Moon (UK, 2009)

The future. From the moon comes a fair chunk of planet earth's energy needs, but what is the human cost to those who must harvest it? Yes, there's sci-fi going on here, but it's not of the 'hard' variety...

Dave Bowie's son Duncan Jones' directoral debut is good, and just made for the silver screen.

Polisse (FR, 2011)

A photographer joins the Child Protection Unit (CPU) in North Paris, becoming exposed to some hard cases. This more of a reference point than a central character (no pics are ever seen), she's just one in a cast of tens, of whose professional and domestic/love lives we attain some glimpses.

A solid, realistic, policier drama (reminiscent in tone perhaps of Le Petit Lieutenant) with a frequently difficult subject matter. The ending is a little sudden and puzzling. A significantly better outing than Maiwenn's cringeworthy Pardonnez-moi, and... another good French film.

Le Orme / Footprints on the Moon (IT, 1975)

Uhm, a vague mystery story/mentalist drama where little is certain, with a space-age subplot....Could you be bothered poring over the bits to try and make some sense out of it? Me neither.

Echoes of Last Year at Marienbad here perhaps, but in Turkey not Austria-Hungary, and in post-hippy colourfulness rather than sombre B&W. The reasonably nice photography and settings make it watchable.

Martha (DE, 1974)

Have usually - but not always - been disappointed by Fassbinder, and plant his work firmly in the overrated category. His unassailable critical rep is such that ordinary film fans/reviewers feel obliged to sycophantically toe the line, even if they don't really like it. The films I've often found to be of the "what the hell is so good about this"? variety. Cases in point: The Marriage of Eva Braun, Berlin Alexanderplatz. Slightly better: The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant, Effi Brest. The best of what I've seen thus far: Fear Eats the Soul, quite a daring film in its day, perhaps a precursor to politically-correct film-making before it ever became obligatory, hackneyed and ineffective. Likeable nonetheless for its simplicity and accessibility.

Martha then is a familial/marital melodrama, with as its centre the curiously beautiful strawberry blonde Martha and the relationship with her abusive husband, Helmut. It's a sad film but not without humour; visually, a feast, with rich saturated hues throughout, good props and nice trans-European settings (Rome and Konstanz). Surprisingly, this was 'only' a TV movie.

Glad I gave this one the benefit of the doubt. Showing as part of the 'Twisted Cornea' program of the Belfast Film Festival, in the small 'beanbag cinema' venue: an original, low-key cinematic experience, and one of the many natural incidentals which contribute to the city's unassuming cool.

Jeff, Who Lives at Home (US, 2011)

Thirtysomething slacker\stoner Jeff, inspired by the awful Signs (yes, the one starring Mel Gibson), treats chance happenings as...signs...of, erm, deeper cosmic significance. His seemingly successful brother begins to doubt his wife's fidelity, while their mom fields a secret admirer in the workplace. Their collective exodus may seem a little convenient, but Jeff's leap into 'significant' doings is attained when he eventually abandons the search for same.

While the focus is primarily on Jeff and his brother, there are memorable performances from Linda (the sincere and striking Judy Greer) and particularly Mom (Sigourney Weaver). Mentioned in respect of the mumblecore subgenre of American indie cinema, it's a light yet articulate, enjoyable, throwaway kind of film.

She Monkeys (SE, 2011)

Unaware that this was a one-off, and having simply asked for 'one for the 18:40 show', soon realised that this wasn't the film I thought I had gotten a ticket for. It was well worth staying for though, and it's great when that happens.

She Monkeys is a reasonably stated, in places quite nicely shot, low-key 'slice of life' in a small nondescript Swedish town, centering around the attraction/rivalry between Emma and Cassandra, 2 teenage equine gymnasts. Evidence here of a new, original vision, and definitely deserving of a higher rating on IMDB.

Elles (FR, 2011)

A journalist (Juliette Binoche) reports on 2 young students who turn tricks to make ends meet, starts to lose the run of herself. Several sex acts are depicted, and from one of the girls there is the impression that she relishes her work, but nothing is ever presented in a lurid or judgmental fashion. The cool and inscrutable Binoche's descent into niggly malaise doesn't 'link' all that well with her professional subject however, perhaps they were coincidental....

Showing as part of QFT's 'Talking Movies' slot, it's a serious film, and judging by the academic introduction, will have provided ample ammunition for the debate scheduled to follow it. Not that that makes a great film. 6/10.