Directors - Ryan Fleck & Anna Boden
Fairly run-of-the-mill poker film that starts off well enough despite lifting it's opening first third from Robert Altman's superior California Split, then quickly pisses away any promise by the time the end credits role. A chance meeting between Curtis (Ryan Reynolds) and Gerry (Ben Mendelsohn) results in the two of them hitting the road for a high stakes poker game in New Orleans. The characters never really come to life and the direction is fairly flat. Reynolds doesn't stand a chance next to an on form Mendelsohn as the grubby low-life. Disappointing.
Director - Mario Bava
Gothic horror set in the then modern day about an evil type being bought back to life by an idiot ancestor. As painful as it is to see the once great Joseph Cotten slumming it as the titular Baron this is a film that has lots going for it. Light on gore but has oodles more imagination that the majority of schlock that passes for horror nowadays.
Director - Philip Haas
Underrated to the point of being forgotten adaptation of one of Paul Auster’s best novels. Jack (James Spader) is an aces poker player off to play a high stakes game against a couple of excentric millionaires. The only thing is he doesn’t have the stake money, enter Jim (Mandy Patinkin aka Saul from Homeland), who just happens to have a few grand floating around. Things don’t go as planned and that’s when it all gets a bit weird. Well worth hunting down, Spader is on top form and this even has a Auster cameo where he proves in a few seconds of screen time that he can’t act anywhere near as good as he writes.
Director - Krzysztof Kieslowski
When Witek’s father dies he quits medical school and we witness three versions of his life play out, one after the other. Kieslowski’s masterpiece about possible futures, fate and chance was suppressed by the Polish government and didn’t receive a cinematic release until 1987, and even then it was heavily edited. Extremely good, highly recommended especially for anyone who liked the concept of Sliding Doors but not the actual film.
Director - Robert Carlyle
Carlyle directs and stars in this black comedy about a Scottish hairdresser who finds himself the prime suspect in a serial killer case after accidentally killing his boss. Starts off well, but drags its feet and feels stodgy after the first fifteen minutes. On the plus side Emma Thompson and Tom Courtenay turn in superb sweary performances. File under missed opportunity. Shame.
Director - Ulrich Seidl
A total oh-my-God-watch-did-I-just-watch film. Various messed up Austrian’s lives overlap at various points like a kind of queasy Altman film. Not for everyone, but worth sticking with if you have a strong stomach. Black humour throughout, but whatever you do don’t watch it with your mum.
Director - The Dardenne Brothers
Marion Cotillard has the titular time to try and convince her co-workers not to take a bonus that will result in her being laid off from work. The Dardenne brothers have a knack of extracting amazing performances from their actors which they allow to drive their films. Their directorial style is unflashy but fully thought through with their use of long takes drawing the viewer into the story. Simply put this is one of the best drama films of recent years.
