My Recent Trip to Taiwan

  Taking a small break from movies... Between the 15th-28th August 2015, I was far from cold, wet England. I went to Hualien, Taiwan! Land of night markets, free wi-fi, and Hello Kitty. For two weeks, I immersed myself in the culture, toured the land, and met lots of cool people. Students from Japan, China, Thailand and Korea, as well as Taiwan, were there, and the whole trip was an incredible experience.

Hualien (where we are staying) is in the west, whereas Taipei (where we landed) is up north.

The Group from England, about to board a long flight.

  All the transport took a long time. About 24 hours in total (including transfers and trains). But once in Taipei, there was a massive culture shock. It felt like an alien planet, as there were no white people, and Asians everywhere I looked. And wherever I did look, they were already, uncomfortably, staring back. As we leave the station, there are the occasional cockroaches and massive snails, the size of your hand, on the floor, and a bat flying around a streetlight. Back inside, and we find a part of the train station where you can sit on the floor. Crazy stuff.

Area for people to sit in the middle of the train station in Taipei.

Big snails everywhere. The snails are so much of a problem, that at night, as you are walking, you may hear a massive CRUNCH from standing on one. Happened to me. They moved here from Africa because of Global Warming.

Example of a cockroach (downtown in Hualien).

  So we finally got to the college in Hualien (see the map) and it is really late. So as I go to my room, I find out I have to sleep on the floor... and share that floor with four guys. Not what I was expecting, but it was fine. In fact we won an award for the tidiest room. Not quite sure how, but I'll accept it.

The floor.

Receiving the award (note: the guy in the middle was not a roommate but the man giving the award).

  While there, the food at the college was strictly vegetarian (Rice, eggplant, tofu etc), but for dinner, we were allowed to venture out and try  some of the local cuisine including sushi, noodles, a scrumptious hotpot and ramen.

Vegetarian food.

food on a day out

Sushi! Probably the tastiest food on the trip

  A highlight was a day out at Taroko National Park. This national park is considered by many sites as the number one attraction to see in Taiwan, and nothing quite prepares you for the beauty of it. Gorges as high as the sky, and a road on an edge, that dips in and out of caves. On the mountainside are temples, the trees and plants are beautiful, and there was even a monkey in a tree. A monkey in the wild!

Beautiful Taroko :) At the start of the park.

Near the middle of the park. Note the temple on the mountain, and the amount of photos being taken. There were lots of photos.

UK+Thailand+Taiwan.

  There were many activities throughout the trip. One was a tea ceremony, another was a hidden aborigine museum under the college, another was calligraphy. All of them immersing me in their incredible way of life, culture and history.

Tea ceremony group :)

Before starting the tea ceremony. 

Aboriginal Museum

  After a week, we took a day trip to Yilan, the county above Hualien. There we met with Andy's mother, father and grandmother, as they showed us around their hometown. This included a brewery, a cake-making shop and a night market. Not forgetting a park with an ocarina shop and temple.

 Brewery

Ocarina shop. Everything was an ocarina in there. Ducks, cats, cows, guitars, turtles... Truly mind-blowing how he can make all those different musical instruments.

  Wherever you go in Taiwan, there will be weird things. Here are a few...

Seaweed flavoured crisps... In England this is very strange.

Everyone knows Shaun the Sheep. He was everywhere in the park in Yilan. This is me and Shaun just chilling.

Stray dogs are everywhere. The College adopts about 30 of them, and puts collars on them. They lie down all day. All across the college are sleeping dogs, and they often enter classrooms.

 Cactus with faces.

A taxi with about 100 anime figures in the front of it. Safe? No. Cool? YEAH!

A shop called 'Kiss my Baby'...

  What really made this trip was the people. I made many many friends while there, and I will miss each of them. I hope to keep in contact with them, they're great people.

China + Taiwan.

Jay from China, with his identical twin. He prefers Iron Man to Thor for some reason.

Me + Eddy from Thailand.

