Holy Spider
Dir. Ali Abbasi
As a crime thriller, Holy Spider is taut and terrifying, a modern noir that manages to unnerve despite the familiar…
Beyond the Hills
Dir. Cristian Mungiu
In modern day Europe, demonic possession seems to be a thing of the past, something most likely to be attributed…
The Double Life of Véronique
Dir. Krzysztof Kieślowski
Krzysztof Kieślowski’s drama stars Irène Jacob as two identical women living separate lives, and the intricate and indelible ways in…
3 Women
Dir. Robert Altman
Robert Altman’s 3 Women begins normally—it follows the flirtatious Millie, the childlike Pinky, and the silent Willie, all of whom…
Certified Copy
Dir. Abbas Kiarostami
Certified Copy starts straightforward enough as it follows an unnamed shopkeeper (Juliette Binoche) and a writer (William Shimell) taking a…
Secret Sunshine
Dir. Chang-dong Lee & Lee Chang-dong
For better or worse, death strikes us all, fast and unexpectedly. It’s tough enough if the death is caused by…
The Madness of King George
Dir. Nicholas Hytner
At first glance, The Madness of King George seemed like a history lesson about King George III. Like plenty of…
The Man Without a Past
Dir. Aki Kaurismäki
The magic of this movie — and every other one directed by Aki Kaurismäki — is in the way it…
The Panic in Needle Park
Dir. Jerry Schatzberg
The Panic in Needle Park thankfully strays from the often sensationalized and exploitative portrayal of drug abuse. Instead, the two…
Long Day's Journey Into Night
Dir. Bi Gan
A man returns to a town chasing the memory of a woman he loved years ago. Poet turned filmmaker Bi…
The Barbarian Invasions
Dir. Denys Arcand
In this belated sequel to ‘The Decline of the American Empire’, middle-aged Montreal college professor, Remy, learns that he is…
Volver
Dir. Pedro Almodoóvar & Pedro Almodóvar
Pedro Almodovar’s films tend to swing wildly between comedy/farce and melodrama/tragedy. Volver somehow hits the sweet spot right in the…