Film in Cards
All the Gods in the Sky/ ( Tous les dieux du ciel )/ 2018 / French
Dir: Quarxx
Why FiC recommends?
1) Visually the film is one of the most stunning in recent memory, we are seized from these first moments by its aesthetic which evokes the scenes close to that of David Lynch films, the cinematography of Antoine Carpentier is simply sublime.
2) If you like horror films to be clear and unambiguous, you won’t have much fun here, as ” All the Gods in the Sky ” reveals a different result to almost every viewer. This French gem fits many genres into one film, and it pays off in the end.
Freak Orlando/ 1981 / German
FiC Rating: 3.5/5
Dir: Ulrike Ottinger
Why FiC recommends?
1) How to describe this film? It is loosely based on Virginia Woolf’s book ‘Orlando: A Biography’. It’s sort of like Tod Browning’s “Freaks” meets Alejandro Jodowrosky meets the Werner Schroeter meets a Aleksei Balabanov film.
2) A beautiful film that breathes and exudes Audiovisual and is the face of rebel and underrated transgressor cinema of the 80s. It’s impossible to place Freak Orlando into a particular genre.
The Burning Buddha Man / (Moeru butsuzô ningen) / 2013 / Japanese
FiC Rating: 4.5/5
Dir: Ujicha
Why FiC recommends?
1) Cut-out puppet style with combination of gekianimation telling a Buddhist Wizard of Oz story with Cronenberg-style body horror and overtly inspired by the works of Man Gataro and HR Giger-esque characters.
2) Without a doubt, Ujicha signs an artistic work as rich as it is. A unique delirium staged both marvellous and nightmarish. As a viewer you only think: WTF.. It’s MORBIDLY BEAUTIFUL!!
Wandering Shadows / (La sombra del caminante) / 2004 / Spanish
FiC Rating: 3.5/5
Dir: Ciro Guerra
Why FiC recommends?
1) The first film directed by Ciro Guerra, who shot the highly acclaimed “Embrace of the Serpent”. If you want a movie that you can sit down and thoroughly engage yourself in, then I’d recommend this. The actors were great, the whole play style to it fitted, and it’s well written.
2) There are no scenery changes, dress changes or special effects which allows the viewer to truly focus on the characters as they travel towards a bittersweet ending. The biggest element that makes up this movie is the black and white tone which contributed to the atmosphere since it’s a low budget film.
Traveling on One Leg/ ( Reisende auf einem Bein) / Romanian
FiC Rating: 3.5/5
Dir: Alexandru Petru Badelita
Why FiC recommends?
1) I’m impressed with the director’s ability to create a coherent and moving narrative in such a short runtime with lot of surprises including the surreal animation. He juxtaposes scenes with very quick chronological transitions to jarring animation effect and it is supported with an amazing score.
2) The aesthetic is absolutely unparalleled, as director Alexandru Petru Badelita allows the visual design to both originate from and convey thematic points, a truly extraordinary example of form and content blending into one another. As an example, the film is shot in postcard 4:3 ratio, which has the effect of confining the characters within the frame and give a unique feel.
Somersault in a Coffin /( Tabutta Rövasata) /1996/ Turkish
FiC Rating: 5/5
Dir: Dervis Zaim
Why FiC recommends?
1) There are simply not enough words to describe the quality of this project made with modest budget, which reaches the very top of world art cinematography and which is a film reading for every person who takes film art, in the true sense of the word, seriously.
2) Dervis Zaim is a director who creates the physical into the metaphysical. In this film, he explores the theme of life, friendship, love, innocence and deals with social realism, as the perseverance of simple people notably our Mahsun (Ahmet Ugurlu) a drifter and petty criminal through all life’s misfortunes, as his motives that lead him to tomorrow. A Must watch for all cinephiles.
Birth Certificate /(Świadectwo urodzenia)/1961/Polish
FiC Rating: 4.5/5
Dir: Stanislaw Rózewicz
Why FiC recommends?
1) Stanislaw Rozewicz takes on the Nazi occupation as seen through the eyes of children in three short stories based on the prose of Tadeusz Rozewicz.
2) A beautiful and sad story in times of war that transcends time and space. It is one the very few films prove that without showing gruesome images convincingly portray the misery of the war through the eyes of children.
All the Vermeers in New York/1990/English
FiC Rating 5/5
Dir: Jon Jost
Why FiC recommends?