Me + Yan-Fei Jiang from China :)

Me with the guys from Japan

Andy. He is always happy.

The girls from college in Taiwan.

Viktor and Andrea

Last view of the college

  And with that, the Taiwan trip concludes. Thanks to everyone for making it a great time, and I would definitely recommended everyone to visit the country. Thank-you for reading this. I'll be back soon with more film reviews. Especially as I may have just got a job in my local cinema. More soon... :)

BONUS: View of London from the plane on the way back from Taiwan.

Films that Deserve a Blu ray Release

In recent years, there has been an incredible surge of quality home video releases. Companies like Arrow Video, Eureka (Masters of Cinema), and BFI have released incredible sets like the magnificent Late Mizoguchi Box set, Rossellini's War Trilogy, Metropolis Ultimate Edition and the forthcoming Yoshida box-set. Lesser known companies like Third Window Films and Anime Limited also have their fair share of quality releases, specializing in 21st century live-action films (Shion Sono lovers :D) and anime releases respectively. Here's a list of 13, that I'd like these companies to release.

NOTE- If the title is a box-set, the films in the set are the ones in the paragraph in bold.

Emir Kusturica Early Works

This Yugoslavian director is mostly forgotten in recent years, with his last film released in 2007, and his last acclaimed film released back in 2004. But delve far back into his filmography and you'll find some hidden gems. His film début 'Do You Remember Dolly Bell?' (1981), Palm D'Or winner 'When Father was away on Business' (1985), and the epic 'Time of the Gypsies' (1988) are all excellent films, even better than his most known films: 'Underground', 'Life is a Miracle', and 'Black Cat, White Cat', in my opinion. His zany Fellini-esque antics appear in his early works, full in force. Artificial Eye released the first two on DVD (since out of circulation), and they released 'Time of the Gypsies' way back on VHS.

Chances are: Unlikely (3/10). Artificial Eye rarely seem to go back and upgrade their DVDs. Maybe if Kusturica releases a new film, it may give someone an incentive.

The Travelling Players 

Theo Angelopoulos's flawless masterpiece. Since reviewing this on the blog, it has stayed in my mind for a while. The film tells main events in the history of Greece between 1939 and 1952 through the eyes of a group of travelling players. These events include the Metaxas's fascist dictatorship, The Second World War and the British occupation. It's very rare for a film to be long and epic, while keeping all of the auteur's unique trademarks throughout.

Chances are: Possible (4/10). There is a Japanese blu ray, so the HD materials exist. But again, Artificial Eye has the rights, and have released the film in a DVD box-set.

Shuji Terayama Box-set

Terayama is the king of the Japanese New Wave, with his ultra-insane visuals, content and techniques. He unfortunately died at 47, but left some phenomenal films, including 'Throw Away Your Books and Rally in the Streets' (1971), 'Pastoral: To Die in the Country' (1974), 'The Boxer' (1977), and 'Farewell to the Ark' (1984). They're all great, and combine shocking visuals, with Fellini-esque content and some great soundtracks. 'Throw Away Your Books and Rally in the Streets' has a punk "fuck the world" attitude, which includes scenes of rioting, weed smoking and rampant sex. 'Pastoral' really impressed me when I first watched, and has a moment half way through the film which is rule-changing.  'The Boxer' is a copycat, but far better version of 'Rocky'. While 'Farewell to the Ark' is a really great last film.

Chances: Eventually (6/10). Arrow said they will think about releasing some Terayama if the Yoshida set sells well. There is a blu ray in Japan as well.

A Brighter Summers Day (1991)

Edward Yang's four hour Taiwanese New Wave Epic, desperately needs a release. Have you seen the available copy? Its been filmed on a potato. But great news, the film has been restored by the World Cinema Project, a magnificent organisation that restores and exhibits films from all over the world, that have been severely neglected over the years. It is strange that a film from 1991 needs to be restored, but what they have done is extraordinary. The film has a big following from those which have watched it.

