Film Reviews by Steve

About as mainstream as the great Hungarian director ever got. Tarr's characteristic slow moving camera, the repetitive industrial rattle and clang and absurd characterisations are all intact. But this is a thriller from a Simenon story. Like all Tarr's work, unique, beautiful, and utterly strange.

Polanski was a survivor of the Polish ghetto so brings personal experience to this true story about a Polish musician's degrading and desperate attempt to survive occupation; a story about how war diminishes the humanity of all. A little polished, but a powerful anti war message.

Explosive, angry expose about very young children taken from care homes in the UK and sent to families or religious orders in Australia. Loach's moral indignation is incredibly powerful and the horror of the cases pretty hard to bear. Emily Watson is extraordinary as the social worker trying to bring peace to the damaged children.

Intense drama of a marriage already falling apart, not coping with the stress of a parent's alzheimers, which is then devastated by the repercussions of an accusation of assault. A fascinating insight into another (Iranian) way of life, and of its women in particular. A film that manages to be sensitive and detailed, but eventually, explosive.

Slow and dreamlike reverie of an emotionally unstable girl (Elizabeth Olsen excels) and her struggle to escape the control of a religious cult. The film cuts between the commune and her troubled recovery with her family. A beautiful looking, thematically unresolved, troubling film

Bier's films typically have highly designed plots tracing a link between the personal and the political. Rooted in the warzones of both the family and global conflict, they dig deep into people and their relationships. This one starts at the wedding, but takes place in the interface between business, war and aid. One of the better current film directors.

Very long, detailed film tells the story of an ordinary family and how they react to their daily trials. A domestic drama, with a non professional cast in which the director's disinterested camera slowly reveals a rare insight and profundity; and arouses our deep empathy for the fears and hopes of all of the family.

Successful middle class, middle aged man loses his stability and certainty as he begins to receive videotapes of himself and his family. Fascinating story about class, surveillance and the guilty legacy of French imperialism plays out like a many layered, very violent thriller.

Realistic and extremely gripping thriller (from a Simenon story) about an unravelling alcoholic, who is losing his professional, unhappy wife. The film follows their tortuous weekend car journey. And her sudden, mysterious disappearance. Packed with subtle, unexpected twists and a killer payoff.

Broomfield's second (and better) documentary on Aileen Wuornos, killer of seven, and her last days before execution in Florida. A bit prurient... but the relationship between the English director and the unstable, damaged Wuornos is fascinating, and Broomfield quietly sketches in a case against capital punishment.

This low key and finely acted story of a Russian immigrant (Dina Korzun) and her son claiming asylum, their life in detention, and their relationship with a English arcade owner (Paddy Considine) was a sympathetic early reading of an ongoing controversy. Social realism in British cinema has clung on against the odds, and this is one of the better examples.

Dour, very black comedy about a directionless thirtysomething slacker who can't engage with life on any level, who is unwilling to grow up, and the dreadful northern winter that seems to freeze his soul. Well chosen and unusual soundtrack.

Dreamlike and surreal account of two boys whose lives are devastated, in different ways, by a forgotten episode from their schooldays. A charismatic star turn from Joseph Gordon Levitt powers this one. Sensitive, touching and imaginative handling by the director of an difficult subject.

Owes a lot to Michael Moore's one man documentary machine, but arguably makes a stronger impression. Spurlock lives off MacDonalds and monitors his physical and emotional decline. One of a number of small scale documentaries to take on the corporations, to negligible effect it must be said. But a persuasive and absorbing argument.

Bowie looks fantastic as the alien corrupted by an invasive humanness. Though in acting terms he is outclassed by the supporting cast. Beautiful photography, and Bowie is brilliantly cast, his awkward, remote strangeness are huge positives. And Roeg was a great director in this decade. A little long, and most of the best scenes are in the first half.