirectorJean-Stéphane SauvaireStarsPaul BartelBéatrice DalleAlban BigmouthAn intense and solitary teenager, Paul finds himself caught up in a journey for freedom, full of violence, betrayal and hope. Abandoned by his father, torn between his mother, with whom he maintains a tender if tormented relationship, and his punk friends, with whom he hangs out at concerts, parties and street fights, he lives fully in the present. At a concert, Paul meets Louise and falls in love. But something is missing, and he continues searching for the father who never recognized him.My sixth 2012 feature. Edgy art house with a great central performance from the young actor. I loved the punk world that was explored in various ways. Although made for French TV channel Arte, it aired in the UK at the cinema.
An 8/10. Btw, its present IMDb score was 4.1; a crap representation of the film. - DirectorKen LoachStarsPaul BranniganJohn HenshawRoger AllamNarrowly avoiding jail, new dad Robbie vows to turn over a new leaf. A visit to a whisky distillery inspires him and his mates to seek a way out of their hopeless lives.Great film. Very funny with some LOL moments and a serious story beneath the plot.
8/10 - DirectorFrédéric FonteyneStarsFrançois DamiensSergi LópezJan HammeneckerA prison guard is attracted to a woman at his weekly tango class. They meet again when she visits her husband in the prison where he works and he is drawn into her complicated romantic life. Meanwhile the prisoners are learning the tango.A very funny film; quirky and eccentric.
8/10 - DirectorJoe WrightStarsKeira KnightleyJude LawAaron Taylor-JohnsonIn late-19th-century Russian high society, St. Petersburg aristocrat Anna Karenina enters into a life-changing affair with the dashing Count Alexei Vronsky.A sumptuous film, cleverly staged and dealing with the epic themes of love, betrayal and hurt, and, forgiveness. I'm surprised this didn't receive more awards/nominations. Keira Knightley was very good as the brittle Anna K.
8/10 - DirectorUrsula MeierStarsLéa SeydouxKacey Mottet KleinMartin CompstonA drama set at a Swiss ski resort and centered on a boy who supports his sister by stealing from wealthy guests.A low key, searing drama about a young boy and the woman he calls his sister.
8/10 - DirectorBenh ZeitlinStarsQuvenzhané WallisDwight HenryLevy EasterlyFaced with both her hot-tempered father's fading health and melting ice-caps that flood her ramshackle bayou community and unleash ancient aurochs, six-year-old Hushpuppy must learn the ways of courage and love.How nice to watch an American film that is reflective and has a sincere story to tell. A fine cast of players, imaginative story telling and beautifully shot.
8/10 - DirectorDaniel GrouStarsMarc-André GrondinMarilyn CastonguaySarianne CormierMichel Dumont is a delivery boy for a grocery store. Divorced and father of two young children, is accused and condemned for a Sexual aggression that he refuses to acknowledge.A classic film story of an innocent man wronged made more gruelling by the fact that it's a true story. The film makers do not hold back on showing the devastation this wreaks on all concerned, especially the victim of the miscarriage of justice.
8/10 - DirectorFranck KhalfounStarsElijah WoodNora ArnezederAmerica OlivoAs he helps a young artist with her upcoming exhibition, the owner of a mannequin shop's deadly, suppressed desires come to the surface.Beautiful looking film with a great soundtrack. I thought Elijah Wood was good too.
8/10 - DirectorMichele PlacidoStarsDaniel AuteuilMathieu KassovitzOlivier GourmetA detective hunts for the marksman who foiled the plan to catch a notorious team of bank robbers.A stylish, if implausible, French film of cop-crook mouse-and-cat game. Oliver Gourmet is superb and Mathieu Kassovitz is a great, intense screen presence.
8/10 - DirectorJ.A. BayonaStarsNaomi WattsEwan McGregorTom HollandThe story of a tourist family in Thailand caught in the destruction and chaotic aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.Very well made film and extremely visceral. Its strength lies in recreating the effects of the tsunami on the ocean and what it was like to be buffeted about in the water.
8/10 - DirectorLauren GreenfieldStarsJaqueline SiegelDavid SiegelLorraine BarrettA documentary that follows a billionaire couple as they begin construction on a mansion inspired by Versailles. During the next two years, their empire, fueled by the real estate bubble and cheap money, falters due to the economic crisis.Fascinating portrait of an uber-rich American couple. Compelling drama.
8/10 - DirectorMichel FrancoStarsTessa IaHernán MendozaGonzalo Vega Jr.Alejandra and her dad Roberto have just moved to town. She is new at school, he has a new job. Starting over is sometimes complicated when you have left so much behind.This is a very good film but the content of the film is horrible.
