Only Lovers Left Alive

Writer and director Jim Jarmusch delivers his cool take on the vampire genre with this romantic drama. Two vampire lovers reconnect when one of them suffers from existential crisis which further complicated with the arrival of unexpected visitor. Jarmusch tweaks the vampire genre to his sensibilities which has some dazzling moments of ultra cool but also some dull ones. The always amazing Tilda Swinton enhances the film to a great extent along a fine supporting cast that includes Tom Hiddleston, Anton Yelchin, Mia Wasikowska and John Hurt. 1001 Films' coverage of films on DVD. 

Dark Skies

Writer and director Scott Stewart delivers with his third feature which perfectly blends two popular genres. A family is terrorized by unexplainable events which leads them to discover its disturbing source. Stewart uses the haunted house formula and gives it an alien twist which makes for an effective horror thriller that stands above the majority of its kind. Keri Russell stars along with Josh Hamilton and J.K. Simmons in the supporting roles. 1001 Films' coverage of films on DVD. 

The Book Thief

British director Brian Percival delivered a messy drama with this adaptation of the novel by Markus Zusak. During the second World War in Germany, a young orphan girl and her adopted parents shelter a young man which proves dangerous for all involved. Whether it's the source material or the adaptation by Michael Petroni, the story has several major problems which questions its credibility. Percival fails to get the tone right as well in genre that has been explored extensively in the cinematic medium with plenty of superior films that cover similar issues. The talented cast that includes Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson can't overcome the inherent problems of the script. 1001 Films' coverage of films on DVD. 

RIP: George Sluizer 1932 - 2014

In A World...

Hercules

Hours

Non-Stop

John Wick

For A Woman

The Godfather

Inside Man

A Most Wanted Man

I Origins

Now You See Me

Everybody has a plan

The Colony

Monument Men

71st Venice Film Festival

The third of the top three festivals (after Cannes & Berlin) is also the oldest festival in the world. It has serious competition from the fourth, Toronto, which right behind it in ranking and timing. However, it does not have to fear anything after all these years besides having one of the most beautiful settings. 

COMPETITION 

THE CUT, FATIH AKIN, Germany

A PIGEON SAT ON A BRANCH REFLECTING ON EXISTENCE, ROY ANDERSSON, Sweden Golden Lion

99 HOMES, RAMIN BAHRANI, USA

TALES, RAKHSHAN BANIETEMAD,  Iran Best Screenplay

LA RANÇON DE LA GLOIRE, XAVIER BEAUVOIS,  France

HUNGRY HEARTS, SAVERIO COSTANZO, Italy Best Actress & Actor

LE DERNIER COUP DE MARTEAU, ALIX DELAPORTE, France

PASOLINI, ABEL FERRARA, France Italy

MANGLEHORN, DAVID GORDON GREEN, USA

BIRDMAN, ALEJANDRO G IÑÁRRITU, USA

3 COEURS, BENOÎT JACQUOT, France

THE POSTMAN’S WHITE NIGHTS, ANDREI KONCHALOVSKY,  Russia Best Director

IL GIOVANE FAVOLOSO, MARIO MARTONE, Italy

SIVAS, KAAN MÜJDECI, Turkey Special Jury Prize

ANIME NERE, FRANCESCO MUNZI, Italy

GOOD KILL, ANDREW NICCOL, USA

LOIN DES HOMMES, DAVID OELHOFFEN,  France

THE LOOK OF SILENCE, JOSHUA OPPENHEIMER, Indonesia Grand Jury Prize

FIRES ON THE PLAIN, SHINYA TSUKAMOTO, Japan

RED AMNESIA, WANG XIAOSHUAI, China

For more info: http://www.labiennale.org/

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Bethlehem

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