Chances: Its Coming (9/10). It should be released as part of The Masters of Cinema Collection, either as a stand-alone release or as a part of The World Cinema Project Volume 2. Whether it comes by the end of 2015 or up to 2020, who knows?

The Complete Don Hertzfeldt

Don Hertzfeldt is the ultimate auteur. As an animator, he draws, directs, edits and voices his own films. He also draws every frame. Now that is dedication. This also means there isn't a lot of work and his films can be viewed in 3 hours or so. 'Rejected' is his most known work, and was a mini-viral hit on YouTube a few years ago. As time passed his films have become more mature, resulting in the three-part 'Its Such a Beautiful Day' and Sundance hit 'World of Tomorrow'. I have no idea if the films would look good on blu ray, but having the option to replay those two films would make me, and other fans, incredibly happy.

Chances: Little chance (2/10). A region 2 release is unlikely as Hertzfeldt distributes his own films (what a talented guy), however he recently begun a Kickstarter to release some of his films on blu-ray, so a region 2 release isn't particularly needed. This Kickstarter will be the only chance to get the films on blu ray (and is region free), so funding it now is necessary.

Frederick Wiseman- Early Works

Wiseman is always mentioned when people list the best documentaries, but they are notoriously hard to find. I saw 'National Gallery' at its Toronto International Film Festival Premier last year, even asked Wiseman a question at the Q&A, but I have had no luck looking for the rest of his 42 films. He may be the only director who can make a 3 hour documentary about the National Gallery without boring the viewer. Wiseman focuses on institutions in his work and is most well known for his study on Massachusetts Correctional Institution in 'Titicut Follies' (1967). This is his début film, so a box-set of his earliest work would be a great introduction to the world of Wiseman. A box-set of films he made around this time would be monumental, and should include 'High School' (1968), 'Law & Order' (1969) and 'Hospital' (1970).

Chances: Unlikely (1/10). Wiseman's films are currently distributed through the Zipporah films website, where each film is $30 (+ big fee for shipping), and on DVD.

Marketa Lazarova

The finest Czechoslovakian film as voted by a 1998 poll of Czech critics, and I whole-heartedly agree with them. This film has a unique and grand vision, set in the Middle Ages, with perfect black and white cinematography. This film is always credited to be found by The Criterion Collection (where they released it on blu), but was released 5 years prior by Second Run on DVD in the UK. Second Run are a fantastic company, that release completely unknown (mostly Eastern-European) films in the UK.

Chances: Not as unlikely as you may think (4/10). If Second Run ever release a blu-ray, this is likely to be it. 'Marketa Lazarova' has a bigger following then you may think. I wish they would, but they're audience is on DVD so it is unlikely.

Hou Hsiao-Hsien Childhood Trilogy

Possibly the greatest working director, Hou is still relatively unknown in the West. Three of his early works have recently been restored: 'A Summer at Grandpa's' (1984), 'A Time to Live and a Time to Die' (1985) and 'Dust in the Wind' (1986). 'A Summer at Grandpa's' is based on Chu Tien-Wen's childhood memories, 'A Time to Live and a Time to Die' is based on Hou's, while 'Dust in the Wind' is based on Wu Nien-Jen's. All 3 are must sees, and are incredible. The Taiwanese DVDs I own have very bad Picture/Audio quality, so I would jump on any release.

Chances: Possible (5/10). There has to be a reason why they haven't been released thus far. Its possible the rights issues are because the films may be financed partially by the Taiwanese Mafia. There are recent restorations of all 3 and the last two have been included in a Taiwanese blu ray box-set. I'm going to Taiwan in August, so I'll grab it if I can.

Ocean Waves/Only Tomorrow

These are the final two Studio Ghibli films yet to be released on UK blu ray. For those collecting them, there are two gaps, and there has been for a while. While they may not be seen as the best of the bunch, they are Ghiblis and, therefore, are necessary to watch. I would say Ocean Waves is better than people give it credit for.

