This started off like Dracula: Origins, and I thought, well that’s interesting, but it felt like Luc Besson couldn’t help himself by turning it into a spectacle that achieved less than hoped.
Continue readingDracula: A Love Tale (2025)
StandardTag Archives: France
A Private Life (Vie Privée) (2025)
Standard
There is a lot to love about this stylish French psychological drama which delves into the charms and failings of psychoanalysis and the difficulties when we don’t heed our own advice.
Continue readingThe Ice Tower (2025)
Standard
I felt mesmerised for two straight hours by this dreamlike fairytale from Lucile Hadzihalilovic. As I was walking out though, there was more than one person who said, “oh I would give that zero stars. I feel sorry that people spent money on it. That was so awful.”
Continue readingAdam’s Sake (L’intérêt d’Adam)(2025)
Standard
I love this sort of tense realist drama. This is directed by Laura Wandel and produced by the Daedenne Brothers and you can feel their touch in the understated character driven narrative.
Continue readingOrwell: 2+2=5 (2025)
Standard
I was thoroughly absorbed by this primer on George Orwell and the writing of his novel 1984.
Continue readingAll I Had Was Nothingness (Je n’avais que le néant – Shoah par Lanzmann) (2025)
Standard
A documentary about another documentary is an odd thing. This is not just any documentary though, it is about Shoah (1985), Claude Lanzmann’s 9 1/2 hour epic made over 12 years.
Continue readingThe Little Sister (2025)
Standard
Fatima (Nadia Melliti) is an Algerian teen living in France. She loves football, hangs out with her bros at school, and spars with her older sisters as they tease her for not knowing how to cook or dress in a way that men like.
Continue readingA Difficult Year (Une Année Difficile)(2023)
Standard
If you’ve seen The Intouchables (2011) or The Extraordinary (2020), you’ll know that co-directors Olivier Nakache and Eric Tolenado have a deft hand at giving us emotional, character-driven stories that also tackle important social issues.
Continue readingAnimale (2024)
Standard
French-Algerian director Emma Benestan takes a fresh approach to some monster/revenge tropes to give us a dark fable of female power.
Continue readingThe Story of Souleymane (L’histoire de Souleymane) (2024)
Standard
I had heard a buzz about this French drama by Boris Lojkine which can be a blessing or a curse. Gladly, the rumours were true.
Continue reading
fillums 