Greetings again from the darkness. In the year of long movies, this is one of the longer ones at two hours and forty-eight minutes. Also, in the year of only a few great movies, this is one of them. Writer-director Mohammad Rasoulof was arrested and sentenced for criticizing the Iranian government. He subsequently escaped and fled the country, only to show up for his film’s premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. This is Germany’s submission for the best Foreign Language Oscar.
On the surface, this seems like a simple story. Amidst severe and sometimes violent political unrest in Tehran, a man’s gun goes missing, which could cost him his job. He proceeds to accuse his wife and daughters of taking the gun, and takes such extreme measures in solving the theft that he destroys the fabric of the family. In the United States, we have recently witnessed how political discord can negatively impact family bonds, yet this pales in comparison to what occurs in countries like Iran. The violence in the street too often results in bloodshed that finds its way into homes.
Iman (Missagh Zareh) has not yet had time to celebrate his job promotion in the prosecutor’s office when he’s expected to file a false report regarding a case investigation. The result of the report would likely lead to the prisoner’s execution. It’s just ‘playing ball’ … or office politics (unless of course you are the one to be executed). The increased perks with his new position also bump up the level of danger for Iman and his family. As often happens with the younger generation, his daughters Rezvan (Mahsa Rostami) and Sana (Setareh Maleki) support the rebellion, which puts their mother Najmeh (Soheila Golestani) in the unenviable position of disagreeing with her daughters, yet having to protect them from their establishment father.
Director Rasoulof expertly weaves storylines of politics, family dynamics, societal upheaval, and generational differences into an incredibly interesting and often tense film without sugarcoating with unnecessary cliches or easy answers. This is what real life can look like – decisions have ramifications. Fingernail polish and protests can be related, and once again we see that it’s not paranoia if they are after you.
The film opens with an explanation of the sacred fig, and as the story unfolds, we catch the tie-in. We know that times change, and each generation brings new ideas and preferences. We also know that these transitions can range from clunky to violent. There is an extremely effective chase scene through the ruins of a deserted town, and it plays directly to the point that these family members are on different tracks. Rasoulof includes clips of real protests, as well as the gut-wrenching no-win situation Najmeh finds herself in. It’s a terrific performance by Soheila Golestani in a terrific movie from Mohammad Rasoulof.
Posted by David Ferguson 
Greetings again from the darkness. I get that many would quickly toss this one aside without so much as a second thought. After all, Pamela Anderson hasn’t been featured much in the last decade (or two), and most only recall her from “Baywatch” in the 1990’s and, umm, perhaps an infamously intimate video. My advice would be to reconsider. She’s now 57 years old and is absolutely terrific in this film from director Gia Coppola (granddaughter of legendary director Francis Ford Coppola; her big screen debut was as baby Zoe in NEW YORK STORIES, 1989). The screenplay is from TV scribe Kate Gersten (“Mozart in the Jungle”).
Greetings again from the darkness. There may have been a movie that surprised me more than this one during 2024, but off the top of my head, I can’t think of one. My expectations were low for a film based on the true story of a British boy band pop star whose music I wasn’t too familiar with … oh, and he’s played by a human-sized CGI chimp. Robbie Williams is the pop star, and though he has little popularity or recognition in the United States, his story is quite interesting … and certainly presented in a creative and entertaining manner by writer-director Michael Gracey (THE GREATEST SHOWMAN, 2017) and co-writers Simon Gleeson and Oliver Cole.
Greetings again from the darkness. Almost all little kids imagine themselves as Superman, a larger-than-life figure who accomplishes incredible things … while flying through the air! Filmmakers Ian Bonhote and Peter Ettedgui collaborate again, this time to tell the story of the man who became Superman on screen for a new generation, and then, after a horrible accident, became a real-life inspiration and advocate for so many folks around the world. We also note that it’s impossible to tell the Christopher Reeve story without also gaining insight into his equally determined wife and caregiver, Dana Reeve.
Greetings again from the darkness. The 1972 Olympics are remembered for a few highlights. Swimmer Mark Spitz set seven world records on his way to seven gold medals. Belarusian gymnast Olga Korbut won three gold medals (although not in the all-around). The United States and Russia played one of the strangest and most controversial games in Olympics history. And most importantly, the 1972 Munich Olympics are remembered for the tragedy surrounding 10 members of Israel’s team being taken hostage by a masked Palestinian militant group.
Greetings again from the darkness. With four outstanding animated films released in 2024, this one adapted from Peter Brown’s 2016 book by director Chris Sanders (HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON, 2010) stands above the others thanks to a tremendous story and fascinating characters. This is one for all ages and all types of movie lovers. It’s simply that good.
Greetings again from the darkness. Since I missed this one on its initial run earlier this year, it became part of my end of year movie marathon where I catch up on the films that slipped through during the previous few months. Even though the premise doesn’t much sound like one I’d embrace, I’m so glad I worked this one into the schedule. On the surface, following a group of prisoners as they work to put on a stage presentation hardly sounds like a desirable form of entertainment, but what a pleasant surprise this one turned out to be.
Greetings again from the darkness. With a population of more than 20 million people, Mumbai is one of the most densely populated places on the planet. It would seem impossible to feel alone or isolated in such a place. In this follow-up to her feature film debut, A NIGHT OF KNOWING NOTHING (2021), Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia begins with a documentary style overview of the city with multi-dialect voiceovers recapping personal experiences with life in the city. “In Mumbai, there is work and money.”
Greetings again from the darkness. Oscar winner Nicole Kidman long ago entrenched herself as one of the best and most daring actors working today. Not one to shy away from risky material, she’s appeared in such films as EYES WIDE SHUT (1999), DOGVILLE (2003), BIRTH (2004), and THE NORTHMAN (2022) to name just a few. It’s her talent and willingness to put herself out there that has earned such respect among peers and fans. However, despite that admiration, this latest is one of my least favorite films of the year, and one that I found almost no positives to discuss. I will readily admit this opinion puts me in the extreme minority.
Greetings again from the darkness. I’ve said it many times, and it still holds true, Oscar winner Pedro Almodovar is the most accomplished male filmmaker when it comes to creating interesting female characters and spinning female-centric stories. Almodovar’s first English-language feature-length film is one he’s adapted from the 2020 novel, “What Are You Going Through”, by Sigrid Nunez. It features two Oscar winners, Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton, both extraordinarily talented.
Movie Reviews from the Dark 