The Year I Lost My Mind AKA Jahr des Tigers

The Year I Lost My Mind AKA Jahr des Tigers

Feel Bad Movies etc.

27 October 2017

Crime Drama?

DVD
D

At first I thought it was atmospheric and a bit creepy, but then it turned out to actually be creepy.  Tor Iben wrote and directed.

Woman in Gold

Woman in Gold

BBC Films etc.

9 February 2015

Historical Drama?

DVD
D+

I would've rather have watched a straightforward historical drama, without the "contemporary" hook.  Simon Curtis directed.

The White Ribbon AKA Das weiße Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte

The White Ribbon AKA Das weiße Band - Eine deutsche Kindergeschichte

Wega Film

17 September 2009

Historical Drama

DVD
C-

It felt like a slow-moving psychological horror without any actual horror in it.  Michael Haneke wrote and directed, nine years before Code Unknown AKA Code inconnu: Récit incomplet de divers voyages.

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

EuropaCorp etc.

21 July 21 2017

Sci-Fi

DVD
D+

Thankfully a bit cheesy, especially the dialog.  Luc Besson wrote and directed, three years after Lucy.

2046

2046

Jet Tone Productions etc.

20 May 2004

Sci-Fi, Romance

DVD
C-

Stylish but it didn't draw me in.  Kar-Wai Wong wrote and directed.

Transit

Transit

Schramm Film

5 April 2018

Historical Drama

DVD
D+

Mildly interesting, but I was distracted by how un-1940s it looked, especially the hair.  Director Christian Petzold adapted the novel by Anna Seghers

Toni Erdmann

Toni Erdmann

Komplizen Film

14 July 2016

Dramedy
DVD
D+

I didn't find it funny or touching.  Maren Ade wrote and directed.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

StudioCanal etc.

16 September 2011

Mystery

DVD
D

Rather dull, except for the cast list, although I tuned out before I recognized that many people.  This is based on the John le Carré novel and directed by Tomas Alfredson, six years before The Snowman.

Smilla's Sense of Snow

Smilla's Sense of Snow

Bavaria Film etc.

13 February 1997

Crime Drama

DVD
D+

Knocked down a notch or two for the unsympathetic protagonist, while the mystery itself is mildly intriguing.  This is based on the novel by Peter Hoeg and directed by Bille August, the year before his version of Les Mis.

Schultze Gets the Blues

Schultze Gets the Blues

Studio Unknown

23 October 2003

Dramedy

DVD
D+

Uneventful.  Michael Schorr wrote and directed.

Run Lola Run AKA Lola rennt

Run Lola Run AKA Lola rennt

X-Filme Creative Pool etc.

20 August 1998

Action

DVD
C-

I didn't care about the plot, but the cinematography and music were impressive.  Tom Tykwer wrote and directed.

Retablo

Retablo

DHF etc.

7 August 2017

Drama

DVD
C-

The craft was more interesting than what I saw of the story.  Alvaro Delgado Aparicio directed and co-wrote.

Never Look Away AKA Werk ohne Autor

Never Look Away AKA Werk ohne Autor

Disney!

3 October 2018

Historical Drama

DVD
C

A crazy aunt rebels against the Nazis and possibly scars her nephew for life, but the first quarter hour wasn't bad.  Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck wrote and directed, who did The Lives of Others AKA Das Leben der Anderen a dozen years later.

Mùa hè chieu thang dung AKA The Vertical Ray of the Sun

Mùa hè chieu thang dung AKA The Vertical Ray of the Sun

Studio Unknown

24 May 2000

Dramedy?

DVD
D+

Quietly creepy but nicely shot.  Anh Hung Tran wrote and directed.

Mia Madre

Mia Madre

Arte France Cinéma etc.

16 April 2015

Drama

DVD
C-

Somewhat depressing story of a middle-aged female movie director.  Nanni Moretti directed and co-wrote.

Mademoiselle Paradis AKA Licht

Mademoiselle Paradis AKA Licht

Studio unknown

9 November 2017

Historical Drama

DVD
D+

Depressing, although I was mildly intrigued by the social commentary about the late eighteenth century.  Director Barbara Albert adapted the novel by Alissa Walser.

M (1931)

M (1931)

Nero-Film 

11 May 1931

Crime Drama

DVD
C-

I found this flatter and more simplistic than I expected from a "classic," although the theme of unfounded accusations was interesting and no doubt had political significance in early '30s Germany.  Fritz Lang directed and, yes, it's a breakthrough role for Peter Lorre.

Loveless AKA Nelyubov

Loveless AKA Nelyubov

Arte France etc.

1 June 2017

Drama

DVD
D+

Divorce and misery, with some nice cinematography at times.  Andrey Zvyagintsev directed and co-wrote, a decade after The Banishment.

The Lives of Others AKA Das Leben der Anderen

The Lives of Others AKA Das Leben der Anderen

Creado Film etc.

23 March 2006

Historical Drama

DVD
C-

Internal spying in East Germany in '84.  Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck wrote and directed.

The Last Station

The Last Station

Warner Bros.

December 4, 2009

Historical Drama

DVD
C-

I found this uninvolving, and I say that as someone who's read Anna Karenina multiple times.  Director Michael Hoffman based the screenplay on Jay Parini's biographical novel of Tolstoy.