Tropa de Elite
A pretty hard-hitting look at a special police unit that operates in the slums of Rio de Janeiro. Fantastic cinematography, probably the best I’ve seen in quite some time. Very honest film.
Interesting history regarding this film. Precisely one DVD was stolen (pirated) two months prior to the completion of the post-production process, which was then subsequently copied and seen by more than 11 million people around the world, mostly in Brazil. This is an instance of piracy that has actually helped the film’s buzz before it’s public debut.
The film has been surrounded by much controversy and the director was arrested at one point and death threats made against him. Similar in style to TV’s “The Shield.” There were 1,200 killings by the Rio police force last year (which has a population of 10 million). This is in contrast to a figure of 200 people in the whole of the U.S. that were killed last year by police (population of 300 million) officers.
Grandmother’s Flower
A Korean documentary about a family secret that an aging grandmother would like to have out in the open before she dies.
Invisible City
An unfocused documentary on historical Malaysia.
Brides of Allah
This documentary seems to have established some buzz here. I believe it’s mostly for the topic rather the execution of the piece itself. This focuses on a prison in Israel (Sharon), which houses female Palestinians that have been arrested for planning suicide bombing missions. Most of these women have children of their own, yet they made preparations to murder themselves and others in the name of God. This is a favorite of my compatriots on the doc jury but I found it to be suffering from a clichéd approach and a bit claustrophobic.
Kirschbluten
A German entry about family, death, and the meaning of life. Not a perfect film but my favorite official entry thus far. A man’s wife dies before her desire to visit Mt. Fuji can be fulfilled. Heartbroken, the husband (who hates to do anything contrary to his established daily routine) makes the journey in her honor. The couple’s grown children aren’t much comfort. And there's a nice subplot with a kindred spirit in a Japanese homeless girl who recently lost her mother. There are many nuances to this multi-layered film and it’s one of the few so far that I can highly recommend.
Man Jeuk
A Hong Kong story about the art of pick pocketing, which is centered on a love triangle of sorts. Light, whimsical, and fun in nature. I fell asleep.
Grandmother’s Flower
A Korean documentary about a family secret that an aging grandmother would like to have out in the open before she dies.
Invisible City
An unfocused documentary on historical Malaysia.
Brides of Allah
This documentary seems to have established some buzz here. I believe it’s mostly for the topic rather the execution of the piece itself. This focuses on a prison in Israel (Sharon), which houses female Palestinians that have been arrested for planning suicide bombing missions. Most of these women have children of their own, yet they made preparations to murder themselves and others in the name of God. This is a favorite of my compatriots on the doc jury but I found it to be suffering from a clichéd approach and a bit claustrophobic.
Kirschbluten
A German entry about family, death, and the meaning of life. Not a perfect film but my favorite official entry thus far. A man’s wife dies before her desire to visit Mt. Fuji can be fulfilled. Heartbroken, the husband (who hates to do anything contrary to his established daily routine) makes the journey in her honor. The couple’s grown children aren’t much comfort. And there's a nice subplot with a kindred spirit in a Japanese homeless girl who recently lost her mother. There are many nuances to this multi-layered film and it’s one of the few so far that I can highly recommend.
Man Jeuk
A Hong Kong story about the art of pick pocketing, which is centered on a love triangle of sorts. Light, whimsical, and fun in nature. I fell asleep.
