Foreign

Horror has a powerful appeal for devoted fans across demographics, location, gender, and education. Dark, surreal films are often shown late at night at film festivals, and some of the most insightful conversations unfold in those quiet, haunting early-morning hours. Years of addiction, sampling horror mania from all cultures has led to ultimate discrimination in filmmakers’ horrific imaginations; perpetual competition …

Filmmakers are often generous in their observations and perspectives, showing less judgment toward the “other” and balancing the opposing side of the equation. “Unidentified,” directed by Saudi Arabian filmmaker Haifaa al-Mansour—one of Saudi Arabia’s first and finest female directors (“Wadjda,” “Mary Shelley”)—reflects her universal, inclusive, and intelligent sensibility. Now living in California, al-Mansour emerges from a Saudi film culture that …

Peneflix rarely reviews films on streaming platforms, but I have been eagerly awaiting this highly controversial film from Israeli director Nadav Lapid (“Ahed’s Knee”). It is worth viewing for its insight into the experience of an Israeli whose life is constantly overshadowed by the specter of death. “Yes” follows a contemporary pianist “Y” Ariel Bronz, his wife “Yasmin” Efrat Dor, …

Following 2025’s scintillating spy thriller “Black Bag” Steven Soderbergh’s “The Christophers” blazingly brilliant duet, between artists “Julian Sklar” (Ian McKellen, is born for the role and takes flight in every provocative scene) and “Lori Butler” (superior Michaela Coel, perpetually taunts Julian); nearing death Julian’s children (“Barnaby”, James Corden, and “Sallie”, Jessica Gunning) hire Lori to complete his unfinished canvasses and …

“MARTY SUPREME”, was SMOKE/STACKED!!!!! Proof that “bad press” does not always lead to positive results. It was an interesting, stunningly attired evening, where the unnominated “Oscar” winner was Ozempic, succeeding in a myriad of size 2, zip ups; missed the rollie polies (pregnant exceptions). Host Conan O’Brien, blissfully starred in his sobriquets’ celebrating his Oscar fantasies; poise prevailed; not only …

Every year, my selections, based solely on what I feel should win, not “will” win fall short of victory. 2025 was an empyrean film year, in Hollywood and Foreign; and all nominees are worthy of their respective nominations. Having seen all the films, several times, my choices are: BEST PICTURE: MARTY SUPREME BEST DIRECTOR:  PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON  “ONE BATTLE AFTER …

A venerable couple, depicted tirelessly by Lesley Manville, “Stella” and Ciaran Hinds, “Gerry” whose marriage has been frozen in predictably for days, months, years. Directed by Polly Findlay this retired, bored, lackluster, Irish Catholic duo, take a hiatus in Amsterdam; searching for rejuvenation spurred by Stella’s religiosity; unaided by Gerry’s perpetual alcoholism. From the outset bleakness and doom prognosticate at …

No longer do you have to wait! Streaming devices feature films nominated for Academy Awards; yes, at times you must pay “theatre prices” but never denies the tranquility of your favored couch. Here are a few features on Amazon Prime and Netflix. ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER: 13 Academy Award nominations; a crowd esteemed, but not mine (Sean Penn is worth …

Director Emerald Fennell’s (“Saltburn”) fecundity lies in her darkest, imaginative, iconoclastic psyche; within minutes Emily Bronte’s  (1818-1848) novel slips into obscurity, overshadowed by Fennell’s castration of  one of literature’s most turbulent, obsessive love stories written when Emily was twenty-seven; imbued with a bleak, wet landscape reminiscent of her home in the Yorkshire Moors of Northern England; dying of tuberculosis at …

Of the well over 200 “Dracula” films this “Dracula” by director Luc Besson touches the romantic core of the doomed Count, destined to live for eternity ferreting the reincarnation of his slain wife “Elisabeta”; like this year’s “Frankenstein”, “Dracula” is gorgeously, Gothically gory, seductively sensual, religiously rebellious and a total triumph. Starring Caleb Landry Jones (lacking the charisma of Frank …