Category Archives: movies

in the shadow of Clint Eastwood (film: Slow West – John Maclean, 2015)

If anyone needs extra proof that the western is a living and ever-renewing cinematic genre, then they can watch ‘Slow West‘ (2015), the debut and the only feature film made so far by Scottish director John Maclean. It is a … Continue reading

Posted in movies | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

the loves of the pianist (film: Tirez sur le pianiste – François Truffaut, 1960)

Made in 1960, ‘Tirez sur le pianiste‘ (the English title is ‘Shoot the Piano Player‘) is François Truffaut‘s second film, released after his formidable debut with ‘Les quatre cent coups‘. The main source of inspiration here is the genre of … Continue reading

Posted in movies | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

a policewoman starts her career (film: Blue Steel – Kathryn Bigelow, 1990)

I decided to watch ‘Blue Steel‘ due to the presence of Jamie Lee Curtis in the cast and the fact that it is directed by Kathryn Bigelow. The film was released on screens in 1990, when Curtis was already a … Continue reading

Posted in movies | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

simple and beautiful (film: Nomadland – Chloé Zhao, 2020)

The fact that director Chloé Zhao‘s ‘Nomadland‘ is nominated for some of the most important categories Academy Awards and that it is even considered the main favorite for the best film of 2020 may have influenced my experience of watching … Continue reading

Posted in movies | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

between silence and lies (film: Labyrinth of Lies – Giulio Ricciarelli, 2014)

‘Im Labyrinth der Schweigens‘, the original German title of the 2014 film directed byGiulio Ricciarelli, has been translated into English as ‘Labyrinth of Lies‘. This translation is, as the Italian saying goes, a betrayal. ‘In the labyrinth of silence’ would … Continue reading

Posted in movies | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

longing for Aznavour (film: Le regard de Charles – Marc di Domenico, Charles Aznavour, 2019)

‘Le regard de Charles‘ is a very special biographical documentary. In 2018, a few months before his death, Charles Aznavour shared a secret and a treasure with his friend, the filmmaker Marc di Domenico. It was a few dozen hours … Continue reading

Posted in documentary, movies | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

mis-communication (La separation – Christian Vincent, 1994)

The story in ‘La separation‘ (‘The Separation‘), made in 1994 by Christian Vincent, takes place in an interval of three months. During this time the couple formed by Pierre (Daniel Auteuil) and Anne (Isabelle Huppert) breaks up. Apparently, everything seems … Continue reading

Posted in movies | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

the impossible comeback (film: Fedora – Billy Wilder, 1978)

‘They do not make movies like this any longer’ could very well be a motto or maybe even an alternative title for ‘Fedora‘, the penultimate film directed by Billy Wilder in 1978. At first glance it could be a resumption … Continue reading

Posted in movies | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

a 1950s film noir still worth watching (film: Pickup on South Street – Samuel Fuller, 1953)

Made in 1953, director Samuel Fuller‘s ‘Pickup on South Street‘ is considered one of the best classic films of the ‘film noir’ genre. Built around a story (also written by Fuller) that is not among the most original or surprising, … Continue reading

Posted in movies | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

the judge with the red gloves (film: L’ivresse du pouvoir – Claude Chabrol, 2006)

‘L’ivresse du pouvoir‘, the title of Claude Chabrol‘s 2006 film, was translated for the English-language market in ‘Comedy of Power‘. Is it just another uninspired translation like many others or a fundamental misunderstanding of what this film meant? The French … Continue reading

Posted in movies | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment