Mini-Review: Wonderful acting. Excellent writing. Perfect story structure. Superb pacing. Terrific use of setting. Riveting and ridiculously underseen.

Mini-Review: The definition of uncompromising. Some will find the slow, lengthy takes uninteresting but Becker's stylistic approach is brilliant. Confined with the prisoners always, following the execution of their plan in painstakingly minute detail, we take part in the group's troubles, completely invested. The casting of non-actors adds to an already tremendously high level of realism and the intensity of some scenes is almost unbearable. Many great shots and a beautifully pulled off ending seal the deal.

Mini-Review: An original and often mesmerizing coming-of-age ode, providing intimacy and personal perspective. McCracken is brilliant. Malick and Lubezki stunningly let us share his childhood, presenting family dynamics, formative years and the beauty of enjoying everyday life. The setup about ways of living seems reductive initially but they are, I gather, merely ideals thrust upon Jack, serving as a tool for organizing his trip down memory lane. I'll choose the way of grace and forgive the nature sequence.

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.