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La Zona is Rodrigo Plá’s feature debut based on a novel written by his wife, Laura Santullo.
It was shown during the Seminci film festival although unfortunately, it was out of competition. Had it been competing in the Official section, I am sure it would have been really successful, as Rodrigo’s done an amazing job. Nevertheless, it won this year’s International Critics’ Award at Toronto Film Festival and Best Feature Debut Award at Venice Film Festival.

The film is a breathtaking thriller that will keep you engrossed from beginning to end. La Zona is the name of a well-off residential area in Mexico DF that is cut off from its adjoining slums by a wall. …

Bikur Ha-Tizmoret (The Band’s Visit) by Eran Kolirin

Winner of the Best Script Award and Best New Director Award in 2007.

The Band’s Visit is a very simple but sweet story about an Egyptian Police band that travels to Israel in order to play at the inaugural ceremony of an Arab culture centre, but for some reason they are left stranded at the airport.
The director of the band is too proud to ask for help from the Embassy and he decides they should find the place on their own. And that is how they arrive at a small Israeli town where they interact with some of the locals.

The strength about The Band’s Visit is that, unlike other films, even if you read about the plot or watch the trailer, it won’t spoil it for you, since the charm of the film is not …

Seminci is an International Film Festival held in the Spanish city of Valladolid. It was its 52nd edition this year, and once again I tried to watch as many films as possible.
There is so much going on during these ten days, that it is impossible to attend everything, even though there are several screenings for the films. The fact that the six cinemas showing the films are quite close to each other helps a lot. The main cinema hall is a theatre (Teatro Calderon) and that is where the opening and closing ceremonies take place, as well as some press conferences. However, I find it quite uncomfortable and it is more expensive, so I prefer the newer and more comfortable Cine Roxy. These two main cinemas are where most of the competition films are shown. The rest of the halls are for the …

I am always sceptical about films with children. They have to be really convincing to please me. Otherwise I just can’t stand them. I have this idea that children are usually made to act as if they were really silly (just because they are children?) or as if they had to be more mature than they are supposed to be, when all they have to do is exactly that: being children.

The good thing about film festivals is that you end up watching so many films that it comes a moment when you don’t have a clue which film you are going to watch next and what made you select it when you made your schedule. Of course, this can turn out to be the bad thing too, when you wonder what on earth made you select that film.
I had selected Kannathil Muthamittal being a Mani Ratnam film as …

Silverstein: I can’t believe it! I’ve just figured out the thing about the egg and the chicken. How didn’t I see it before?!
Díaz: So which one was first?
Silverstein: The egg!
Díaz: And where does the egg come from?
Silverstein: I don’t know, but it’s an egg! From anywhere, from under a rock… from the sea… from another egg… It doesn’t really matter! You can have an egg appearing just like that, but not a fully grown chicken from nowhere! Who could even think about something like that happening? Don’t you get it?
Díaz: It’s possible.
Silverstein: Possible??? It’s obvious, Díaz!

***

I have lost count of the times I have seen Tiempo de valientes since it released. It is the kind of movie I can watch again and again and never get tired of, despite knowing …

When I was watching Bluffmaster the other day (yes, I am always behind regarding Indian cinema, but what to do?) the lift scene suddenly reminded me of one of my favourite Argentinian films Nine Queens (Nueve Reinas). They are both con movies and probably that is the only thing they have in common (apart from the mentioned scene and an unexpected end). I liked the idea of writing about Nueve Reinas because of Bluffmaster despite the fact that it is not a very recent film. So here we go.

Nine Queens is an engrossing thriller with a few touches of humour that will have you stuck to your seat like glue. A must-watch movie, I dare say. The plot is flawless, regardless its complexity. I have seen it at least four times and I am not sure I could tell which time I enjoyed the most- the first time, …

I don’t get it. I just don’t get it. Would someone kindly explain it to me, please? Why is it that whenever I get an Indian DVD with a bonus disc including additional features, there are NEVER (and I mean NEVER) subtitles of any kind?

Come on, one would expect that if the film has - at least English - subtitles, then all the additional material would also have that option. Doesn’t that make sense?! Or have I gone completely capricious? Why do I have to miss half the making ofs, interviews with choreographers, composers, singers, director, etc. when I have been able to follow the whole film? Does that sound fair? It just annoys me so much! And I complain!!! ~X(

Isn’t there anything that can be done about it?! :((

PS: Written after trying to understand bonus disc from Omkara. Sorry, I needed to get it off my chest. Thanks, PFC.

Along with Indian movies, Argentinian ones are my favourite at the moment. Completely different from each other, I know, but maybe that is what makes it more attractive and balanced, watching such different kind of cinema.

What I like about Argentinian films is their simplicity, the natural way in which the actors perform and the mixture of moving and emotive scenes with funny ones. Everything seems just like real life - there’s no happiness without pain and vice versa. Great sense of humour, Argentinians have. Another thing I admire them for is their ability to make a great piece of work on a small budget.

Derecho de familia (Family Law) is one of those simple stories that will touch your heart and at the same time will make you laugh. Awarded several prizes during last edition of Mar del Plata Film Festival, Derecho de …