A Guide to Optimism and A Guide to Confusion creator David O’Russell is back with a film filled with historical references and special characters played by a host of Hollywood stars. Set in 1930s New York City, Bert (Christian Bale), a physician and World War I veteran, learns of the possible murder of his former Colonel, along with his friend and colleague Harold (John D. Washington) to uncover the culprits, in while Valerie (Margot Robbie), their good friend from the time the three of them lived together in Amsterdam, will soon come into play.

O’Russell takes us back to the interwar period to deal with the more or less known aspects of the American extermination operation. In the foreground, of course, is the history of the friendship of the three, as well as the traumas – visible and invisible – that each of them bears. Christian Bale is once again superb as the head of a brilliant cast (Rami Malek, Robert De Niro, Taylor Swift, etc.) in a film that, however, could have been more coherent and more dynamic to keep the viewer’s attention wider.

A promising directorial debut by the son of renowned Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, who follows in his father’s footsteps with a clever road movie in which the tragic truth is laced with bold doses of humor. A family of four travels in a rented SUV through the deserted Iranian countryside. Chaos reigns in the car: the father with his leg in a cast is trying in vain to sleep, and the little son causes chaos with his cries, songs and endless questions. At the same time, the mother joins the fight when she does not try to hide her tears and the eldest son is silent at the wheel.

Panahi creates an interesting dynamic between these everyday yet so special characters. Their dialogue, at times seemingly improvised, is a flurry of one-liners, often so unexpectedly funny and imaginative that you laugh with … guilt. Because almost from the very beginning it is clear that this trip is not good.

Anonymous call ★★ ½
THRILLER (2022)
Directed by: Romuald Boulanger
Cast: Mel Gibson, William Mosley, Kevin Dillon.

Mel Gibson plays Elvis, a legendary radio producer from Los Angeles who specializes in late-night talk shows. During one of them, he receives a call from an unknown person who is holding his family captive and threatening to kill them in the air. Now the battle against time begins as Elvis desperately tries to save his loved ones. Romuald Boulanger’s tense thriller has both advantages and disadvantages: he manages to keep the audience’s interest, despite the weak script and the nervousness of the secondary characters. All this, of course, until the unexpected ending, which probably justifies the existence of the entire film.

Michael Haneke’s soulful “Cupid” takes on a more severe, ruthlessly realistic look, while the provocateur Gaspar Noe raises the theme of aging and dementia. In his film, we follow the everyday life of an elderly couple, where she appears increasingly disoriented, and her husband gradually abandons his physical powers. At the same time, their son tries to take care of them, but without much success. Noé splits the frame in two, simultaneously following Dario Argento (yes, the director) and Françoise Le Brun in this double portrait. There is no embellishment to his approach, only the hardships and loneliness of old age, in a film that could, however, have been much shorter in length.

The award-winning animated film from Denmark is also coming to Greek cinemas. In it, we follow the true story of Amin Nawabi (not his real name), who tries to escape Afghanistan at a young age on an epic adventure to freedom. Years later, in Denmark, ready to marry his longtime partner, the hero tells his story.