Cosmopolis (2012)

Directed by: David Cronenberg
Country: Canada / others

Plot: A 28-year-old billionaire start to see his world falling apart.
Review: "Cosmopolis" is an odd and complex movie. It lingers in abstraction for a lot of time, until we finally unfold what is going on. The movie didn't gain my admiration but let me tell you that the idea was bold and certainly found its inspiration in the world's current economical situation. A bored and depressed wealthy man, keeps wandering through the streets of NY, inside of a futuristic limo, having weird encounters with several people. His concerns are economy, sex and health. In a city inflamed by severe protests against capitalism, future and technology, will this man be able to get rid of the pressure? False espionage or simply prophecy, its monotone and tricky dialogs didn't catch me. 
Relevant awards: -

Chico & Rita (2010)

Directed by: Fernando Trueba
Country: Spain

Plot: Chico is a young piano player with big dreams. Rita is a beautiful singer with an extraordinary voice.
Review: What a joy was to realize that Spanish director Fernando Trueba returned to the big movies. "Belle Epoque" marked my adolescence and I will always remember it with yearning. The cuban-jazz of "Chico & Rita, sought some inspiration in some life details of Cuban pianist Bebo Valdés. The story was very well cooked and the option for animation was accomplished with success, conveying all the richness and colors of jazz blended with the passion of romance. As a jazz fan, I was delighted with the appearances of Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Ben Webster and Chano Pozo, even in animated shapes. A fulgurant story!
Relevant awards: Best animated film (Gaudí, Goya and European Film Awards).

Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (2011)

Directed by: Tsui Hark
Country: China

Plot: Set three years after Dragon Inn, innkeeper Jade has disappeared and a new inn has risen from the ashes.
Review: Tsui Hark is a respected chinese director, who usually combines entertaining storytelling, fantastic imagery and frantic action mostly based on martial arts. His last movie, however doesn't show much consistency in the plot. The huge number of characters make the viewer's job harder and only increase the mess of the story. I am convinced that Hark's only concern was to provide us with frantic action and computer manipulated imagery. Completely dispensable, "Flying Swords of Dragon Gate" is a step back when compared with 2010's "Detective Dee".
Relevant awards: -

Teddy Bear (2012)

Directed by: Mads Matthiesen
Country: Denmark

Plot: Dennis would really like to find true love. He has never had a girlfriend and lives alone with his mother in a suburb of Copenhagen.
Review: Dennis is a middle-aged bodybuilder, who lives with a possessive and dependent mother. His attempts to build solid relationships with women, are hampered by psychological problems related with sex. This frustration will lead him to plan a trip to Thailand, where according to his uncle, is easier to establish contact with a woman. The character of Dennis was very well projected and compellingly performed by Kim Kold. The fact that we can't guess what's coming next is the plot's biggest virtue. This is a simple but serious movie about maturity, willpower and the difficulty to break some dearest yet unhealthy family ties.
Relevant awards: Direction (Sundance).

Arbitrage (2012)

Diected by: Nicholas Jarecki
Country: USA

Plot: A troubled magnate is getting desperate to complete the sale of his trading empire.
Review: “Arbitrage” aims at New York wealthy class and belongs to those typical thrillers that do their job efficiently. The role of a man at the edge of collapse was well suited for Richard Gere, who was able to convey all his worries and tension to the viewer. We can almost sense his unease, when he was faced with bankruptcy, fraud, the death of his lover and family conflicts, all at once. This was the second feature film from the new director Nicholas Jarecki, who also wrote the screenplay and curiously was the author of 2002 best selling book entitled “Breaking in: How 20 Film Directors Got Their Start”.
Relevant awards: -

Red Hook Summer (2012)

Directed by: Spike Lee
Country: USA

Plot: A middle-class boy from Atlanta finds his worldview changed as he spends the summer in Red Hook with his deeply religious grandfather.
Review: Spike Lee turns his eyes to Red Hook, Brooklyn, to tell a story about a summer vacation with plenty of religion and social issues in the middle. Spike tries to claim our attention for some reproachable actions of the Church. However, the way he did wasn’t so appealing. I expected more from such delicate theme, and the movie only heats up after 80 minutes, where the quietness gives place to chaotic scenes and surprising revelations. Despite the courage in saying what needs to be said, there’s not much fervor in Spike’s preaching. 
Relevant awards: -

You Are The Apple Of My Eye (2011)

