9-22 November

Magnolia(1999)-9/10->Overlong and a bit messy? Sure, but the whole complexity of the narrative and how it's wound together make up for that. Also,the cast is excellent, maybe one of the most impressive American casts to ever come together onto the screen.

Belle Toujours(2006)-7.5/10->While it does have the pace of the predecessor (and that's a flaw more or less), Belle Toujours shows us the point of view of the best, but neglected character from Bunuel's film, having a great script, filled with terrific dialogues.

Everyday(2012)-7/10->It's slow and predictable,but this is a very realistic, emotional and up front observation of a family.

POLA X(1999)-10/10->POLA X is definitely Carax's masterpiece,a strange,intense and dense film,starting as one film and ending up as a completely different.Excellent,but completely underrated.

Tokyo(2008)-5/10->Gondry takes too long to get to his overly cliched point,Carax serves up a plate of his usual bat-shit crazy originality and Joon-ho starts off with a great idea,but he goes into schmaltzy predictableness.

Lawless(2012)-2.5/10->Messy,not as well acted as it should be and it's more lifeless than the subject actually is.The pros are the ending and the cinematography.

In Another Country(2012)-7/10->A quirky and light film,"In Another Country" benefits mostly from Huppert's triple performance.

The Fly(1986)-5.5/10->Goldblum gives a great performance and Cronenberg succeeds in making the audience emphatize with its' characters,but it is too gory for its' own good.You either make a horror story or a love story.

Compliance(2012)-9/10->Tensionate,convincingly acted and minutely directed,Zobel brings out the sinister in the story and though he doesn't show us a lot,it shocks us with the gripping suspense and actions of the characters.

12 October-8 November

Killer Joe(2011)-7.5/10->A proper revival for Friedkin, this crazy and violent film shows McConaughey in his most convicing and absorbing role so far. Completely insane, completely worth it.

On The Road(2012)-5/10->Salles manages to nail most of the atmosphere of the book and the cinematography is great, but the characters and the film itself never are as daring or as open-minded as the terrific source material.

Berlin Calling(2008)-6.5/10->Starts off great,sending the audience an unique vibe and Kalkbrenner is fantastic (as an actor and as a musician), but it feels dull in some moments.

The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford(2007)-8/10->It's slow, but the runtime allows Dominik to properly build his characters and it gives the film a very contemplative and unsettling air (which Deakins helps to build), driven from classic westerns. Great performances from Pitt and Affleck.

Sin City(2005)-6/10->Beautifully violent and it contains some great moments of violent poetry. Fun,but rarely smart.

Something From Nothing:The Art Of Rap(2012)-6/10->It's nicely wound together, but the rappers should be aloud to speak more. Way too short in my opinion.

Mr. Nice(2010)-3/10->Has a great first half hour, but the acting and the cinematography are bad, and it never fully extents its' great plot.

Savages(2012)-4/10->Savages is often incoherent and tangled, the ending is bad and the film is way too long (like all Stone films), but the acting is amiable and it's sometimes refreshing to see Stone hasn't lost his talent of making fun, violent movies,which he showcased in "Natural Born Killers".

The Bay(2012)-6/10->It's not scary, the so-called scares being gruesome and very few, but The Bay relies more on suspense and originality of the story and outcome than most found-footage flicks.

The Watch(2012)-3/10->Rarely funny, relying mostly on dick jokes, but the cast helps the movie not ending up useless.

Mauvais Sang(1986)-10/10->A beautiful and unique film, Mauvais Sang is an original combination of Melville's suspense and poetry and Kubrick's imagination.

Rust And Bone(2012)-7/10->Cotillard doesn't do too much, it's often predictable, but Schoenaerts is fantastic, the ending is good and the camera work is terrific.

Ils(2006)-5.5/10->A chilling horror, Ils is a tense and scary film, with an unpredictable outcome, which will make the viewer shake in its' seat. 

Belle De Jour(1967)-6/10->A bit too passionless and dull for its' own good, Belle De Jour works mostly because of Deneuve's acting and charm.Also, Piccoli is a treat.

