J’ai tué ma mere (english) I Killed My Mother 2009 R Canada/France Directed by: Xavier Dolan Screenwriter by Xavier Dolan Cast: Xavier Dolan and Anne Dorval.
Plot: Teenager Hubert haughtily regards his mother with contempt, and only sees her tacky sweaters and kitsch decorations. In addition to these irritating surface details, there is also his parent’s cherished mechanism of manipulation and guilt. Confused by this love/hate relationship that obsesses him more and more each day, Hubert drifts through the mysteries of adolescence – artistic discoveries, illicit experiences, the opening-up to friendship, and ostracism. The turbulent relationship between mother and son unfolds with a compelling combination of savage fury and melting affection.
Running time: 96 minutes
Direction: ****
Script, overall story: ***
Cast performance: ****
Music: ***
Cinematography: ****
Overall Production: ***
Final chouski rating: Yakuza
Nowhere Boy 2009 R UK Directed by: Sam Taylor Wood Screenwriter by Julia Baird and Matt Greenhalgh Cast: Aaron Johnson and Kristin Scott Thomas.
Plot: A chronicle of John Lennon’s childhood.
Running time: 98 minutesDirection: ****
Script, overall story: ****
Cast performance: ****
Music: ****
Cinematography: ****
Overall Production: ****
Final Super RIC rating: Yakuza
I’m Here 2010 NR USA Directed by: Spike Jonze Screenwriter by Spike Jonze Cast: Andrew Garfield and Sienna Guillory.A library assistant plods through an ordinary life in LA until a chance meeting opens his eyes to the power of creativity and ultimately, love. When this new life and love begin to fall apart, he discovers he has a lot to give.
Running time: 29 minutes
Direction: ****
Script, overall story: ***
Cast performance: ****
Music: ****
Cinematography: ****
Overall Production: ****
Final chouski rating: Yakuza
Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai de Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles 1976 R USA Directed by: Chantel Akerman Screenwriter by Chantel Akerman Cast: Delphine Seyrig and Jan Decorte.
Jeanne Dielman, a lonely young widow, lives with her son Sylvain following an immutable order: while the boy is in school, she cares for their apartment, does chores, and receives clients in the afternoon.
Running time: 201 minutes
Direction: ****
Script, overall story: ****
Cast performance: ****
Music: None
Cinematography: ***
Overall Production: ****
Final chouski rating: Yakuza
Branded to Kill 1967 NR Japan Directed by: Seijun Suzjki Screenwriter by Hachiro Guryu Cast: Joe Shishido and Koji Nanbara.
The story follows Goro Hanada in his life as a contract killer. He falls in love with a woman named Misako, who recruits him for a seemingly impossible mission. When the mission fails, he becomes hunted by the phantom Number One Killer, whose methods threaten his sanity as much as his life.
Running time: 98 minutes
Direction: ****
Script, overall story: ****
Cast performance: ***
Music: ***
Cinematography: ****
Overall Production: ***
Final chouski rating: Yakuza
The Extra Man 2010 USA directed by: Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini. Screenwriter by: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini and Jonathan Ames Cast: Kevin Kline, Paul Dano, John C Reilly and Katie Holmes.
A man who escorts wealthy widows in New York’s Upper East Side takes a young aspiring playwright under his wing.
Running time: 108 minutes
Direction: ***
Script, overall story: ***
Cast performance: ****
Music: ***
Cinematography: ***
Overall Production: ****
Final chouski rating: Yakuza
Broken Embraces 2009 NR Spain directed by: Padro Almondvar. Screenwriter by Padro Almondvar Cast: Penelope Cruz and Blanca Portillo.
Harry Caine, a blind writer, reaches this moment in time when he has to heal his wounds from 14 years back. He was then still known by his real name, Mateo Blanco, and directing his last movie.
Running time: 129 minutes
Direction: ****
Script, overall story: ****
Cast performance: ****
Music: ***
Cinematography: ****
Overall Production: ****
Final chouski rating:Yakuza
Fantastic Mr. Fox 2009 PG USA directed by: Wes Anderson. Screenwriter by Roald Dahl and Wes Anderson Voice Cast: George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray.
Angry farmers, tired of sharing their chickens with a sly fox, look to get rid of their opponent and his family.
