France

AT ETERNITY'S GATE: William Dafoe Shines in Frustrating Biopic
AT ETERNITY’S GATE: Willem Dafoe Shines In Frustrating Biopic

Carried by the weight of Willem Dafoe’s performance, At Eternity’s Gate is not a bad film, but it is not an outstanding one either.

PARIS, TEXAS: European Art House Meets The Great American Road Movie in Stunning Fashion
PARIS, TEXAS: European Art House Meets The Great American Road Movie In Stunning Fashion

Paris, Texas readily evokes a bit of the ruggedness of the Old West, reflecting the degradation of this vast country as much as the austere beauty.

HIROSHIMA MON AMOUR: The Most Important Film In The French New Wave
HIROSHIMA MON AMOUR: The Most Important Film In The French New Wave

Hiroshima Mon Amour deals with the aftermath of a war, but primarily focuses on two peoples’ romance, which inspired future French New Wave directors.

LES PARENTS TERRIBLES: A Delightfully Sharp-Tongued Farce Turns 70
LES PARENTS TERRIBLES: A Delightfully Sharp-Tongued Farce Turns 70

A cautionary tale of what happens when familial love and romantic love cross paths, Les Parents Terribles deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Cocteau’s other masterpieces.

RODIN: Another Genius Antihero Biopic Lacking the Imagination Of Its Subject

Rodin portrays its titular character as a fiery genius who is much better interacting with lumps of clay than he is with human beings. For an artist biopic, this is both predictable and exhausting.

Anarchic Cinema: Jean Vigo's ZERO FOR CONDUCT
Anarchic Cinema: Jean Vigo’s ZERO FOR CONDUCT

On numerous conscious and subconscious levels, Jean Vigo’s Zero for Conduct is one of the most honest examinations of humanity and human society yet made in cinematic form. That is Anarchic Cinema.

CLIMAX: (Bored to) Death on the Dancefloor
CLIMAX: (Bored To) Death On The Dancefloor

Climax is an oddly boring affair, that shows Gaspar Noe has little of substance to offer when divorced from more offensive subject matter.

HIGH LIFE: Claire Denis Goes Extreme
HIGH LIFE: Claire Denis Goes Extreme

The English language debut of iconic French director Claire Denis is thematically dense and transgressive, designed to provoke intense debate.

Toronto International Film Festival 2018: ULYSSES & MONA: The Art Life Made Disappointing
Toronto International Film Festival 2018: ULYSSES & MONA: The Art Life Made Disappointing

As much as Ulysses & Mona can be a pleasant watch, and as much as Issa and Cantona gel with each other, it lacks a solid foundation.

MEMOIR OF WAR: The Agony of Endless Waiting
MEMOIR OF WAR: The Agony Of Endless Waiting

Memoir of War is at its best when focusing on the inner life of its protagonist – but even she can’t prevent it from feeling unnecessarily drawn-out.

JOHN McENROE: IN THE REALM OF PERFECTION: Art-house Analysis of a Tennis Great
JOHN McENROE: IN THE REALM OF PERFECTION: Art-house Analysis Of A Tennis Great

Less a documentary, more an arthouse examination of a tennis great, Julien Faraut’s John McEnroe: In The Realm Of Perfection is a true original.

FACES PLACES: Agnès Varda's Swan Song Is Sheer Perfection
FACES PLACES: Agnès Varda’s Swan Song Is Sheer Perfection

It’s been almost a decade since the release of Agnès Varda’s last film, and even though her newest entry, Faces Places, is only slight, it’s still completely worth the wait.

COLD SKIN: Erratic Storytelling Leaves An Intriguing Tale Of Human Connection Rather Numb
COLD SKIN: Erratic Storytelling Leaves An Intriguing Tale Of Human Connection Rather Numb

Xavier Gens’ science fiction fantasy Cold Skin is a hotbed of promising concepts. The problem is, it doesn’t know what to do with them.

UNDER THE TREE: Jet-black Icelandic Comedy Where the Laughs Are Lost in Translation
UNDER THE TREE: Jet-black Icelandic Comedy Where The Laughs Are Lost In Translation

With a failure to properly establish the story, is a black comedy that is consistently frustrating and close to devoid of any laughs.

JEUNE FEMME: Laetitia Dosch Carries This Eccentric Comedy-Drama
JEUNE FEMME: Laetitia Dosch Carries This Eccentric Comedy-Drama

With Jeune Femme, writer/director Léonor Sérraille has captured a painfully realistic story – with an unforgettable performance at the centre.