Les Films de Cannes A Bucarest:3rd edition 2012

Reality(2012)-4/10->Although the first part of the film is generic,at least it's energetic,but in the second part it loses its' energy and it becomes almost as absent-minded as reality television itself.Shame,for this is a great subject.

Gomorra(2008)-8.5/10->A bleak and unbelievably realistic film,Gomorra is a thorough portrait of the "Camorra".

Like Someone In Love(2012)-3/10->Great acting,but the whole film is lifeless and feels pointless.Also,the ending is really,really bad.

Holy Motors(2012)-8/10->The first half hour feels like a warmup and there's not much of a link between all of the "tasks",but Lavant proves once again he's a versatile actor and Carax proves once again that he's a genius,showing us that cinema is not dead.

Killing Them Softly(2012)-7/10->The first hour is great,the script is almost fantastic and the cast is terrific (especially Gandolfini),but in the last hour it feels like Dominik doesn't know how to get the film to its' end.Not saying that the ending scene isn't brilliant.

Ciulinii Baraganului(1958)-4/10->Though it starts off great,it was never a good idea to turn a 40 page novel into a two hour film.

Beasts Of The Southern Wild(2012)-8.5/10->Emotional and heart-warming,BOTSW is very childish,but beautifully told (and shot) and really imaginative.

Moonrise Kingdom(2012)-8/10->It's not very different from Anderson's previous work,but it still is a compassionate look at first love and childhood.Beautifully shot and the soundtrack is amazing.

Cosmopolis(2012)-2/10->There is some style,but otherwise Cronenberg bets on his dialogue.Not a good bet,because the film is tedious and the only cause is the unengaging dialogue.Mediocre acting,all around.

The Time That Remains(2009)-5.5/10->The deadpan humor is original,the acting is good and the cinematography is beautiful,but the film's narrative is farfetched.

Post Tenebras Lux(2012)-7/10->Much more complex than his previous work,Reygadas's latest will have you questioning yourself most of the time.Didn't understand it completely,but there's something about it for sure.Would give it an award for its' cinematography.

White Elephant(2012)-4/10->The acting is alright,but it's too damn predictable.

In The Fog(2012)-7/10->It's too long and Loznitsa has still got some problems with his narrative line,but it's beautifully shot,the acting is good and it comes together much more nicely than My Joy.

The Angels' Share(2012)-4/10->Unfunny and it seems like Ken Loach hasn't made something worth watching since "Looking For Eric".

Despues De Lucia(2012)-2/10->Works on a very simple system: (daughter does something bad,father cries about his dead wife/his daughter) x 20. Literally unwatchable.

Beyond The Hills(2012)-6.5/10->Overlong and the performance by Flutur isn't as great as it could be (most of the film she squirms), but it sends its' message about faith and just how far it can go,Stratan is very good and as always the camera work by Oleg Mutu is fantastic.

Anim'est International Animation Film Festival 2012:7th Edition

FEATURES

Arrugas(2011)-7/10->Arrugas is a fresh approach of the elder years,funny and sad,but even though the pace of the film helps the atmosphere,it still is quite slow.

Alois Nebel(2011)-5.5/10->The animation and tone of the film are very special,but the writing is a bit too thin.

The Lorax(2012)-5/10->The Lorax is beautifully told and it captures most of Seuss's spirit,except it's simplicity,that being lost in the unexpectedly Hollywood-ian elements.

Ronal The Barbarian(2011)-4/10->Ronal The Barbarian is funny,but it's predictable and most of the humor relies on gross-out gags.

Children Who Chase Lost Voices(2011)-6/10->It has an imaginative story and beautiful animation,but it borrows heavily from Japanese animation helmers like Kon or Miyazaki.

SHORTS

ROMANIAN COMPETITION

The Mobilphone(2012)-6/10->Concise,but light,The Mobilphone has intelligent humor.

Selfportrait(2012)-5/10->it has a good idea,but it doesn't make the most of it.

Face Factory(2012)-5/10->Predictable,but funny and the ending is somewhat smart.

Gang Up On Cupid(2012)-1/10->More of a ripoff of "Space Invaders" than a short,really.

