10. Look Back (Kiyotaka Oshiyama, Japan)
The most appealing element of Kiyotaka Oshima and Studio Durian‘s work here is how the manga pages turn into the actual lives of the protagonists and vice versa, in a meta aspect that works excellently both for the narrative and the animation. The way the thoughts and overall lives of the girls become inspiration for their manga, and the way their work affects their lives create a very appealing cycle, which Oshima explores to the fullest in order to present his comments. (Panos Kotzathanasis)
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9. Caught by the Tides (Jia Zhangke, China)
The scenes ultimately used in “Caught by the Tides” were shot with different cameras, from the crude digital video of twenty years ago to virtual reality cameras used to film scenes set in present-day China (the only new footage shot for the film). This editing together of widely differing images, filmed with different cinematographers (Eric Gauthier and Yu Lik-Wai) gives the film a patchwork feeling that helps convey the passage of time, the evolution of Chinese society, as well as a sense of dislocation and alienation that affects characters and audiences alike. (Mehdi Achouche)
8. Youth (Wang Bing, China)
Over six years, Bing accumulated 2,600 hours of film, driving him to cut into three parts of what was initially supposed to be a 10-hour documentary. The location and subject matter are the same as the powerful “Bitter Money“, which in hindsight paved the way for the trilogy. At 152 minutes, “Homecoming” is the shortest of the three “Youth” installments and in many ways the most successful, although its achievements build on what came before. It should be noted, however, that the documentary can be enjoyed on its own without having seen the previous two chapters. (Mehdi Achouche)
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7. How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (Pat Boonnitipat, Thailand)
Pat Boonipat, on an idea by scriptwriter Thodsapon Thiptinnakorn, has come up with a family drama which presents, quite realistically, the intricate connection between members of different age, in an approach that also results in a number of other comments. These comments mostly revolve around patriarchy, which Amah felt in her skin but she also extended to her daughter, who is essentially considered on a ‘lower level’ just because she is a woman, and despite the fact that she seems to be the most decent and caring of her children.
6. Exhuma (Jang Jae-hyun, S. Korea)
Thankfully, it doesn’t need to resort to jump scare to bring the fear, save for in a couple successful instances, and lets the narrative unsettle the audience. Its inclusion of shamanic rituals, for one, will instantly draw comparisons with “The Wailing” and while as a whole it might not reach the dizzying heights of Na Hong-jin’s effort, the scenes of the rituals are equally memorable. The execution of them is slightly different, possibly owing to Hwa-rim’s younger age, almost bringing these practices into the modern world conclusively while still being rooted in their traditions. The chants that accompany these scenes elicit goosebumps, and the sound mix, along with the vocals, helps further enhance the creepy effect. The cinematography too plays a major role towards the effect, with the images choosing to reveal its horrors slowly but convincingly.
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5. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Mohammad Rasoulof, Iran)
In terms of context, “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” is truly masterful, with the presentation of the two different perspectives between the two different generations appearing in the film being the space where the majority of the comments appear. Iman and Najmeh believe that the government’s law equals the will of God, with the same applying to tradition, which, in this case, is highlighted through the notions of how women’s appearance should be. Iman repeatedly calls women who paint their nails and move without covering their heads whores, which for him essentially means being nude. The preposterousness of notions like this becomes even more impactful since Najmeh also seems to share them and even more so when women become the targets of attack due to their appearance, and the ‘representatives’ of the previous generation consider them as ‘had it coming’. (Panos Kotzathanasis)
4. Cloud (Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Japan)
The band of vindictive vagrants will remind viewers of Quentin Tarantino’s “Reservoir Dogs” (1992). The strangers come together for a shared vision, yet they constantly bicker amongst themselves due to different ulterior motives. One, for example, has nothing to lose, because he’s a murderer-on-the-lam; another has nothing to lose because he literally lost it all through Yoshii’s scam; and yet another is just his ex-boss at the factory, miffed that Yoshii did not welcome him into his home. Throughout it all, Yoshii remains supremely confused (and to a degree, rightfully so) as to why these particular people have teamed up against him. (Grace Han)
3. All We Imagine as Light (Payal Kapadia, India)
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2. Black Dog (Guan Hu, China)
It is an extremely simple story of a man and an animal set on a deeply rich backdrop; a universal tale on a very “there and then” timeline. The film is in fact firmly rooted in its time and captures the zeitgeist of those years’ China and the apogee of its contradictions: building wildly and at the same time demolishing frantically. It’s a country split between a fast economical growth and the past, shifting from traditional industries to more diversified economic models. The juxtaposition of the protagonist’s crumbling hometown at the edge of urbanization with the constant reminders of the imminent Beijing Olympics that blurts out from the ubiquitous tannoys, creates a claustrophobic effect and a adds a note of black humour. (Adriana Rosati)
1. Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In (Soi Cheang, Hong Kong)
Soi Cheang directs a genuine HK actioner, essentially incorporating all those elements that made the category so popular. In that fashion, we get a score of characters and a series of substories, huge plot holes and lack of logic, comments about the handover, a bit of melodrama, and as impressive and brutal action scenes as one can get. (Panos Kotzathanasis)
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