A Hero (Ghahreman)

A Hero, winner of Cannes' Grand Prix and Iran's entry for the 94^th Best International Film Academy Awards, may be two times Academy Awards winner Ashgar Farhadi's (A Separation 2011, The Salesman, 2016), most accomplished thriller-drama.

Blurring the line between hero and villain, writer-director Farhadi explores how good deeds and morality are affected by public opinion and social media. 

Set in Shiraz, calligrapher Rahim Soltani (Amir Jadidi) is imprisoned for failing to repay a loan to his former father-in-law Bahram (Mohsen Tanabandeh), after Rahim's business partner skipped town with the money.

During a two day prison leave, Rahim's secret girlfriend Farkhondeh (Sahar Goldust) finds a bag containing 17 gold coins. Rather than using the coins to repay his debt and get out of jail, Rahim decides to find the rightful owner and return the coins. When this story is picked up by the media, Rahim suddenly achieves hero status. However, things quickly spiral out of control.

Through cleverly conceived, intricate, multilayered plot twists, Farhadi builds-up tension and maneuvers perception, sympathies and judgements as moral dilemmas compound.

Jadidy's solid performance of an endearing, yet reflective and ambiguous man, bound by honor and entangled in a social media web is compelling, never feeling scripted.

Riveting and thought-provoking is this universal and contemporary moral tale that keeps one guessing from beginning to the end.

The Hand of God

In what may be Oscar winner Paolo Sorrentino's (The Great Beauty, 2013) most intimate feature to date, the joys and sorrows of life and family are embraced.

Returning to film in his hometown of Naples for the first time since his directorial debut of One Man Up (2001), Sorrentino reminisces, with this semi-autobiographical memoir, about his 1980's adolescent years and experiences that set in motion his career.

Nested in a rollercoaster of boisterous, but heartfelt and moving, family dynamics, this drama-comedy follows the Schisa family's seventeen-year-old Fabietto (newcomer Filippo Scotti's) Father (Toni Servillo), mother (Teresa Saponangelo), and aunt Patrizia (Luisa Ranieri).

Perfectly blending emotions and aesthetics, are Daria D'Antonio's vibrant panoramic shots of the breathtaking Amalfi coast.

The Hand of God is Italy's submission for the 2022 Academy Awards for Best International Feature.

West Side Story

Ten times Oscar winner Steven Spielberg and Pulitzer-winner screenwriter Tony Kushner (Angels of America) team again in this revival of the classic 1961's West Side Story, based on the book by Arthur Laurents and inspired by Shakespear's Romeo and Juliet.

Steven Spielberg's lush, first musical production in his 50 year career, dazzles with vibrant visuals, energy and, except for one song, is devoid of dubbing.

Replacing the original motif of gang turf war with gentrification and racial conflict, the narrative showcases the

tensions that arise when Maria (newcomer Rachel Zegler), sister of the explosively tempered Puero Rican Sharks leader Bernardo (David Alvarez), and Tony (Ansel Elgort), a parolee and former white Jets leader, fall in love.

Highlighting the strong performances and the magnetic
screen presence of Riff (Mike Faist) leader of the Jets, are Justin Kirk's bold and dynamic choreography and Janusz Kaminski's captivating cinematography flair.

Bringing down the house is the moving rendition of the song 'Somewhere' by 90 years old Academy Award winner Rita Moreno (Anita in Westside Story, 1961) in the newly created role of Valentina, Doc's widow.

The Power of the Dog

After making history in 1993 for being the second woman to receive the Academy Awards Best Director nomination for The Piano, and after a 12 year hiatus, writer-director Jane Campion returns to the big screen with The Power of the Dog, an adaptation of the acclaimed 1967 novel by Thomas Savage, by the same title.

In this intriguing neo-western, set on a cattle ranch in
1925 Montana, the rugged, unpleasant, mean-spirited Phil Burbank (British actor Benedict Cumberbatch), lives with his kind and gentle brother George (Jesse Plemons). 

When George moves into the ranch his newlywed bride, widower Rose Gordon (Plemon's real life partner Kirsten Dunst) and her non-masculine teenager son Peter (Australian Kodi Smit-McPhee), Phil goes out of his way to let the newcomers know that their presence is unwelcome and turns their existence into living hell. A shift in dynamics takes place when Phil suddenly changes tactics deciding to mentor Peter. 

Craftily weaving the plot into new depths, Campion masterfully orchestrates a tense, gripping, complex web. While restraining from connecting the dots, she gradually unfolds the multi-layered plot with precision and finesse, leading to a breath-taking finale.

The feature is packed with stellar, riveting performances throughout however, Oscar nominated Cumberbatch's multi-faceted portrayal stands out as his best performance
to date.

Augmenting the memorable renditions are cinematographer Ari Wegner's sweeping long lenses and immersive visuals, Grant Majors' production design as well as Oscar nominated Jonny Greenwood's (Spencer, Licorice Pizza) dark, original score.

A do not miss.

 

Belfast

Winner of the People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, Belfast born writer-director Sir Kenneth Branagh's Belfast is an apolitical, semi-autobiographical, coming of age story.

Set in the backdrop of the seven months that kicked off the 1969 domestic upheaval, Belfast is told from the viewpoint of nine-year-old Buddy (Jude Hill), who lives in a mixed neighborhood with his loving father (Jamie Dornan), mother (Caitriona Balfe) and grandparents (Dame Judi Dench and Ciaran Hinds).

Marked by strong direction and ensemble, it is the exceptional high contrast, mostly monochromatic cinematography by Haris Zambarloukos that brings to front youth's nostalgic innocence.

I'm Your Man

 

In what appears to be a classic rom-com, this entertaining sci-fi tackles questions about the potential benefits of an inter-dependency between humans and technology.

Based on the charming and bittersweet short story by Emma Braslavsky and adapted to the screen by German writer-director Maria Schrader and co-writer Jan Schomburg, I'm Your Man is Germany's official submission for the 94^th Academy Awards Best International Feature Film category in 2022.

Offset by humor are the complex and unexpected plot twists. Archeologist Alma (Maren Eggert) is coerced to participate in a three weeks study of human companionship consisting of dating Tom (Dan Stevens), an android pre-programmed to be her soul mate. Tom, however, proves to be too machine-like perfect to overturn Alma's skepticism.

Performances are captivating and charismatic, leading to Eggart's well deserved Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance Award.