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A great feel-good type of film. Campanella lives up to promise and delivers yet again, as he dives head first into the story of a forty-something going through a mid-life crisis. Ricardo Darin (Rafael Belvedere) shows us why he’s one of South America’s biggest stars as he puts in a performance to rival “Nine Queens” (another great Argentinian film). He’s complemented by Natalia Verbeke who plays his girlfriend (and who is in possession of the world’s greatest smile) and Héctor Alterio and Norma Aleandro who play his parents. Aleandro in particular contributes some magnificent scenes, playing an aged woman struggling to cope with mental illness. A really good film that will restore your faith in humanity….A bit corny?? oh well…. Funny, original, and well put together. Recommended for everyone!!Read More »
Comedy
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Juan José Campanella – El Hijo de la novia aka Son of the Bride [+Extras] (2001)
2001-2010ArgentinaComedyDramaJuan José Campanella -
Bakhtyar Khudojnazarov – Luna Papa (1999)
Drama1991-2000Bakhtyar KhudojnazarovComedyRussia
Luna Papa (1999) 
The unborn child of Mamlakat (Khamatova) is telling her story. She is 17, beautiful and vivacious, and dreaming secretly of becoming an actress. She lives with her father and brother (Bleibtreu) in a small village in Central Asia. One night she is seduced by an actor from a traveling troupe, who poses as a friend of Tom Cruise, and makes her pregnant. She tries to abort, but her father and brother become determined to find the seducer, setting in motion a cascade of comic adventures.Read More »
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Kentucker Audley – Open Five (2010)
USA2001-2010ArthouseComedyKentucker AudleyMumblecore

A blend of reality and fiction, “Open Five” follows the story of Jake, a struggling musician and his sidekick, Kentucker, a maker of “poor” films and what happens when two girls (Lucy and Rose) venture down to Memphis for a long weekend. Written by K Audley
“a loamy, bittersweet ramble through the emotional and practical tangles of its young artists’ lives, as well as through the inner and outer life of Memphis itself, with its vigorous musical scene and its gospel churches and Graceland itself. Open Five should be distributed and made available on a big screen at a local movie theatre; in any case, its free online presence is a rare gift.”
Richard Brody, The New YorkerRead More » -
Lynn Shelton – Humpday (2009)
2001-2010ComedyLynn SheltonMumblecoreUSACollege buddies Ben (Mark Duplass) and Andrew (Justin Leonard) are reunited in Seattle when the latter comes crashing into his pal’s marital bliss, in more ways than one. As a kind of bet – Andrew is involved in a porn-themed art project – they agree it would be pretty far out if two straight men were to have sex on camera. While drunk, they volunteer and set a date.
In the cold light of day, neither wants to be the one to back down: the funniest idea in Lynn Shelton’s bracing, superbly-acted low-budget comedy is how this now-or-never challenge becomes a clinching test of machismo. Ben knows his wife (Alycia Delmore) is never going to be cool with it, and bottles out of asking. To be fair, the film does a fair amount of squirming itself, but not before giving honest and hilarious thought to the carnal intricacies of the whole project.Read More » -
Aleksandr Ptushko – Skazka o poteryannom vremeni aka A Tale of Lost Times (1964)
1961-1970Aleksandr PtushkoComedyFantasyUSSRQuote:
One day, four sorcerers appeared out of the blue in the streets of a small town. These evil old people had long been dreaming of getting back their former vigor and youth. But to do that, they had to find people who would aimlessly waste their time. And they were very lucky: four schoolchildren had proved ideal guinea pigs for the magicians. The kids and the old people changed their roles for a while. You can’t even imagine what happened! The schoolchildren had to hide for some time in an abandoned house on the outskirts of the town – they just couldn’t appear before their parents as bearded, bent, old persons. Meanwhile, the sorcerers had their fun at school in the guise of their victims. And only on a certain day and at a certain hour, time could be turned back again…
ruscicoRead More » -
Wes Anderson – Castello Cavalcanti (2013)
2011-2020ComedyShort FilmUSAWes AndersonSynopsis: Italy, September 1955. A Formula One driver crashes his car during a race, leaving him stuck in a small village but good surprises will come his way.
This was written by Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola and while this is presented by Prada, it’s not an advertisement. Castello Cavalcante is just a short film, starring Jason Schwartzman, with all of the visual flourishes you might expect from Anderson.
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David Butler – The Girl He Left Behind (1956)
1951-1960ComedyDavid ButlerDramaUSACollege students Andy Shaeffer and Susan Daniels are pinned. While Susan works hard to put herself through college, Andy sponges off his parents, his mother, Madeline Shaeffer, who in particular will give him whatever he wants. In other words, Andy is a mama’s boy, which he doesn’t really realize. Andy and Susan have used the word love to describe their relationship, but Susan isn’t sure if that’s what they are really feeling for each other or if it is solely a loveless passion. And if it is love, she isn’t sure their relationship can survive without Andy taking some ownership of his life. The near end of their relationship, initiated by Susan, leads to Andy starting to flunk out of college, which in turn makes Andy a prime candidate to be drafted. During basic training at Camp Ord, California, Andy makes it clear to his superiors and his fellow privates that he doesn’t want to be there and will do only what is requested of him without any extra effort. His superiors and fellow privates in turn see that Andy’s privileged life has not done him any favors, especially after Mrs. Shaeffer makes a visit to the camp. But after it looks like Andy may be a lost cause, his superiors make a bold move to try and turn him into a man.Read More »
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Damián Szifrón – Relatos Salvajes AKA Wild Tales (2014)
Drama2011-2020ArgentinaComedyDamián SzifrónA story about love deception, the return of the past, a tragedy, or even the violence contained in an everyday detail, appear themselves to push them towards the abyss, into the undeniable pleasure of losing control.
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The first ten minutes of Argentina’s Wild Tales, nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at this year’s Oscars, perfectly set you up for the experience you are about to have. A woman boards an airplane, then strikes up a conversation with the man across the aisle from her. It turns out he knows her ex-boyfriend. So does the woman seated in front of him. So does everyone else on the plane. It’s too much to be a coincidence, and it’s not. The guy they all know is the pilot; his passengers are people who have done him wrong. The scene ends with a stunning Twilight Zone-esque twist, then segues into an opening credits sequence set against photos of wild, often predatory animals. Writer/director Damian Szifron grabs you by the throat from the get-go, then proceeds to deliver a dazzling ride.Read More » -
Jacques Rozier – Maine-Océan (1986)
France1981-1990ComedyJacques Rozier“Maine-Ocean” is the name of a train that rides from Paris to Saint-Nazaire (near the ocean). In that train, Dejanira, a Brazilian, has a brush with the two ticket inspectors. Mimi, another traveler and also a lawyer, helps her. The four of them will meet together later and live a few shifted adventures with a strange-speaking sailor (Mimi’s client).Read More »






