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Tag (2015)

Directed by: Sion Sono

Starring: Reina Triendl, Mariko Shinoda, Erina Mano

Rated: NR (Suggested R for Bizarre Graphic Violence and Some Suggestive Material)

Running Time: 1 h 25 m

TMM Score: 3.5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Unconventional Story, Insanity

WEAKNESSES: Effects, Might Not Play As Well With Western Audiences

Tag (2015)

October 15, 2018

A high school student is stalked by various forces that seem bent on killing everyone around her. 

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In Comedy, Action, Fantasy, Foreign Film, Horror, Mystery, Thriller Tags Sion Sono, Reina Triendl, Mariko Shinoda, Erina Mano, NR, Japan, 3.5 Stars, 2015
1 Comment
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Cold Fish (2010)

Directed by: Sion Sono

Starring: Mitsuru Fukikoshi, Denden, Asuka Kurosawa

Rated: NR (Suggest R for Violence and Disturbing Graphic Images, Some Sexual Assaults and Language)

Running Time: 2 h 26 m

TMM Score: 4.5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Pacing, Story, Effects, Writing, Directing

WEAKNESSES: -

Cold Fish (2010)

October 15, 2018

After a man’s daughter is caught stealing at a store and a friendly storeowner steps in to help, the man and the storeowner strike up a friendship. But when the storeowner asks the man for a favor, things take a very dark turn. 

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In Biographical, Comedy, Crime, Drama, Epic, Foreign Film, Horror, Mystery, Thriller Tags Sion Sono, Misuru Fukikoshi, Denden, Asuka Kurosawa, NR, Japan, 4.5 Stars, 2010
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Baskin (2015)

Directed by: Can Evenol

Starring: Mehmet Cerraghoglu, Gorkem Kasal, Ergun Kuyucu

Rated: NR (Suggest R for Disturbing Ritualistic Violence and Sex, Gore, and Language)

Running Time: 1 h 37 m

TMM Score: 3 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Concept, Direction, Production Design, Some Writing, Cool Twist

WEAKNESSES: Content, Some Dialogue, Characters

Baskin (2015)

October 13, 2018

A squad of cops are called to an isolated building, only to find that there is a group of nefarious occupants. 

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In Art House, Crime, Fantasy, Horror, Foreign Film Tags Baskin, 2015, Can Evenol, Mehmet Cerraghoglu, Gorkem Kasal, Ergun Kuyucu, NR, 3 Stars, Turkey
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Kwaidan (1964)

Directed by: Masaki Kobayashi

Starring: Rentaro Mikuni, Michiyo Aratama, Miskako Wantanabe, Tatsuya Nakadai, Keiko Kishi

Rated: NR (Suggested PG-13 for Some Frightening Moments)

Running Time: 3 h 3 m

TMM Score: 5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Cinematography, Stories, Culture, Mis-en-scene

WEAKNESSES: -

Kwaidan (1964)

October 7, 2018

An anthology film of four Japanese folk tales with supernatural themes.

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In Art House, Crime, Drama, Epic, Fantasy, Foreign Film, Horror, Mystery, Romance, Thriller Tags Kwaidan, 1964, Masaki Kobayashi, Rentaro Mikuni, Michiyo Aratama, Miskako Wantanabe, Tatsuya Nakadai, Keiko Kishi, 5 Stars, NR, Japan
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The Hourglass Sanatorium (1973)

Directed by: Wojciech Has

Starring: Jan Nowicki, Tadeusz Kondrat, Irena Orska, Halina Kowalska

Rated: NR (Suggested R for Some Nudity and Sexual Situations, and Foreboding Images and Themes)

Running Time: 2 h 4 m

TMM Score: 5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Production Design, Writing, Directing, Acting, Editing, Ingenuity

WEAKNESSES: May Be Difficult to Follow First Time Through

The Hourglass Sanatorium (1973)

October 4, 2018

A man named Jozef visits a sanatorium where his father is staying, only to find that within its walls, time doesn’t behave the way it should. 

