David Parkinson

Bette Davis is captivating in this epic study of Southern chivalry.

This is intelligent, admirably unsentimental and utterly involving for its full three-hour running time.

Abetted by Nicolaj Brüel's prowlingly ominous camerawork and Dimitri Capuani's soul-destroying interiors, Garrone proves once again that even the lowest-rung southern Italian gangster can't afford a shred of human decency.

A typical older male mentore story...told with sensitivity and perceptiveness.

Lustrous photography and a fine cast make this dark drama a compelling one.

Making exceptional use of stillness and silence, this is a rather sad study of the passing of traditional concepts of American masculinity along with the landscape that forged them.

Tempering its flights of fancy with moments of whimsical humour and kid’s-eye realism, this thoughtful treatise on growing pains reveals a realist side of Japanimation that’s all too rarely seen.

Costa-Gravas at his hypocrisy and oppression-fighting best.

Enjoyable Hitchcock spoof with much chemistry between the leads and some cracking one-liners.

A magnificent comic performance and a film of genial hilarity.

A truly insightful art film that still manages to be easy-going and unpretentious.

A little clunky at times for contemporary audiences but still manages to truly perturb at times...

Far from an easy watch, either in terms of its hard-hitting content, seemingly haphazard structuring or its dense symbolism. But this makes sense of the political intricacies by balancing the rhetoric and statistics with everyday occurrences that give the iniquities and inadequacies a human face.

What makes this such an affecting picture is the contrast between the wonderfully aloof camels and the interdependence of the extended family, whose smiling resilience only hints at the harshness of an existence that has changed little in centuries.

Recalling the work of Jacques Tati, this is a grim but amusing and ultimately successful effort.

Filmed over 13 days in Tuscany and based on genuine Balkan Route testimony, this is an innovative, immersive insight into the migration crisis that also reveals much about human depravity.

A riveting slice of Romanian new wave drama, haunted by shadows of the Ceausescu era and never less than thought-provoking.

Unpredictable and compelling, this draws parallels between Japanese and German cultures in interesting and moving ways.

An interesting piece from Hungary with much to enjoy, only slightly dampened by the occasional clunky device.

Whether rediscovering La France périphérique or hurtling through the Louvre, Varda and JR make a surprisingly empathetic team and their collaboration is as provocative as it is poetic and poignant.

Atmospheric and engrossing, this meticulous recreation of time and place acquires an unsettling contemporary relevance through its analysis of the mindset of a mass murderer with a death wish.

A timeless musical treat and the most fun you can have with really elegant clothes on.

With each subplot reinforcing the simmering sense of unease, this compelling recreation of a pernicious period soberingly exposes the ease with which morality can become a casualty of human nature.

Some may find this sprawling film hard to adjust to, but for those who can, it is a real find. With an imaginative plot and an amusing direction, this charming film is a fitting way to end Cocteau's career.

A daring, dark satire strewn with allusions to modern times.

Visually striking, intellectually challenging and emotionally harrowing.

Masterfully manipulative and bloody scary.