July 7, 2008
.JPG)
-Irina%20Potapenko.JPG)
Délice Paloma (2008) *
Algerian film about a resourceful woman whose activities involve blackmail, prostitution and corruption.
Mala Moskwa (2008) *
Set in Legnica in 1968, it's a melodrama about an adulterous love affair between a Polish officer and a wife of a Soviet air force pilot.
Shadows In The Palace (2008) *
Very confusing Korean film about intrigues among servants in a royal palace. A cross between "Dangerous Liaisons" and Agatha Christie.
Los (2008) **
Belgian film about a young newspaper reporter from Antwerp and his love affair with a beautiful Pakistani immigrant.
May 18 (2008) **
A disturbing drama from South Korea, about the infamous Gwangju Massacre of May 18, 1980, in which soldiers opened fire on civilian protesters trying to prevent a military coup d'état. Similar to UK's "Bloody Sunday" (2002) by Paul Greengrass, and France's "Nuit noire, 17 octobre 1961" (2005) by Alain Tasma.
Empress And The Warriors (2008) *
Very boring Chinese historical epic set in Ancient China before its unification, during which countless kingdoms battle for supremacy.
Peaceful Times (2008) **
Drama about fucked-up family of East German refugees trying to adjust to their new life in West Germany in the late 60's. Warm and nostalgic.
Special Escort (2008) *
A German "Full Monty", about a bunch of unemployed men trying to become male escorts. No nudity.
Don't Think About White Monkeys (2008) ***
Wildly surrealistic Russian allegory about materialism and spirituality, starring Katarina Ksenyeva. It's a story of an ambitious young man who befriends three crazy bohemian artists who completely change his life.
Gigantes de Valdès (2008) *
Ridiculous film from Argentina, full of clichéd, one-dimensional caricatures. What at first looks like a South American remake of "Local Hero" (1983), with a very similar premise, soon degenerates into a contrived and inept melodrama full of cartoonish villains. Embarassingly bad.
Tokyo Sonata (2008) **
Japanese film that begins like Laurent Cantet's "L'Emploi du temps" and ends like a movie by Quentin Tarantino.
The Chicken The Fish And The King Crab (2008) *
Boring documentary about a Spanish chef competing in a culinary competition in France.
Die Welle (2008) **
Interesting German drama about an leftist teacher who tries to warn his student about the dangers of fascism by conducting a dangerous experiment.
The Shadow Spirit (2008) *
Lame Japanese horror movie. It begins on a Pacific island during WWII, but most of the action is set in 1952. Confusing and boring.