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In Adventure, Art House, Biographical, Drama, Epic, Fantasy, Horror, Foreign Film, Mystery, Thriller Tags Poland, Wojciech Has, 1973, Jan Nowicki, Tadeusz Kondrat, Irena Orska, Halina Kowalska, NR, 5 Stars
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Seduced and Abandoned (1964)

Directed by: Pietro Germi

Starring: Saro Urzi, Sefania Sandrelli, Aldo Puglisi

Rated: NR

Running Time: 1h 55m

TMM Score: 4 Stars

STRENGTHS: Characters, Cinematography

WEAKNESSES: NA

Seduced and Abandoned (1964)

October 3, 2018

When Agnese, the youngest daughter of a Sicilian family, falls for her older sister’s fiance’, Peppino, she ends up pregnant a with a family desperate to see justice served and their daughter married, whether anyone involved actually wants that or not.

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In Comedy, Romance, Foreign Film Tags mjamesmcdonald, 1964, Pietro Germi, Saro Urzi, Stefani Sandrelli, Aldo Puglisi, Seduced and Abandoned, 4 Stars
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The Firemen’s Ball (1967)

Directed by: Milos Forman

Starring: Jan Vostrcil, Josef Sebanek, Josef Valnoha

Rated: NR (Suggested PG-13 for Some Suggestive Content)

Running Time: 1 h 13 m

TMM Score: 4.5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Satire, Humor, Writing

WEAKNESSES: Some Gags Go On Too Long

The Firemen's Ball (1967)

October 3, 2018

A satire on communism. A Fire Department in a small village in Chechoslovakia throws a party for their former boss, inviting the whole town, but nothing goes according to plan. 

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In Comedy, Drama, Foreign Film Tags Milos Forman, Jan Vostrcil, Josef Sebanek, Josef Valnoha, 4.5 Stars
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The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970)

Directed by: Dario Argento

Starring: Tony Musante, Suzy Kendall, Enrico Maria Salerno, Eva Renzi, Umberto Raho

Rated: NR (Suggested R for Several Depictions of Murder)

Running Time: 1 h 36 m

TMM Score: 4 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Characters, Story, Cinematography, Writing, Directing

WEAKNESSES: Pacing, Expositional Ending

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970)

October 1, 2018

A writer is witness to an attempted murder and is then stalked by a serial killer. 

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In Crime, Drama, Foreign Film, Horror, Mystery, Thriller Tags Tony Musante, Suzy Kendall, Enrico Maria Salerno, Eva Renzi, Umberto Raho, NR, Dario Argento, 1970, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, 4 Stars
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Divorce Italian Style (1961)

Directed by: Pietro Germi

Starring: Marcello Mastroianni, Daniela Rocca, Stefania Sandrelli

Rated: NR (Suggested PG-13 for Suggestive Content)

Running Time: 1 h 45 m

TMM Score: 5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Writing, Acting, Directing, Cinematography

WEAKNESSES: Content (?)

Divorce Italian Style (1961)

September 26, 2018

A married Sicilian man, unhappy in his marriage, falls in love with his younger cousin and vows to wed her. But, since divorce is illegal in Italy, he must devise a way to convince his wife to have an affair so he can commit a crime of passion.  

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In Comedy, Crime, Drama, Foreign Film, Thriller Tags Divorce Italian Style, Pietro Germi, Marcello Mastoianni, Daniela Rocco, Stefani Sandrelli, NR, 5 Stars, Italy
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A Taxing Woman (1987)

Directed by: Juzo Itami

Starring: Nobuko Miyamoto, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Masahiko Tsugawa

Rated: NR (Suggested R for Some Sexual Content and Nudity)

Running Time: 2 h 7 m

TMM Score: 4 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Writing, Directing, Acting, Themes

WEAKNESSES: Pacing

A Taxing Woman (1987)

September 24, 2018

An ambitious young tax investigator rises through the ranks of the bureau she works at while forming a friendly relationship with Hideki Gondo, a rich middle-aged man she’s investigating for tax evasion. 