The Envelope(2012)-6.5/10->Smart,but a bit too morbid for it's own good.

Metarmorphosis(2012)-1/10->An unfunny take on Kafka's novel.

Free(2011)-5/10->Some humourous moments can't make up for bad animation.

Cry In The Sky(2012)-1/10->A bad poem.

Playground(2011)-1/10->Predictable outcome and message.

Cloudman(2012)-1/10->Plain dumb.

Precious Thing(2012)-1/10->Weird and sinister,and the animation is horrible.

The Story Of Ipsum(2012)-2/10->Starts off interesting,but it becomes an incoherent jumble.

Super(2012)-1/10->Didn't understand this one.

Chinatown(2012)-1/10->This one either.

Bicycle Love(2012)-1/10->A bad idea to begin with.

Unarte(2012)-2/10->It has a good premise,but otherwise the animation is really bad,and it doesn't work too well as a commercial for that college.

Hunger(2010)-7/10->Hunger is smartly animated and creative.

O(2012)-3/10->Interestingly animated,but it's point of view of abstract.

Once Upon A Time There Was A Child(2012)-7/10->Cute and children's tale like.

Easy Is For Everyone(2012)-7/10->The story weaves fantastically and the animation is good,but it's a bit too long.

The Little Dark(2011)-1/10->Didn't understand it.

GUEST SCHOOL-HFF KONRAD WOLF

Never Drive A Car When You're Dead(2009)-10/10->An honest and harsh critique on modern society and death.

White,No White(2011)-4/10->It has a good idea,but it's too abstract for its own good.

Arachmaninoff(2010)-7/10->The creepy animation and the great ending make this worthwhile.

Hinterland(2010)-7/10->Hinterland is smart and really well animated.

The Changeling(2011)-6/10->Funny and nicely told.

House Wanders,Bird Water Full(2011)-8/10->Beautifully animated and very poetic.

Frog Weather(2011)-4/10->Too childish for its' own good.

Flamingo Pride(2011)-6/10->Hilarious,but that's about it.

28 September-11 October

Policeman(2011)-2/10->Lapid wanted to show a very realistic portrait of a cop (and of men,in general),but the result is a dull and badly acted film.

Reality(2012)-4/10->Although the first part of the film is generic,at least it's energetic,but in the second part it loses its' energy and it becomes almost as absent-minded as reality television itself.Shame,for this is a great subject.

Pusher(2012)-6/10->It brings the original a new atmosphere and all in all it's not a bad remake,but it's an unnecessary one.

Dark Horse(2011)-7/10->Even though it's not as thought provoking or as dark as Solondz' previous work,Dark Horse still is another great cynical look on life and love.

To Rome With Love(2012)-5/10->It has some of Allen's humour and a great cast,but it's clear he has lost his touch,the film being a hit-and-miss situation.

21-27 September

Cosmopolis(2012)-2/10->There is some style,but otherwise Cronenberg bets on his dialogue.Not a good bet,because the film is tedious and the only cause is the unengaging dialogue.Mediocre acting,all around.

Mekong Hotel(2012)-6/10->Very similar to Boonmee,it's a more soothing experience than the before mentioned one,but it still is quite unaccomplished.

The Hunt(2012)-6/10->Like last year's Venice Days "Guilty",it features a strong lead performance and it is well written,but unlike the french flick it never reaches the emotional strength,nor it does reach the height of the discussion of morals.

Moonrise Kingdom(2012)-8/10->It's not very different from Anderson's previous work,but it still is a compassionate look at first love and childhood.Beautifully shot and the soundtrack is amazing.

Berberian Sound Studio(2012)-6/10->An atmospheric film in which Strickland proves once again,it doesn't have to be a horror film in order to be effectively creepy.Good performance from Jones,but the editing is a bit scattered.

Sister(2012)-6/10->Almost a certified copy of last year's "The Kid With The Bike",the only differences are the darker nature of the story and the much better performances by Seydoux and Klein.

Unit 7(2012)-1/10->Stylish cinematography,yes,but this film literally has no beginning or ending.

In Darkness(2012)-4/10->Seeing its' subject matter,In Darkness is never as original or powerful as it should be.Good performances and cinematography.

