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The Lives of Others
Von Donnersmarck’s powerful, beautifully crafted film captures life in East Germany before the fall of the Berlin Wall, when secret police or Stasi agents scrutinised the population for signs of dissent or divergence from toeing the line of the totalitarian regime. The story tells of three main characters a successful writer (Koch) suspected of subversion,…
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This is England
Funny yet deeply moving take on 1980s UK youth culture from a troubled 13 year old’s viewpoint. The story centres on skinheads in the East Midlands of England in 1983 who adopt a younger boy, Shaun (Turgoose), initially as a mascot and then as a fully-fledged member of their gang. The film illustrates how the…
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Three Times
In three 45 minutes segments the director takes us through three love stories set in three different times, 1911, 1966 and 2005. In a fascinating approach each couple is played by the same two actors, Qi Shu, one-time soft porn actress (she is far from alone in following this route to recognition as an actress)…
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The Last Waltz
The Band gave its last concert at San Francisco’s Winterland Theatre on Thanksgiving Night 1976. With guest appearances from iconic performers including Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, the Band celebrated their final hours on a public stage. The performance was recorded by Scorsese who had just finished Taxi Driver and was…
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Aprile
Morreti casts himself, wife and friends in a documentary lampoon about Italian politics. What could be irritatingly self-indulgent turns out to be a funny, charming perspective on Italian life. Following the general election of 1994, won by the centre-right coalition led by Silvio Berlusconi, Moretti is encouraged by a journalist friend to make a documentary…
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The General
The partnership between Bruckman and Keaton created a cinematic masterpiece. Made towards the very end of the silent era, the film cost 400,000 a sum unheard of at the time – the famous bridge and train stunt alone cost 42,000. Yet while expectations were high, the film was a flop at the box office. Only…
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Red Road
Tough, gritty, Scottish drama might be enough to put you some of you off but Red Road is definitely worth the trip. This Cannes Jury Prize-winning film is the first feature film from Andrea Arnold, Oscar-winning director of the short, Wasp. Arnold famously described receiving an Oscar as the dogs bollocks so we know were…
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The Singer
In the multi award-winning The Singer (aka When I Was a Singer, “Quand j’étais chanteur“) Gerard Depardieu returns to excellent form following a few mediocre roles where people were being to wonder how bettable he was at the box office. Giannoli’s direction brings out the best in Depardieu and the film is an engaging, reflective…
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Yojimbo
Sanjuro (Mifune), a wandering samurai (rōnin), arrives in a small town where competing crime lords vie for supremacy. After proving his skill as a master swordsman by swiftly dispatching three thugs, the two bosses each seek to hire the newcomer as a bodyguard, with a view to eradicating their opponent and securing control of the…
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4 Months 3 Weeks and 2 Days
This is a showcase for new Romanian cinema. Director/writer Mungui captures the story of illegal abortion with honesty and a wonderful gift for natural dialogue. This is a must-see. The film is set in Communist Romania in the final years of the Nicolae Ceaușescu era. It tells the story of two students, roommates in a…
wimbledon film club
Season: 2008
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