Buffalo Soldiers, H, The Lover, and War

Buffalo Soldiers, H, The Lover, and War: An unreleased satire about scams and corruption on a U.S. Army base in Germany as the Cold War is ending; a not-very-original South Korean thriller; a melancholy theatrical consideration of infidelity in Minsk; and a commercial Russian look at the situation in Chechnya. (Seen May 28, 2003, at SIFF.)

Julie Walking Home, Respiro. The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, and So Close

Julie Walking Home, Respiro. The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, and So Close: A good movie too overstuffed with "ishoos" to be great; a beautiful Italian movie that's needs more "ishoos," a magnificent documentary about the attempted April 2002 against Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez; and a heaping helping of Hong Kong girl-on-girl ass-kicking. (Seen May 27, 2003, at SIFF.)

A Great Wonder, The Education of Gore Vidal, The Other Side of the Bed, and Doing Time

A Great Wonder, The Education of Gore Vidal, The Other Side of the Bed, and Doing Time: A fascinating documentary about three of the "Lost Boys and Girls of Sudan" and their journey to resettlement in Seattle; a dull documentary about a charming, erudite chap; a fun Spanish bedroom romp—complete with singing and dancing; and a quirky series of vignettes about life in a regimented Japanese prison. (Seen May 26, 2003, at SIFF.)

Angela, L'Auberge Espagnole, and The Magdalene Sisters

Angela, L'Auberge Espagnole, and The Magdalene Sisters: The Sicilian drug mafia from a woman's perspective; a Euro-version of The Real World, except much, much better; and a mind-blowingly intense Irish movie about a corrupt Catholic system that turned "wayward girls" into slave laborers. (Seen May 25, 2003, at SIFF.)

Invisible Children, Owning Mahowny, and When the Cat's Away

Invisible Children, Owning Mahowny, and When the Cat's Away: A great Colombian film about three 8-year-old boys' attempts to make themselves invisible; a Canadian movie in which Philip Seymour Hoffman channels a Toronto bank manager who embezzled more than C$10 in the early 1980s, and a cool French movie about finding community among the uncool and unhip of Paris. (Seen May 24, 2003, at SIFF.)

Under Another Sky and Autumn Spring

Under Another Sky and Autumn Spring: An Algerian film about a weak man in a dangerous place and a Czech movie about growing old without growing up. (Seen May 23, 2003, at SIFF.)

The Dancer Upstairs

The Dancer Upstairs: Javier Bardem is brilliant, and John Malkovich deserves praise for attempting such an ambitious project for his first directing gig, but the movie's a mess. Whoever decided to hire some of the world's best Spanish-speaking actors (with a lovely Italian here and there) and make them work in English needs their head boiling. A 130-minute ad for the wonders of subtitling.

The Man Without a Past

The Man Without a Past: A very spare film—absurd and heart-warming without driving viewers for their hankies. Watching Finnish movies is like watching Iranian movies: I enjoy the experience, but I’m intensely aware that I’m having an iceberg experience—at least 75 percent of the movie’s meaning and symbolism is lost on me. Still, definitely worth a viewing. (Seen May 4, 2003.)