A prostitute struggles to save money for her far-away family while suffering gross mistreatment from her pimp. When she moves into an aging photographer’s spare room, she finds herself growing to care for her new landlord. Through their newfound friendship, the two are both able to heal emotionally and spiritually. Indonesian director Nan Triveni Achnas delivers a film that deftly expresses pain, sorrow, love, and care. The Photograph’s (2007) main actors execute their scenes with poignancy. (RMM: 3/5)
Tag: Turner Classic Movies
Norwegian Favorite ‘Fools in the Mountains’ is a Situational Comedic Treat
When two guests identical in appearance but opposite in nature arrive at the Hurumhei Hotel, the receptionist – and the other guests – confuse them for the same person. Normally a sharp-minded hard worker, the receptionist believes he is going insane. Meanwhile, the hotel manager’s daughter disguises herself as a bellhop to prove to her parents that she isn’t a spoiled child. One of the most famous Norwegian films, Edith Carlmar’s situational comedy Fools in the Mountains (1957) (in Norwegian, Fjols til fjells) entertains while offering a glimpse into Norwegian culture. (RMM: 4/5)
‘Very Annie Mary’ Charms Us With the Awkward yet Compassionate Nature of its Titular Heroine
A woman struggles to break free from the yoke of her father’s authority and become her own person. Matters are complicated when she must care for him after he suffers a stroke. Still, she dreams of moving into a house of her own and helping her friend “Bethan” (Joanna Page) go to Disneyland. In Sara Sugarman’s Very Annie Mary (2001), the titular character charms us with her awkward yet kind-hearted nature. Colorful characters throughout the film make for a quirky, fun, and at times sad story. (RMM: 4/5)
A Punk Anti-Heroine Carves out Her Own Story in ‘Smithereens’
Wren’s identity flickers as she tries to find her feet, and we soon learn that her cool mystique has little underneath.
Brazilian Favorite ‘O Ébrio’ Chronicles the Exploitation of a Kind-Hearted Man by Those He Holds Dearest
A medical student is made destitute and homeless after his family loses their property due to a series of faulty business practices. Shunned by his relatives, he turns to the church, which gives him a second chance at life. When his participation in a radio singing contest gives him money and fame, he finishes school and becomes a doctor. In Gilda de Abreu’s Brazilian classic, O Ébrio (1946), a kind-hearted man is taken advantage of by the people he holds dear. (RMM: 3/5)
In ‘Danzon,’ a Dancer Looks for Her Missing Partner and Finds Friendships Instead
It’s a beautiful story of a woman’s friendships, her wants and dreams, and her love for the Cuban dance danzón. (AEL: 4/5)
Punk, Violence, and Nostalgia for Live Music in ‘The Decline of Western Civilization’
A treasure trove of interviews with influential bands and footage from performances, featuring Alice Bag Band, Black Flag, the Germs, and more. (AEL: 4/5)
Wanuri Kahiu’s 2018 ‘Rafiki’ Is the Modern-Day ‘Romeo and Juliet’
TCM will feature films from 12 decades—representing 44 countries—totaling 100 classic and current titles all created by women. Read more about this here! Based on the short story “Jambula Tree” by acclaimed Ugandan writer Monica Arac de Nyeko, the film Rafiki is bubbling with radiance, life and love. (FMF: 5/5 rating) Review by FF2 Intern… Continue reading Wanuri Kahiu’s 2018 ‘Rafiki’ Is the Modern-Day ‘Romeo and Juliet’
‘The Crime Thief’ Shows Us a Psychopath in Action
When a writer witnesses a woman commit suicide, he convinces himself that he carried out the crime. Bored and craving attention, he begins writing anonymous letters to the press detailing the murder. Nadine Trintignant’s The Crime Thief (in French, Le voleur de crimes) explores the mind of a psychopath as his deadly affliction becomes more evident. (RMM: 3/5)
‘The Connection’ Portrayed Addiction Unapologetically in 1961—and Gave Us an Instant Classic Jazz Performance
This is a movie about all kinds of connections: between one’s wants and needs, between loyalty and dependency, between the insular world formed by addiction and the outsiders who cross paths with it.
