Panos X. Koutras (“Xenia”), one of the greatest exponents of Greek cinema of the last 15 years, returns with a dramedy full of diverse characters and situations that move on the verge of comedy and tragedy. It would seem that a wealthy family marries their only daughter to avoid financial ruin. As preparations at her luxurious estate reach their climax, a strange bird that disappeared from the planet thousands of years ago appears there, setting off a series of unexpected events.

The surrealism of Buñuel is combined with the (always) socially sensitive eye of Coutras, who seems determined to confront some of the major issues of today: the pathologies of the Greek family, the economic crisis with its twisted inequalities, and immigration to name but a few that pass through the screen during almost two and a half hours. Humor, while enjoyable in some cases, is certainly a welcome catalyst, but it’s not enough on its own to create rhythm in scenes that obviously drag on longer than necessary. However, it is worth noting both the good execution, primarily by Smaragda Karidis, and, of course, the idea of ​​an exotic Dodo, a multiple symbol that functions as a hyper-realistic mirror of reality.

“Better Call Saul” and “Thirteen Whys” producer Michael Morris is making a bittersweet – with an emphasis on the second track – a film that has a special protagonist. Leslie, a young mother from Texas, wins a hefty sum in the lottery, and with it a chance for a better life for her and her son. However, a few years later, the money was spent and she is now addicted to alcohol and essentially left destitute. The consequences of her actions will haunt her as she desperately searches for another chance. The film offers us an interesting look at a destitute white America, living between decay and incorruptibility, with little chance of a better future. And its harsh truth is combined with the unique atmosphere of the South, as well as the excellent performance of the main character Andrea Riseborough.

This year’s Venice Film Festival international competition releases a film that takes us to 1970s Rome, where we follow the story of a rather troubled family. Since the parents have lost everything that unites them, except for the children, the tension is constant, and the twelve-year-old Adriana tries to convince everyone that she is a boy. The specific situation of gender dysphoria, which is also an autobiographical reference for Crialese, is important without monopolizing the film’s interest, which nonetheless loses points in the pace of its narrative. On the contrary, aesthetically everything here is almost flawless, starting with a beautiful, “warm” photo and responding to another difficult role of Penelope Cruz.

The great Paolo Taviani dedicates this film to the memory of his brother Vittorio, referring to another great Italian artist. Pirandello dies in 1936, leaving clear instructions that he wants no events, no funerals in his honor, only that his ashes be scattered in his homeland, Sicily. However, a series of tragicomic events leads to not one, but three funerals, until the ashes’ journey – and the madness – comes to an end. Taviani follows this strange journey with his camera, which he shoots in atmospheric black and white against the backdrop of war-torn Italy.

Four years after the great success of the first film, Ryan Coogler returns to the mythical world of Wakanda, this time without the prematurely lost Chadwick Boseman. So, after the death of the king, Queen Ramonda takes it upon herself to protect the nation from global threats. One of them would inevitably arrive, of course, and Wakanda would have to fight back once again, with the forces of the hidden undersea nation at her side.