Mini-Review: My favorite film. It never gets old and always leaves me wanting more. Kieslowski's poetic sensibility adds a palpable sense of mystery to simple tales of sins committed, punishments rendered, grace offered, and redemption found. More than that, these tales reflect and comment upon social, political, familial, and theological problems in a way that invites engagement, highlights beauty, and offers hope. This is simply a masterful series of films that remain enriching long after seeing them.

Mini-Review: A fabulous film that more people need to see. It's encouraging to see this kind of filmmaking taking place in the US. The film is shot in a verite style, engenders empathy for its protagonist through repetition, and offers a humanistic vision of illegal immigrants through its quietly powerful narrative. This is the kind of film that requires active participation from the viewer, but the end result is well worth it. Truly a wonderful film.

Mini-Review: A subtle and affecting film from India, Shadow Kill places a human face on those executed for crimes. The film avoids overplaying or sentimentalizing the trauma that the executioner suffers, while at the same time deftly weaving in elements of religion, community, social status, and politics as they touch on a pending execution. The story near the end is a brilliant device that confirms the film's humanism and sets up the tragic ending.

Mini-Review: Lee Isaac Chung's second film, Lucky Life takes its inspiration from the poetry of Gerald Stern. The film has a quiet openness about it, a sensitivity to the way pain and memory ripple through life. Chung edits the film intuitively, making connections that inspire reflection rather than determine meaning. The cool grays and blues of the film's palette fit the subject matter beautifully, and the sections of poetry read in the film are especially well-chosen. And what a final shot.