8/10 - DirectorSally PotterStarsElle FanningAlice EnglertAnnette BeningA look at the lives of two teenage girls - inseparable friends Ginger and Rosa -- growing up in 1960s London as the Cuban Missile Crisis looms, and the pivotal event that comes to redefine their relationship.A gently fascinating film about teenage angst and coming-of0age filtered through the fear of nuclear weapons that stalked much of the late 20th century. Very well acted and a handsome film.
8/10 - DirectorBen LewinStarsJohn HawkesHelen HuntWilliam H. MacyA man in an iron lung who wishes to lose his virginity contacts a professional sex surrogate with the help of his therapist and priest.Moving semi-bio pic. Mostly understated and very well acted.
8/10 - DirectorJacques AudiardStarsMarion CotillardMatthias SchoenaertsArmand VerdurePut in charge of his young son, Alain leaves Belgium for Antibes to live with his sister and her husband as a family. Alain's bond with Stephanie, a killer whale trainer, grows deeper after Stephanie suffers a horrible accident.A raw film with good performances all round and a charismatic, if unsympathetic, male lead. Not sure how I feel about this film yet.
8/10 - DirectorThomas VinterbergStarsMads MikkelsenThomas Bo LarsenAnnika WedderkoppA teacher lives a lonely life, all the while struggling over his son's custody. His life slowly gets better as he finds love and receives good news from his son, but his new luck is about to be brutally shattered by an innocent little lie.Good film. Very well acted and one is drawn slowly into the spiralling nightmare of the main character's life.
8/10 - DirectorAdam PeaseRyan ShortStarsJeff AmentMark ArmTad DoyleThis documentary tells the story of Mudhoney from their very beginnings, to following them on their recent world tour and everything in between. Complete with testimonials from friends, music industry veterans and musicians such as Pearl Jam's Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament, Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore, Soundgarden's Kim Thayil and Mudhoney themselves. This is the true story of the founding fathers of Grunge.Good documentary. Mudhoney are not typical subjects for a music documentary as they're pretty sorted and have worn well for their age and experience. I loved Mudhoney before Nirvana and this helps remind me why.
8/10 - DirectorMoussa TouréStarsSouleymane Seye NdiayeLaïty FallMalaminé 'Yalenguen' DraméA group of African men leave Senegal in a pirogue captained by a local fisherman to undertake the treacherous crossing of the Atlantic to Spain where they believe better lives and prospects are waiting for them.A gritty film on a significant and politically charged phenomenon: the risks that migrating people take to reach countries in the wealthy west. Understated in the tragedies that unfold on screen, the film does not waver in showing what one such risky journey is like for those who try and fail. The film has a fantastic soundtrack.
8/10 - DirectorFelix van GroeningenStarsVeerle BaetensJohan HeldenberghNell CattrysseElise and Didier fall in love at first sight, in spite of their differences. He talks, she listens. He's a romantic atheist, she's a religious realist. When their daughter becomes seriously ill, their love is put on trial.If you like your films piled high with misery and tragedy then this is for you. It was quite well done and the music was fantastic though sometimes it heightened the sorrow and anguish.
I rate it 8/10 - DirectorAnnemarie JacirStarsMahmoud AsfaRuba BlalSaleh Bakri1967. The world is alive with change: brimming with reawakened energy, new styles, music and an infectious sense of hope. In Jordan, a different kind of change is underway as tens of thousands of refugees pour across the border from Palestine. Having been separated from his father in the chaos of war, Tarek, 11, and his mother Ghaydaa, are amongst this latest wave of refugees. Placed in "temporary" refugee camps made up of tents and prefab houses until they would be able to return, they wait, like the generation before them who arrived in 1948. With difficulties adjusting to life in Harir camp and a longing to be reunited with his father, Tarek searches a way out, and discovers a new hope emerging with the times. Eventually his free spirit and curious nature lead him to a group of people on a journey that will change their lives. When I Saw You is the story of people affected by the times around them, in search of something more in their lives. A journey full of adventure, love, humor, and the desire to be free. A story of the human spirit that knows no borders.A very bittersweet coming-of-age film about a young Palestinian boy living in exile. He decides to quit the refugee camp where he fled with his mother and return home to find his father. On the way he falls in with the Palestinian freedom fighters.
8/10 - DirectorScott GrahamStarsChloe PirrieMichael SmileyJoseph MawleThe story of Shell, a girl who lives with her father Pete in a remote gas station in the Scottish Highlands, in their struggle against the elements and the impossible love they feel during the last winter that she will be in that place.A minimal cast in a remote and rugged setting tell a complex tale of 'cold hands, warm heart'.