1) One of the greatest indie films ever, it combines Jon Jost’s signature tart wit, deadpan expressions on his characters and staccato style of dialogue with a touching romance story which can be seen in Hal Hartley films.
2) The simple story was well played out with a lot of depth, making it look quite natural and life-like. It was also interesting to get a peep at the backstage of the world of art and stock exchange in the 80s. I certainly recommend this well made and complete film.
Bring Me the Head of Tim Horton/2015/English
FiC Rating: 3.5/5
Dir: Guy Maddin, Galen Johnson, Evan Johnson
Why FiC recommends?
1) Filmed during the shooting of Paul Gross’s Hyena Road (2015), Bring Me the Head of Tim Horton is an amalgamation of behind-the-scenes footage shot. Halfway between experimental art and documentary film, it can be seen as a scathing sarcasm of the making/mocking of big budget war films.
2) The short film is almost surreal, feels like a psychedelic video game epic and in black and white in few parts. But it is not just the experimental film, because Maddin intends to overcome the state of torpor provoked to draw his film towards the Hollywood metaphor in a funny way.
Spirits of the Air, Gremlins of the Clouds/1987/English
FiC Rating: 3.5/5
Dir: Alex Proyas
Why FiC recommends?
1) Set against the beautiful Australian landscapes in the outback, “Spirits of the Air, Gremlins of the Clouds” is certainly not a film that is fun science-fiction in the classic sense, which is not really surprising given the arthouse tone.
2) Nevertheless, thanks to the great pictures and acoustics as well as the wonderful acting, this unconventional film is definitely worth seeing for the fans of Richard Lester, Konstantin Lopushanskiy and Piotr Szulkin. Unbelievably well photographed!
Vigilante/1982/English
FiC Rating: 3.5/5
Dir: William Lustig
Why FiC recommends?
1) Vigilante tells the grim and hard-boiled revenge story of Eddie Marino (Robert Froster) and Nick (Fred Williamson), a series of events brings these two together in a crime-riddled street of New York to eradicate the vermin from the city. William Lustig must be appreciated for meticulously planning the scenes to best utilize his limited funds supported by amazing cinematography James Lemmo.
2) I thought only if this had Charles Bronson, it would probably be the best Death Wish sequel.
Travelling with Tove / (Matkalla Toven kanssa) /1993/ Finnish
FiC Rating: 3.5/5
Dir: Kanerva Cederström
Why FiC recommends?
1) I have to say that Tove Jansson’s enthusiasm, sketches and her presence made this an absolute joy to watch. I would highly recommend it to the Moomins fans around the globe.
2) The clips are based on the artists’ own railings, drawings, and Tove Jansson also reads excerpts from her short story “Journey with Konica” from the collection “Fair Play”.
Natvris khe/ (The Wishing Tree) / 1976/ Georgian
FiC Rating: 4/5
Dir: Tengiz Abuladze
Why FiC recommends?
1) The Wishing Tree is a good movie, sort of a poetic parable with no plot but takes a big dark shift at the end. Showing a realistic display of Georgia before the revolution like a solemn and reflective piece of poetry.
2) The first image of a dying horse in a poppy field sets the tone and becomes a potent metaphor for the film in miniature. The ending is just sorrowful, and the course of events are drawing the attention of viewers easily and it is not easy to forget the scenes from the movie after watching it.
Repentance (Monanieba) /1984/ Georgian
FiC Rating: 4.5/5
Dir: Tengiz Abuladze
Why FiC recommends?
1) A bold film, a critique of Stalinism in Soviet history appreciating cultural values and my favourite film by T. Abuladze. Must been seen by all cinema lovers.
2) A witty, offbeat, surreal, and dark satire from Georgian director Tengiz Abuladze which is the final in his Trilogy.
Schalcken the Painter/1979/English
FiC Rating: 4/5
Dir: Leslie Megahey
Why FiC recommends?
1) Nearly every scene in Leslie Megahey’s ‘Schalcken the Painter’ can be frozen in time, mounted on canvas, and hung on a wall for display. That’s the feeling it evokes, from the cinematography to the story with eerie soundtrack.
2) I highly recommend it to folk/gothic horror fans and i feel this deserves to be seen by many. Overall, this movie is a hypnotic mood piece, a feast for the eyes with great soundtrack. Highly recommended.
