Greetings again from the darkness. Circumstances. Fate. Luck. Determination. It’s been said that what we make of our lives is up to us. Still, it seems likely that these factors play a role- often a significant role. Writer-director Emmanuel Corcol and co-writers Irene Muscari, Oriane Bonduel, and Khaled Amara have delivered a film that’s touching, funny, and grounded in emotional sincerity. The film never moves too quickly or too slowly, instead allowing the characters to guide the pace.
Benjamin Lavernhe (THE FRENCH DISPATCH, 2021) plays Thibaut, a world-renowned orchestral conductor. The film opens with him conducting to the point of apparent exhaustion. We (and he) soon learn it’s leukemia that has drained his energy. A bone marrow transplant is his only hope, and his sister Rose (Mathilde Courcol-Rozes) readily volunteers to be tested. The surprise is not that she’s no match, but rather that they aren’t true brother and sister. Thibaut was adopted long ago. Soon, he’s tracked down a biological brother he was previously unaware of. Jimmy (Pierre Lotin, THE STRANGER, 2026) is a working class divorced dad employed in a school kitchen.
The two brothers had been separately adopted at an early age, and when Thibaut learns that Jimmy also has a love of music, the flashing lights of ‘nature vs nurture’ cannot be ignored. Thibaut quickly realizes his own privilege, having been classically trained from an early age, and Jimmy can’t help but feel envious of the life his brother has led, while still accepting his own. After the procedure, Thibault discovers Jimmy is in a local marching band filled with townspeople who are striking against the town’s largest employer. The band is its own community with friends and history … oh, and music. It doesn’t take long for Thibaut to offer his talents when the band is in need, and it becomes a razor thin line on whether Jimmy is grateful or angry with the development.
Watching these two newfound brothers struggle through a relationship with no actual history is made believable thanks to the script and the actors. Sabrina (Sarah Suco), who plays the trumpet and is attracted to the oblivious Jimmy, is actually instrumental in keeping the two men moving forward. The contrast between the world of Thibaut and the world of Jimmy is obvious as the two men search for connection. Both men ask ‘what could have been’ without uttering a word. At the center of this fine film is the power of music, and those involved ensure it never devolves into the sentimental hogwash we too often see in American movies.
Nationwide theater expansion begins August 28,2026
Posted by David Ferguson 
Greetings again from the darkness. It has been quite a while since the last film adaptation of Albert Camus’ 1942 novel “L’Etranger”, and filmmaker Francois Ozon (behind one of my favorites, SWIMMING POOL, 2003) went to Albert’s daughter Catherine to get approval for this project. Previous adaptations include THE STRANGER (1967, Italy) and FATE (2001, Turkey). Ozone and Phillippe Piazzo collaborated on this updated screenplay (including some variations from the source material).
Greetings again from the darkness. Olmo is like most fourteen-year-old boys. His visual fantasizing about the girl of his dreams requires nothing more than a toy car and a glimpse of her walking outside. Yet, Olmo is also different than most his age because he shares caregiving responsibilities for his disabled dad, who is stricken with Multiple Sclerosis. It’s been more than a decade since he last directed a feature film, and writer-director Fernando Eimbcke delivers one of his best. He and co-writer Vanesa Garnica also collaborated on this year’s FLIES, which is currently making the festival rounds (including Cannes).
Greetings again from the darkness. Most of us would do just about anything for a grieving loved one. Kepsuke (Daigo Yamamoto) proves this when he accompanies his wife Otone (Haruka Ayase) to a presentation at ReBirth, a company specializing in humanoids meant to replace a lost child. An accident two years ago cost this couple their 7-year-old son Kakeru (Rimu Kuwaki), and the husband, though skeptical of the whole thing, hopes this is what his wife needs to move on.
Greetings again from the darkness. Other than basic decency and human connection, there are few things that define a person and their life more than education. Whether gained in a classroom or through daily experiences, understanding people and history is what provides our perspective and our foundation of humanity. A common strategy of small-minded authoritarians who seek only more power is to limit educational opportunities for others … as if holding one group down will lift up said power-monger. This is on full display in this film based on the experiences Azar Nafisi detailed in her 2003 memoir. The film is directed by Eran Riklis (LEMON TREE, 2008), who co-wrote the screenplay with Marjorie David.
Greetings again from the darkness. Writer-director Haifaa Al-Monsour (MARY SHELLEY, 2017; WADJA, 2012) will always be referred to as a trailblazer, and the label was earned by becoming the first female filmmaker in Saudi Arabia to direct a feature length film. She has since influenced and inspired other women to pursue the art. Her latest film was co-written with her husband Brad Nieman, and it opens coldly with a woman’s dead body discovered in the desert.
Greetings again from the darkness. The first feature film from writer-director Sophy Romvari has been well received on the festival circuit, and it’s easy to see why so many have been drawn in by this Canadian- Hungarian production. It’s a deeply personal film with autobiographical elements from the filmmaker. The best family dramas often deliver a gut-punch, and this one certainly does … yet it’s the storytelling structure that provides hope for future gems like this.
Greetings again from the darkness. Thoreau famously wrote, “The mass of men live lives of quiet desperation.” That quote may overstate the being of the staff at The Grand, a 100-year-old hotel that once provided service for royalty, but now the seaside inn is crumbling at the seams and desperate for guests. The feature film directorial debut from writer-director Harry Sherriff and co-written by Laurence Tratalos is quite a pleasant surprise.
Greetings again from the darkness. Learning that Lou’s life is a bit of a mess becomes clear in the first few opening scenes. It’s early morning and she sneaks out after a one-night stand, noticing missed calls from Steve, her ex that she’s living with temporarily (along with his new partner). Soon, she’s dumped by her agent and is adamant that she won’t fly home to see her dad, despite holding the ticket he purchased for her. This is the feature film directorial debut from Timothy David, and the screenplay comes from Sally Gifford, who also has a small role in the film.
Greetings again from the darkness. Relationships require communication, diligence, and a bit of luck. Director Chloe Robichaud (SARAH PREFERS TO RUN, 2016) is working from a script from playwright Catherine Leger to deliver a remake of the 1970 French sex comedy, DEUX FEMMES EN OR from Claude Fournier. Finding humor in strained or crumbling relationships is never easy – especially when medication or a newborn is involved.
Movie Reviews from the Dark 