Tag Archives: children

7,0-7,9, comedy, drama,, female director

“Infinitely Polar Bear” by Maya Forbes (USA, 2014)

First feature

Infinitely Polar Bear

Many good things about this movie: good humor, good dialogues, very good acting by Ruffalo. Add to this the efficient way to stage multiple facets about minorities  (depressed parent, mixed-race family, single father household, etc,).
The way the two daughters evolve and learn how to cope with their lovable but manic-depressive father is remarkable.

Cast: Mark Ruffalo, Zoe Saldana, Keir Dullea, Beth Dixon, Georgia Lyman
Director: Maya Forbes
Writer: Maya Forbes
Director of Photography: Bobby Bukowski
Music by Theodore Shapiro
Film Editing by Michael R. Miller

8,0-8,9, drama,, male director

“The Florida Project” by Sean Baker (USA, 2017)

The Florida Project

In what is supposed to be the paradise of children and one of the symbols of the American dream, a single mother struggles to make end come for her and her young daughter (6). To survive, both mother and daughter manipulate people around them. Left behind by the economic bonanza, they fight for the right to have their place in the sun.

Cast: Brooklynn Prince, Willem Dafoe, Bria Vinaite, Christopher Rivera, Valeria Cotto, Caleb Landry Jones, Macon Blair
Director: Sean Baker
Writer: Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch
Cinematographer: Alexis Zabe
Editor: Sean Baker

drama,, female director

“Miss You Already” by Catherine Hardwicke (UK, 2015)

Miss You Already

A movie that shows how humor has the power to lighten dramatic events
A world of women with supportive men

Cast: Drew Barrymore, Toni Collette, Dominic Cooper, Jacqueline Bisset
Director: Catherine Hardwicke
Screenplay: Morwenna Banks
Cinematography: Elliot Davis
Editor: Philip J. Bartell
Composer: Harry Gregson-Williams

7,0-7,9, comedy, female director

“Deidra & Laney Rob a Train” by Sydney Freeland (USA, 2017)

Deidra & Laney Rob a Train by Sydney Freeland (2017)

A weak script, but the light tone, a nice cast, some good dialogues and good music make it fun to watch
SPOILER: The engaging tone of the movie comes mainly from the fact that all the personages are on the side of the thieves and help them get away with it, except the detective who ends up being the bad guy.

Cast: Ashleigh Murray, Rachel Crow, Tim Blake Nelson, David Sullivan, Danielle Nicolet Director: Sydney Freeland
Writer: Shelby Farrell
Cinematographer: Quyen Tran
Editor: Michael Taylor
Composer: Mark Orton

8,0-8,9, drama,, female director, true story

“First They Killed My Father” by Angelina Jolie (USA, 2017)

First They Killed My Father

“That this movie even exists is a small miracle. That it seems to have been made without compromise and largely without ego makes it even more rare.” Matt Zoller Seitz. RobertEbert.com, September 15, 2017

Cast: Phoeung Kompheak, Sveng Socheata, Sareum Srey Moch
Director: Angelina Jolie
Writer Angelina Jolie, Loung Ung; based on the book by Loung Ung
Cinematographer: Anthony Dod Mantle
Editor: Xavier Box, Patricia Rommel
Composer: Marco Beltrami

8,0-8,9, drama,, female director

“The Bad Batch” by Ana Lily Amirpour (USA, 2016)

The Bad Batch

A very original movie (renews the western genre), a great work of art! (but not recommended for sensitive people)

Cast: Suki Waterhouse, Jason Momoa, Keanu Reeves, Giovanni Ribisi, Jim Carrey
Director: Ana Lily Amirpour
Writer: Ana Lily Amirpour
Cinematographer: Lyle Vincent
Editor: Alex O’Flinn

7,0-7,9, drama,, female director

Paula Van Der Oest, director (3): “The Domino Effect” (U.K., 2012)

The Domino Effect

A plea against the global economy, showing how it particularly affects women and children. An ode to altruism, and to love as a safe haven. Great editing work and very sober dialogues, a hallmark of this director.

Actors: James D’Arcy, Theo James, Tiya Sircar
Director: Paula van der Oest
Writer: Paula van der Oest
Music by Adrian Corker
Cinematography by Guido van Gennep
Film Editing by Maurice Bedaux, Sander Vos

8,0-8,9, drama,, male director

“The Paradise Suite” (Joost van Winkel, Netherlands 2015)

The Paradise Suite

Intense and raw
The fact that one group of personages is not thematically connected to the others somewhat weakens the script and its message.

Actors: Anjela Nedyalkova, Boris Isakovic, Erik Adelöw
Director: Joost van Ginkel
Writer: Joost van Ginkel
Music: Alexander Doychev, Bram Meindersma
Cinematography: Andréas Lennartsson
Editing: Teun Rietveld, Bob Soetekouw, Joost van Ginkel, Wouter van Luijn