1. Keep the River on Your Right (1999): DOC about a NY artist who goes to live with a Peruvian cannibalistic tribe in the Amazon in 1955. Tobias Schneebaur is a fascinating person and his life story is riveting. However, the direction, editing and overall filmaking was not well done. Still, it's a story WWW and I'm glad I stuck with it.
2. Exiles (2004): French drama about a young couple hitching thru Algeria. NMCOT.
3. Le Trou (1960): French, B&W. Director Jaques Becker's last film. Powerful story about a group of cellmates planning a prison break. Great characters, excellent script. LEM, WWW.
4. The White Diamond (2004): Werner Herzog's intriguing DOC about an aeronautics engineer who builds a modern helium airship for the purpose of exploring the Guyanese rainforest canopy. WWW.
5. The Desert of the Tartars (1976): Based on a contoversial 1938 novel. Unique story of the soldiers who are stationed at a remote desert fort awaiting the Tartar invasion that will never come....I found it engrossing and WWW but my guess is it's NECOT.
6. Christ Stopped at Eboli (1979): Italian film about a political activist who is exiled for a period of time to a remote Italian Village. It explores the growing fondness between him and the simple villagers. I thoroughly enjoyed it. WWW.
7. Off The Map(2003): An absolute top favorite film. Told thru the eyes of an 11 yr old girl. The dad (played by Sam Elliot) is experiencing a six month bout of crippling depression. Her mom is cool beyond words (played by Joan Allen). A visitor from the IRS arrives, and wow, life happens. All set in way nowhere New Mexico in the 60's & 70's live off the land era . .
LEM,DNA,BMM, WWW.
8. Holy Mountain (1973): Latin American,
allegorical, avante garde with stunning imagery. Plot didn't hold me but for those who like this genre I would imagine this would rate 5 stars.
9. Michael Clayton (2007): The box office hit was actually WBTIE. Thriller about a lawyer who cleans up messes. I loved actor Tom Wilkinson's performance as the Bipolar colleague. FAH. EOS.
10. The Decline of the American Empire (1986): French Canadian director Denys Arcand sets us up with nine well to do academic friends/colleagues at one evening's dinner. The conversation reveals their sexual habits and values. WWW.
11. The Barbarian Invasions (2003): Sequel to Arcand's 'Decline"
with far richer and more empathetic character developement. We meet up some 20 years later with our dinner companions. The main character is dying in a Montreal hospital. His financially successful son manages to perform miracles to make his dad's last days worthwhile. Very powerful. LEM, LLI,WWW.
12. Stardom (2000): Not so great film by Denys Arcand . Takes a cynical look at the quick rise to and fall from fame that our modern culture nurtures and embraces. Not as good as I would have expected.
13. My Brother's Wedding (1983): Well directed and acted. Story of an African American middle class family, their communtity, and the contrast and rivalry between the two brothers as the older one's wedding day approaches. I enjoyed it.
14. My Night at Maud's (70): French director Eric Rohmer's b&w film involves three Parisian intellectuals .They spend the night discussing and exploring their religious and secular beliefs. NMCOT but for those that enjoy this genre I imagine it would be a top runner.
15. M. Hulot's Holiday (53): French director Jaques Tati stars as his alter ego M. Hulot in this delightful film about the bumbling but charming Hulot taking his holiday at a seaside resort. Wonderful in every way, especially if you are a Tati fan......LEM, WWW.
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