Films: May 12 - 18

Ohjik Geudaeman (Always) (2011)

Woorideul (The World Of Us) (2016)

Terug naar morgen (Sum Of Histories) (2015)

My Favorite Brunette (1947)

The Naked City (1948)

De helleveeg (The Fury) (2016)

Xia dao lian meng (The Adventurers) (2017)

Freaks (2018) ///

Ohjik Geudaeman (Always) (2011) Lit up by soulful, vital Han Hyo-joo as a blind woman in a relationship with angry boxer seeking redemption, So Ji-sub, persuasive style and integrity keeps melodramatic excess mostly in check. Third Act twists push emotional rawness to the edge.

Woorideul (The World Of Us) (2016) Paced and designed with keen sense of childhood awkwardness, excitement and brittle emotion, an intimate tale told with clean visuals and naturalness. Two 10-year old girls spiral through holiday friendship, family and school bullying with touching resolve.

Terug naar morgen (Sum Of Histories) (2015) Quietly, elliptically effective, twisting time altering narrative remains persuasive as a professor finds a way to send emails to the past and starts changing events. Solid technique, appealing performers, not quite delivering emotional punch.

My Favorite Brunette (1947) Affectionate spoof on noirish private eye intrigue as mistaken identity sees jittery baby photographer Bob Hope hired by Dorothy Lamour and chased by Peter Lorre. Swiftly paced succession of gags, in-jokes and double-takes propel nonsensical narrative. Enduringly daft. 

The Naked City (1948) With cynical narration, gritty locations and punchy police procedural into a brutal killing, alternately gripping and uneven. Unsentimental Barry Fitzgerald is the hard-bitten detective chipping away at clues. Artful docu style makes New York into vital character.

De helleveeg (The Fury) (2016) Powered by a mesmirising, raw Hannah Hoekstra, her contradictory, damaged emotions over the years seen through the years of a young nephew. Fine design and controlled visuals span the decades and illuminate prejudices and desires. Consuming, bracing, dark.

Xia dao lian meng (The Adventurers) (2017) Maximizing rich production values and lush European locations, a series of technically smart set pieces flounder amid loose storytelling and undernourished characters. Andy Lau leads bickering, disparate thieves, facing usual twists and double-crosses.

Freaks (2018) Initially enclosed family drama gradually reveals paranoid, prejudiced worldview is all too physically threatening for 7-year old who learns of her latent 'powers' from edgy father Emile Hirsch and obsessive Bruce Dern. Often gripping and inventive, emotional core doesn't quite deliver.