Laurence Anyways(2012)-7/10->Overlong and like all Dolan films,messy,but Laurence Anyways is the accomplished vision of an artist,with a small plot which gets an epic treatment.Dolan's best?By far.

Hasta La Vista(2011)-5/10->Starts off great,loses itself in the middle,then picks itself up in the last 30 minutes and it is quite predictable,but there are some good performances from the cast and humourous moments.

TIFF 2012:Expect-O-Meter

The "HELL YEAH" tier

Amour (2012,Michael Haneke,Masters)-> 100%

The Master (2012,Paul Thomas Anderson,Special Presentation)-> 100%

Post Tenebras Lux (2012,Carlos Reygadas,Wavelengths)-> 90%

The Place Beyond The Pines (2012,Derek Cianfrance,Special Presentation)-> 85%

Spring Breakers (2012,Harmony Korine,Special Presentation)-> 85%

Like Someone In Love (2012,Abbas Kiarostami,Masters)-> 80%

Paradise:Love (2012,Ulrich Seidl,Contemporary World Cinema)-> 80%

The "YES PLEASE" tier

The ABCs Of Death (2012,Various,Midnight Madness)-> 75%

Barbara (2012,Christian Petzold,Contemporary World Cinema)-> 75%

Berberian Sound Studio (2012,Peter Strickland,Vanguard)-> 75%

Gebo And The Shadow (2012,Manoel de Oliveira,Masters)-> 75%

Looper (2012,Rian Johnson,Gala Presentation)-> 75%

Me And You (2012,Bernardo Bertolucci,Masters)-> 75%

No (2012,Pablo Larrain,Special Presentation)-> 75%

Outrage Beyond (2012,Takeshi Kitano,Special Presentation)-> 75%

Seven Psychopaths (2012,Martin McDonagh,Midnight Madness)-> 75%

Everyday (2012,Michael Winterbottom,Masters)-> 70%

Foxfire (2012,Laurent Cantet,Special Presentation)-> 70%

The Impossible (2012,Juan Antonio Bayona,Special Presentation)-> 70%

In The Fog (2012,Sergei Loznitsa,Contemporary World Cinema)->70%

The Land Of Hope (2012,Sion Sono,Contemporary World Cinema)->70%

Pusher (2012,Luis Prieto,Vanguard)-> 70%

Sightseers (2012,Ben Wheatley,Vanguard)-> 70%

The "WHY NOT?" tier

Byzantium (2012,Neil Jordan,Special Presentation)-> 65%
Dormant Beauty (2012,Marco Bellocchio,Special Presentation)-> 65%

The Hunt (2012,Thomas Vinterberg,Special Presentation)-> 65%

iLL Manors (2012,Ben Drew,Vanguard)-> 65%

Rebelle (2012,Kim Nguyen,Special Presentation)-> 65%

Room 237 (2012,Rodney Ascher,Vanguard)-> 65%

Something In The Air (2012,Olivier Assayas,Masters)-> 65%

Thy Womb (2012,Brilliante Mendoza,Contemporary World Cinema)-> 65%

The Last Time I Saw Macao (2012,Joao Pedro Rodrigues & Joao Guerro Da Mata,Wavelengths)-> 60%

Antiviral (2012,Brandon Cronenberg,Special Presentation)-> 60%

Capital (2012,Costa-Gavras,Special Presentation)-> 60%

Do Not Disturb (2012,Yvan Attal,Special Presentation)-> 60%

The End Of Time (2012,Peter Mettler,Masters)-> 60%

Ernest & Celestine (2012,Stephane Aubier & Vincent Patar & Benjamin Renner,TIFF Kids)-> 60%