Characters Respond to an Uncertain Crisis in Reichardt’s Innovative ‘Meek’s Cutoff’
The film introduces us to the sensory experiences of their perilous routine: silent, diligent group chores; unknown threats on the horizon. (AEL: 5/5)
‘The Kite’ Explores the Unique Kind of Strife Brought by Borders
A teenage girl from a Lebanese village must leave her mother and brother to cross the Israeli-Lebanese border as she is off to fulfill an arranged marriage to her cousin. Meanwhile, she and a border soldier fall in love from a distance. In The Kite (2003), director Randa Chahal Sabag explores the traditions of the Druze community while communicating the unique kind of strife brought about by political unrest and ever-changing land borders. (RMM: 3/5)
Joan Micklin Silver’s ‘Crossing Delancey’ Charms the Audience With its Simple New York Romance
Director Joan Micklin Silver and writer Susan Sandler teamed up in 1988 to create Crossing Delancey. Based on a play of the same name, the film is a romantic comedy set against the backdrop of Manhattan. (KIZJ: 3.5/5)
Germaine Dulac’s ‘La Cigarette’ Film is Silent, but Speaks Volumes
TCM will feature films from 12 decades— representing 44 countries—totaling 100 classic and current titles, all created by women. Read more about this here! La Cigarette is a silent film from 1919, but its gender politics and relationship drama hold up surprisingly well for a modern audience. With excellent direction and naturalistic performances, it’s a… Continue reading Germaine Dulac’s ‘La Cigarette’ Film is Silent, but Speaks Volumes
Gillian Armstrong’s Feminist Film ‘My Brilliant Career’ Illuminates Why Women Feel Compelled to Fulfill Societal Soles
In 1979, director Gillian Armstrong created one of Australia’s finest pieces of feminist film—My Brilliant Career. Based on the novel by Miles Franklin, it centers on a woman who is full of spirit and determination to take full control of her own life. Judy Davis stars as the protagonist who is ready to defy all societal expectations with her thoughts and actions, without a care for what others think. (KIZJ: 4/5)
‘This Is the Sea’ is a Fascinating Glimpse at Ireland in the Late 1990s
TCM will feature films from 12 decades— representing 44 countries—totaling 100 classic and current titles, all created by women. Read more about this here! Mary McGuckian’s This Is the Sea has been largely forgotten over time. Still, it shares a forbidden love story between a Protestant girl and a Catholic boy in Northern Ireland during… Continue reading ‘This Is the Sea’ is a Fascinating Glimpse at Ireland in the Late 1990s
Director Zelda Barron’s ‘Shag’ Kicked off the “Naughties” by Reminiscing about American Teenagers in the 1950s
British director Zelda Barron directed Shag in 2001—a film that throws its audience back to simpler times. Starring Page Hannah, Annabeth Gish, Phoebe Cates, and Bridget Fonda, Shag is a friendly and heartwarming film where getting caught by the parents is life’s biggest disaster. (KIZJ: 3/5)
A Romantic and Imaginative Summer in ’27 Missing Kisses’
The film is filled with absurd and sometimes fantastic images; a layer of unexpected tragedy keeps the viewer riveted. (AEL: 4/5)
Wendy Toye’s Fast-Paced ‘The Teckman Mystery’ Stimulates Conversation on Film Censorship in Old British Cinema
A successful writer is asked by his publisher to write a biography on a man who recently died in a plane crash. Initially reticent, the writer finds himself drawn to the story as he begins to uncover the case’s details. But some would rather this mystery remain unsolved, and the situation soon becomes dangerous for all innocent – and seemingly innocent – characters involved. Despite facing censorship from the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), Wendy Toye delivers a fast-paced story whose unraveling compels us to continue watching in The Teckman Mystery (1954). (RMM: 3/5)
Exploring a Cruel, Misogynistic Practice and Hope’s Power in ‘The Day I Will Never Forget’
Through this critical look at the arguments around the practice, the film presents a compelling discussion of women’s needs, concerns, and dreams. (AEL: 4/5)
Three Stages of Womanhood in Marzieh Makhamalbaf’s Triptych ‘The Day I Became a Woman’
Writer and director Marzieh Makhamalbaf explores womanhood in Iran, complete with its yearnings and losses.
