July 7, 1997
Destiny (1997) **
Muslim fundamentalism is denounced in this Egyptian film set in 12th century Andalousia.
Cure (1997) **
Directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa. With Yakusho Koji. A Japanese film about a hypnotist who induces people to commit murders.
My Secret Cache (1997) **
Weird Japanese comedy about a greedy girl trying to find recover a suitcase full of money.
Junk Mail (1997) **
Memorable black comedy from Norway, about a dishonest mailman saving the life of a suicidal woman he happens to be stalking. Clearly inspired by Kieslowski's Short Film About Love (1988), but much more creepy, misantropic, hard-edged and grotesque.
Mother And Son (1997) **
A man takes care of his ailing mother. He carries her outside, and they sit together on a bench until she dies. With a plot like that, this Russian drama has to either be a great masterpiece or a monumental bore. It's both, actually, getting five stars for style and zero for entertainment value.
Karakter (1997) *
A Dutch film about a young man and his hatred for his biological father. It's a very well made, but quite unpleasant to watch, because the main protagonists are extremely unsympathetic. Another problem is a slow pace. It won this year's Academy Award for best foreign pic, but didn't really deserve it.
Let There Be Light (1997) *
This Turkish film about the civil war in Kurdistan tries to whitewash both sides. If both the Turkish military and the Kurdish rebels were such saints, why on Earth would they be fighting each other in the first place ? A political film should have the courage to offend at least one side in the conflict (and preferably both). This film tries to say that War (as an abstract concept) is bad, but the people who fight it are all good. Nice try.
Trop tard (1997) *
Flawed, but interesting Romanian film about a serial killer haunting an old coal mine. It's an allegory about the horrible legacy of Communism in Eastern Europe - rusting vestiges of industrial complexes, corruption in high places, human misery, despair, madness ... The film doesn't quite pull it all off; for a better treatment of similar themes, see Tarkovsky's "Stalker".
Too Many Ways To Be Number One (1997) **
A Hong Kong gangster (Lau Ching-Wan) has a choice of two assignments: one in Mainland China, another on Taiwan. Fairly confusing, but interesting film.
In The Name Of Innocence (1997) **
Gloomy, but very intriguing German film about a murder and its effects on people involved.
Marcello Mastroianni, je me souviens (1997) **
The legendary actor, the star of La Dolce Vita, talks about his life. A witty and charming film, presenting a slice of film history in a very subjective and intimate way. A must for lovers of Italian cinema.
Homere, la derniere odyssee (1997) **
Beautiful, melancholic film about a fragile love triangle involving an aging and blind writer (hence the title), his younger mistress and a handsome matador. Winner of three awards at last year's WFF (Jury Prize, script and FIPRESCI), it's a quiet, subtle little gem.
Historie milosne (1997) **
Cztery opowiadania: milosc ojcowska, milosc masochistyczna, milosc studentki do nauczyciela oraz milosc Rosjanki i Polaka. Zdobywca nagrody FIPRESCI na festiwalu w Wenecji. **
Hana-Bi (1997) **
Somber Japanese gangster film. Very well directed, but hardly entertaining. Winner of the Golden Lion at Venice.
Bag Of Rice (1997) *
This Iranian film is essentially a remake of "The White Balloon". Once again we've got a stubborn little girl, an object to be purchased (rice replacing goldfish), little holes in the ground to lose the money in, nice strangers who can't wait to help a little girl in trouble, etc. etc. It's just too derivative to be taken seriously.
Armageddon (1997) **
The end of the world is near and a Hong Kong billionaire (Andy Lau) fears for his life.
Ambiguous Report About The End Of The World (1997) **
Clearly inspired by Emir Kusturica, this Czech film in set in a mountain village. The opening scene with wolves devouring the villagers is a stunner.
After Divorce (1997) **
Chinese comedy about an unsuccessful writer and his one-of-a-kind relationship with his ex-sister-in-law (i.e. the sister of his former wife). The film moods shift abruptly from pathos to triumphant optimism to bitter regret. An emotional roller-coaster ride, very slow moving, but rewarding.
Actrices (1997) **
Psychological drama about friendships and professional rivalries among three Spanish actresses. This isn't "Citizen Kane", but the narrative structure is exactly the same. A young drama student, researching for a role, interviews each actress to find out the truth about their relationship. Each present a different version of the past. Talky, but occasionally insightful film.
Temps des miracles (1997) *
Communists are persucting religion in Yugoslavia after the end of World War II.
Some Birds Can't Fly (1997) *
A little girl suffering from leukemia goes to live with her grandfather in the mountains.
Leila (1997) **
Iranian film about a young couple whose happiness is destroyed by a mother-in-law who insists on having a grandchild.
Der Platz (1997) *
Foreign workers at a German construction site are reminiscing about their native villages.
The Brother (1997) **
For Russian director Alexei Balabanov, the masculine ideal must be Clint Eastwood - a mythic hero who shoots straight and doesn't talk much. In this film a Russian "Man with No Name" rides into St.Petersburg and kills all the Mafia types. Then, he heads for Moscow.
The Best Man (1997) *
A bride gets cold feet on her wedding day and wants to marry her fiance's best man instead. An Italian film.
Once Upon A Time In China And America (1997) **
Jet Li kicks some serious American butt in the Far West.
Territorio Commanche (1997) **
An interesting film about Spanish journalists in war-torn Sarajevo. It explores the moral and ethical issues facing that profession. Consider a cameraman filming from behind the back of a Serb sniper shooting at Muslim civilians. Or hoping for a bridge to be blown up so that he can capture it on film. It's quite gripping and provocative, but ultimately offers few more insights than a good edition of "Crossfire" on CNN.
