16 Mar 11 Director: Bong Joon-Ho South Korea 2009 129 min When an ageing herbalist (and back-street acupuncturist) discovers her mentally challenged son is to be tried for the murder of a young girl after a drunken night out, she embarks on a relentless quest for justice, no matter the emotional cost. Gorgeously photographed, flawlessly… Continue reading Madeo – Mother
Tag: 2009
A Boy Called Dad
30 Mar 11 Director: Brian Percival UK 2009 79 min This contemporary British piece veers from ‘kitchen sink’ to chase movie featuring some powerful acting turns. Ian Hart is superb as feckless Liverpool painter and decorator Joe, who ran out on his young family years earlier. Newcomer Kyle Ward plays his son Robbie, now 14… Continue reading A Boy Called Dad
Samson And Delilah
22 Sept 10 Director: Warwick Thornton Australia 2009 101 min This near-silent, sun-bleached love story focuses on a rundown community in the Australian desert. Barely a word is spoken between disaffected, petrol-sniffing Samson and wary, sensible Delilah from start to finish; they communicate primarily in looks and gestures. This Oscar-winning exposé of the shocking methods… Continue reading Samson And Delilah
The Cove
20 Oct 10 Director: Louie Psihoyos USA 2009 91 min This Oscar-winning exposé of the shocking methods behind a highly lucrative dolphin entertainment industry plays out more like a thriller than a documentary. Now an activist working tirelessly for his cause, Richard O’Barry, formerly trainer of TV icon Flipper, leads the filmmakers as they plan… Continue reading The Cove
Welcome
6 Oct 10 Director: Philippe Lioret France 2009 110 min Bilal, a 17-year-old Kurdish boy, has travelled through the Middle East and Europe to join his girlfriend who has settled in London with her family. When his journey comes to an abrupt end in France, he decides to swim across the Channel and goes to… Continue reading Welcome
Los Abrazos Rotos – Broken Embraces
3 Nov 10 Director: Pedro Almodóvar Spain 2009 128 min Renowned for his elegant, stylish films, Almodóvar’s love of cinema is condensed into the story of Harry Caine, a filmmaker whose personal life is as dramatic as his screen creations. Blinded in a car accident that also claimed the life of his lover, Lena, played… Continue reading Los Abrazos Rotos – Broken Embraces
Lebanon
05 Jan 11 Director: Samuel Maoz Israel 2009 92 min Set on the first day of the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982, this tense and personal piece, based on the director’s own experiences, centres on the crew of a solitary Israeli tank who find themselves on a mission that rapidly degenerates into a nightmare.… Continue reading Lebanon
El Secreto de sus Ojos – The Secret In Their Eyes
02 Mar 11 Director: Juan José Campanella Argentina 2009 127 min Separated by time and circumstance, retired criminal-court employee Benjamín (Ricardo Darín) and his former superior (and unrequited love), Irene (Soledad Villamil), revisit an unresolved case from years before. It’s a lurid tale of a woman raped and murdered, a doting husband who wanted revenge… Continue reading El Secreto de sus Ojos – The Secret In Their Eyes