Category: NON-HOLLYWOOD
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Lebanese Movies Worth Seeing On Netflix
A lot of Lebanese movies have finally found a home on Netflix, but not every movie is worth your time and effort. So to make your life a tiny bit easier, I thought I’d recommend a few films that really stood out for me over the years. 1- Very Big Shot (Film Kteer Kbeer)…
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Everybody Knows [2018] ★★★
I read somewhere that this movie was a “disappointing step back” for writer director Asghar Farhadi. But how do you top movies like “A Separation”, “The Past” and “The Salesman”? “Everybody Knows” may not be Farhadi’s best and most compelling work, but it has an intriguing story to tell and just the right actors to…
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The Hater [2020] ★★½
This polish thriller currently streaming on Netflix juggles a lot of ideas at once, and at 135 minutes, it can be a bit too much, but it’s not a complete waste. In fact, it’s still entirely watchable, thanks to a solid performance by Maciej Musialowski, who plays a young man trying to find a purpose…
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The Occupant [2020] ★★½
The synopsis for this Spanish thriller doesn’t do it justice, at least the one being shared online. When I found it streaming on Netflix, I had to see for myself. As a result, this wasn’t half bad. In fact, if you enjoy films that move at a deliberately slow pace with twists and turns that…
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Roma [2018] ★★★
“Roma” doesn’t look or feel like any other movie I’ve seen in 2018, and not just because it was shot in black and white. It has a distinct atmosphere, and that’s obvious from the very first shot. Director Alfonso Cuarón transports us back to his childhood neighborhood in Mexico City. The year is 1970 and we’re…
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Capharnaüm [2018] ★★★
It took one film back in 2007 to put Lebanese filmmaker Nadine Labaki on the international map permanently. Now she’s back with a new film that’s unlike anything she’s done before. “Capharnaüm” is Labaki’s third feature film as a director, and she shot it in documentary-like fashion, making us believe her “actors” aren’t playing characters…
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In Syria [2018] ★★★½
“In Syria” is a devastating drama that further reaffirms the fact that Diamand Bou Abboud is one of the best Lebanese actresses in the industry. Belgian director Philippe Van Leeuw shot the entire film in an apartment building to depict the lives of a group of Syrian people who try their very best to survive,…
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The Nile Hilton Incident [2017] ★★★
A police officer in Cairo talking and investigating a murder like a character out of a 1940’s film noir starring Humphrey Bogart. It’s a daring move, but a damn good one, so it should be on your list of movies to see before the year is over. A spoof would have been enough for writer/director…
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![The Insult [2017] ★★★½](https://tlkabtmovies.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/20638103_1186331088138702_5460941636943281305_n.jpg?w=960)
The Insult [2017] ★★★½
Lebanese filmmaker Ziad Doueiri needs no introduction, having directed a series of successful films over the years. While “West Beirut” will forever remain my favorite movie, his latest effort, “The Insult”, further confirms his skill as a talented storyteller. In short: it’s one of the most intense Lebanese movies I’ve ever seen. What makes “The…
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Germany Year Zero [1948] ★★★½
Roberto Rossellini’s “Germany Year Zero” is a frightening portrait of post-WWII Berlin, from the point of view of 12-year-old Edmund, who lives with his family in terrible conditions. The war may have ended, Hitler’s third Reich has fallen, but Berlin has never been more miserable. Edmund’s only concern is to provide food for his bedridden…
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Rome, Open City [1945] ★★★½
Italian filmmaker Roberto Rossellini kicked off his so-called “war trilogy” with “Rome, Open City”, a harrowing look at Rome during the Nazi occupation of 1944. Though the events that take place in the movie are strictly fictional, Rossellini knows exactly how to deliver an authentic experience. The main character here is Don Pietro, an Italian…
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The Testament Of Dr. Mabuse [1933] ★★★★
People always mention “Metropolis” and “M” when they talk about German filmmaker Fritz Lang. While they’re both terrific, I personally vouch for “The Testament of Dr. Mabuse”, one of the best movies of the early talkies. Made in 1933, at a time when Nazism was on the rise, “Dr. Mabuse” was banned in Germany by…
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The Salesman [2016] ★★★½
Iranian director Asghar Farhadi’s “The Salesman” deservedly won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language movie. When I saw it last night, I had to stay in my seat for several minutes afterwards to take it all in. This is a rollercoaster of emotions that builds slowly and deliberately, leading up to an unforgettable climax. Part…
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Death Of A Cyclist [1955] ★★★½
Today’s classic film recommendation is Juan Antonio Bardem’s masterful “Death of a Cyclist”, released in the mid 1950’s under the Franco regime. It’s clear that Bardem’s aim was to criticize the huge gap between the poor and the rich, which explains why the movie was censored and Bardem was “forced” to change a key plot…
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Demain Tout Commence [2016] ★★★
Omar Sy has developed an irresistible persona as a comedian, which has served him well in such films as “Les Intouchables” and last year’s underrated “Chocolat”. In that context, his latest film, “Demain Tout Commence”, is a charming, funny and touching family melodrama with another winning performance by Sy. In short: it’s a crowd-pleaser. Sy…
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![NDU INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL [2016]](https://tlkabtmovies.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/untitled-1.jpg?w=1024)
NDU INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL [2016]
It was such an exciting experience to attend this year’s edition of the NDU international film festival, sponsored by Bank of Beirut. The festival has been going strong since it was first introduced back in 2006, showcasing some of the finest young filmmakers in the country. I’ve been attending the festival for several years now, but…
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Truffaut: the adventures of Antoine Doinel
Way before “ Boyhood ”, François Roland Truffaut, French film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film critic, as well as one of the founders of the French New Wave, directed “ Les 400 coups ” (“ The 400 blows ”), a childhood movie featuring his own alter ego: Antoine Doinel. Years later, Doinel appears in four subsequent films (including one short: “ Antoine…
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Waves ’98 [2015]
Ely Dagher’s Waves ’98 deservedly won the top prize at the Cannes film Festival, the Palm D’Or in the short film category. The script has few spoken words, relying on visual impressions that connect a young man called Omar to a world he never knew existed. Dagher links the intimate story to the surreal one by creating miracles…
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La Famille Bélier [2014] ★★★
I’m a bit late coming to this movie, but having heard good feedback, I was looking forward to it. It’s easy to see why now. “La Famille Bélier” is a charming, funny film with winning performances; in short, a crowd-pleaser. Louane Emera (a semi-finalist in the second season of The Voice France) plays Paula, a young girl…
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A Little Chaos [2015] ★★½
It’s difficult to dislike Professor Snape’s…oops I mean Alan Rickman’s second movie as a director. With a solid cast engaged in an intriguing love story, beautiful 17th century clothes, and the Palace of Versailles as a breathtaking backdrop, “A Little Chaos” has an abundance of eye candy and charm. It isn’t a great movie (far from it), and some people…
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