July 23

Blessed By Fire (Iluminados por el fuego) (2005) - Tristn Bauer

Description:

A Falklands memoir from the other side of the battle. In the first film to present the Falklands conflict of 1982 from the Argentinean side, Tristan Bauer also presents a strong antiwar message. The action begins 20 years after the cessation of hostilities with the attempted suicide of Alberto Vargas (Pablo Ribba) a former soldier who served there. His journalist friend Esteban Leguizamn (Gastn Pauls), upon hearing of it, begins to have flashbacks of what horrors the two witnessed on the Malvinas, waiting, watching, woefully unprepared and malnourished for the kind of fight the British army had in mind. The soldiers come to the cheerless realization that they are cannon fodder in the worst way - grist to the political mill in which two strong-headed leaders had a vested interest in proving a point. Esteban travels back to the Malvinas to face his troubled past and tours the windswept and unforgiving place, now forgotten and rotting with rusted arms and munitions. With the UK celebrations and commemorations of the 25th anniversary of the battle, this is a refreshingly different perspective on the trauma, repugnance and worthlessness of a war that didn't really have to happen.

Released by Soda Pictures

Blue (1993) - Derek Jarman 

Description:

Derek Jarman records his thoughts and experiences as he battles with the HIV virus. His own words are delivered by John Quentin, Nigel Terry, Tilda Swinton and Derek Jarman himself. The music is provided by Simon Fisher Turner. 

Released by Artificial Eye

The Family Friend (L`Amico Di Famiglia) (2006) - Paolo Sorrentino 

Description:

Italian family drama about a rotten loan shark horning his way into a young couple's wedding. This critically beloved third film by Italian director Paolo Sorrentino is said by many to be his best work to date. Geremia De Geremei (Giacomo Rizzo) is sleazy and thoroughly disagreeable old loan shark who lives with his bedridden harridan of a mum. Friendless and socially inept, he horns in on a young couple whose parents are forced to borrow from him to pay for their nuptials. The loan is made conditional upon the proud parents inviting this elderly sleaze to their child's big day, which they agree to only with great reluctance. De Geremei's interest in the pretty young bride Rosalba (Laura Chiatti) becomes decidedly unhealthy but he may have met his match in this scathing-tongued bride-to-be.

Released by Artificial Eye

If... (1968) - Lindsay Anderson

Description:

Lindsay Anderson directs an allegory in which life at a boys' public school represents structured society in general, and where discontent and tension finally gives way to open rebellion. Malcolm McDowell stars in this cult `60s film.

Released by Paramount Home Ent.

Irezumi (1966) - Yasuzo Masumura

Description:

Yasuzo Masumura's tale of feminine revenge and '60s Grrrl power in old Japan. This 'Pinku Eiga' (pink cinema) classic deals with a young woman abused by male society who exacts a gruesome revenge. Otsuya (Ayako Wakao) is a young woman of some breeding who is abducted into service at the Geisha house of Gonji. This leads to a less than favourable run-in with some highly unsavoury male characters the likes of which a girl of her breeding has never seen. When deranged 'irezumi' (tattoo) artist, Seikichi (Gaku Yamamoto) get his eyes on her, he thinks he has found the canvass he's been looking for all his life. With the greatest care and using all the skills he has at his fingertips, he needles a huge spider tattoo on her upper back - a tattoo being the ultimate affront to Japanese society. Gradually, Otsuya finds herself morphing into a low-class predator in the mould of the ones who have brought her to this, and starts taking her deadly revenge on male society, using her fine looks to lure them into her web of carnage.

Released by Yume Pictures

Jean-Luc Godard Collection Vol.2 

Description: 

Second volume featuring the films of acclaimed French Filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard. Films include 
PIERROT LE FOU, 
UNE FEMME EST UNE FEMME, 
LA CINOISE, 
LE PETIT SOLDAT and 
DETECTIVE. 

Released by Optimum Home Ent.

Padre Padrone (1977) - Paolo Taviani, Vittorio Taviani 

Description:

An autobiographical tale of the life of a young boy, who grows up to become a linguistics professor, thereby escaping the despotic tyranny of his father who wants him to train as a shepherd. Using both professional actors and untrained locals from the Sardinian countryside, this story of the virtual imprisonment of young Sardinians by their rural surroundings was originally filmed by the Taviani brothers for Italian TV, but went on to win the Best Film Award at Cannes in 1977.

Released by Arrow Films.

Palms (Ladoni) (1993) - Artur Aristakisyan 

Description:

Between 1986 and 1990, Arthur Aristakisian lived among the tramps and beggars of Kishinov, the Moldavian capital, studying them and empathising with their plight. This documentary follows a series of case studies--all disadvantaged in some way--as they go about their daily business of struggling to eke out an existence in a cruel and hostile world. Aristakisian takes a philosophical, almost spiritual, view of his subjects (he uses the analogy of an aborted foetus to imply rejection and removal from society, a direct reference to a painful chapter in his own life). But, by way of rationalising, he likens them to Christ and his disciples, whose outsider status was part of their uniqueness. Aristakisians sensitive narration is that of a father intoning truths to his unborn child, while the monochrome photography perfectly captures the former Soviet city in all its desolate glory.

Released by Secondrun.

PTU - Police Tactical Unit (2003) Johnny To

Description: 

Johnny To (FULLTIME KILLER) directs this Hong Kong action film noir that takes place one dangerous night on the streets where the police tactical unit (PTU) are assigned to patrol. With shadowy alleyways, dingy restaurants, and seedy video game arcades setting the scene for the constantly violent action, PTU is a street war between police and underground thugs. Sergeant Lo (Lam Suet) cruises on his own, while groups of other police officers scan the streets, beating and brutalising punk kids who report directly to the major thugs Ponytail, Bald Head, and Eye Ball. Lo's main problem is that he has lost his police-issue handgun and he badly wants it back. He follows any leads available trying to find it, even if it means betraying his fellow officers and making a deal with the thugs. A brutal film that nonetheless has moments of absurd comic relief--Lo slips on a banana peel while in pursuit of punks not once but twice--PTU is another solid contribution to To's entertaining repertoire of Hong Kong action flicks. 

Released by Third Window.

Cheers Trev