Chances: Likely (7/10). Why wouldn't Studio Canal release these? Ghibli releases sell a lot of units. 'The Wind Rises' was released on blu ray in October 2014, and by February 2015, they were still selling over 3,000 copies a month. Most releases sell 500 or so a month. So it should be a no-brainer.

Hou Hsiao Hsien's Historical Trilogy

These are 'A City of Sadness' (1989), 'The Puppetmaster' (1993) and 'Good Men, Good Women' (1995). They are equally as good as his childhood trilogy, but are far more ambitious, with a larger/more epic scope. 'A City of Sadness' is Hou's most acclaimed film, and won the Golden Lion in Venice. The film is historical, with the story revolving around the "White Terror" when the KMT government massacred thousands of Taiwanese. 'The Puppetmaster' is Hou's least accessible film, and is a biopic on Li Tienlu. Li also stars in the film, as a narrator/interviewee. All 3 of these films show Hou in his prime. Feel the power of the long takes.

Chances: Unlikely (3/10). No restorations and lots of rights issues. But one can dream eh?

Day for Night (1973)

Francois Truffaut's best film has only been released in the UK on VHS. Its another fellini-esque film based on the process of making a film, but is brilliant in every way possible. Truffaut knows how to direct a film, and this insider, and satirical, look is utterly wonderful.

Chances: Unlikely (3/10). Warner Bros never release back catalogue titles on blu ray in the UK. Criterion are releasing it in August, you lucky Americans.

Yoji Yamada's 70s Films

Yamada is known in the West for his samurai trilogy, including the critically acclaimed 'The Twilight Samurai'. In the East, Yamada is known for writing/directing most of the 48 Tora-San films. However, if you delve deeper into his work, you'll come across some incredible and breath-taking films which include: 'Where Spring Comes Late' (1970), 'Home from the Sea' (1972), 'The Yellow Handkerchief' (1977) and 'A Distant Cry from Spring' (1980). These films are some of the most well-crafted and enjoyable ever made. Yamada has directed 84 films thus far and needs more attention outside of Japan.

Chances: Never going to happen (1/10). Arrow have been releasing risky films, but this, I feel, is too risky for any of the UK labels. Maybe in 10 or 20 years when they run out of films to release, but now its just a dream of mine.

Peter Greenaway's Remaining films from 1985-2000

Peter Greenaway has always despised the mainstream, and even his audience, with his bleak "cinema is dead!!!" outlook on life, but his films are so peculiar and far from the ordinary, they beg to be seen. Even if his early Avant-Garde work is brilliant (and maybe even more self-indulgent) then his post-1980 films, these films are classics and would look far better in glorious high-definition. These films are 'The Cook, the Thief, his Wife and her Lover' (1989), 'Prospero's Books' (1991) and 'The Pillow Book' (1996). As literary, over-indulgent, inaccessible and sexually gratuitous as his films are, they are undoubtedly incredible.

Chances: Probable (7/10). There is no real reason they haven't been released yet, so they'll come eventually... hopefully...

Super Fast Reviews for People in a Hurry Part 5

  Sorry for the long break. Finishing university, and applying for jobs... But now I'm back! And ready to review films. It has been a good few months. Since the last review, there has been my Birthday, Mother's Day, and Easter (this is going somewhere) which of course celebrates (wait for it)...

The Life of Jesus (1997)

Bruno Dumont

France

  See what I did there. For a film called 'The Life of Jesus', it has nothing to do with religion or faith. The story follows Freddy, a delinquent teenager, as he hangs out with friends, screws his girlfriend, chases the local Arab and gropes a fat girl. Yeah, I'm not kidding, this film is far from "ordinary" or "standard", particularly for a coming of age story. For beginners Freddie, is a nasty protagonist. Quiet and starey in presentation, but he contains a vile, racist and aggressive hidden-side. He is an unusual character,  unlike anything portrayed in cinema before (well done David Douche, you defy your name).
  There are many people who dislike Dumont due to his films being well photographed, but have a slimy feel to them. Big factors in this are the ugly characters that feel like they haven't washed for weeks, as well as nudity and violence are infrequent but strong in his films. All feature in his films including the slogging 'Humanite' and 'The Life of Jesus'.
  So what actually works in the film? I'm not sure. Everything just clicks into place. The characters may be despicable, but I was always intrigued what happened next. They are fully fleshed-out characters, superbly acted. The location of a dull and small village in Northern France is used well, showing the green country and the brick houses. Not beautiful but different. The film is a view into a strange world through a pessimistic and warped auteur.

