So Long , My Son from 2019 is an epic movie from China, nearly three hours long. A riveting drama spanning over thirty years. Written and directed by Wang Xiaoshuai it plays forwards and backwards to tremendous effect. Although where we are in time does get a bit of getting used to. It focuses on the Chinese one child policy that was gone in 2015. I will not go into all those complicated Chinese names for the actors, but they portray the families with distinction. What was even more impressive was the cinematography, some of the long range exterior shots were outstanding. The long, three hour run time is a little padded out as the camera dawdles as it moves between rooms and for some household chores.
Not for the faint hearted, amores perros (a rough translation is bad love, although perros is also dogs) is a 2000 award winning film from Mexico. Directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, (21 Grams and Babel are excellent movies) it follows three separate stories that become interwoven towards the end. First is Octavio (Gael Garcia Bernal) who cannot stand how his brother treats his wife, whom he secretly adores. He has a fighting dog, Cofi. Secondly, Valeria is a stunning supermodel (Goya Toledo) involved in a bad accident. Last of all is Chivo, seemingly a down and out, but he does have his own place. Ex-army and dangerous. Emilio Echevarria is superb.
I'm Your Man (or in this case, your robot) is a lovely French film from 2021. In the lead role is Maren Eggert who I had never seen before. Of course I knew Dan Stevens from Downton Abbey. Also Sandra Huller from The Zone of Interest and Anatomy of a Fall. But it was Eggert who was worth watching, and no wonder winning best actress at the Berlin Film Festival in 2023. Stevens hardly has to act in his role as a robot, but it is Eggert who steals the show. She was just brilliant.
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