Directed by: Giddens Ko
Country: Taiwan

Plot: Ko-Teng has several close friends who had a crush on Shen Chia-Yi.
Review: This Taiwanese movie about coming-of-age is making a lot of success on its own country, as well as Hong Kong and Singapore, but actually didn’t work for me. Based on the semi-autobiographical novel from director Giddens Ko, this comedy/romance begins in 1994 and ends ten years later. One or two good jokes or funny situations, couldn't hide several issues. The direction didn't catch me, while the soundtrack was terribly cheesy. With respect to the story itself, I found it flabby with a lot of insipid characters. Moreover, the symbols constantly popping up on the screen, trying to look like a video game, were annoying and vulgar. Not recommendable.
Relevant awards: Best film (Hong Kong)

Wish You Were Here (2012)

Directed by: Kieran Darcy-Smith
Country: Australia

Plot: Four friends lose themselves in a carefree South-East Asian holiday.
Review: “Wish You Were here” is the directorial debut from Kieran Darcy-Smith, after some minor performances as an actor in two of the most successful Australian movies of the last years, such as: “Animal Kingdom” or “The Square”. The story guidelines basically deal with lie and guilt in very different ways. Structured with constant flashbacks, the movie was capable of sharpen my curiosity for a while but in the end, I had that strange sensation of wanting something more. It’s not a bad movie at all, just was not so emotional or intense as insinuated.
Relevant awards: -

Sing Your Song (2011)

Directed by: Susanne Rostock
Country: USA

Plot: Most people know the lasting legacy of Harry Belafonte, the entertainer.
Review: A movie that covers Harry Belafonte’s life since his birth in 1927, NY, until the current days. Narrated by Harry himself, we are elucidated about how he made his success in the show business, some details of his private life, but mainly about his political activism in US and throughout the world, playing an important role against race discrimination, war and poverty. Archive footage were intercalated with the narration of the story and several people were interviewed. I can’t say I am a fan of Harry’s music, but I surely identify myself with all he has been fighting for, throughout all these years.
Relevant awards: -

Prometheus (2012)

Directed by: Ridley Scott
Country: USA

Plot: A team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe.
Review: “Prometheus” is another space odyssey by the hand of Ridley Scott. The similarities with “Alien” are obvious but not surprising, since Scott also directed that huge landmark of sci-fi cinema. The creators of mankind are the novelty, added to the usual humans, robots and aliens. The plot can’t hide some narrative issues and unexplained happenings, but on the other hand, the special effects are awesome and the moments of chaos are nicely crafted. Taking the end into account, it’s pretty obvious that a sequel is on its way, which I hope it will be as ravishing as this one.
Relevant awards: -

Warriors Of The Rainbow (2012)

Directed by: Wei Te-Sheng
Country: Taiwan

Plot: An indigenous clan-based people living in harmony with nature find their way of life threatened.
Review: More than 4 hours of cinema in Wei Te Sheng’s epic, concerning the Japanese occupation of Taiwan and the relentless opposition from the indigenous Seediq tribe. I believe that the duration could have been reduced as well as the number of chopped heads, but the movie gained my respect and consideration for all it conveys. I was touched by the bravery, courage, honor and creeds of this people. As true warriors, they chose to fight instead of being overwhelmed by the Japanese and lead a life of poverty and sadness. Lastly, I just wanted to mention the heavenly tribal chants, which left me in ecstasy. A fierce accomplishment.
Relevant awards: Best film (Golden Horse, Taiwan).

Nameless Gangster (2012)

Directed by: Yun Jong-Bin
Country: South Korea

Plot: On the verge of being fired, a corrupt customs official finds a haul of drugs and teams up with a vicious gangster to become the most powerful crime partnership in Busan.
Review: “Nameless Gangster” is an exciting movie. The story is all about power and follows a gangster whose bigger yearn is to become number one in the business. Choi Min-Sik ("Oldboy", "Lady Vengeance", "I Saw the Devil") was perfectly chosen for the main role, proving that he’s one of the most beloved and valuable Korean actors of the moment. Tension, action and humor are combined in the right proportions. Moreover, it’s all there: bribes, treason, violence, greed, lust, power and family…After all, this is a gangster’s movie!
Relevant awards: -

A Quiet Life (2010)

Directed by: Claudio Cupellini
Country: Italy

Plot: A man escapes to Germany and starts a new life, thinking he will finally enjoy a quiet life. All changes when his son arrives in town on a mission.
Review: In “A quiet life”, we can see Italian Mafia operating in Germany. This foreign “job” is seen by Diego as an opportunity to visit his father, Rosario, who fled from the Mafia fifteen years before, in order to start a new life. Everything goes badly when Rosario’s true identity is discovered, which forces him to take risky and radical decisions. The movie is stated in tepid tones and was never able to scoop any magical formula to surprise us. Although, far from the latest Italian movies about the same subject, such as "Gomorrah" or "Il Divo", it will still be able to provide minimum entertainment.
Relevant awards: -