8/10 - DirectorPaolo TavianiVittorio TavianiStarsCosimo RegaSalvatore StrianoGiovanni ArcuriInmates at a high-security prison in Rome prepare for a public performance of Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar."Really interesting acting and film experiment.
8/10 - DirectorMarkus ImhoofStarsFred JaggiRandolf MenzelJohn MillerAn in-depth look at honeybee colonies in California, Switzerland, China and Australia.Very beautiful documentary. The footage of bees is compelling.
8/10 - DirectorRodney AscherStarsBill BlakemoreGeoffrey CocksJuli KearnsAn exploration of various interpretations of Stanley Kubrick's horror film, The Shining (1980).Intriguing film.
8/10 - DirectorJoachim LafosseStarsÉmilie DequenneClaire BodsonNiels ArestrupHappy couple, will marry and have children under the roof of the benevolent Doctor. Little by little, relationships become complex, suffocating the couple and the family, who are unaware of the tragic end towards which they are headingLow key film inspired by real life events, this is a slow burn into despair and tragedy.
8/10 - DirectorWayne BlairStarsChris O'DowdDeborah MailmanJessica MauboyIn 1968, four talented young Australian Aboriginal girls learn about love, friendship, and war when their all-girl group The Sapphires entertains the US troops in Vietnam.Lively, poignant film about being non-white and soul music.
7.5/10 - DirectorCraig ZobelStarsAnn DowdDreama WalkerPat HealyA normal Friday service at a fast food restaurant becomes interrupted by a police officer who claims an employee stole from a customer, but something more sinister is going on.Truth is stranger than fiction ... well made Indie film.
7.5/10 - DirectorTobias LindholmStarsPilou AsbækSøren MallingDar SalimThe crew of a Danish cargo ship is hijacked by Somali pirates who proceed to engage in escalating negotiations with authorities in Copenhagen.Good film. Convincing drama about the effect of piracy on a crew and the effects of negotiations involving the crew's company.
7.5/10 - DirectorXavier DolanStarsMelvil PoupaudEmmanuel SchwartzSuzanne ClémentA drama that charts ten years in a transgender woman's relationship with her lover.Highly stylised film that doesn't quite manage to penetrate and sustain the intensity of being Laurence.
Nonetheless it's a good attempt at a difficult subject.
7/10 - DirectorPat CollinsStarsEoghan Mac Giolla BhrídeHilary O'ShaughnessyAndrew BennettEoghan is a sound recordist who is returning to Ireland for the first time in 15 years. His reason for returning is a job offer: to find and record places free from man-made sound. His quest takes him away from towns and villages into remote terrain. Throughout his journey, he is drawn into a series of encounters and conversations which gradually divert his attention towards a more intangible silence, one that is bound up with the sounds of the life he had left behind. Influenced by elements of folklore and archive, Silence unfolds with a quiet intensity, where poetic images reveal an absorbing meditation on themes relating to sound and silence, history, memory and exile.An unusual film that explores sound, silence and mortality in a philosophical way that is most understated. Beautiful photography of Donegal.
7/10 - DirectorPablo TraperoStarsRicardo DarínJérémie RenierMartina GusmánWhile working alongside his long-time friend and colleague in building a hospital for the residents of a Buenos Aires shantytown, a troubled priest finds solace in a young, atheist social worker.A film of too many strands. It's rating of 6.5 is about right although I've given it a 7 for now because of the acting, the atmosphere and the soundtrack.
- DirectorRaymond DepardonClaudine NougaretStarsRaymond DepardonClaudine NougaretFrancis ApestéguyTravelling alone, internationally acclaimed and Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer and filmmaker Raymond Depardon spent six years capturing France with a large format camera. This long, solitary road trip provided fertile ground for the creation of an extraordinary travel journal. Depardon revisited important places from his past as a reporter: Chad, Venice and Cannes. Previously unseen footage from his archive has also been added to create an intimate, compelling and revelatory 'Journal de France' - a unique portrait of a country and its landscapes.Intriguing documentary that consists mostly of moving image footage shot by a photographer in his home country of France and internationally. The photographer is quite enigmatic and of insignificant conversation. I suppose these traits make him a better photographer ...
7/10 - DirectorHéléna KlotzStarsEliott PaquetDominik WojcikNiels SchneiderTwo teenagers spend together a night around the town. One tries desperately to kiss a girl while a desire for his friend overwhelms the other one.Interesting film experiment fusing ambient music and male desire.
