South Africa
Omen is an undeniably beautiful film that is a prime showcase for Baloji’s talents as a visual storyteller.
I Am Here is not a perfect film, but it accomplishes what it sets out to do, which is to allow the world to honor Ella Blumenthal and share her story.
The Harvesters is a film with uncomfortable weight, one that slowly but surely crushes you in the way any society presses on those who don’t fit in.
Five Fingers for Marseilles is sporadically entertaining while watching, but devoid of the food for thought a film with this subject matter urgently needs.
With potent acting by Whitaker and Bana, relevant social commentary, adept writing and direction, The Forgiven succeeds as a biopic, albeit not Joffé’s finest effort.
Despite strong leads and commendable technique, The Lullaby falls short of being a solid horror film due to its dull setting, convoluted story, and some unnecessary twists.
Aimed squarely at Christian audiences looking for inspirational family entertainment, Samson is a preachy and plodding drama that’s light on excitement, action or any real sense of spirituality.
Neil Blomkamp is still a relatively new director in the game, though he has now done three movies. His first, District 9, is an intensely original feature, focusing on the subject of extraterrestrials who have come to Earth and suffer to live alongside the community of South Africa. It is at once both entertaining and politically charged, and was so well-received upon its release that it was even nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, a very rare accomplishment for a sci-fi.
This is a continuation of “Beyond Hollywood’s Mafia” with more great gangster films from around the world. There’s a rich tapestry in this field to draw from, as films influence filmmakers, writers and directors making more and more fascinating movies about crime. Some directors may have already appeared in the first list, but all these titles are new and differ, one way or another from the first installment, enjoy!
In Elysium, the world has gone to shit. It is heavily polluted and poverty has risen to extremely high levels – the ghettos stretch as far as you can see. This is where the poor working class lives.