Greetings again from the darkness. With his first feature film in eight years, award-winning filmmaker (and novelist) Lee Chang-Dong and co-writer Jungmi Oh have delivered an excellent character study that is South Korea’s official submission for the Best International Film Oscar. If the rom-com sounding title doesn’t deter some viewers, it’s likely the complexity, along with a runtime pushing three hours, may keep some folks away … which would be a shame since so many human emotions and traits are on display.
Mi-ok (Jeon Do-yeon) is an upbeat and supportive wife to her husband Ho-seok (Sui Kyung-gu). It’s been two years since he was injured in a high-profile union dispute, and he’s been in a withdrawn funk ever since – rarely speaking or smiling. At the funeral of a family member, they cross paths with another couple, Ye-ji (Cho Yeo-jeong, PARASITE) and Sang-woo (Zo In-sung). Ye-ji is directing a documentary about the effects of that union dispute and ‘the disappearing laborers’, and Sang-woo is a businessman born into wealth and a certain lifestyle. The women establish a friendship that may or may not be based on Mi-ok’s ability to assist with the documentary. See, Ye-ji’s goal is to get Ho-seok to break his silence and talk about the union strike.
It’s painful to see someone shut down emotionally, especially when they realize it. Ho-seok understands that he needs the counseling sessions offered, but he simply can’t bring himself to face his previous co-workers (for reasons later revealed). In a strange twist, the two couples end up vacationing together at Sang-woo’s beachside family mansion. This further emphasizes the difference in class between the two couples (as if the wardrobe and Porsche) weren’t enough. It’s still a character study, but now it’s clearly a multi-faceted character study: one group, two couples, four individuals.
Lee Chang-Dong’s film isn’t so dependent on the story as it is establishing the many differences and motivations of the individual characters. It’s more about class differences and marital connections than the fallout from labor issues. The four actors are each outstanding, especially Sui Kyung-gu. When his strong façade breaks, everything shifts. Cinematographer Kim Ji-yong deserves a shoutout here with his work on diverse settings and by assisting with the individuality on display. The film plays much like reading a novel, though it was clearly inspired by Krzysztof Kieslowski’s 1989 mini-series, “Dekalog”. This film is well worth the investment and effort.
Premieres on Netflix on November 6, 2026
Posted by David Ferguson 
Greetings again from the darkness. Most everyone has experienced the traumatic signs of Alzheimer’s or dementia in a loved one or friend. It’s heartbreaking to watch someone you care about fade away in front of you. Writer-director Lance Hammer (BALLAST, 2008) finds a new way to open our eyes to these situations. It’s still heartbreaking, yet he’s also managed to make it thought-provoking in a ‘what would you do’ kind of way.
Greetings again from the darkness. Every family has a history, and some families are part of history. Such is the case for writer Thomas Mann, who along with his daughter Erika and son Klaus, are the subjects for this latest from the amazing writer-director Pawel Pawlikowski (COLD WAR, 2018; IDA, 2013) and co-writer Henk Handloegten (GOOD BYE LENIN!, 2003). In my movie viewing experience over the years, I’ve found most movies from Poland to be well made and a bit of a downer. This one fits both descriptions, and I’d add well-acted.
Greetings again from the darkness. My decision to review this movie was based on one thing: it’s the feature film directorial and screenwriting debut of Agata Trzebuchowska, who starred in Pawel Pawlikowski’s excellent IDA (2013). That was the extent of my research for this film from Poland, and now after watching it, I am at a loss on how to review without spoiling anything about it. Simply stating that the twists will surely surprise you is not enough – and it helps if you are unaware, as I was, of the film’s genre prior to watching.
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.
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.
