Category Archives: Foreign

XXY (2007)

Posted on February 20, 2013 by tom

One of the difficulties of being a teenager is dealing with sex. Sure, there’s the question of whether or not to have it–or with whom–but I’m referring to broader issues, like how one fits him or herself into the sexual … Continue reading →

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My Life as a Dog (1985)

Posted on September 18, 2012 by tom

“My Life as a Dog” follows the life of a young boy going through some rough times, and how he uses his imagination and eccentricity to escape. His name is Ingemar (Anton Glanzelius). He’s eleven or so when the film … Continue reading →

Posted in Academy Award Nominees, Coming of Age Film, Films, Films 2012, Foreign | Tagged , | 6 Comments

Summer With Monika (1953) (orig: Sommaren med Monika)

Posted on August 28, 2012 by tom

Ingmar Bergman could direct “Tommy Boy,” and make it dark and stern. Whew. I just had to say that. Confession is good for the soul. Tonight, I watched “Summer With Monika,” Ingmar Bergman’s 1953 story of two young people stuck … Continue reading →

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Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (1970) (aka, Valerie a týden divu)

Posted on August 17, 2012 by tom

Thirteen year-old Valerie is sleeping in a gazebo, when a spry, torch-bearing thief bounds in and steals her earrings right off her ears. The earrings come back to her–in very odd ways–throughout the film, and disappear just as mysteriously. There’s … Continue reading →

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Walkabout (1971)

Posted on August 12, 2012 by tom

If you recall from “Crocodile Dundee,” a “walkabout” is when an Aborigine goes out on his own for awhile, learning about life and seeking a spiritual awakening. In “Walkabout,” there is an Aboriginal youth (David Gulpilil) who is out on … Continue reading →

Posted in Coming of Age Film, Films, Films 2012, Foreign | Tagged | 5 Comments

Jeanne Dielman, 23, Quai Du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975)

Posted on August 7, 2012 by tom

If you’d asked me a week ago whether I’d be working my way through Chantal Akerman’s films, I’d probably have laughed and asked, “Chantal Akerman? Who’s that?” This has been a rewarding journey, and this film is widely considered to … Continue reading →

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Les Rendez-Vous d'Anna (Anna's Meetings) — 1978

Posted on August 6, 2012 by tom

There’s a scene in Chantal Akerman’s “Les Rendez-Vous d’Anna” where Anna (Aurore Clement) is riding a train to Brussels. She’s standing by the corridor window, just gazing into the distance, watching the lights move by slowly. All at once, a … Continue reading →

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Je, Tu, Il, Elle (I, You, He, She) (1976)

Posted on August 3, 2012 by tom

(note: Anytime I refer to Chantal Akerman or her filmmaking group as French, please substitute “Belgian”. My apologies to both Belgium and France as appropriate) “Je, Tu, Il, Elle” is my penance for “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.” Hulu … Continue reading →

Posted in Films, Films 2012, Foreign, LGBT Issues, Romance | Tagged | 2 Comments