Let's add a miscellany of films:

Assassin (2015), directed by Hou Hsiao-hsien. This film looks as if it is going to be an example of wuxia, a martial arts film. However, it is something else indeed, a mood piece with a plot that is both simple and daringly opaque. Unlike most martial arts films, or films in general these days, Assassin moves at an excruciatingly slow pace, with moments, long moments, of silence and stillness. The few bursts of action punctuate the stillness forcefully. Mostly we have beautiful people in beautiful costumes placed carefully in beautiful sets or in beautiful landscapes. The plot has the eponymous character exiled in order to prove herself a ruthless assassin, and the film places the viewer in something of an exile too. Do we have the patience to see the film to its end? Well, we do, and we did. And the assassin, Nie Yinniang (She Qui), proves herself a woman with heart and compassion. She wanders off with the maker of mirrors.

 

The Land (1969), directed by Youssef Chahine. This is a film in the tradition of Alexander Dovzhenko's Earth (1930). It tells the story of a community of small farmers in Egypt who find their livelihoods put in jeopardy by a local landowner who sets out to build a road where the farmer's fields are. Their only hope rests in solidarity, a solidarity that proves illusory, impossible to achieve. Chahine's work, or at least the work of his that I have seen, champions the peasant and the worker, but rarely does this support for the common person end in disarray. We usually have a ray of hope at the end. Not so here. The workers cannot put aside selfish interests for the greater good. One member of the "camel police" proves a friend to the peasants, but his friendship is not enough to make things go well. Things definitely fall apart. The film sprawls, it tells a story with many characters and many story lines following the interaction of these many characters. The overarching theme is clear, but the intricacies of human interactions sometimes are less than clear.

 

Unknown Origins (2020), directed by David Galan Galindo. This is a Spanish film about comic books and superheroes. It has something of the sensibility of the Canadian film, Bon Cop, Bad Cop. It plays with a seriousness belied by a delight in costumes and allusions to Marvel, DC, and even the old Detective Comic. It is clever, if a bit nerdy. Perhaps the cleverest costume is the lead character's. This is David, a police detective who wears a conventional dark suit and tie. If the film is slight, then it is also campy and not without charm. If you have an interest in comics, then you might well find this an hour and a half worthwhile. If you do not like comics, then you might find this nonetheless an offbeat detective story.

Detective K: Secret of the Virtuous Widow (2011), directed by Suk-Yoon Kim. This South Korean film reminded me of the Detective Dee films from China/Hong Kong. It is a period piece, set in the late eighteenth century, and involves court intrigue, fancy costumes, much running about, a few disguises, and quite a bit of humour. Frankly, the plot lost me quite early in the film, but this hardly mattered because the pace is swift and the characters likeable. Detective K reminded me of Sherlock Holmes with his deductive powers and his Watson-like sidekick who is something of a dog whisperer. Oh yes, then we have the very large dogs. The virtuous widow is suitably virtuous and mysterious and alluring. I confess that I would have liked to know what was going on, but nevertheless I enjoyed the film.

Shutter (2004), directed by Banjong Pisanthanakun and Parkpoom Wongpoom. We first watched this horror film from Thailand ten or more years ago and it scared the heck out of us. Since Halloween is about to arrive, we decided to dust off the DVD and watch it again. The viewing did not disappoint, although I have to confess it did not scare the heck out of me this time. The film does, however, know how to construct a convincing and creepy psychological thriller and without all the Kensington gore we see in Hollywood attempts at horror these days. Shutter is closer to a film like Hitchcock’s Psycho, than to the Saw franchise or the Hostel franchise or to the remakes of Japanese horror films or even the remake of this film. In fact, we have one jump scare that comes right from Psycho. The two directors begin the creepiness near the beginning and never let up. Scenes in the developing room are frightening as is the "bed scene." The walking-on-the-ceiling scene is cool. A second viewing also allows us to see just how much of what we see throughout prepares for the revelations as we close on the end, an end that is a zinger, a hum dinger, and both inevitable and satisfying and creepy. As horror films go, this is a worth putting on your viewing list.

Jodorowsky's Dune (2013), directed by Frank Pavich. The greatest movie never made! Actors include Mick Jagger, Orson Wells, Salvador Dali, artists include H. R. Giger and Jean 'Moebius' Giraud, and music by Pink Floyd. Oh, and then the participation of Dan O'Bannon because Jodorowsky had liked the film Dark Star (who wouldn't like Dark Star?). This documentary has an infectious appeal as it traces the work of Jodorowsky through the collation of the script and story boards for Dune. Oh, and did I mention that Jodorowsky had not read Frank Herbert's book? I found this film a hoot. And of course El Topo and The Holy Mountain have their moments here.

Furious (2017), directed by Dzhanik Fayziev. Set during the mid 13th century, this film follows in the wake of late Eisenstein masterpieces Alexander Nevsky and Ivan the Terrible. It is a rousing patriotic song with lots of crunching battles. Echoes of Eisenstein conjure up the heroic history of Russia, but there is a touch of Tarkovsky too, especially in the palette. This celebration of Russia even has the Russian Bear; the Bear turns up just when things seem lost, like the Cavalry in so many Hollywood westerns.