Running time: 87 minutes
Direction: ****
Script, overall story: ****
Cast performance: None
Music: ****
Cinematography: ****
Overall Production: ***
Final chouski rating: Yakuza
Cape Fear 1991 R USA directed by: Martin Scorsese. Screenwriter by John D MacDonald, James R. Webb and Wesley Strick Cast: Robert De Niro, Nick Nolte, Jessica Lange and Juliette Lewis.
Max Cady is a psychopath just released from prison for rape. He is out seeking revenge from his lawyer Sam Bowden who he believes deliberately held back important information about his case during the trial, which could have kept him out of jail. He sets off to terrorise Bowden, his wife and even goes after their 15 year old daughter.
Running time: 128 minutes
Direction: ****
Script, overall story: ****
Cast performance: ****
Music: ****
Cinematography: ****
Overall Production: ****
Final chouski rating: Yakuza
Fish Tank 2009 NR UK directed by: Andrea Arnold. Screenwriter by Andrea Arnold Cast: Katie Jarvis, Michael Fassbender and Kierston Wareing.
Everything changes for 15yr old Mia when her mum brings home a new boyfriend.
Running time: 124 minutes
Direction: ****
Script, overall story: ****
Cast performance: ****
Music: None
Cinematography: ****
Overall Production: ***
Final chouski rating: Yakuza
Fri os fra det onde aka Deliver Us from Evil 2009 NR Denmark/Sweden/Norway directed by: Ole Bornedal. Screenwriter by Ole Bornedal Cast: Lasse Rimmer, Lene Nystrom and Jens Andersen
A father returns to his old hometown with his young family. Events force him to face the small town’s xenophobia.
Running time: 93 minutes
Direction: ****
Script, overall story: ****
Cast performance: ****
Music: ***
Cinematography: ****
Overall Production: ***
Final chouski rating: Yakuza
Life During Wartime 2009 R USA directed by: Todd Solondz. Screenwriter by Todd Solondz Cast: Shirley Henderson Ciaran Hinds, Allison Jeanney and Charlotte Rampling.
Todd Solondz new film about friends, family, and lovers struggle to find love, forgiveness, and meaning in a war-torn world riddled with comedy and pathos.
Running time: 96 minutes
Direction: ****
Script, overall story: ****
Cast performance: ****
Music: ***
Cinematography: ***
Overall Production: **
Final chouski rating: Yakuza
Tony Manero 2008 Chile Brazil directed by: Pablo Larrain. Screenwriter by:Alferdo Castro, Mateo Lribarren and Pablo Larrain Cast: Alfredo Castro and Paola Lattus.
A serial killer is obsessed with the John Travolta’s disco dancing character from “Saturday Night Fever”.
Running time: 98 minutes
Direction: ***
Script, overall story: ****
Cast performance: ****
Music: ***
Cinematography: ***
Overall Production: ***
Final chouski rating: Yakuza
East of Eden 1955 USA directed by: Elia Kazan. Screenwriter by: Paul Osborn and John Steinbeck Cast: James Dean, Raymond Massey and Julie Harris.
In the Salinas Valley, in and around World War I, Cal Trask feels he must compete against overwhelming odds with his brother Aron for the love of their father Adam. Cal is frustrated at every turn, from his reaction to the war, to how to get ahead in business and in life, to how to relate to estranged mother.
Running time: 115 minutes
Direction: ****
Script, overall story: ***
Cast performance: ****
Music: ***
Cinematography: ***
Overall Production: ****
Final chouski rating: Yakuza
Seppuku aka Harakiri 1962, Japan, Directed by: Masaki Kobayashi. Screenwriter by: Shimobu Hashimoto. Cast: Tatsuya Nakadai and Rentaro Mikuni
It tells of a ronin, Hanshiro Tsugumo, who instead of committing seppuku (better known in the West by the colloquial term harakiri) after his lord was deposed, was ordered to stay alive in order to care for his daughter and grandson as well as his son-in-law, the son of another samurai who had committed the ritual suicide.
Running time: 135 minutes
Direction: ****
Script, overall story: ****
Cast performance: ****
Music: ***
Cinematography: ****
Overall Production: ****
Final chouski rating: Yakuza
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