SCORE 80

The Missing- Series 1 (2014)

Tom Shankland

United Kingdom

  I was looking forward to this James Nesbitt Mystery/Drama which critics (and my nan) says is top stuff. So the credits role and I see the name Tom Shankland, and I think his name is familiar. I Google his name and find he directed 'The Children', which I reviewed in the first part and gave a horrendous rating of 18. But fortunately, things improved.
  Events start very standard. Happy family on holiday. The story is told in the present, with flashbacks to the past. Films and TV series told like this tend to become unnecessarily and over complicated quickly, however this makes sense and never boggles itself down. As a plot device it works very well, and is used fantastically. The best part of this series is where a flashback shows where the episode will end up, BUT IT LIED. As far fetched as this is, and as miffed as some may feel, I thought it was a brilliantly genius way of tricking the audience.
  So the child goes 'Missing' and events develop gradually with each episode. James Nesbitt frequently uses his hilarious angry face and, despite being top-billing, gets out-acted by Tcheky Karyo, who plays the French detective who's presence on-screen improves the viewing experience immensely. If anyone wants to have some fun while watching, feel free to play the "Missing Drinking Game". Take a shot if:
-James Nesbitt makes an angry face.
-James Nesbitt shouts "OLLIE".
-Someone asks "Do you speak English" or something similar.
  The whole idea of a child being stolen is terrifying, and is what drives the drama. Every episode is gripping and is left with suspenseful cliffhangers that will make you bulk watch. The ending is satisfying, minus the final needless 15 minutes.  I can see influences from Sluizer's 'Spoorloos', which is far more horrifying (and better). So finally, the series is good and satisfying, but contains little that is outstanding.

SCORE 81

Van Gogh (1991)

Maurice Pialat

France

  Pialat is a remarkably skilled and frank director which I admire and have respect for, although at the same time manages to be a mixed bag of a director. I'm getting closer to completing his filmography, and nothing particularly stands out. Most notable so far is the incredibly depressing 'La Guele Oeverte', where a lady goes from talking joy to quivering mind-dead vegetable through a terminal cancer. I wont forget that one in a hurry.
  'Van Gogh' may be his best film, but once again, is nothing special. The film follows the artist as he moves to a village and struggles with depression. At 2 1/2 hours, the film is lengthy and slow-moving, where most of the action is indoor-conversations. Most people, including those with short attention spans, may do well to avoid this, however, if you can sit back and relax, its easier to get entangled into the story. Events are told which are mostly true, so the film works as a worthy biopic.
  The greatest feature of the film is by far the 19th century setting. The world is one where there is little to do, especially if your profession is a painter. So its great to see realistic, and great looking backdrop. Its not distracting at all, and helps the viewer focus on getting immersed into the film.  The long-duration and slow story-development doesn't make for rivetting viewing, even if the setting is perfection. In the end, the film is a character study, and that is exactly what it does.

SCORE 74

Repast (1951)

Mikio Naruse

Japan

  Repast chronicles the crumbling marriage of Michiyo and Hatsunosuke Okamoto played by Setsuko Hara and Ken Uehara. This is a film, like many of Naruse's work, that focuses on the female characters and their struggles through life. Not like most films in general which are told through a male perspective and especially not like Argento who likes to kill his women in various bloody ways (another discussion for another time). This is a film of extraordinary performances, where Hara gives her career best, although she was always incredible. Hara expresses her emotions through repressing, so its easy to see her thoughts and intentions from her slight actions and reactions. Her character doesn't shout or argue, but instead channels her emotions through slight facial reactions, quiet actions and well-written dialogue. 'Repast' could be compared to 'Voyage to Italy', with their realistic view on a failing marriage, but 'Repast' is far superior, with far better acting, direction, cinematography and writing.