7/10 - DirectorLisa Barros D'SaGlenn LeyburnStarsCathal MaguirePeter KellyCharlie BerkeleyA chronicle of Terri Hooley's life, a record-store owner instrumental in developing Belfast's punk-rock scene.Not quite as good as I was expecting but the music scenes were excellent as was the sense of time and history in Northern Ireland at the height of the troubles.
7/10 - DirectorMira NairStarsRiz AhmedLiev SchreiberKiefer SutherlandA young Pakistani man chasing corporate success on Wall Street finds himself embroiled in a conflict between his American Dream, a hostage crisis, and the enduring call of his family's homeland.Good, strong film with a fantastic soundtrack.
7/10 - DirectorAmy BergStarsJason BaldwinDamien Wayne EcholsJessie MisskelleyAn examination of a failure of justice in the case against the West Memphis Three.Interesting documentary. What it adds to the Paradise Lost series is that we see more of the celebrities who supported the case and hear more about the unofficial evidence against Terry Hobbs.
7/10 - DirectorBart LaytonStarsAdam O'BrianNicholas BarclayCarey GibsonA documentary centered on a young man in Spain who claims to a grieving Texas family that he is their 16-year-old son who has been missing for 3 years.Well executed documentary film. Not quite as good as I was given to believe and the fictional film starring Marc-Andre Grodin comes off as pretty good in comparison to this documentary.
7/10 - DirectorRégis RoinsardStarsRomain DurisFéodor AtkineDéborah François1958. Rose is a terrible secretary but a demon typist. Her handsome boss resolves to turn her into the fastest girl in the world.In terms of beauty for the eye this film is exquisite. The styling is sharp and vintage and the sets amazing. There are two stories at play and they are linked. One is the relationship of Rose and Louis. The other is the typing competition. The latter is the better of the two stories. Loved the soundtrack as well.
7/10 - DirectorSally El HosainiStarsJames Krishna FloydElarica JohnsonFady ElsayedTwo teenage brothers must face their own prejudices head on if they are to survive the perils of being Egyptians growing up on the streets of gangland London.Quite a good film. The director shows real flair for vision on film in this, her debut. The main lead/character did not work for me and I found it difficult to believe in him or care for his plight.
Still 7/10 as there are other good performances and this part of London life with its good and bad parts is well captured. - DirectorNick MurphyStarsPaul BettanyStephen GrahamBrian CoxThriller charting the moral collapse of a police family. Two cop brothers, smothered by the shadow of their former police chief father, must investigate a crime they themselves have committed.My fifth 2012 viewing was on 11/10 as part of the LIFF and was great because Paul was present in person taking Q/As. The film is well done and has some great performances my favourite being Mark Strong. I had high expectations that the film didn't meet and so was a tad disappointed. Still a solid 7/10.
- DirectorAnne FassioStarsChristopher LambertClaude BrasseurFleur Lise HeuetThe Barthelemys have been training racing horses, trotters, for generations. After tragedy befalls Pierrot Barthelemy, his family's inheritance seems at stake. Can his daughter and his sole mare, Marquise, save the family from ruin?Quite a beautiful film with some great footage of horses. It's an edifying film if somewhat predictable.
6.5-7/10 - DirectorMatt PiedmontStarsWill FerrellGael García BernalDiego LunaScheming to save their father's ranch, the Alvarez brothers find themselves in a war with Mexico's most feared drug lord.Not as bad as I was expecting. I was pleasantly surprised as parts of the film were very funny. I loved Gael Garcia Bernal in this and he and Diego Luna were the highlights. The soundtrack was great as well.
6.5 - 7/10 - DirectorNikolaj ArcelStarsAlicia VikanderMads MikkelsenMikkel Boe FølsgaardA young queen, who is married to an insane king, falls secretly in love with her physician - and together they start a revolution that changes a nation forever.Pretty good film made better by the presence of Mads Mikkelsen, though the actor playing King Christian stole the show.
6/10 - DirectorJames WatkinsStarsDaniel RadcliffeJanet McTeerCiarán HindsA young solicitor travels to a remote village where he discovers that the vengeful ghost of a scorned woman is terrorizing the locals.A pretty good film in terms of story, location and sets, and atmosphere. Could have done with more development and being a bit longer and I wasn't sold on Daniel Radcliffe as the lead.
6/10 - DirectorJoss WhedonStarsRobert Downey Jr.Chris EvansScarlett JohanssonEarth's mightiest heroes must come together and learn to fight as a team if they are going to stop the mischievous Loki and his alien army from enslaving humanity.I found the film boring and underwhelming for about 60% of the time, then it picked up for the big fight. Mark Ruffalo was great and I laughed hard at Harry Dean Stanton's cameo; priceless.
