Bitz

Based on historical events surrounding London's 1940's blitz, writer director Steve McQueen focuses on the human experience as told through the eyes of George (newcomer Elliott Heffernan) a 9 years old biracial boy, rather than the war itself.

George is sent by his single mother Rita (Saoirse Ronan) on a train taking children to safety in the countryside. While in transit, George leaps off the train to return back home to his mother by foot, in the midst of heavy aerial bombardments. 

During his journey he encounters prejudices and injustices.

Blitz is an artfully done, well staged, moving film with a call for tolerance and unity. It features strong performances, immersive cinematography as well as Hans Zimmer's haunting and at times loud sounds of planes and sirens.

Sing Sing

Greg Kwedar, director, co-writer and co-producer with Clint Bentley, based the drama about real life events at Sing Sing's Maximum Security Correctional Facility's Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program, where a group of inmates produce theatrical stage shows. Sing Sing is one of six such programs in the New York area. 

Featured are professional actors Oscar nominated Caulman Domingo, as the inmate John "Divine G" Whitfield, and Paul Rauci, as the leader of the RTA Program Brent Buell, alongside former Sing Sing prisoners and RTA alumni, including Clarence “Divine Eyes” Maclin and Jon-Adrian “JJ” Velasquez, playing as themselves. 

Cohesive and engaging is the seamless transition between the professional actors and the non-actors. Domingo shines in his role as the main stage actor at odds with Clarence “Divine Eyes”. 

Sing Sing provides an insightful look at the inmates' personal experiences within their spaces, as well as the transformative power of the arts in helping prisoners reconnect with their humanity.

Conclave

Edward Berger's Conclave, based on Robert Harris' 2016 book by the same name, is a riveting political thriller with multiple plot twists, culminating in a great finale.

Following the death of the sitting Pope, Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is entasked with convocating a papal conclave in the Vatican to select his successor. 

Initially the frontrunners appear to be the progressive Cardinal Bellini (Stanley Tucci) and the ultra-conservative Cardinal Tedesco (Sergio Castellito). 

However, as the list of nominees increases to include Cardinals Tremblay (John Lithgow), Adeyemi (Lucian Msamati), Vincent Benitez (Carlos Diehz) as well as Cardinal Lawrence himself, order is replaced with disarray, fierce competition, intrigues and smear campaigns, all under the watchful eye of Sister Agnes (Isabella
Rossellini).

Stunning performances by the ensemble cast, are supplemented by Stéphane Fontaine's immersive cinematography, Lisy Chistl's costuming, Suzie Davies' production design, complete with an authenic re-creation of the Sistine Chapel, and Volker Bertelmann’s powerful score.

Dahomey

French-Senegalese director Mati Diop's short but powerful hybrid-documentary, Dahomey, covers the repatriation of 26 national antiquities plundered by colonial powers from the former Dahomey Kingdom (1600-1904), currently the Republic of Benin.

Among November 2022's returned artifacts by the Parisian Musée du Quai Branly is the towering wooden statue of the 1800s ruler King Ghézo, the half-shark-half-man statue of King Behanzin, Dahomey's last king, and a carved ornate throne depicting images of Dahomey's enslavement of their conquered enemies as well as their trans-atlantic slave trade. 

Voice-overs, such as that of King Ghézo speaking in the ancient Fon language about his memories of Africa, colonialism and self-determination, reflect the culturally based view of the artifact's living nature. Providing depth to the animation, are the mystic sounds by Haitian poet and novelist Makenzy Orcel, with the aid of sound designers Nicolas Becker, Corneille Houssou and Cyril Holtz. 

Director of Photography Josephine Drouin Viallard meticulously captures the cataloguing and packing of the artworks, as well as their welcomed arrival to the Palais de la Marina, in the presidential residence. Highlighting the artwork's return, its cultural implications and the need for restitution of the remaining 7,000 items around the world, is a well staged panel discussion at the University of Abomey-Calavi. 

Dahomey, is the Golden Bear recepient at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, as well as Senegal's entry for Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academiy Awards.

The Wild Robot

In Chris Sander's adaptation of Peter Brown's humorous and heartfelt middle grade novel, we find robot Rozzum 7314 “Roz” (Lupita Nyong), who shipwrecks on an uninhabited island.

Roz is programmed to search and be helpful towards anyone in need. During the journey, Roz meets Fink the fox (Pedro Pascal), Pinktale the opossum (Catherine O'Hara), Thorn the grizzly bear (Mark Hamill), Paddler the beaver (Matt Berry) and the tiny newborn bird Brightbill (Kit Connor) who imprints on Roz.

The refreshingly warm burst of colors and artistic compositions, the all around outstanding voices, and Kris Bowers' powerful score, make Wild Robot an animation sure to entertain.

The Room Next Door (La Habitación de al Lado)

The Room Next Door (La Habitación de al Lado), writer director Pedro Almodóvar's adaptation of the novel What Are You Going Through (2020) by Sigrid Nunez, is Almodóvar's first English-language film and is also the first Spanish feature to be awarded the Golden Lion at the 81st Venice International Film Festival. 

Set in New York, the film centers on Ingrid (Julianne Moore) and Martha (Tilda Swinton) who, following a chance encounter, rekindle their friendship. Martha, terminally ill, convinces Ingrid to be in her vicinity when the time comes for her to die with dignity. 

Marked by flawless performances and aesthetics, Almodóvar crafts a compassionate look at end of life, well balancing the drama with moments of levity, while raising poignant questions about euthanasia.

Poor Things

 

What may be New Wave Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos's (The Lobster, 2015) finest film to date, Poor Things, based on Australian Tony McNamara's brilliant screenplay and on Scottish Alasdair Gray's 1992 novel of the same name, addresses social norms and behavior in a creative coming of age film.

Reminiscent of Shelley's Frankenstein, this 80^th Venice International Film Festival's Golden Lion winner, is an original steampunk, dark comedy-drama fantasy about a Victorian era woman, Bella Baxter (Emma Stone), who is brought back to life by disfigured scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe). She wakes up with a blank mind, without any memory of social constructs or conditioning. In her quest for self-discovery and independence, she leaves behind her fiancé Max McCandles (Ramy Youssef) and runs away with sleazy lawyer, Duncan Wedderbum (Mark Ruffalo).

The entire movie centers on Stone's superb, fluidic, transformative portrayal, showcasing her expansive performance arc. In addition, outstanding are performances by Ruffalo in his manipulative role and Dofoe in his confident and unorthodox portrayal.

Holly Waddington's costume designs, masterfully reflect Bella's personal evolution through her wardrobe, ranging from Bella's puffy silhouettes to a more, traditional corseted Victorian attire, and finally to bizarre, form-fitting, military-looking dresses.

Flawless are the makeup, hair and prothesis teams, Shona Heath's and James Price's elaborate set designs, as well as cinematographer Robbie Ryan's aesthetically dynamic, distorted visuals through the use of fish lenses. Principally photographed in Hungary, is the breathtaking panoramic scenery.