Hereditary Head

From Kenji Mizoguchi, starring Kinuyo Tanaka, Yoshiaki Hanayagi, Kyôko Kagawa, Eitarô Shindô
Rated Not Rated

"Sansho the Bailiff" is a 1954 film by director Kenji Mizoguchi. It tells the story of a mother and two children, Zushio and Anju, who are separated from their father and sold into slavery. After years of separation, Zushio, now an adult, is determined to find his family and bring them back together. Along the way, he confronts the harsh realities of life in feudal Japan and discovers the true meaning of compassion and justice. The film is a beautiful, emotionally powerful exploration of the human cost of oppressive societies and the power of love to overcome adversity.

From Edward Yang, starring Chang Chen, Lisa Yang, Kuo-Chu Chang, Elaine Jin
Rated Not Rated

A Brighter Summer Day is a 1991 Taiwanese film directed by Edward Yang. Set in the late 1950s in a suburb of Taipei, Taiwan, the film follows the story of a teenage boy, Xiao Si'r, as he deals with the struggle between two local gangs. As the gang violence escalates, Xiao Si'r is pulled deeper into the conflict, ultimately leading to tragedy. The film showcases the struggles of the Taiwanese youth in the 1950s, as they grapple with their sense of identity and search for meaning in a rapidly changing world. A Brighter Summer Day is a powerful meditation on themes of family, loyalty, and the struggle to find one's purpose in life.

From Martin Scorsese, starring Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepherd, Albert Brooks
Rated R

Taxi Driver is a 1976 American neo-noir psychological thriller film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Paul Schrader. Starring Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepherd, Harvey Keitel, Peter Boyle, and Albert Brooks, it follows a mentally unstable Vietnam War veteran who works as a night-time taxi driver in New York City, where his experiences with corruption, alienation, and misogyny lead him to an act of violent vigilantism. The film was well-received by critics and was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made.

From Ingmar Bergman, starring Bibi Andersson, Liv Ullmann, Margaretha Krook, Gunnar Björnstrand
Rated Not Rated

Persona is a psychological drama by Swedish director Ingmar Bergman. It tells the story of a nurse, Alma (Bibi Andersson), and her patient, Elisabet (Liv Ullmann), whose faces have inexplicably merged. Alma is tasked with looking after Elisabet, whose inability to speak has led to a breakdown. As Alma cares for Elisabet, their relationship becomes increasingly blurred, and their identities begin to merge. Ultimately, Alma and Elisabet learn a great deal about one another, and the nature of identity and communication. Through this journey, the film explores themes of identity, mental health, and the power of communication.

From Ingmar Bergman, starring Bertil Guve, Pernilla Allwin, Kristina Adolphson, Börje Ahlstedt
Rated R

Fanny and Alexander is a 1982 Swedish drama film directed by Ingmar Bergman. It tells the story of two siblings, Fanny and Alexander, as they struggle to adjust to a new life after their father dies and their mother remarries a strict Lutheran bishop. The film follows the siblings as they experience a range of emotions, from joy and excitement to fear and despair, as they explore their new world. Along the way, they learn about love, justice, and the importance of family. Through it all, Bergman paints a vivid picture of life in a small Swedish town in the early twentieth century. The film was a critical and commercial success, and won four Academy Awards, including Best Foreign Language Film.

From Edward Yang, starring Nien-Jen Wu, Elaine Jin, Issei Ogata, Kelly Lee
Rated Not Rated

Yi Yi (also known as A One and a Two) is a 2000 Taiwanese drama film written and directed by Edward Yang. It follows the Jian family, a middle-class household in Taipei, Taiwan, over the course of a year. Patriarch NJ Jian is an IT executive struggling to make sense of his life after his wife leaves him. His daughter Ting-Ting has a strained relationship with her parents and her schoolmates, while his son Yang-Yang is a playful but sensitive young boy. NJ's old friend Sherry moves in with them, and NJ's extended family, which includes a grandmother, an aunt, and a cousin, further complicate the daily lives of the Jians. As the year moves along, each of the family members deals with their own personal struggles, from love and loss to career and family issues. In the end, all of them come together to find peace and acceptance.

