What are “the films of this century”? Perhaps it is the best films of any given year, or those that experimented the most with cinematic genres, techniques and styles? Perhaps it is the ones that dived the deepest into their subject matters or explored previously unexplored subject terrains? Inspired by Sight & Sound magazine’s list…
Author: Spotlight on Film
Providing in-depth reviews of films since 2011.
“Machines” Review
…an intimate look at the working conditions of one textile factory in India.
“Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992” Review
By stringing together important historical footage surrounding the 1992 Los Angeles riots, as well as past and present interviews, the piece becomes an insightful, educational documentary, albeit suffering from its own all-encompassing ambition.
5 Feature Films About Rwandan Genocide
“What kind of world is this that can send machines to Mars and does nothing to stop the killing of a human being?” (Jose Saramago). “The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything.” (Albert Einstein) This year marks 30 years since the Rwandan genocide, whereby some 500.000-800.000 people lost their lives, with the perpetrators being armed…
10 Films About Corrupt Law Enforcement
When it comes to police corruption, you cannot get better films than those made in the 1970s, 1980s or 1990s, when cinema finally became free from certain traditional constraints and confident and bold to finally focus on topics that question authority.
“Santoalla” Review
This is a documentary of a real-life case that inspired award-winning film The Beasts (2022) by Rodrigo Sorogoyen. This tale of personal injustice and crime suffered in paradise-like region of Spain is a noteworthy, emotional documentary piece.
“Tommaso” Review
There are bits of greatness scattered throughout this film, and even if Ferrara does not manage to convince us entirely, these pieces, as well as Dafoe’s acting, make Tommaso a very curious film, indeed, especially character-wise.
Shelved: 5 Great, But Never Produced Animations
Have you ever wondered about animation ideas or projects that were in existence at some point (or even near-completion!), but, unfortunately, never saw the light of day? There are apparently many such cases, and, no wonder, as it is not just creativity and ideas that need to be considered, but also talent on offer, financing,…
“Perfect Days” Review
Almost plotless, The Perfect Days does not break new grounds, but actor Kōji Yakusho shines bright, making the result a heart-warming tribute to Tokyo.
“The Teachers’ Lounge” Review
An Academy Award-nominee brews a storm in a cup of tea.
“The Boy and the Heron” Review
The Boy and the Heron is Miyazaki’s “fever-dream”, a symbolism-driven animated tour de force full of adventure, wonder and insight.
7 Films About the World of Miniature People
From Hans Christian Andersen’s Thumbelina to Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels and beyond, the public fascination with “little people” has transformed into the multitude of stories, which often juxtaposed the wider, often harsher world with these people’s smallness and vulnerability. Equally, many films followed suit, and below are seven films, from thought-provoking animations to experimental oldies,…
“They Shot the Piano Player” Review
They Shot the Piano Player [2023] – ★★★ 🎵 The animation vividly introduces us to the great Brazilian pianist and the music scene of his time, but falls short of being an engaging investigation-focused drama. They Shot the Piano Player focuses on the investigative journey that one journalist (Jeff Harris) undertakes to find out what…
“Anatomy of a Fall” Review
An intelligent, nuanced, attentive and very much focused courtroom drama with some remarkable performances.
Short Reviews: Big Night (1996), & Return to Dust (2022)
Big Night [1996] – ★★★★ They say there can never be two chefs in the kitchen, but Campbell Scott and Stanley Tucci proved there can be two directors on a movie set and a glaring success. This drama-comedy is based on a book by Joseph Tropiano and set in the 1950s, telling of two very…
“The Beasts” Review
The Beasts is a film of palpable tensions and unwavering conviction, showing that enmity can be subtle and insidious.
“The Eternal Daughter” Review
The Eternal Daughter [2022] – ★★1/2 “A good story can save poor [visuals], whereas good visuals cannot save a poor story.” That is what Japanese master animator Osamu Tezuka once said, and no matter how different the style of Joanna Hogg’s film is from any animation, this quote is equally applicable here. The Eternal Daughter…
The Funeral (1996): Reversing the Genre, but Compromising Conviction
The “genre-reversal” gangster drama is still Ferrara at his most quintessential.
10 Great Films Set in the Middle Ages
The Middle Ages – what other historical period excites our imagination as much? This is deemed to be a period of great uncertainty, religious mania, chivalry, and omnipresent death, a period of darkness and a period of sporadic light, depending what century you consider. Many film directors fell under its haunting spell, too, and some…
“Song of the Exile” Review
Song of the Exile is probably Ann Hui’s finest film. It is both personal to the director, partly encapsulating her own past life experience, and showing off all of the elements that make Ann Hui’s films so memorable, including the narrative pull, and the fusion of the important, documentary-worthy themes with nostalgia and character sensitivity.
Spotlight on Film 