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Caravaggio
Not so much a faithful biography as an examination of the homo-erotic in the Renaissance artist’s work. Jarman’s film focuses on speculation about the relationships between Caravaggio and his models – a tale of a love triangles and scandals ensues, but what stands out is the directors signature artistic flourishes and theatrical tableaux. Some may…
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Pan’s Labyrinth
Del Toro, no stranger to science fiction or tales of the Spanish struggle between Fascism and left wing politics (Blade 2, Hellboy, The Devils Backbone) offers us something different here, skilfully blending history with fantasy. In Second World War fascist Spain Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) is faced with a stark choice. On the one hand she…
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Ten Canoes
A beautifully crafted tragi-comedy set in the timeless freshwater swamps of Arnhem Land in Australia. The multi-layered story of a man guiding his younger brother in a choice of love meanders between a narrator, a not-so-long-ago hunting party and an ancient myth. Unlike many films telling the tale of other cultures from an external and…
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Ping Pong
A comedy drama about two boys obsessed with ping pong not an obvious first film choice for a director but the result is an exhilarating, manga-influenced film, as much about Japanese society, winning, losing and teenage friendship as table tennis. Peco (Kubozuka) and Smile (Arata) play two chalk and cheese friends who enter the same…
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Possession
AS Byatt’s 1990 Booker Prize-winning Possession is adapted here for the screen to sumptuous effect. Academic researchers Michell (Eckhart) and Bailley (Paltrow) warily join forces to explore evidence that revered Victorian poet Ash’s (Northam) most accomplished work, historically accepted as love poems to his wife, may have been inspired by another woman – poet Christabel…
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Tell No One
In this taut thriller, the case of a woman’s (Marie-Josee Croze) brutal murder is reopened years after the event and her husband (Francois Cluzet) becomes prime suspect. However the widower starts to receive emails which suggest his wife may still be alive. Based on American author Harlan Coben’s best-seller, this intricately plotted multi-award winning film…
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Frozen
Its been two years since the disappearance of her sister, but Kath (Shirley Henderson) is still consumed by the loss. She steals a video tape from the police that shows her sister Annie’s last known movements, and finds a mysterious image on it. Kath retraces her sisters final steps and becomes haunted by images of…
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Cave of the Yellow Dog
This docu-drama from Byambasuren Davaa follows on from the resounding success of her Oscar-nominated Story of the Weeping Camel (2003). If you loved that you’ll love this. The film tells of a Mongolian nomadic herding family, the Batchuluuns, living a traditional life as modernity encroaches. Nansel the eldest daughter brings home a stray dog. The…
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The Squid and the Whale
A film about the emotional, financial and practical struggle of a bitter divorce – the relevance of the obscure title only becomes clear towards the end. The story is broadly based on director Baumbach and his brother’s teenage experiences of their parents divorce in Brooklyn in the 80s. Jeff Daniels excels as the insufferable, competitive…