Mini-Review: Never have I been so attentive and challenged during a first viewing. Pieces to the puzzle are there in plain sight and only one is missing, the one also unattainable by the protagonists, leaving some wiggle room for further hypotheses. Given that the field of possibilities in a time travel movie is so immense, Carruth's most impressive accomplishment is actually that the meticulousness of his astonishngly complex narrative allows for a very precise reconstruction of "prior" events. Pure genius.

Mini-Review: Considering when it was made, this is deliciously dark. With impressive cinematography supporting his virtuous directing style, Mackendrick aces every scene. The script is taut, making expert use of beats and characterization (through carefully integrated exposition); the score, consisting of variations of a great theme, unforgettable. The acting is equally flawless: Curtis delivers a chameleon-like performance and Lancaster is mesmerizingly threatening. Both are pitch-perfect, as is the film.

Mini-Review: "The course of our lives can be changed by such little things. So many passing by, each intent on his own problems. So many faces that one might easily have been lost. I know now that nothing happens by chance. Every moment is measured; every step is counted." Ophüls' profoundly tragic film is beautifully constructed, perfect even. The scene where Lisa realizes the truth is as magnificent as it is cruel. There are precious few films in which I wouldn't change a single shot. This is one of them.

Mini-Review: Accessible and engaging. Farhardi shows that what's practical must sometimes take precedence over an ideal when one is forced to prioritize conflicting responsibilities (church, state, family, integrity). Trusting the power of the moral predicaments, he avoids sentimentality and draws exquisite performances. His multifaceted story - both culturally specific and universally relatable - is told elegantly, with perfect unity. An empathetic glimpse into the complicated lives of realistic characters.