SCORE 84

Edvard Munch (1974)

Peter Watkins

Sweden/Norway/United Kingdom

  'Edvard Munch' is a four hour television film, based on the life of the Norweign artist who painted The Scream. As a famous figure who I knew nothing about, I left this film with a lot of knowledge about his life. The film is one of the most depressing I've seen, as Munch lived a sad and lonely life. His sister and mother died of illnessess when he was an early age, and Munch was sick for many months as a child. This and the fact that his macabre visions expressed through his painting were detested and spat on by the public and critics at the time, made for a depressing life. After all there isn't much to do in 19th Century Norway, exept to wander around/paint/reminisce on bad times. The hatred towards his work is similar to Van Gogh. I could have made this a "Crazily Obscure World Cinema Review Painter Special!!!" I guess...
  There is an evolution in Watkins career, particularly from his previous works of 'The War Game' and 'Culloden'. Both are pseudo-documentaries, and are excellent films, like 'Edvard Munch' but Munch is far more ambitious and experimental. It's an incredible watch and fully deserving of its 8.5 IMDB score.

SCORE 86

Links to Stream Rare Films

Note- This was originally posted as a heading atop the blog, although I'm changing it to a blog post to make room for the new section "Super Fast Reviews for People in a Hurry".

This is a list of where to stream films unavailable on DVD and other formats.


Flash Player

YouTube

A Brighter Summers Day- 1991 (Taiwan)

"The World Cinema Foundation are restoring it, so expect to see it on blu-ray within a year or two. Until then all there is, is this dodgy copy. The film is at the peak of the Taiwanese New Wave, and is widely considered to be the best Taiwanese film ever made"

IMDB: 8.4. My Score: 90

Chronicle of the Years of Fire- 1975 (Algeria)
"I reviewed it in my blog, incredibly rare"
IMDB: 7.4. My Score: 66

City of Sadness- 1989 (Taiwan)
"Hsien's greatest work, tells the history of Taiwan during the turbulent time of history known as the 'White Terror'."
IMDB: 8.1. My Score: 87

In the Heat of the Sun- 1994 (China)
"A coming of age story set on the desolate streets of Beijing during the Cultural Revolution. Phenominal." 
IMDB: 8.4. My Score: 84.

Love Streams- 1984 (America)
"Pure Cassavetes, similar to 'A Woman Under the Influence', but everyone has forgotten about this one"
IMDB: 8.0. My Score: 83

Muddy River- 1981 (Japan)
"Reviewed on the blog. Number 10 on Kinejun's top 200 Japanese films" 
IMDB: 7.9. My Score 79.

Pastoral: To Die in the Country- 1974 (Japan)
"My favourite film no-one has seen. The film is about Terayama's childhood, but a third of the way through, it skips to the present day where the director (not played by himself) realizes it's all a lie, and remembers what it was actually like. You will be hooked from the first minute"
IMDB: 8.0. My Score: 97

DailyMotion

Kin-Dza-Dza- 1986 (Russia)
"The Craziest sci-fi I have seen. Really is a weird one"
IMDB: 8.3. My score 78

Siberiade- 1979 (Russia)
"4 hour Russian epic about life in a small Siberian village"
IMDB: 8.1. My Score: 88.

