OVERRATED UNTIL THE VERY END

Arab world was and is truly brutal, especially during the duration of numerous civil wars.

„Theeb” will give us the story about the Bedouins guiding the pilgrims and foreigners through the harsh Saudi desert and all their misfortunes during one of those expeditions. Overall rhythm is really slow, followed by some stunning photography and occasional tense scenes of armed conflicts between the Arabs themselves.

Critical acclaim „Theeb” triggered will become visible only in the final minutes of a pretty flat-lined script, giving us the much awaited justice and redemption of the little Theeb (young Jacir Eid Al-Hwietat).

„Theeb” is a hardcore indie art war drama with some solid acting and great photography.

THEEB - 6/10

FOTO: media2.fdncms.com

BRUTAL OMEN

Complex civil war in Mali remains hidden from the focus of Western world, but media blackout doesn't make it any less brutal and heart-chilling.

Set in the poor country's capital, Timbuktu, the movie that bears the same name starts out slowly and with some amount of hope and humor that quickly subsides, leaving the podium for the insane way of Mujahideen and their hardcore interpretation of Quran.

„Timbuktu” is one of those flicks that doesn't offer any solution at its end, nor any hope. As for the gazelle that runs away from the Islamic fighters, the only thing left is to run. Run as far as possible, away from Taliban, from Mujahideen, from ISIS and everything that happens right now in the Middle East and Northern Africa.

„Timbuktu” will make you sick, worried and happy that you don't live in Timbuktu or anywhere near it.

TIMBUKTU - 8/10

FOTO: imwithgeek.co.uk

JUST NOT THERE YET

FOTO: filmcenter.cz

Czech cinematography has had its peak back in the mid-20^th century, so every new flick coming from that country is constantly being compared to the ones of the „golden era”.

„Zelary” is a classic slow pace Second world war drama combining the elements of civil war and the fate of the Czech pictured through the main female character (played by Anna Geislerova) and her patron (György Cserhalmi) who falls for her charms.

The script is unwinding in a pretty obvious way and only occasional violence tends to break the smooth sailing of the entire story. The dash of Russian-made terror just adds to the overall feeling of safe ending.

„Zelary” is a solid slow pace war drama, but without the much needed amplitude.

ZELARY - 5/10

CIRCLES OF TRIUMPH

FOTO: www.ethosreview.org

Modern Serbian cinema struggles hard to compete with the other European cinematographies due to lack of money, as well as some extensive corruption and misplaced funding by the state.

Even so, every couple of years, a bright star shines across the Serbian film sky, offering us some truly remarkable dramatic achievements. One of those flicks is yet another great movie by Srdan Golubovic, ”Circles” (other being ''The Trap''), heart chilling war story about the tragedy prevented that led to another tragedy and all of its consequences for the people involved.

Camera and directing are at the level of the more developed film industries in Europe, followed by very well balanced casting. Aleksandar Bercek is simply flawless, backed up by reliable Nebojsa Glogovac andn Leon Lucev, while the much appraised young Nikola Rakocevic falls behind the rest of the cast.

As for the flaws, the major would be too sudden and sketchy ending, undeserved by such a quality developed story and characters.

Overall, ”Circles” represent one of the best European indie dramas in 2013, as well as the best Serbian movie in this decade.

CIRCLES - 8/10

SILENT, BUT GREAT

FOTO: static.guim.co.uk

Georgian cinematography is small, but has some really talented people making movies. Budgets are low, production are simple, but the scripts and the stories are good, revolving mainly about several civil war conflicts that shook the small Caucasian country in the past couple of decades.

”Corn island” is about the hard and stark life of an old farmer and his daughter that exploit small island created by the river floods to grow the seasonal crop of corn. Most of the flick is almost silent, with graphic presentation of the exhausting agricultural process of turning a pile of mud into a fertile ground, while all the spoken interaction happens when different fractions of war parties conjure on the little island seeking one of the wounded soldiers that got away from captivity.

George Ovasvilli's camera is just plain magnificent, as well as the Old man, portrayed by Ilyas Salman. Although very slow, movie gradually builds the eminent tragedy that strikes at the very end, giving the entire story meaning.

”Corn island” is one great artistic movie with the strong symbolic message for the viewer.

CORN ISLAND - 8/10

GRADUALLY BUILDING TRAGEDY

FOTO: assets.flicks.co.nz

Chilean coup d’etat that lead to military hunta hasn’t been a frequent subject in the movies until ”Machuca” tackled it through the story of two boys from the different sides of social pyramid joined together in the classroom of a liberal Catholic elementary school.

Boys grow to be friends only to realize that in mentally contained surroundings differences can be almost impossible to overcome. Tragic outcome sinisterly lurks throughout the entire second part of the movie, removing the ”family” prefix from this drama of the entire nation.

”Machuca” is one good true life dramatic depiction of the irreversible changes of 20^th century Chilean society.

MACHUCA - 7/10

SURPRISINGLY REALISTIC

FOTO: imgs.littlewhitelies.co.uk

I found ”The battle of Algiers” via iMdb’s Top 250 and never regreted watching it. Although shot over 50 years ago, it still resonates strong in the eye and the ear of  every movie lover.

Done the old-school way, with one black and white camera, huge sets with hundreds of extras, it depicts the brutal civil war led between the indigenous Muslim population of Algiers and the occupying armed forces from France.

High levels of tension, detailed script and strong opposing characters of Ali La Pointe (Brahim Hadjadj) and Colonel Mathieu (Jean Martin) will guide you smoothly through the entire course of this movie.

”The battle of Algiers” is one valuable lesson from history, urban guerilla warfare and film making.

THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS - 7/10