Avé (2011)

Directed by: Konstantin Bojanov
Country: Bulgaria

Plot: Kamen is hitchhiking by the side of the road when he meets Avé.
Review: The idea for this movie was interesting but the outcome was not so unique or enthusiastic. It’s a road-movie, where a couple of lone teen-agers find their lives changing after met each other through hitchhiking. The young actors had confident performances, but somehow I started to lose some focus in the middle of the movie. Maybe due to its pace or the frequent little games and lies played by its characters, but something made me step back a little. Reinforcing my point of view: a plot with dashing ideas, yet without a glamorous execution. Watchable, though. 
Relevant awards: Best film (Fantasporto); best director (Sofia); FIPRESCI prize (Warsaw).

Bill Cunningham New York (2010)

Directed by: Richard Press
Country: USA

Plot: A cinematic profile of the noted veteran New York City fashion photographer.
Review: It was satisfying to know more about the life of Bill Cunningham, famous and elusive fashion photographer of New York Times who has dedicated all his life to his career. Light and honest, this short documentary kept me curious throughout its 84 minutes. The movie shows not only the energy and obsessive dedication of this man, but also his sadness and loneliness. After watching this, we keep wondering which of these factors has had more weight in his life. A likeable biography.
Relevant awards: -

Nothing's All Bad (2010)

Directed by: Mikkel Munch-Fals
Country: Denmark

Plot: Four people struggle with their sexual needs and their desire to be loved.
Review: First feature film from Mikkel Munch-Fals, wasn't so satisfying as expected. Adopting the typical despair and grief from Scandinavian dramas, focuses on different characters who are trying to cope with loneliness, sexual misfit and extreme psychological pain. The fear of not being accepted as they really are, associated with the idea that there’s always someone for you (no matter what problem you might have), is played here as a major key, but the movie happens to be too dense and cold to be fully enjoyed. Not a cheerful choice.
Relevant awards: New voices/visions grand jury prize (Palm Springs).

The Other Bank (2009)

Directed by: George Ovashvili
Country: Georgia

Plot: A young Georgian refugee leaves the safe zone to look for his father.
Review: “The Other Bank” is irreproachable as an artsy achievement. The story tells a lot about the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict, relying on mindful compositions to express thoroughly the spirit and people involved. Tedo, a 12 year-old Georgian kid, decides to leave alone for his hometown to look for his missing dad. The trip will be full of good and bad surprises. Whenever things go wrong, Tedo has a technique to make it better. He just closes his eyes tight to imagine a completely different reality than the one he’s actually living. This was the first and only feature film, so far, directed by George Ovashvili. Gripping, memorable and deeply moving.
Relevant awards: Best film (Fribourg, Molodist, Mons, Paris, Tromso, Yerenvan, etc.).

Grabbers (2012)

Directed by: Jon Wright
Country: UK

Plot: When an island off the coast of Ireland is invaded by bloodsucking aliens, the heroes discover that getting drunk is the only way to survive.
Review: “Grabbers” is clumsily funny, but not original. We already have seen this plot somewhere with the humor and horror working side by side. The new thing here was the solution to defeat the aliens, a kind of powerful octopus with big mouth and tentacles. The famous British humor, much sharper and efficient than the horror scenes, incites “Grabbers” to become a good choice for those who search for a pleasant time. Just don’t show it to your kids!
Relevant awards: -

Compliance (2012)

Directed by: Craig Zobel
Country: USA

Plot: When a prank caller convinces a fast food restaurant manager to interrogate an innocent young employee, no-one is left unharmed.
Review: Even if this movie has been inspired by true events, its story is absurdly foolish. Who would believe in a police officer who demands by phone for completely nonsensical procedures to be done by civilians, in a presumed robbery occurred in a fast-food store? Obviously, something was wrong with this since the beginning and I just couldn’t cope with such a mindless story. The movie’s credibility got shaken with the ridiculous and sometimes hilarious situations.  “Compliance” may be many things but a catchy movie. It is rather infuriating.
Relevant awards: -

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Country: USA

Plot: Eight years on, a new terrorist leader, Bane, overwhelms Gotham's finest, and the Dark Knight resurfaces to protect a city that has branded him an enemy.
Review: Christopher Nolan already proved to be a master in action/thriller. Seven years after “Batman Begins” and four after “The Dark Knight”, comes the final sequel of Batman’s adventures. “The Dark Knight Rises” is the weakest part of the trilogy, revealing an excess of confidence as well as some lack of imagination on a few action scenes. Nonetheless, is always exciting follow the stunts of a hero so many times depicted in the world of cinema. Although visually impressive, it didn’t show the brain or the accuracy of his predecessors. 
Relevant awards: -