Pathé (France): 11

Loro (2018), a film by Paolo Sorrentino starring Toni Servillo, follows the story of Sergio Morra, a young businessman from Taranto. He engages in small-scale trafficking of young escorts to bribe local politicians and obtain licenses through unconventional means. Tamara, an equally unscrupulous woman and a mother, helps him with his schemes. Seeking more power and influence, Sergio and Tamara head to Rome with the goal of getting close to Silvio Berlusconi. In the city, Sergio meets the enigmatic Kira, also known as the Queen Bee due to her direct connection to ...

Promise at Dawn (2017) is a drama film directed by Éric Barbier, from a screenplay co-written with Marie Eynard. Appropriately set against the vibrant backdrop of Mexico’s Day of the Dead festivities, Eric Barbier’s Promise at Dawn weaves a tale where the influence of deceased loved ones holds great weight, even in unexpected ways. Amidst the revelry, Vogue editor Lesley Blanch makes her way through the festive crowd to assist her husband, renowned writer Romain Gary. Though he believes his brain tumor ...

Youth (2015) is a comedy-drama film by writer and director Paolo Sorrentino. This marks his second English-language work. The story follows septuagenarian friends Fred Ballinger and Mick Boyle, who are currently vacationing at a luxurious spa in the Swiss Alps called Wiesen. Fred, a retired classical music composer, is approached by a representative for Queen Elizabeth II during their stay. The Queen wishes to grant him a knighthood and invites him to perform his popular composition ‘Simple Song #3’ at Prince Philip’s birthday concert. However, Fred declines the offer, stating that he has no interest ...

Enemy (2013), a neo-noir surrealist psychological thriller, was directed by Denis Villeneuve and produced by M.A. Faura and Niv Fichman. The protagonist of the film, a quiet and routine-driven history professor named Adam Bell, attends an underground club where an erotic performance leads to a woman almost crushing a live tarantula with her platform high-heel. After being recommended the film Where There’s a Will There’s a Way by a colleague, Adam becomes intrigued when he sees an actor who bears a striking ...

Paolo Sorrentino’s film, The Great Beauty (2013), is a thought-provoking art drama co-written and directed by the Italian filmmaker. It begins with a quote from Louis-Ferdinand Céline’s novel, Journey to the End of the Night, which highlights the power of imagination in travel. The story follows Jep Gambardella, a 65-year-old journalist and theater critic known for his enigmatic charm and love for the vibrant social scene in Rome. He navigates through a city steeped in rich history but defined by its superficial inhabitants, creating a striking ...

The psychological thriller film, Trance (2013), was directed by Danny Boyle and written by Joe Ahearne and John Hodge from a story by Ahearne. During a heist at an auction house, the thieves steal what they believe to be a valuable painting. In the midst of the robbery, Simon Newton attacks their leader Franck and is knocked unconscious. But when Franck opens the package, he finds only an empty frame. It turns out that Simon, who was the ‘inside man’ for the ...

This Must Be the Place (2011), an Italian-French-Irish drama directed and written by Paolo Sorrentino and Umberto Contarello respectively, tells the story of Cheyenne. The former wealthy rock star has been living a mundane and uninspired life in Dublin for the past two decades. His retirement was prompted by the tragic suicides of two of his teenage fans. Seeking some sort of redemption, he makes the journey to New York to make amends with his dying father, only to arrive too late. His justification for not being in contact for 30 years was due to his father’s rejection when he began experimenting with goth ...

The survival drama, 127 Hours (2010), was written and directed by Danny Boyle. In April of 2003, experienced hiker Aron Ralston sets out on a solo trip in Utah’s Canyonlands National Park without telling anyone. While on his journey, he meets two lost hikers named Kristi and Megan and helps them find their way. During their time together, they stumble upon an underground pool and spend the afternoon enjoying it. The girls invite Aron to a party the next night and he happily agrees before saying goodbye. Continuing through Bluejohn Canyon, Aron comes across an 800-pound boulder that suddenly breaks loose while he ...

Slumdog Millionaire (2008), a British drama film, is a loose adaptation of the novel Q & A (2005) by Indian author Vikas Swarup. The story follows 18-year-old Jamal Malik, an Indian Muslim from the Juhu slum of Mumbai, who participates in the game show Kaun Banega Crorepati. Before reaching the final question worth ₹20 million, Jamal is wrongfully accused of cheating by the police and subjected to torture. As he gives his answers, we see flashbacks of key moments in his life that have helped him gain knowledge. For instance, when he was five years old, Jamal jumped into a cesspit just to get Bollywood star ...

Kingdom of Heaven (2005) is a historical drama, directed and produced by Ridley Scott and written by William Monahan. In medieval France, Balian, a grief-stricken blacksmith, is approached by a band of Crusaders visiting his village. Their leader, Balian’s father Baron Godfrey, invites him to join their journey to the Holy Land, but he declines. That night, Balian learns the truth about his wife’s death from his half-brother, the town priest, and in a fit of anger kills him. The next day, seeking redemption for his actions and peace for his wife’s soul ...

Chicken Run (2000) is an animated comedy film, a joint production of Pathé, Aardman Animations, and DreamWorks Animation. Set in the Yorkshire countryside, the film follows a flock of chickens living on an egg farm that resembles a prisoner-of-war camp. The farm is under the control of Mrs Tweedy and her husband, Mr Tweedy, who have no qualms about killing and eating any chicken that can no longer lay eggs. Led by the rebellious Ginger, the chickens continuously devise new escape plans but are always caught. Despite Mr Tweedy’s suspicions that they are organizing resistance, his wife dismisses his theories while becoming increasingly frustrated with their meager ...