• Albert Serra – Història de la meva mort aka Story of My Death (2013)

    2011-2020Albert SerraArthouseDramaSpain

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    Casanova hires a new servant to witness the last moments of his life. Leaving a gallant and libertine Swiss castle, he decides to spend his remaining days in the poor and dark lands of eastern Europe. There, his society life and rationality begin to collapse under a romantic and violent force, represented by Dracula and his eternal power.

    Golden Leopard at Locarno 2013

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  • Zbynek Brynych – Já, spravedlnost Aka I, Justice Aka Als Hitler den Krieg überlebte (1967)

    1961-1970ArthouseCzech RepublicThrillerZbynek Brynych

    29f7c043f76a2bde437fd0d52a185152

    From wiki

    I, Justice (Czech: Já, spravedlnost; German: Als Hitler den Krieg überlebte [If Hitler Would Have Survived the War]) is a 1968 Czechoslovak psychological thriller, directed by Zbyněk Brynych.
    At 1946, during the Nuremberg Trials, the Czecholsovak physician Doctor Heřman is abducted by a mysterious organization. To his horror, Heřman discovers that he is to treat Adolf Hitler, whose suicide in 1945 was faked. Hitler now lives in an isolated sanatorium in Germany, surrounded by his ostensibly loyal followers, a group of former high-ranking Nazis. But those men blame him for Germany’s defeat and destruction, and have decided that a single death is not satisfactory punishment for Hitler. Rather, he is made to believe that the Second World War is still being fought..Read More »

  • Zeki Demirkubuz – Kader aka Destiny (2006)

    Drama2011-2020TurkeyZeki Demirkubuz

    Quote:
    Bekir is in love with Uğur, Uğur is in love with Zagor… Like so many other love stories, this is a simple one-liner. It begins one day in a shop when a man is swept off his feet by a woman. In the course of time, Uğur comes to mean life itself for Bekir. Uğur always comes into the room when Bekir is asleep. For Bekir, sleep and life are akin to an angel or devil, defining on which side of the borderline he stands between sanity and insanity. From that moment on, Bekir finds Uğur beside him whenever he wakes up – which most of the time is in a different town. With Uğur’s presence, Bekir finds life freed of all its absurdity and given instead a single meaning: Uğur. As far as Bekir is concerned, there is no need now to look for any further meaning. His sole form of existence is being with Uğur; it no longer matters which town he is in, which streets he roams, at which tavern he drinks…Read More »

  • Hal Hartley – Henry Fool (1997)

    1991-2000ComedyDramaHal HartleyUSA

    29f7c043f76a2bde437fd0d52a185152

    Plot summary:
    Socially inept garbage man Simon is befriended by Henry Fool, a witty roguish, but talent-less novelist. Henry opens a magical world of literature to Simon who turns his hand to writing the ‘great American poem’. As Simon begins his controversial ascent to the dizzying heights of Nobel Prize winning poet, Henry sinks to a life of drinking in low-life bars. The two friends fall out and lose touch until Henry’s criminal past catches up with him and he needs Simon’s help to flee the country. Read More »

  • Agnieszka Holland – Hori­ci ker AKA Burning Bush (2013)

    Drama2011-2020Agnieszka HollandCzech Republic

    Burning Bush is a three-part mini-series created for HBO by world-renowned Polish director Agnieszka Holland. Based on real characters and events, this haunting drama focuses on the personal sacrifice of a Prague history student, Jan Palach, who set himself on fire in protest against the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1969. Dagmar Buresová, a young female lawyer, became part of his legacy by defending Jan’s family in a trial against the communist government, a regime which tried to dishonour Palach’s sacrifice, a heroic action for the freedom of Czechoslovakia.
    ( HBO Europe)Read More »

  • Hal Hartley – Amateur (1994)

    USA1991-2000ComedyCrimeHal Hartley

    Isabelle is an ex-nun waiting for her special mission from God. In the meantime, she is making a living writing pornography. She meets Thomas, a sweet, confused amnesiac who cannot remember that he used to be a vicious pornographer, responsible for turning his young wife, Sofia, into the world’s most notorious porn queen. Sofia’s on the run, convinced she’s killed him. Together, Isabelle and Thomas set out to discover his past, a past waiting to catch up with him.Read More »

  • Niels Arden Oplev – Män som hatar kvinnor AKA Men Who Hate Women AKA The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009)

    2001-2010Niels Arden OplevNordic NoirSwedenThriller

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    Quote:
    Engaging, suspenseful, well-acted, atmospheric, and technically well-made Swedish thriller, based on the first book in Stieg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy (which I have not read; Amazon.com/AdLibris.se). Clichés and little originality notwithstanding, there is a certain freshness to the proceedings, and the film is one of the better Swedish entries in the genre. The movie contains a couple of very disturbing and intense scenes that linger in the mind. While the ending makes the film feel slightly too long, it also ties up a few loose ends quite nicely. Michael Nyqvist convincingly portrays Mikael Blomkvist, but his character is underdeveloped; Noomi Rapace is excellent and memorable as Lisbeth Salander; in a smaller role, Peter Andersson is appropriately disgusting and slimy as Nils Bjurman. Sure-handed direction by Niels Arden Oplev.
    Peter EricsonRead More »

  • Arthur J. Beckhard & Joseph Lee – Girl on the Run (1953)

    1951-1960Arthur J. Beckhard and Joseph LeeCrimeUSA

    29f7c043f76a2bde437fd0d52a185152

    Synopsis:
    “A hootchy-kootchy whodunit set at a small seedy carnival where a reporter tries to discover who killed his boss while his girlfriend inexplicably joins the burlesque show! Pure carny-noir. And see if you can spot a young Steve McQueen as one of the carnival’s customers.” – from the dvd packaging

    Richard Coogan, our hero, was TVs “Captain Video.” “Little person” Charles Bolender was later a regular on the Jackie Gleason Show and performed on Broadway as well. Director Arthur J. Beckhard wrote Shirley Temple’s classic vehicle, Curly Top eighteen years before this film was made.
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  • Zacarías Gómez Urquiza – Kid Tabaco (1955)

    1951-1960ActionDramaMexicoZacarías Gómez Urquiza

    29f7c043f76a2bde437fd0d52a185152

    Synopsis: A young worker eager to earn money as a boxer enters and grows into star ring. His idol is Kid Snuff boxing, he does not know, but I admire both reaching imitate everything. Be conquered by a cabaret singer, former lover Kid, breaking up with his girlfriend with whom he is truly in love. There comes a point in their fight with Kid for the championship of Mexico, but to discover the relationships with singer, repents and returns with his girlfriend. Decides to leave the ring, whatever the outcome of the fight. Win Kid Snuff and the other is on the floor. When the doctor acknowledges, is that has died from the blows.
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