6/10 - DirectorOlivier AssayasStarsClément MétayerAndré MarconLola CrétonIn the months after the heady weeks of May '68, a group of young Europeans search for a way to continue the revolution believed to be just beginning.Quite good. Works well as a period piece.
6/10 - DirectorJames MarshStarsClive OwenAndrea RiseboroughGillian AndersonSet in 1990s Belfast, an active member of the IRA becomes an informant for MI5 in order to protect her son's welfare.This was a competent film with a great ending. The film never lets you close enough to the characters to care about them and both of the main protagonists do questionable things.
6/10 - DirectorBen AffleckStarsBen AffleckBryan CranstonJohn GoodmanActing under the cover of a Hollywood producer scouting a location for a science fiction film, a CIA agent launches a dangerous operation to rescue six Americans in Tehran during the U.S. hostage crisis in Iran in 1979.A pleasant surprise. A good story although it became a bit schmaltzy at the end. Better than I expected but not sure it was deserving of all the acolades it received especailly the historical lie about other countries, e.g, the UK, which was unnecsaary given the plot.
6/10 - DirectorDustin HoffmanStarsMaggie SmithMichael GambonBilly ConnollyAt a home for retired musicians, the annual concert to celebrate Composer Giuseppe Verdi's birthday is disrupted by the arrival of Jean (Dame Maggie Smith), an eternal diva and the former wife of one of the residents.A bit disappointing in spite of an interesting story and great acting. I'm not a fan of Billy Connolly in the film, which improved when Maggie Smith makes her appearance.
5/10 - DirectorRodrigo PrietoStarsElle FanningXimena PrietoMonroe AlvarezFor Mia, beauty is everything. A trophy, a promise, a ball and chain, a wish upon a star. A life sentence.Saw this at the 2013 LIFF. It was shown ahead of a feature film. Quite well done but the end credits were almost as long as the film and that irritated me no end.
5/10 - DirectorPaul Thomas AndersonStarsJoaquin PhoenixPhilip Seymour HoffmanAmy AdamsA Naval veteran arrives home from war unsettled and uncertain of his future - until he is tantalized by the Cause and its charismatic leader.Good acting but overall, meh.
5/10 - DirectorBrian De PalmaStarsRachel McAdamsNoomi RapaceKaroline HerfurthThe rivalry between the manipulative boss of an advertising agency and her talented protégée escalates from stealing credit to public humiliation to murder.Silly remake of a film that was not good first time around. About two thirds through the film becomes giallo-esque. If only it had been like this throughout.
5/10 - DirectorTarsem SinghStarsLily CollinsJulia RobertsArmie HammerAn evil queen steals control of a kingdom and an exiled princess enlists the help of seven resourceful rebels to win back her birthright.Hmm, why didn't Tarsem do this as a Bollywood production ..? It would have worked better although I enjoyed Julia Roberts as the bad queen.
5/10 - DirectorMaja MilosStarsIsidora SimijonovicVukasin JasnicSanja MikitisinIn the face of her family life falling to pieces, a social-media-obsessed teenage girl falls into a hedonistic world of sex, drugs, and abuse.Not for me. Too diffuse in its exploration of troubled and intense teenagers.
4.5-5/10 - DirectorRian JohnsonStarsJoseph Gordon-LevittBruce WillisEmily BluntIn 2074, when the mob wants to get rid of someone, the target is sent into the past, where a hired gun awaits - someone like Joe - who one day learns the mob wants to 'close the loop' by sending back Joe's future self for assassination.I hated this at first but it grew on me. Not my sort of film at all.
4/10 - DirectorRidley ScottStarsNoomi RapaceLogan Marshall-GreenMichael FassbenderFollowing clues to the origin of mankind, a team finds a structure on a distant moon, but they soon realize they are not alone.My first watch of 2012. A good and enjoyable film though it doesn't touch Scott's Alien. Film suffers on rewatching. It’s ridiculous.
4/10 - DirectorKieran EvansStarsAntonia Campbell-HughesJulian MorrisWilliam RuaneKelly and Victor meet at a nightclub and start a sexual relationship, the excitement of which removes them from the dull ordinariness of their lives.Disappointing adaptation of the book. The film goes for the artistic and beautiful whereas the book was bleak and brutal. The film was boring.
4/10 - DirectorAli AydinStarsErcan KesalMuhammet UzunerTansu BiçerBasri, a widower little out of retirement, walks every day along the railroad tracks to check the status. Aside from his work, his only thought is to have news of his son, who's been missing for many years, after he was arrested during student demonstrations in Istanbul.