Through the perspectives of women, Sabiha Sumar explores violence and unrest in the name of religion in ‘Silent Waters’
In a Pakistani village in 1979, a mother watches in sorrow as her teenage son becomes indoctrinated into a group of radical Islamist militants bent on converting the entire country to Sharia law. As her relationship with her son crumbles, she experiences flashbacks from her childhood in 1947, another time of political unrest when the country of Pakistan was forming. In Silent Waters (2003), director Sabiha Sumar explores violence and unrest through women’s perspectives, who often stand to suffer the most as its result. (RMM: 4/5)
Hausner’s ‘Lourdes’ Handles Religious Faith and Miracles with Delicacy
TCM will feature films from 12 decades— representing 44 countries—totaling 100 classic and current titles all created by women. Read more about this here! French film Lourdes explores religion, faith, and skepticism through the story of a woman on a trip to seek healing at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes. Neither overtly for… Continue reading Hausner’s ‘Lourdes’ Handles Religious Faith and Miracles with Delicacy
Mystery, Melancholy, Memory, and Comfort Pervade Júlia Murat’s ‘Found Memories’
In Found Memories (2011), Júlia Murat quietly observes the daily happenings in a tiny Brazilian village. When a young photographer arrives to photograph the few elderly residents and their homes, she finds herself captivated by the setting’s antiquity. In just a few days, she grows close to the village bread baker, who spends her days lost in memories and routine. Beautifully composed visuals in each frame paired with minimal yet expressive acting add movement to a story steeped in mystery, melancholy, and – strangely – comfort. (RMM: 5/5)
Director Ann Hui Shows a Bleak Reality through a Photojournalist in ‘Boat People’ — the Final Movement of Her Vietnam Trilogy
In 1982, Ann Hui directed the film Boat People (Tau Ban No Hoi)—the final leg of her trilogy of films that center around Vietnam. Starring George Lam, Season Ma, Cora Miao, and the young Andy Lau, the film is an emotional discovery of how people lived in postwar Vietnam. KIZJ: (4/5)
Featuring Striking Visuals, ‘Rachida’ Captures the Essence of Fear and Resignation in a Community
During the Algerian Civil War, a young school teacher tries to live her life as she witnesses violent terrorism instill fear into the community. First-time director and Algerian Yamina Bachir hits the ground running, exploring civility’s disintegration in a country otherwise filled with culture, tradition, and love. Though a bit slow in pacing at times, Rachida (2002) is both poignant and visually striking. (RMM: 3.5/5)
Silent Film ‘Shoes’ is a Surprisingly Moving Portrait of Hardship in the Early Twentieth Century
TCM will feature films from 12 decades— representing 44 countries—totaling 100 classic and current titles all created by women. Read more about this here! While certainly giving into some of the melodrama common in silent films of this era, Lois Weber’s Shoes is a moving tale about poverty and the lengths one young woman must… Continue reading Silent Film ‘Shoes’ is a Surprisingly Moving Portrait of Hardship in the Early Twentieth Century
‘Born in Flames’ Boldly Imagines a Women-Led Political World
The film is a passionate portrayal of intersectionality and injustice within a fictional social world that looks a lot like our own. (AEL: 4/5)
Ida Lupino’s ‘Outrage’ Tackles the Subject of Rape at a Time of Strict Regulations on Content
A young, newly-engaged woman ready to start her life is raped on her way home from work one night. Suffering mentally from the attack, she abandons her life, her family, and her home in an attempt to forget what transpired— and to regain some semblance of faith. Ida Lupino’s Outrage (1950) tackled rape when it was even more taboo than today. Film regulations of the period further limit its scope of exploration on the subject. (RMM: 3/5)
Liliana Cavani’s 1974 Film ‘The Night Porter’ is Strangely Obsessed with the Past
Liliana Cavani’s 1974 film ‘The Night Porter’ is set in Vienna in 1957, twelve years after World War II. Set in Hotel Zur Oper, it is busy and bustling with guests, some of whom hold dark secrets. (SYJ: 4.5/5)