Kisses

2010 in Review: Foreign Films

December 26, 2010 by moviegourmet

It was another year in which foreign cinema was essential. Three of the nominees for the 2009 Best Foreign Language Oscar were released in the US this year: Ajami (Israel/Palestine), A Prophet (France) and the Oscar winning The Secrets in Their Eyes (Argentina). Those three made my list of Best Movies of 2010, along with Mademoiselle Chambon, The Girl on the Train, and The Ghost Writer from France, Carlos from France/Germany, Fish Tank from the UK, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo from Sweden. If I couldn’t see foreign films, I wouldn’t have a Best Movie list.

France also gave us the Mesrine films. Ireland offered Kisses. Italy had the food-centric I Am Love and Mid-August Lunch. In a tremendous year for crime drama, the Aussies added Animal Kingdom and the Koreans contributed Mother. Police, Adjective was another bleak, cynical drama from Rumania.

Here’s the trailer for Kisses.

July 18, 2010 by moviegourmet

I just saw a preview of Kisses, which releases August 6. It’s a sweet Irish indie about two suburban tweens who run away to Dublin for a very exhilarating, then scary night. The first time lead actors are excellent. There is a very inventive chase. Stephen Rea has a brief uncredited cameo as a Bob Dylan impersonator. Writer-director Lance Daly kept the film only 75 minutes long – which is just the right length, and won the Irish Best Director award.

Updated Movies I'm Looking Forward To

July 14, 2010 by moviegourmet

I’ve updated Movies I’m Looking Forward To with Kisses, Dinner for Schmucks, Cairo Time, and The Town.

Kisses is a promising Irish indie about two surburban tweens who run away to Dublin for a very scary night. Stephen Rea appears as a Bob Dylan impersonator. Kisses releases more widely on August 6.

Ben Affleck proved in Gone Baby Gone that he is a fine director. Now, in The Town, he brings us another Boston crime drama about thieves desperately evading the FBI. Stars Affleck, Mad Men’s Jon Hamm, Rebecca Hall, Chris Cooper and The Hurt Locker‘s Jeremy Renner. Releases September 17.