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In Comedy, Crime, Drama, Foreign Film Tags A Taxing Woman, 1987, Juzo Itami, Nobuko Miyamoto, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Masahiko Tsugawa, 4 Stars, Japan
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Stalker (1979)

Directed by: Andrei Tarkovsky

Starring: Alisa Freyndlikh, Aleksandr Kaydanovskiy, Anatoliy Solonitsyn

Rated: NR

Running Time: 2h 42m

TMM Score: 5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Cinematography, Acting, Directorial Vision

WEAKNESSES: Pacing if you don't have an patience

Stalker (1979)

September 5, 2018

The Zone. Dangerous. Alien. Restricted. So why would a Writer and Professor follow a guide called a Stalker to take them into the heart of the Zone? The Room found at the Zone’s center grants ones deepest desires.

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In Drama, Art House, Foreign Film, Sci Fi Tags mjamesmcdonald, philosophical, 1979, NR, Andrei Tarkovsky, Alisa Freyndlikh, Aleksandr Kaydanovskiy, Anatoliy Solonitsyn, 5 Stars
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Tell No One (2006)

Directed by: Guillaume Canet

Starring: Francois Cluzet, Marie-Josee Croze, Andre Dussollier

Rated: NR (Suggest R for Violence, Language, and Some Nudity)

Running Time: 2 h 11 m

TMM Score: 4 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Pacing, Story, Excitement, Acting

WEAKNESSES: Some Lengthy Expositional Scenes

Tell No One (2006)

September 4, 2018

Eight years after the murder of Doctor Alexandre Beck’s wife, new clues begin to surface, reopening the case. The police find strong evidence suggesting Beck might be responsible for the murder, so Beck must evade the police while he to tries to prove his innocence.

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In Action, Crime, Drama, Foreign Film, Mystery, Thriller Tags Guillaume Canet, Francois Cluzet, Marie-Josee Croze, Andre Dussollier, NR, 2006, France, 4 Stars
1 Comment
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Why Don't You Play in Hell? (2013)

Directed by: Sion Sono

Starring: Jun Kunimura, Fumi Nikaido, Hiroki Hasegawa

Rated: NR (Suggested R for Frenetic Bloody Violence and Strong Language)

Running Time: 2 h 9 m

TMM Score: 3.5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Practical Effects, Crazy Story, Unique Chracters

WEAKNESSES: CGI Effects, Pacing

Why Don't You Play in Hell? (2013)

September 3, 2018

An independent film crew becomes entangled in a yakuza war.

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In Action, Adventure, Art House, Comedy, Crime, Epic, Fantasy, Foreign Film, Thriller Tags Sion Sono, Jun Kunimura, Fumi Nikaido, Hiroki Hasegawa, Japan, 2013, NR, 3.5 Stars
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Fantastic Planet (1973)

Directed by: Rene Laloux

Starring: Jennifer Drake, Eric Baugin, Jean Valmont

Rated: PG

Running Time: 1h 12m

TMM Score: 5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Animation

WEAKNESSES: Obvious Typology

Fantastic Planet (1973)

August 23, 2018

On a distant world, human like creatures, fed up with their animal like lives, rebel against their gigantic blue alien masters.

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In Animated, Art House, Fantasy, Foreign Film Tags mjamesmcdonald, Rene Laloux, 5 Stars, PG, 1973
3 Comments
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A Brighter Summer Day (1991)

Directed by: Edward Yang

Starring: Chen Chang, Lisa Yang, Hung-Ming Lin

Rated: NR (Suggested R for Some Brutal Violence Involving Teens and Language)

Running Time: 3 h 57 m

TMM Score: 5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Writing, Directing, Cinematography, Staging

WEAKNESSES: Length Will Deter Viewers

A Brighter Summer Day (1991)

August 22, 2018

Based on a true story of rival youth gangs in 1960s Taiwan. 

