Water

Water is a rather interesting Canadian/Indian production about the horrible position that Indian widows are in (the untouchables).
Though it is a heavy subject, the director never chooses for too much drama which makes the film never weigh too heavy on the heart but at the same time, you will understand the ridiculousness of some laws of society.
The combination of great acting, beautiful scenes and the traditional Indian music makes it a highly recommendable film to watch.

Wolfhound from he tribe of grey dogs / Volkodav iz roda Serykh Psov (Russia, 2007)

Wolfhound is a big Russian fantasy production. A man who was doomed to die is taking revenge on the ones responsible for the annihilation of his tribe.
This is a film full of magic and swordfights. The plot is maybe a bit shallow, but the scenery is very atmospheric. This atmosphere makes the film really enjoyable, where the fighting scenes and story is not really innovating and more or less of an average quality. Oksana Akinshina also has the mysterious beauty you wanna see in a princess, which makes the casting for her perfect. It is also very interesting that it is a Russian fantasy, because it is about their legends and gods. The story has some elements of Slavic archaeology and the main character looks like a Scythian as well. It is refreshing to see a fantasy film with a different kind of culture.
In some ways it is rather enjoyable and in some ways it is a bit silly. It feels a bit like the Russians are still trying to find their way in the production of these epic fantasy films.

Though it has its flaws, it is a great enjoyable adventure movie which does not bore for a moment. That is really amazing with a runtime of 140 minutes.

The Warlords / Tau Ming Chong (China, 2007)

The Warlords is an excellent action flick. The story, where three man become blood brothers, is about honour, revenge, betrayal and love. With an outstanding cast (Jet Li, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Andy Lau) and a immense budget it is not unimaginable that it would be a very spectacular movie. Spectacular it is, with huge fighting scenes! But maybe these scenes aren’t the best of this movie, it’s beauty lies it its amazing cinematography, in the scenes between Pang and Lian (excellent played by Jinglei Xu). These scenes are really outstanding. The wonderful music adds up to it as well!

Sometimes this film became a bit too dramatic, and it seems that Jet Li doesn’t always feel comfortable in such scenes so that could have done in a different way. But in all, a huge spectacular war movie with also shows the horrors of war. It is also interesting to see how difficult it is to keep loyal to your given word. To make judgements which will leave 4000 soldiers to their death. How can one be right In such a situation? Human emotions of times in war can lead to the fall of everything.

Strong Chinese film about the effects of war on humanity.

Welcome to the quiet room / Quiet room ni yôkoso (Japan, 2007)

Welcome to the quiet room is a about a girl (Asuka) who wakes up in a psychiatric ward and does not have any clue why she is in there. She is being told she tried to do OD (Overdose). During the film you will get more clues why she has been taken into this mental hospital. Here she meets some patients she becomes acquaintances with.
A really interesting story with great acting of Yuki Uchida evolves. The first part of the movie is more about funny stuff. But don’t think you are watching a comedy, because in fact it is also really a strong drama about a girl who is isolated and is trying to find the truth about herself. It is a story about loneliness and how it can drive you crazy. A story of losing all confidence in your own ability.

There will be moments that are funny, moving and sometimes heartbreaking, especially when another patient tells to Asuka: “I am just like you, I am normal, the system is wrong.” A really intense story which is presented like a puzzle.

When father was away on business / Otac na sluzbenom putu (Yugoslavia, 1985)

When father was away on business, by director Emir Kusturica, is a movie that shows a glimpse of the period in Yugoslavia I barely knew. When Tito broke up with Stalin in 1948 some dangerous years were coming for the Yugoslavic communists. For a simple joke, Mesa made about a cartoon In a newspaper, Mesa is being send to prison by his own brother in law.
This movie is about history, politics and the life of a family in Sarajevo during these changing days. It is sometimes very funny, and also sometimes very moving.
The acting is really outstanding. I love the way Mirjana Karanovic (Grbavica) gives depth to her character in the most natural way, just acting great.
Kusturica made a film which blended history and a glimmer of hope beautiful together. The music is really good as well, the typical emotional Balkan songs which live on tears.
In my opinion this movie is a little masterpiece, I enjoyed every minute of it!
In this film we see Muslim, Christian an Jewish people living peacefully together. How did it all change some years later……

Waiting in the dark / Kurai tokoro de machiawase (Japan, 2006)

Waiting in the dark by director Daisuke Tengan is one of those hidden pearls that has been lifted to the surface!

This movie, which is very slowly paced and with little talking in fact, shows what true beauty is about. A world that seems to be cruel, a world that doesn’t contain any light to see. In such a world we meet two young adults. A girl, who got blinded after an accident and a boy who is a half Chinese who can’t seem to make friends and is accused of murder.
Those two people, together with a friend of the girl, are the stars of the movie. Sometimes you are in awe with a film but it seems difficult to find that one thing that makes it so special. This is one of those films, the acting of Rena Tanaka and Bo-Lin Chen which is just terrific, the cinematography is stunning, the story which catches every emotion and the beautiful and intense music lift this movie to great heights!

A brilliant story about two young adults who believe there is no place for them in this world.

Wool 100% (Japan, 2006)

Wool 100% is a Japanese fantasy film by director Mai Tominaga. This is one of those weird experimental productions that could only be made in Japan.

A strange story about two sister who live together in a mansion collection garbage and at one day a girl appears knitting something, which has to be done over and over again. Well there will be some explanations but they are pretty well hidden! It's cool when a story is a bit weird but it has to keep your attention, and that was the problem with me... my mind flew everywhere during some scenes that just seemed a bit too long. It prizes atmosphere above all!

The animation scenes are just brilliantly made, I loved those.

The cinematrography is pretty good, the music could be a bit better in my eyes.

So it's an experimental story which is pretty well made but it couldn't convince me all the time.

West Beyrouth (Lebanon, 1998)

'West Beyrouth' is a film by Ziad Doueiri. It's a story that tells about the lives of two boys (in highschool) during the starting of the civil war in Beirut, Libanon, in 1975 when the city is divided between east and west, muslim and christian. The film doesn't focuss on this civil war, why the war started will never be explained so when you don't know anything about the complexity of civil wars in the Middle East you won't get to know more after watching this movie. But, you won't enjoy the movie less because it's a movie about growing up in a time of war. In fact I think you could call it a coming of age movie. At first the war seems exciting and it is brilliant that the school is closed but after a while the mood of the film changes, tragedy seems to take more over in their lives.

It's interesting to see how people just try to move on during those times. People who don't flee but try to stay at their places, try to manage to get some food.

Don't expect a war movie but a movie about two boys who just began to explore life, and now they have to do it in times of war.

The wind that shakes the barley (Ireland, 2006)

The wind that shakes the barley is a film about the war for freedom (in the twenties of the last century) in Ireland by Ken Loach stars Cillian Murphy. It won the Palm D'or at Cannes in 2006.

The story is about the anti-brit rebellion in Ireland and we see two brothers who join an underground movement to get rid of the British soldiers in their country. After there is some kind of a peace proposal the story is about the starting of the civil war between the people who are still want to be part of the UK and the people who want to be completely free. The two brothers chose both a different way, so they become enemies.

It's beautifully filmed, especially when you see people wandering over the hills. The director must have paid much attention to the light, and it results in beautiful scenes. The story is dark and tragic but this fits perfectly well with history. It's also an interesting story about the rise of the IRA.