MyReviewer Best of 2012 - Part 2

Continuing our look back at what we thought was best during 2012, we continue to look at our reviews for the last twelve months and see what we rated a 9 or 10. Today we have a gander at foreign cinema releases this past year, something we tend to cover quite a lot of.

Adrift In Tokyo was a comedy drama from Japan, based on the original novel by Naoki Prize winner Yoshinaga Fujita. A sort of strange tale in which two people travel across the country so one can turn themselves in to the police for a crime he deeply regrets.

Jitendar thought it was, "one film that deserves to be in every collection, and of course if you haven't yet had the good fortune of enjoying a Satoshi Miki film, the Satoshi Miki Collection has three gems, including Adrift in Tokyo. There's no better time to get acquainted with his unique style."

Elite Squad: The Enemy Within is possibly the biggest film in South American cinema history,and sees revered Lieutenant-Colonel Roberto Nascimento and his second in command Aspirante Matias facing battles both on the streets and within the corrupt political system of Rio de Janeiro.

Si thought that the second film in this series, "paints on a much broader canvas than the first and really is a massive critique of the Brazilian way of life. I have no doubts that this is an accurate portrayal of life in Rio, but I'm amazed that he was able to get this one made as well as the first. It's clear that the Brazilian people love this series and that may have helped to sway some of the politicians holding the purse strings, but I'm staggered with the kind of latitude that he's been given."

Forbidden Games is a French classic war film from 1952, directed by René Clément and set in 1940, Paulette, a young French girl is orphaned in a Nazi air attack during the battle of France. She is befriended by Michel, the son of a poor farmer whose family take her in to their home to care for her. Together the two children forge a tight bond, attempting to come to terms with the realities of the death and destruction that surrounds them.

Stuart thought that this was, "All in all an absolutely superb way to start the new year and a release that any serious film fan will want in their collection." The same looks to be true twelve months later.

Himizu was a Blu-ray release which Jitendar considered, "a thought provoking and intelligent film with much to say about how people deal with stressful situations. It's also a deftly crafted character study which takes you into the psyches of its characters in a way that few films can manage. Most of all it's a gripping and emotional story that will hold you entranced for its runtime, taking you on just as tortuous a journey as that suffered by its protagonist, but one that is ultimately very rewarding."

Another French classic, Le Quai Des Brumes got the digital restoration Blu-ray treatment last year.

With a ringing endorsement from Stuart that went, "If you enjoy really well-made melodrama and are a fan of classic cinema then you’ll want to get hold of ‘Port of Shadows’. With Studio Canal putting in a great deal of effort to make this release as good as it can be you can be confident that you are buying the best possible edition available today. Excellent stuff!"

And another high-def effort from the same studio that came out around the same time, Les Enfants Du Paradis, also got praise. Stuart said for that one, "It’s notable that its release coincides with Studio Canal’s release of ‘Port of Shadows', another Carne masterpiece. Lovers of great cinema will want to add both to their collection without delay."

Love Exposure takes us back to the Japanese comedy drama arena, this time aimed at those considering a double dip, as Jitendar says, "the clarity and impact with which Love Exposure is presented is amazing. It doesn’t quite reach the same levels as Cold Fish and Himizu, although that is probably down to the quality of the source material, but in comparison to the DVD, the quality of the image, the detail, and the depth of the colours makes it feel as if you are watching the film anew. I wouldn’t hesitate to upgrade to this Blu-ray release if you are suitably equipped, as it’s more than worth the money. The added extra features in this release are just the icing on the cake."

1972 surrealism also got a good rating, with The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie prompting Stuart to say, "It's a lot more fun than it sounds with some magnificent characterization. The picture is utterly breath-taking on this edition making the film look so much more vibrant than I had remembered it to be. Well worth picking up."

And finally for this genre, South Korea's box office action hit War of the Arrows. Orphaned as a child, Nam Yi overcame tragic loss to become the most accomplished hunter and archer of his generation. When his beloved Korea comes under attack from Chinese imperial forces, he returns from the forest to discover that his sister, and only living relative, has been taken into slavery by Manchu invaders. Now faced with the most daunting challenge of his life, he must fight to re-unite his family and prove his courage against the greatest archers history has ever known.

Sound good? Jitendar thought so, "War of the Arrows is brilliant stuff. I was hooked from beginning to end. It's got it all, drama, comedy, plenty of action. It has scenery chewing villains, charismatic heroes, its combat action sequences are stunningly well choreographed, and I was glued to the screen. Hollywood can only dream of making action cinema this engrossing. I can't recommend War of the Arrows enough."

Tomorrow we look at our favourite drama releases this year, and nearly all of it came from the little goggle box.