Cannes 2016: 'Graduation' Review

One of the Cannes jury prizes that didn't drive me nuts was the awarding of Best Director to Cristian Mungiu for Graduation. (He shared the prize with Olivier Assayas for Personal Shopper, also a good choice.) In this smart, taut drama, a local father decides to take matters into his own hands after his talented teen daughter is attacked on the way to school. But good intentions go bad when honorable men cut corners. Graduation was one of my favorites at the festival, and my review is up at Paste.

Cannes 2016: 'Sieranevada' Review

One of the more praised films thus far in the Competition here at Cannes is Sieranevada, the latest from Death of Mr. Lazarescu writer-director Cristi Puiu. This is a three-hour drama about a group of family members gathered to mourn the passing of their patriarch. A tale of fury and lingering resentment, Sieranevada takes some getting used to, as I explain in my Paste review.

'Aferim!' Review

For Paste, I reviewed the fine new Romanian film Aferim!, which is the latest from director Radu Jude. Warning: The exclamation mark in the title doesn't mean it's a wacky comedy. Instead, this is a tale of slavery and bigotry in the 19th century. Read all about it.

Cannes 2015: 'One Floor Below' Review

Romanian filmmaker Radu Muntean last made the quite-fine Tuesday, After Christmas. He's back with One Floor Below, which is about a possible murder, the bystander who may have overheard it, and the strange reasons why he doesn't report it. This isn't one of the best of the recent crop of great Romanian films, but there's still plenty to chew on. I reviewed the movie for Paste.

'Child's Pose' Review

Who's got Romanian cinema fever?!? It remains my favorite national movement of the last decade, and the latest release, Child's Pose, is a fine addition. The winner of the Golden Bear at last year's Berlin Film Festival, this drama from director Calin Peter Netzer involves a mother trying to keep her son out of prison after he kills someone with his car. Certainly not cheery, but endlessly intriguing. My review of Child's Pose is up at Paste.

'Tuesday, After Christmas' Review

At this point, just about any movie from Romania interests me. The Death of Mr. Lazarescu ... 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days ... Police, Adjective ... The Happiest Girl in the World ... Tales From the Golden Age: It's just been one strong film after another. Now comes Tuesday, After Christmas, a very sober, lifelike depiction of a married man having an affair. I reviewed the film for Yahoo.

"Films That Got Away" at the Los Angeles Film Festival

"Films That Got Away" is a special sidebar that runs during the Los Angeles Film Festival that is put together by members of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association to highlight remarkable movies that, for one reason or another, never got a release in the Los Angeles area. Last year's trio of films -- Musica Nocturna, United Red Army, and especially The Silence Before Bach -- were all exceptional, which inspired me to become part of the LAFCA committee that selected this year's sidebar. The 2010 installment only has two movies, but they're both definitely worth your time.

On Saturday, June 19, we'll be screening The Happiest Girl in the World, a Romanian comedy that, no, isn't just another of those long, boring Romanian films that critics absolutely love. (And, hey, what's your problem with The Death of Mr. Lazarescu and 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days anyway?) This is a warm, smart, great film that's part coming-of-age drama and part social satire. Plus, it's funny.

Then, on Wednesday, June 23, I'll be presenting Katalin Varga, a dark British/Hungarian/Romanian character piece that gets more interesting and absorbing each time I see it. I absolutely hate using the word "challenging" to describe a film -- particularly one I want you to see -- but this is an uncompromising little movie. But it's also a haunting film -- and at 82 minutes, it doesn't overstay its welcome. I'll have more to say about Katalin Varga during my opening remarks before the film.