HARD TRUTHS, Mike Leigh’s latest, may suggest confrontation or discord with its title, but his poignant portrayal of working-class anguish reveals, in reality, the quiet unraveling of a family, as they strive, at all costs, to evade the very truths that could save them.
Mike Leigh captures this family with the kind of empathy few filmmakers can match, showcasing here his skill in framing their lives with profound humanity. Yet much of Leigh's brilliance lies in his willingness to release…
Agnieszka Holland’s unflinching portrayal of migrants’ struggles in GREEN BORDER delivers an essential viewing about the consequences of institutionalized dehumanization. Through an observational lens, she intimately captures the bodies subjected to violence and those responsible for inflicting it.
Wim Wenders is one of the most humanist filmmakers to ever live, and PERFECT DAYS proves once again that his perspective is not just welcome, it is absolutely vital.
Carried by Kôji Yakusho's kind and generous performance, the film doesn't preach about diverse paths to a joyful existence. Instead, it seamlessly embodies these principles, offering a poetic manifesto on releasing burdens, navigating life serenely, and escaping the incessant worries imposed by a demanding world.
Guadagnino moves away from the sensual realm that characterizes most of his films for a sexier, more twisted approach, where desire becomes intertwined with success, fame and power.
Games of seduction build up in a fun, playful fashion with the director holding no punches and elevating the screenplay with inventive mise-en-scène decisions. Guadagnino understands tennis as a game of quickfire intensity, punctuated by moments of quiet apprehension, where players eye each other, constantly assessing the relationship on the field, engaging in a series of rituals, resembling in many ways a dance or a sexual act.
