Pina. Weekend. All Critics (79) | Top Critics (27) | Fresh (73) | Rotten (4) | DVD (2) Sexy, provocative, engrossing and occasionally ornery, it should appeal to anyone whose curiosity about someone new has provoked them to question their own identity. Cullen and New are British stage actors with little background in film. Haigh's only previous film was a documentary. Perhaps because they don't feel bound by a set of rules, they've created one of the year's most enjoyable surprises. It's a definitive example of naturalistic moviemaking -- you feel you're breathing the air that the characters are breathing. Its final moments offer a vision of what a contemporary romance can achieve: an appreciative gasp of truth, a wet-eyed hope for more. One of the truest, most beautiful movies ever made about two strangers.
If you've ever met someone who changed your life in the space of days, you'll relate to something in this movie. Weekend works beautifully in the moment, and lingers long after an initial viewing. Le Havre. All Critics (84) | Top Critics (29) | Fresh (83) | Rotten (1) | DVD (1) We are so held by the film's impact that its ending, surprise or not, is like a bonus. Endearingly quirky, just this side of precious, but so warm and deftly executed that you go along with it.
"Le Havre" is a passing fancy of a film, but it passes quite nicely indeed. 'Tis the season, so the saying goes. And when it comes to Aki Kaurismäki, it holds true. If the bummers and ambiguity of some of this season's movies are getting you down - or, hey, just the bummers and ambiguities of life - make your way to Le Havre. The Finnish director's sense of humor is dry and dark as pitch, as he consistently finds moments of absurdity in the midst of strife and tragedy.
Overly sentimental but warmhearted Marxist message pic. Kaurismäki returns with another of his deadpan comedies, reminiscent of the great silent comedians, though this one is arguably one of his gentlest as well. The result is both charming and purposeful. Urbanized. All Critics (13) | Top Critics (9) | Fresh (13) | Rotten (0) | DVD (1) A showcase for many conflicting viewpoints. Concerned inhabitants of the global village would do well to track this one down.
At the very least, Hustwit drives home the urgency of radically rethinking city life as the world population tops seven billion. "Urbanized" is a fast zoom out to the big picture: The colonies or hives in which we arrange, display and support our lives. The documentary at times is weighed down by statistics and shop talk, but Luke Geissbuhler's smartly rendered cinematography saves the day. Even viewers with deep knowledge of modern urban planning are likely to learn something from the carefully selected images and thoughtful interviews that make up most of "Urbanized. " A good (and great-looking) overview of urban planning A rich, ambitious exploration of the ways our surroundings are shaped, and the subtler ways they shape us. Elite Squad: The Enemy Within. All Critics (42) | Top Critics (15) | Fresh (39) | Rotten (3) The pace is quick, the violence is rough, and the visual style is documentary as Padilha hammers home his point: Someone is forever in the pocket of someone else as The System constantly adapts to protect itself.
When this Enemy Within settles into key action sequences, such as a stunning nighttime ambush or a daytime battle against Fabio, it becomes wildly entertaining. Throttles forward with remarkable aplomb and easily leaves the original in the dust. Elite Squad is just urgent and complex enough to make it clear violence is more than a matter for academic debate. A fast-paced, hard-hitting Brazilian police thriller. Jammed with cliches but completely engrossing. The entire last half hour is just incredibly disingenuous. Padilha's film offers no easy answers, but the title is a tip off as to where at least his sympathies lie. A film that grabs you by the shirtfront and rarely lets up its grip. The Artist. All Critics (227) | Top Critics (49) | Fresh (223) | Rotten (4) | DVD (4) The whole thing is so damn clever and charming, it might just sneak off with Best Picture.
It isn't arty or intellectual, though it is artful and ingenious, and it's the rare crowd-pleaser that never feels obvious or pandering. There is literally nothing wrong with it. I don't have a single nit to pick, minor flaw to point out or little bit that annoyed me. It is pure magic from the first frame to the last. You can't fault it as smart entertainment, which eschews parody to make a sincere tribute that also serves as cogent current commentary. The movie ever fully shakes off its air of skillfully executed experiment, but it's spirited and charming nonetheless. For a movie that is so much about technique, it's surprising how affecting the story is. That the film is so convincing and so engaging despite the lack of dialogue is an unquantifiable triumph.
The Artist is a joyous and enchanting film.