“Evil Does Not Exist”, “The Diamond Arm” and “Heir”

Hitoshi Omika as Takumi in a still from the movie “Evil Does Not Exist”

In 2021, Ryusuke Hamaguchi turned from a cinephile hero into a global sensation: the Japanese director presented two films at once at the world’s largest festivals and subsequently won an Oscar for one of them, the drama “Take the Wheel of My Car.” Two years later, Hamaguchi continued his successful festival run and this time conquered Venice – “Evil Does Not Exist” was awarded the second most important award, the Special Jury Prize. Unlike the three-hour adaptation of Haruki Murakami’s story, which contained reflections on grief, betrayal, the power of art and the desire to live, the new film is a surprisingly straightforward film about the confrontation between nature and civilization. The story centers on a conflict between village residents and a construction company that plans to build a glamping center.

Read more about the film in our review.

Andrei Mironov as Gennady in a still from the film “The Diamond Arm”

In honor of the centenary of the Mosfilm film studio and the 55th anniversary of The Diamond Arm, Leonid Gaidai’s film returns to the big screen. The comedy about smugglers and a simpleton who accidentally gets caught up in a scam instantly became a cult classic – for more than half a century, the Soviet classics have been actively quoted and reviewed with nostalgic sadness by old and new viewers. The theatrical release is a great opportunity to give the film a chance for those who usually avoid old movies. Believe me, The Diamond Arm is much more complex and interesting than a collection of jokes and eccentric characters: it is, among other things, a unique postmodern comedy in which you can find references to Bond, Hitchcock and intellectual European cinema of the 1960s.

Marc-André Grondin as Elias Barnes in a still from the movie “Succession”

Xavier Legrand, the author of the heartbreaking divorce drama Custody, returns to the director’s chair seven years later – and again with a story about the tense relationship between children and parents. The ever-busy director of a Parisian fashion house, Elias (Marc-André Grondin), is forced to pause a million things before the show of his first clothing collection. The hero goes to distant Canada to bury his tyrant father, deal with his inheritance, and for the first time in many years come face to face with his traumatic past. Like “Custody,” “The Heir” on paper resembles a family drama, but in reality Xavier Legrand makes a psychological thriller that is unpredictable, ruthless and tense.

Daniil Vorobyov in a still from the film “Why You?”

It’s no secret that domestic filmmakers in recent years have been fixated on power, sex and betrayal. While another TV series about adultery will no longer impress anyone, erotica on the big screen still arouses surprise and audience interest. It’s not for nothing that the melodrama “Naughty” with Alexander Petrov made so much noise. “Why do you?” – another variation of the plot about manic passion, dangerous kept women and a belated attempt to fix everything. The official synopsis of the erotic thriller sounds as vague as possible, but from the trailer one gets the impression that a wealthy resident of the Northern capital (Daniil Vorobyov) will have to make a difficult choice between his usual life and his mistress (Angelina Zagrebina).

Zepyur Brutyan in a still from the film “Indecent Guests”

European chamber comedies about evening gatherings, secrets and betrayals have successfully taken root on Russian soil. “Indecent Guests” is another representative of an unusual genre. However, unlike the recent films Loud Call and Swingers, this is not an adaptation of foreign material, but a completely original idea, so to speak. Still, the premise remains the same: several married couples come to a dinner party. Boring spouses (Maxim Lagashkin and Ekaterina Stulova) invite liberated neighbors (Pavel Priluchny and Zepyur Priluchnaya-Brutyan) and, looking at the guests full of life and passion, rethink their own marriage, sex life and plans for the future.

Text:
Alikhan Israpilov