From Roman Polanski, starring Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon, Sidney Blackmer
Rated Approved

Rosemary's Baby is a horror film from 1968 directed by Roman Polanski. The story follows Rosemary Woodhouse (Mia Farrow), a young housewife who moves to a new apartment complex in New York City with her husband, Guy (John Cassavetes). Rosemary soon discovers that the building is home to a Satanic cult, and that her unborn child may be part of their sinister plans. As the cult members increasingly manipulate her and her husband, Rosemary must fight to protect her unborn baby from becoming their sacrifice. The film received numerous awards and is considered to be one of the best horror films of all time.

From Directors: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger, starring Deborah Kerr, David Farrar, Flora Robson, Jenny Laird
Rated Not Rated

Black Narcissus is a 1947 British drama film directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. The film follows a group of Anglican nuns of the Order of the Sisters of St. Faith, who travel to the Himalayas to establish a school and hospital in a remote palace. Despite their commitment to their mission, their vows are challenged by the exotic surroundings and the tensions that arise within the group. The film stars Deborah Kerr, David Farrar, Flora Robson and Jean Simmons. The film won three Academy Awards, including Best Cinematography. It is widely regarded as a classic of British cinema, and has inspired numerous filmmakers.

From Mike Leigh, starring David Thewlis, Lesley Sharp, Katrin Cartlidge, Greg Cruttwell
Rated Not Rated

Naked is a 1993 British-American comedy-drama film written and directed by Mike Leigh. It tells the story of Johnny, a young man from Manchester who has come to London in search of a better life. But he quickly finds himself in a world of crime, drugs, and violence, and is forced to confront his personal demons in order to survive. Along the way, he meets a variety of colorful characters and finds solace in the form of a beautiful young woman named Louise. Through his experiences he comes to understand the meaning of love, friendship, and redemption. The film is a darkly comic and humanist portrait of an alienated and desperate man struggling to make sense of the world he finds himself in.

From Roman Polanski, starring Catherine Deneuve, Ian Hendry, John Fraser, Yvonne Furneaux
Rated Not Rated

Repulsion is a 1965 psychological horror film directed by Roman Polanski and starring Catherine Deneuve as a young Belgian manicurist living in London who begins to experience hallucinations and mental instability as a result of repressed sexual desires and guilt. The film follows her descent into madness as she starts to murder people in her life, culminating in a shocking and violent climax. The film explores themes of loneliness and alienation, as well as the power of sexual repression. Repulsion has been widely praised for its chilling atmosphere, dreamy visual style, and haunting score.

From Michael Haneke, starring Isabelle Huppert, Annie Girardot, Benoît Magimel, Susanne Lothar
Rated R

The Piano Teacher is a psychological drama directed by Michael Haneke. It tells the story of Erika Kohut (Isabelle Huppert), a repressed and emotionally fragile piano teacher living in Vienna. Erika is a respected member of the faculty at the Vienna Conservatory of Music, but her personal life is filled with secrets and hidden desires. When Erika meets the handsome young student Walter Klemmer (Benoît Magimel), she is torn between her need for control and her craving for passion. As their relationship develops, Erika finds herself slipping deeper into an emotional abyss from which there may be no escape.

From Roy Andersson, starring Lars Nordh, Stefan Larsson, Bengt C.W. Carlsson, Torbjörn Fahlström
Rated Not Rated

Songs from the Second Floor is a Swedish satirical film by director Roy Andersson. It follows a series of disconnected vignettes set in a desolate, near-future Stockholm. The film follows an array of characters, including a man selling false teeth, a chess-player, a magician, and a businessman who sets himself on fire. The main theme of the film is the desperate search for meaning in a world threatened by economic collapse. The characters are struggling through an existential crisis, facing a meaningless existence, and trying to find solace in the world around them. Through a mix of dark humor and surreal imagery, Songs from the Second Floor paints a unique portrait of modern-day alienation.

From Mike Leigh, starring Jim Broadbent, Allan Corduner, Dexter Fletcher, Sukie Smith
Rated R

From Martin Scorsese, starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer, Winona Ryder, Linda Faye Farkas
Rated PG

From Andrew Haigh, starring Charlotte Rampling, Tom Courtenay, Geraldine James, Dolly Wells
Rated R

From Roman Polanski, starring Donald Pleasence, Françoise Dorléac, Lionel Stander, Jack MacGowran
Rated Not Rated