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Moulin Rouge
I love it. I can’t say for sure why it works, but I never get tired of watching it. →
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The Homesman
An uneven western that isn’t sure if it should be grim or comedic. →
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Enemy
Unnerving, brilliant, and demanding multiple viewings. A more interesting adaptation of The Double than Richard Ayoade’s recent film. →
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Leviathan
Long, dreary, miserablist. God, what was the point of it all? →
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Tokyo Drifter
A cool, fun ‘60s Japanese gangster film. More of a spoof than anything else. Worth watching. →
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Coherence
Great little sci-fi film in the same vein as Primer, Triangle, Timecrimes etc. Tense and chewy. →
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Effie Gray
A bland and timid film, but at least the portrayal of Ruskin is better than the lisping goon from Mike Leigh’s Mr Turner. →
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Turtles Can Fly
I recommend this drama set in a Kurdish refugee camp in 2003. Played by real-life child refugees, it’s pretty heart-rending. →
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Maps to the Stars
Not one of Cronenberg’s best but still worth watching. Good performances & some brutal & surprising moments of violence. →
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Bunny Lake is Missing
Fantastic ‘60s psychological thriller, kept me guessing up to the end. Also taught me about a dessert called ‘junket’. →
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L’Atalante
One of those ancient “greatest films of all time” pieces that I watch bemused, going away unsure what the reasoning was. →
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Giovanni’s Island
Charming post-WW2 anime concerning a Russian girl and a Japanese boy, bonding on an occupied Pacific island. Nice. →
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Before I Go To Sleep
Soporific amnesia drama in which Nicole Kidman has a fixed expression of wide-eyed astonishment for a full 90 minutes. →
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Superman Unbound
A mostly-unremarkable Superman animation, notable only for John Noble giving good Brainiac. →
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The Night Porter
Takes in Stockholm Syndrome, post-WW2 Nazis and sadomasochism. A bleak, cold and sickly film. →
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Trap for Cinderella
Passable amnesia thriller with a plot that doesn’t bear a moment’s scrutiny. →
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Cape Fear
A very Brian De Palma film from Scorsese. The problem is, Nick Nolte is inherently more terrifying than Robert De Niro ever was. →
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The Lady Eve
‘40s screwball comedy that I’m not convinced has aged well. Stopped caring about halfway through. Just…not that funny. →
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God’s Pocket
Decent little drama with a strong cast. Some darkly-comic moments help keep things lively. Philip Seymour Hoffman always good. →
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Strangers on a Train
Superb, I think mostly down to Robert Walker’s amazingly creepy vibe. →