Been a while...
Hiroshima Mon Amour. Starting off with horrifying pictures of the aftermath of the atomic bomb, a picture about forgetting and not being able to forget that seemingly connects all of its themes at every single moment of its length. Most beautifully shot and (sometimes overly) poetically told, it is a reminder of how people wage war and love and what war and love do to people. All will be lost.
9/10
The Princess And The Frog. Very, very Disney, in a bad sense. This entails retelling every Disney adventure movie cliché that ever appeared in other productions - including the bad guy who is out for power, the cheesy love story that develops ever the same way and the partying and singing inbetween. It's fine for the most part, really, but it's been done before and it's been done better. What's more, some of the art seems "adapted" directly from the classic computer game "Heart of Darkness". The saving grace is the usual comic relief character, who happens to really be amusing - not original either, but at least that aspect still works.
5/10
El Secreto De Sus Ojos. Clearly one of the best movies of the past year. A story of love, friendship, justice and South American history is told, and it's told including all aspects in every single shot. The leads and the two most important supports are nothing short of breathtaking, their on-screen chemistry amazing - watch the elevator scene and you will know what I'm talking about. The differences in the interplay between the two main characters in the two times more than twenty years apart that the movie takes place in are fascinating to watch. And just when I thought things could not be topped anymore, the director delivered a stunning zoom into a football stadium which like hasn't been seen before. A deserved Best Foreign Picture winner.
10/10
Roman Holiday. A classic comedy love story. Audrey Hepburn is as angelic as ever, debuting in her first big starring role, but she went on to become much better still after this movie. Gregory Peck, on the other hand, was already well into his career and does deliver a more nuanced performance. My favourite scenes clearly were the slapsticky ones between Peck and Eddie Albert.
8/10
The Secret Of Kells. Amazing artwork. It is a heavily stylized animated movie, blending medieval art (from the Book of Kells) with modern animation. Sharing the possibilities of imagination, it also teaches the beauty and value of knowledge and freedom and their importance over mere security. A great score completes the picture.
9/10
The New Tenants. Odd and quirky, surprising one with wittiness not initially expected. I like dark humour, and this one is downright malicious. The ending doesn't quite keep up though.
7/10