Film Reviews Blog

This page only shows films that have a review. By default in date order of reading with newest at top

Saturday 13th April 2024

Ireland 2022

Running time: 95 mins

The Quiet Girl

An Cailín Ciúin

Director : Colm Bairéad

Film Summary :
Young girl is sent to stay with elderly cousins for the summer while mum is having her firth baby.
Film Category
The 2020s
Film Tags

Reviewed by rogerco, DVD proj @ home on 13 Apr 2024

Damaged people in rural setting

A slow and slightly intense movie about a withdrawn child finding her place in the world. Not much happens, but everything changes



Saturday 16th March 2024

Brazil 2019

Running time: 139 mins

The Invisible Life of Euridice Gusmao

A Vida Invisível

Director : Karim Aïnouz

Film Summary :
Kept apart by a terrible lie and a conservative society, two sisters born in Rio de Janeiro make their way through life each believing the other is living out her dreams half a world away.
Film Category
The 2010s
Film Tags

Reviewed by Roger CO, DVD proj @ home on 16 Mar 2024

Brilliant Beautiful and a bit Tragic

A wonderfully crafted film and a good story set mostly in 1950's Rio with episodes from the parallel lives of two close sisters intertwined.

Excellent cinematography and music track to complement it. Very engrossing story as life evolves.



Saturday 9th March 2024

Japan 2023

Running time: 124 mins

Perfect Days

Director : Wim Wenders

Film Summary :
Hirayama cleans public toilets in Tokyo, lives his life in simplicity and daily tranquility. Some encounters also lead him to reflect on himself.
Film Category
The 2020s
Film Tags

Reviewed by rogerco, Watershed Bristol on 09 Mar 2024

Slow and unsatisfying

Slow paced, minimal dialogue, at first intriguing as we discover his fixed daily life, but ultimately we learn nothing - why is he living this happy life, what ws his past that brought him to these sunlit uplands. Only the vaguest hints are provided - he has a wealthy sister, he is estranged from his elderly father, his niece remembers him from a time before - but what was the watershed? We'll never know. Possibly he has forgotten. 



Thursday 15th February 2024

USA 2002

Running time: 119 mins

Red Dragon

Director : Christopher Nolan

Film Summary :
Retired FBI agent recalled to hunt down serial killer with Hannibal Lecktors help.Previoue=sly made as Manhunter
Film Category
The 2000s (the noughties)
Film Tags

Reviewed by rogerco, DVD proj @ home on 15 Feb 2024

Better than the previous version

Much better made than Manhunter and the prelude with Agent Graham capturing Hannibal provides a nice lead-in. However the story is a bit uncredible and both Dolarhyde's disfiburment (a slight hare lip) and Graham's supposed psychological trauma causing him to be invalided out of the FBI to a comfortable retirement at a young age were unconvincing as hooks to hang the story on.

So as with Manhunter it comes down to a race-against-time chase - which is handled much better than Manhunter - but the film as a whole remains flawed and not fully engrossing.



Saturday 27th January 2024

France 2022

Running time: 122 mins

Saint Omer

Director : Alice Diop

Film Summary :
Courtroom drama. Writer observes trial of Senegalese woman who has admitted killing her 15 month old child. Resonances in her own life and cultural background.
Film Category
The 2020s
Film Tags

Rated by rogerco, Streamed proj @ home on 27 Jan 2024

Review Summary :
Long(ish) and languid with a lot left unsaid in terms of the resonances between Lawrences life and Rama's. Ultimately unsatisfying


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