Beginning your crime film with “The Passenger” by Iggy Pop is a marvelous idea and one that excitingly sets the tone for the very clever and labyrinthine noir “La Gomera” (“The Whistlers” in the English version). With his latest film director Corneliu Porumboiu has created a fantastic and riveting pop-culture cops-and-mobsters film that occasionally gives way to philosophical leanings. Vlad ... more >
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MOVIE REVIEW: “La Gomera”
A new film by the director of "Police, Adjective"
Vlad Ivanov, Catrinel Marlon and Rodica Lazar
Directed by Corneliu Porumboiu
CANNES FESTIVAL – Cornel Porumboiu’s “La Gomera” (“The Whistlers”)
This film is competing for the Palme D'Or
Despite its non-chronological narrative and slightly-convoluted plot Corneliu Porumboiu’s new film “La Gomera” is a winner. It’s a film noir with a femme fatale, murders and a morally-questionable hero. “Gomera” references “The Maltese Falcon,” and has one scene that looks like a first take from “Psycho.” Add to this a mattress full of cash, a pious mother and scenes from the Singapore's Garden ... more >
Police, Adjective
A police officer has a crisis of faith
Dragos Bucur, Vlad Ivanov and Irina Saulescu
Directed by Corneliu Porumboiu
Have you ever said that you would pay to watch your favorite actor read the dictionary? Well if you happen to be Romanian, now you can! Not only that – the dictionary happens to be one of the more action-packed sequences of Police-Adjective. Forced to read the definition of “police” after objecting to an assignment, the detective notes that it describes a form of story with drama and suspense. ... more >
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days
Film won the Palme D'Or in 2007 and a number of other awards after that
Anamaria Marinca, Vlad Ivanov and Laura Vasiliu
Directed by Cristian Mungiu
In “4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days” ("4 luni, 3 saptamini si 2 zile" in the Romanian original), director Cristian Mungiu illustrates the difficulties faced by Romanians with a story about a black market abortion. Without conceit or a message being passed on, we become witnesses to how an average life in Romania can be affected by daily pressures under Ceaucescu’s Romania and how mundane goals like ... more >