Amores Perros
Taking place in Mexico City, Amores Perros is Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's first film. In a metropolis where 21 million people share urban space with roughly one million homeless dogs, it's inevitable for the two to meet. Amores Perros is about relationships: whether between people and dogs, lovers, brothers, family members, economic or political. A brutal car crash intertwines the stories of three sets of people and their dogs, all trying to survive their own solitude. In the end, acts of kindness and acts of brutality can both have unexpected consequences.
Brother
With Brother Takeshi Kitano (Sonatine, Fireworks) brings his trademark deadpan character to L.A. to teach the rules of crime to petty dealers, while at the same time he gives Hollywood a lesson on Gangster films.
The Deep End The Deep End is the most engaging film of an otherwise blah summer. Lake Tahoe proves to be the perfect setting for this "thriller bleu", replacing nighttime, urban noire with the cool serenity of water and forest. Combined with superb acting and an exquisite attention to detail, this is a film that will only continue to look better over time.
Memento
If Sundance has lost the independent spirit that made its reputation, instead falling prey to large studios in search of low cost, nevertheless each year the festival unveils new filmmakers of singular works. So this year the festival must be thanked for placing Christopher Nolan's Memento in the projection room, a film made unique by his reverse montage and the cerebral exercise he provokes in the audience.
Mulholland Drive
Contrasting with the long undeviating lines of The Straight Story, Mulholland Drive is a tortuous road perched on the hills of Los Angeles that is the theater of a series of mysterious crimes. The perfect setting to mark the return of David Lynch with an ambitious and bewitching film that proves to be a major event this year.
No Man's Land
A strong dose of a movie that percolates with rage and the travesty of war, No Man's Land takes a hard look at a day in the trenches. Bosnian director Danis Tanovic, who himself served in the Bosnian army, tells the tale of three men trapped in a trench, two Muslim, one Serb and the absurdity of their fate.
The Royal Tenenbaums
Quirky, funny and thought provoking, The Royal Tenenbaums is a fine film that introduces a dysfunctional family with heart and avoids overbearing pity.
Waking Life
More than food for thought, Waking Life is a philosophical and visual banquet for the mind. From scenes of immolation, floating and tango, to micro-waved burritos and existentialism, Linklater has created a provocative film.
Film Picks
