Movie reviews of Victor Fraga

Officer in charge of Auschwitz attempts forge a normal existence with his wife and children, in the most human, palpable and - precisely for those reasons - affecting representation of Nazis that you will probably ever see; Jonathan Glazer presents his astounding new drama at Cannes. Review

Young widow and a hesitant village leader confront a society strictly moulded by tradition, in this beautiful yet lethargic tale of love and tragedy. Review

Paramedic drama starring and produced by Sean Penn attempts to make some profound social commentary but instead slips into gratuitous, gruesome ultraviolence. Review

Kleber Mendonca Filho intertwines the history of movie theatres in the Brazilian town of of Recife with his own personal life, in charming and clever documentary. Review

Tunisian filmmaker recruits two actresses as stand-ins for two young women lost under very dramatic circumstances; the outcome is a hybrid documentary seamlessly blending family tragedy and politics. Review

Almodovar's timid incursion into cowboy territory (featuring Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal) is sweaty, sultry, and soaked in blood, however barely remarkable. Review

The fifth and final instalment of the Indiana Jones franchise is a hearty feast of historical absurdities, cliches and self-references; it is easily digestible and thoroughly enjoyable. Review

The Middle Man sits somewhere between a deadpan comedy and a sullen drama. Review

Two German filmmakers quietly register the insalubrious lives of power plant inspectors in France, in this gently disturbing documentary. Review

A genuine labour of love from a woman inspired by the films and the female resistance of a country to which she previously held no connection. Review

Philippe Garrel casts his three scions in this delicate yet uninspiring movie about family connections and dying puppeteering traditions. Review

Queer gangster drama intended as some sort of Neo-noir (with a femme fatale et al) collapses under the weight of its own blonde ambition. Review

Matria is not a misery fest. There are moments of profound beauty and also some hilarious dialogues. Review

Cinematically speaking, On the Adamant is not as inventive and liberated as its characters. This is a more or less conventional documentary. Review

Described as a desert noir and a neo Western, this black-and-white movie is in reality a study of loneliness and the passed on legacy of trauma. Review

Suzume is a highly derivative movie with very little new to offer in terms of topic, narrative and aesthetics. Review

It is deeply respectful of its characters, and never lapses into predictable resolutions. It is also a very stern movie. There are neither laugh-out-loud nor cry-out-loud moments. Instead, Aitor/Cocó and her family are allowed to reconcile their sentiments at their own accord. But the story is also a little protracted, at 127 minutes. Review

Greek piece of slow cinema loosely inspired by the Oedipus Myth has a barely discernible narrative. Review

Black, blunt and beautiful: the grandmother of a Brazilian queer cinema celebrates her 50th anniversary. Review

Semi-autobiographical Mexican drama about a terminally-ill young father is teeming with palpable suffering, but also humanity, kindness and hope. Review

Krieps is very convincing as a quietly confident woman with a latent rage and an unquenchable thirst for new exploits. Review

Allegorical Australian film paints the colours of racism and violence without using any comprehensible dialogue... Review

While hypnotic and technically inventive, this elliptical allegory of illegal immigration and colonialism is just too ambitious for its own sake. Review

Manadrome is is just too conceited in its ability to examine masculinity, and its confusing plot gets lost in desperate search of a more profound, philosophical meaning. It tries to make a lot of statements, but ends up saying very little. Review