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In Action, Art House, Biographical, Comedy, Crime, Drama, Epic, Foreign Film, Mystery, Romance, Thriller Tags Edward Yang, Chen Chang, Lisa Yang, Hung-Ming Lin, Not Rated, 5 Stars
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8 1/2 (1963)

Directed by: Federico Fellini

Starring: Marcello Mastoianni, Anouk Aimee, Claudia Cardinale

Rated: NR (Suggested PG-13 for Some Sexual and Suggestive Material)

Running Time: 2 h 18 m

TMM Score: 5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Directing, Writing, Acting, Cinematography, Ingenuity, Set Design

WEAKNESSES: -

8 1/2 (1963)

August 15, 2018

A director scrambles to come up with an idea for his next picture.

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In Comedy, Drama, Epic, Fantasy, Foreign Film Tags 1963, Federico Fellini, Marcello Mastoianni, Anouk Aimee, Claudio Cardinale, NR, 5 Stars, Seth Steele
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House (1977)

Directed by: Nobuhiko Obayashi

Starring: Kimiko Ikegami, Miki Jinbo, Kumiko Ohba

Rated: NR (Best Guess: R)

Running Time: 1h 28m

TMM Score: 5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Atmosphere, Concept, Unique Feeling of Nostalgia/Terror

WEAKNESSES: Sound Mix/Distracting Music

House (1977)

August 14, 2018

A group of High School/College girlfriends visit the home of one of the girl’s aunt’s, for the holidays. That wouldn’t be a problem if she wasn’t a child eating witch who has eaten all the girls from the nearby village.

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In Fantasy, Horror, Foreign Film Tags mjamesmcdonald, Nobuhiko Obayashi, 5 Stars, 1977, Haunted House
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Summer Hours (2008)

Directed by: Oliver Assayas

Starring: Juliette Binoche, Charles Berling, Jeremie Renier, Edith Scob

Rated: NR (Suggested PG for Thematic Materials Including a Drug Reference)

Running Time: 1 h 43 m

TMM Score: 5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Acting, Writing, Directing, Cinematography

WEAKNESSES: -

Summer Hours (2008)

August 13, 2018

Three siblings must decide what to do with their deceased mother’s estate.

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In Drama, Foreign Film Tags Oliver Assayas, 2008, Juliette Binoche, NR, 5 Stars
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Y Tu Mama Tambien (2001)

Directed by: Alfonso Cuaron

Starring: Maribel Verdu, Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna

Rated: R for Strong Sexual Content Involving Teens, Drug Use and Language

Running Time: 1 h 46 m

TMM Score: 4.5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Writing, Acting, Cinematography, Directing

WEAKNESSES: Subject Matter Will Turn Away Some Viewers

Y Tu Mama Tambien (2001)

August 6, 2018

Two teenage boys take an older woman on a road trip to the beach, and along the way they learn things about themselves and their lives.

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In Art House, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Foreign Film, Romance Tags Alfonso Cuaron, Maribel Verdu, Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna, R, 4.5 Stars
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Elevator to the Gallows (1958)

Directed by: Louis Malle

Starring: Jeanne Moreau, Maurice Ronet, Georges Poujouly, Yori Bertin

Rated: NR (Suggested PG-13 for Some Violence and Thematic Material)

Running Time: 1 h 31 m

TMM Score: 4.5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Writing, Directing, Soundtrack, Always Raising Stakes

WEAKNESSES: Some Pacing/ Drawn Out Scenes

Elevator to the Gallows (1958)

August 3, 2018

A businessman murders his employer, which sets off a series of crimes.

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In Adventure, Art House, Crime, Drama, Foreign Film, Mystery, Thriller, Noir Tags Louis Malle, 1958, Jeanne Moreau, Maurice Ronet, Georges Poujouly, Yori Bertin, NR, 4.5 Stars
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