The Taste Of Cherries (1997) **
A complex character study about a desperate man who contemplates suicide. He's cruising through the barren outskirts of Teheran in a Range Rover, looking for someone to bury his body. The film won the Palme d'or at Cannes. To say that it isn't one of Kiarostami's finest is more a comment on the exceptional qualities of his previous works, than a criticism of this well-crafted, but very depressing film.
Paljas (1997) **
A circus train accidently stops at a small railway station in the middle of nowhere.
Voleurs de cinema (1997) *
An angry diatribe against Hollywood or a pleasant little comedy about an independent Italian filmmaker ? Actually both.
Whisper (1997) *
This Czech film tries to paint a portrait of that country's young generation, but largely fails.
Wound Of Light (1997) *
Another film about nuns from Jose Luis Garci, but less successful than "Cancion de cuna".
June 6, 1997
Robinson In Space (1997) **
A documentary about Britain, its industries and the owners of these industries. Pretending to be more naive than it really is, the film reveals many unknown facts about that country.
The Cockroach That Ate Cincinnati (1997) **
Funny stream-of-consciousness monologues enliven this Canadian film, reminiscent of "Swimming To Cambodia".
Winter Guest (1997) **
An unsuccessful attempt to recapture the mood and feel of an Ingmar Bergman film. All the right ingridients are there: a small town in Northern Europe, a cold winter day, psychologically complex protagonists, an episodic structure, lots of talk and even more silence. What's missing is a masterful director. Rent Bergman's "Winter Light" (1962) instead.
Floating Life (1997) **
A Chinese family struggles hard to stay together after moving from Hong Kong to Australia. The worst problems are caused by one of the daughters, who suffers from acute paranoia. Her quasi-fascistic ravings add a touch of black humor to an otherwise somber, often poignant and sentimental film.
The Van (1997) **
This film isn't as good as "The Commitments" (1991) and "The Snapper" (1993) - two other pictures based on a novel by Roddy Doyle.
The Assignment (1997) **
US and Israeli secret services are trying to capture the notorious terrorist, Carlos The Jackal.
Love And Other Catastrophes (1997) **
Directed by Emme-Kate Croghan. Frances O'Conner is excellent in this charming film about university students in Australia.
The Last Bus Home (1997) **
If you liked "The Commitments", you might like this one too, though it's not nearly as good. Once again, we've got an Irish band torn by internal bickering, splitting up just before their first big break. Performances are terrific, but the musical numbers are few, far between ... and not very good anyway.
The Disappearance Of Finbar (1997) *
The story is about an Irish youth's mysterious disappearance and its effects on his friends and relatives. The film tries very hard to turn this simple plot premise into some kind of obscure allegory. The result is odd rather than off-beat, bizarre more than whimsical. There is an ambitious film here, buried under a pile of clichés.
Oscar And Lucinda (1997) **
There are elements of "Fitzcarraldo" and "Titanic" in this Australian film about a gambling Anglican minister (Ralph Fiennes).
May 5, 1997
Clandestins (1997) *
Six illegal immigrants are fighting, arguing and starving inside a sealed container on a cargo ship in the middle of Atlantic Ocean. If you like depressing allegories about human misery and suffering, brace yourself for a huge treat.
Mathusalem 2 (1997) *
First, we have a haunted house in a small Quebec town in the middle of a harsh winter. Then, a tropical island with pirates, treasures and a sexy Spanish seniorita. It's barely watchable and very disappointing. Director Roger Cantin, who made only two good movies ("Simon les nuages" and "L'Assassin jouait du trombone"), keeps trying, but again fails to repeat those achievements.
La Conciergerie (1997) *
It's supposed to be a murder mystery, but the pacing is so sluggish, the characters so ill-conceived, the story so boring and the suspense so non-existent, that even the most indulgent viewer will either fall asleep or walk out of the theater. The worst film by Alfred Hitchcock (like "Torn Curtain" or "Spellbound") is a masterpiece compared to this incompetent imitation.
La Comtesse de Baton Rouge (1997) *
Un desastre ennyant, degoutant and plein des confusions. Andre Forcier essaye d'imiter l'elan surrealiste de ses films precedants, mais ne parvient qu'a creer une monstruosite sans pareil.
Le Coeur est mon temoin (1997) *
This documentary about Muslim women won't tell us anything we don't already know.
De l'autre cote du coeur (1997) *
After making an award-winning film about sex and car crashes ("Crash") and a tasteful movie about necrophilia ("Kissed"), those Canadian perverts are at it again. This time, they made a touching and tender film about incest. A brother and a sister fall madly in love with each other.
Hot Sauce (1997) *
"The Taste" segment of Bashar Shbib's "The Senses". A self-reflexive film about an amnesiac filmmaker. It's the first segment of a five-part series.
The Perfumer (1997) *
Campy film tries hard to imitate a "Women On The Verge of A Nervous Breakdown" Almadovar, but fails miserably. The third installement in Bashar Shbib's five-part series, "The Senses". This one is, of course, "The Smell".
Panic (1997) *
The fifth, i.e. "The Hearing", segment of Bashar Shbib's "The Senses". It's the story of a transvestite who tells a story about a writer who writes a story about a woman.
A Taxi To L.A. (1997) **
One of the better segments of Bashar Shbib's five-part "The Senses" cycle. This one (the second) deals with "The Look", but it's actually a road movie about a trip from Montreal to L.A. Alexandra Woodward is excellent.
La Vengeance de la femme en noir (1997) *
An extremely disappointing sequel to "L'Assassin jouait du trombone" (1991). Inferior in every respect.
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