France

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.

Book Review: Alexandra West's "Films Of The New French Extremity"
Book Review: Alexandra West’s “Films Of The New French Extremity”

In Films of The New French Extremity, Alexandra West studies French horror films which are known for graphically brutal depictions of sex and violence.

THE TWO OF US: A Surprisingly Heartwarming Depiction of Childhood During Wartime
THE TWO OF US: A Surprisingly Heartwarming Depiction Of Childhood During Wartime

On the eve of its 50th anniversary, Claude Berri’s autobiographical drama The Two Of Us remains as heartwarming as ever, offering a look at one of the greatest conflicts in history and the prejudices it triggered through a child’s eyes.

REVENGE: A Dish Best Served Feminine
REVENGE: A Dish Best Served Feminine

It may sound like exploitative torture porn, but Revenge introduces director Coralie Fargeat as a filmmaker worth your attention – taking problematic genre tropes and subverting them into a vital, exhilarating feminist film.

Let The Sunshine In: Juliette Binoche Delights In Off-kilter Rom-com
LET THE SUNSHINE IN: Juliette Binoche Delights In Off-kilter Rom-com

Director Claire Denis is choosing a more diverse range of film projects than any other time in her career – and it’s best exemplified by Let the Sunshine in, a romcom that subverts genre expectations on the hunt for true love.

Tribeca Reviews: Foreign Zombie Flicks: THE NIGHT EATS THE WORLD & CARGO
Tribeca Reviews: Foreign Zombie Flicks: THE NIGHT EATS THE WORLD & CARGO

Both The Night Eats the World and Cargo, despite their differing subjects and approaches, manage to bring both meat and brains to the zombie film.

REDOUTABLE (GODARD MON AMOUR): The Emperor with No Clothes
REDOUTABLE (GODARD MON AMOUR): The Emperor With No Clothes

Redoutable is an irreverent take on the biopic that gleefully flips the bird at its subject, and takes delight in making him conform to a conventional narrative of the type he grew to detest leading to some of the finest moments of cringe comedy in recent memory.

SGT. STUBBY: Dog Of War’s Sweet Animated Tail
SGT. STUBBY: Dog Of War’s Sweet Animated Tail

There are those that may find Sgt. Stubby a little too twee for their tastes and it may not appeal to those who are not won over by doggy antics, but for those that are susceptible to a four legged friend, you will find Stubby a real heart-warmer.

120 BPM: Activists Come Alive
BPM (BEATS PER MINUTE): Activists Come Alive

It takes a lot to stand out among the numerous films about the AIDS crisis, but Campillo has managed to craft one that’s certain to stand the test of time. Distinctive characters and an astute understanding of what made ACT UP so memorable shines through in 120 BPM.