The Ascent- 1977 (Russia)
"A lot like 'Come and See' part 2. Brutal, beautiful and horrific."
IMDB: 8.3. My Score: 84

The Inugami Family- 1976 (Japan)
"Kon Ichikawa's most famous film in Japan is completely unheard of it the west. Confusing but a good watch"
IMDB: 7.5. My Score: 79

DivX Web Player

Veehd

Day for Night- 1973 (France)
"Still not available on DVD. Truffaut's best film"
IMDB: 8.0. My Score: 85

Hazard- 2003 (Japan)
"A surprisingly good and unseen Shion Sono film. Don't watch it if it is your first film of his."
IMDB: 6.9. My Score: 74

The Taste of Tea- 2004 (Japan)
"This is why Japan has the reputation of being crazy. Strange and unpredictable"
IMDB: 7.9. My Score 83

Stagevu

Throw Away your Books and Rally in the Streets- 1971 (Japan)
"Terayama is most known for this provocative rebellious tale. It also featured punk music years before it happened"
IMDB: 8.4. My Score: 84

Super Fast Reviews for People in a Hurry Part 4

  Welcome to the Valentine's Day special, where I will be reviewing non-stop romantic comedies... Well, maybe not. The only rom-com I have watched was 'What Happens in Vegas', and that was horrendous on a cataclysmic level. The fact I hate it doesn't mean I'm a pessimist. There are films out there so dire, so mind-numbingly torturous, that watching them physically makes you pessimistic. The soul slowly dies, as you hear Ashton Kutcher say to Cameron Diaz "Lets get married again, I love you". 

  Sorry for dampening the spirit on the one day of a year where you are meant to love someone so much, you buy them trips out, dinner, chocolates, flowers and jewellery. After all that's what Valentine's Day truly is, a holiday made by corporate conglomerations and card companies to extort money from couples. Same as Christmas, Easter, Fireworks Night and Black Friday (which has since been extended to Black Friday Weekend).

  In movie terms, all a screenwriter has to do, is tailor the script to a season or a theme, to take advantage of large audiences. Now this is where I begin ranting about '50 Shades of Grey' (forgive me). Its a pornography book that depends on one thing alone: The viewers imagination. Each reader has a different perception on what the lovers look like, and the scenes that take place, no two imaginations are identical. Adapting it for the big screen, removes the one thing the book had going for it, turning it into a crappy porno. Its the consequence of a Universal Studios executive finding the most popular thing, and, with cash symbols for eyes, says "lets exploit the really dumb members of society and make shitloads of money". He goes on to say "Lets do it with no artistic control, with 2 actors which hate the guts off each other, making a bad film and angering the fans of the book". Universal has always been my least favourite studio, particularly with the force-it-down-your-throat advertising of anything Minion related. They may distribute good films (Wolf of Wall Street, Gravity), but when it comes to making them, they are literally the worst.

  Nothing else has really happened. Australia is now in Eurovision. That's weird. So enjoy the reviews!!!

Gone Girl (2014)

David Fincher

US

  Fincher has to be one of the most reliable directors in Hollywood, with a near flawless filmography. His films are darkly mysterious, with problematic characters and intricate stories with many layers. The latest is more of the same, but doesn't stop it from becoming a brilliant watch. Ben Affleck plays the husband of missing Wife (played by Rosamund Pike). Saying anything more, would essentially be spoiling the film, as the first part plays out as a first-class mystery, while the second part watches the events unfold. All the events in 'Gone Girl' are superbly paced, something common in most of Fincher's films.

  Affleck may not seem the best at acting in his role, but I think it matches the tone of the film. The aspergers-style performance, makes the audience aware that he himself could have kidnapped her, and thus, adds even more to the film. Everything about this film makes it exhilarating to experience, which I cannot recommend enough. 

SCORE 82

Missing (1982)

Costa Gavras

US

  During a military coup in a South American country, a writer goes missing. His father soon arrives, to aid his wife in trying to find what happened to him. In the same vein as Gone Girl, there is a similar mysterious tone surrounding this film. However, that is where the similarities end. 

  The thing this film has done, which no others in cinematic history has done, is show a third-world country under a terrifying military coup. Dead bodies and rampant soldiers fill the streets, with the sound of gun-shots sporadically firing into the air. Its an atmosphere that is unique to this film, making it iconic in some regards. After the kidnapping, the story plays out with no surprises. That said, its really great to watch two acting legends (Sissy Spacek and Jack Lemmon) play off against each other in a tropical South American country during dangerous situations.