The Iceman (2012,Ariel Vromen,Special Presentation)-> 60%

John Dies At The End (2012,Don Coscarelli,Midnight Madness)-> 60%

Leviathan (2012,Lucien Castaing-Taylor & Verena Paravel,Wavelengths)-> 60%

Museum Hours (2012,Jem Cohen,Contemporary World Cinema)-> 60%

On The Road (2012,Walter Salles,Special Presentation)-> 60%

The Pervert's Guide To Ideology (2012,Sophie Fiennes,Mavericks)-> 60%

Pieta (2012,Kim Ki-duk,Masters)-> 60%

Reality (2012,Matteo Garrone,Special Presentation)-> 60%

Stories We Tell (2012,Sarah Polley,Special Presentation)-> 60%

The "PURGATORY" tier

At Any Price (2012,Ramin Bahrani,Special Presentation)-> 55%

Frances Ha (2012,Noam Baumbach,Special Presentation)-> 55%

Hyde Park On Hudson (2012,Roger Michell,Gala Presentation)-> 55%

I Declare War (2012,Jason Lapeyre & Robert Wilson,Vanguard)-> 55%

A Late Quartet (2012,Yaron Zilberman,Special Presentation)-> 55%

Lines Of Wellington (2012,Valeria Sarmiento,Special Presentation)-> 55%

Penance (2012,Kiyoshi Kurosawa,Contemporary World Cinema)-> 55%

Reincarnation (2012,Andy Capper,TIFF Docs)-> 55%

A Royal Affair (2012,Nikolaj Arcel,Gala Presentation)-> 55%

The Sessions (2012,Ben Lewin,Special Presentation)-> 55%

To The Wonder (2012,Terrence Malick,Special Presentation)-> 55%

The We And The I (2012,Michel Gondry,Vanguard)-> 55%

Aftershock (2012,Nicolas Lopez,Midnight Madness)-> 50%

Argo (2012,Ben Affleck,Gala Presentation)-> 50%

Ginger And Rosa (2012,Sally Potter,Special Presentation)-> 50%

A Hi-Jacking (2012,Tobias Lindholm,Special Presentation)-> 50%

Iceberg Slim:The Portrait Of A Pimp (2012,Jorge Hinojosa,TIFF Docs)-> 50%

The Lords Of Salem (2012,Rob Zombie,Midnight Madness)-> 50%

The Perks Of Being A Wallflower (2012,Stephen Chbosky,Special Presentation)-> 50%

Rust And Bone (2012,Jacques Audiard,Special Presentation)-> 50%

Smashed (2012,James Ponsoldt,Contemporary World Cinema)-> 50%

The "ONLY IF I REALLY HAVE TO" tier

Beyond The Hills (2012,Cristian Mungiu,Masters)-> 40%

Fill The Void (2012,Rama Burhstein,Discovery)-> 40%

Jayne Mansfield's Car (2012,Billy Bob Thornton,Gala Presentation)-> 40%

Much Ado About Nothing (2012,Joss Whedon,Special Presentation)-> 40%

Passion (2012,Brian De Palma,Special Presentation)-> 40%

Silver Linings Playbook (2012,David O. Russell,Gala Presentation)-> 40%

Anna Karenina (2012,Joe Wright,Special Presentation)-> 35%

Cloud Atlas (2012,Lana & Andy Wachowski and Tom Tykwer,Special Presentation)-> 35%

Laurence Anyways (2012,Xavier Dolan,Special Presentation)-> 35%

After The Battle (2012,Yousry Nasrallah,Contemporary World Cinema)-> 30%

Bad 25 (2012,Spike Lee,Special Presentation)-> 30%

The Company You Keep (2012,Robert Redford,Gala Presentation)-> 30%

Dredd 3D (2012,Pete Travis,Midnight Madness)-> 30%

Love Is All You Need (2012,Susanne Bier,Special Presentation)-> 30%

THE "NOT IN THIS LIFETIME" tier

End Of Watch (2012,David Ayer,Special Presentation)-> 25%

Great Expectations (2012,Mike Newell,Gala Presentation)-> 25%

The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2012,Mira Nair,Gala Presentation)-> 25%

Dangerous Liaisons (2012,Hur Jin-ho,Gala Presentation)-> 20%

In Another Country (2012,Hong Sang-soo,Masters)-> 20%

The Paperboy (2012,Lee Daniels,Special Presentation)-> 20%

Hotel Transylvania (2012,Genndy Tartakovsky,TIFF Kids)-> 15%