SCORE 80

Calais: The Last Border (2003)

Marc Isaacs

UK

  This documentary has 16 votes on IMDB, so I'll forgive you for not having heard of it. Despite it being completely unknown, the film is truly wonderful. It shows Calais as a mid-point of a journey in a variety of different people's lives. Isaacs interviews a man from England that has just opened a failing pub, an old couple trying to make their businesses turn a profit and an immigrant trying to enter the UK. Don't let those descriptions fool you, the one-on-one interviews are so heartfelt and emotionally gripping, they almost had me crying at one point. Isaacs has a tendency in his films to show the best of humanity at the worst of times. He seems to be the only director around which thinks "humanity ain't so bad". 

  Calais itself, is not a beautiful city, and is usually the place where us, from the UK, stop off and buy cheap alcohol. They even have the same dreary weather we have! The film is a shining ray of hope in a cold depressing world. Watch it if you can.

SCORE 85

Calcutta (1969)

Louis Malle

India/France

  This feels like an extension of Malle's 6 hour epic 'Phantom India'. Calcutta is one of India's poorest cities, with most of the inhabitants living in poverty. Cue lots of shots of sewerage running through villages and children picking rubbish off of garbage-heaps. India is much more of a country than that. There are large culture differences, including lots of dedication to religion and faith. There is over-crowding, causing people to travel atop of trains and farmyard animals to run uncontrollably through the busy streets. A street performer swinging his daughter from a pole may be shocking to us in the West, but in Calcutta it is quite usual. If anything this documentary shows a venture into a wildly interesting yet alien world, that is right here on Earth. 

SCORE 72

Bitter Lake (2015)

Adam Curtis

UK

  Adam Curtis is the most important documentary maker alive. He is unbiased (*cough* Michael Moore), and delves into complicated subjects in a clear and precise manor. He states facts without any exaggeration, and makes films without the in-your-face style editing. They are still wonderful.

  Previously he has made documentaries about psychoanalysis (the Century of the Self) and the use of fear in politics (The Power of Nightmares). His latest film 'Bitter Lake' is about Afghanistan's development in the latter half of the twentieth century to present day. First they were friends with America, constructing a massive dam and hoping to create a new wonderland there called "Little America". This dream failed. Curtis then chronicles the years after, with presidents being assassinated and different countries attempting to inhabit and modernize Afghanistan. More subjects are explored with the introduction of Wahhabism, America's agreements with Saudi Arabia and the use of fear by leaders of the western world. Its a lot to understand, so you may want to see it multiple times to get the most from it (I've already seen it twice). Not for a second are any of these topics dull or tedious, quite astonishing as its nothing I've been interested in before. The news tend to put a biased slant on news stories, so its brilliant to get a fresh neutral perspective.

  'Bitter Lake' does follow in the footsteps of  'The Power of Nightmares', with their paths crossing a couple of times, but both are vastly different. Bitter Lake seems to have more impact through visual images, such as teaching Dupont's urinal to a class of Muslims, a soldier playing with a bird, and epic scenes of helicopters landing.

  I can't call the film perfect, as the pacing and editing is all over the place, with some images and narration not fitting together. It causes the viewer to think, as everything that the film has to offer is not "put on a plate" (which I think is great, but it might deter the casual viewer). Still I think its a classic.

SCORE 89

Le Amiche (1955)

Michelangelo Antonioni

Italy

  Antonioni may be the most pessimistic and depressing of the world's auteurs but it hasn't stopped him from being one of the most acclaimed. Nearly all his films end in divorce or suicide and they usually deal with themes of isolation and fractured relationships. This film was before 'L'Avventura' and even before my favourite of his films 'Il Grido'. All of his films feel like super artsy and stylized neo-realism. Le Amiche has nothing going for it. The film follows a group of woman as they talk about relationships. Nothing interesting at all. The camera-work isn't as beautiful as his later films, but still may be the best thing about this film. Only die-hard Antonioni fans will get something from this.

SCORE 58