Magic Eye [Kujtim Cashku, 2005]

There are some interesting ideas here about the manipulation of the
image, and the relationship of the image to reality. I liked the
grainy photography, the performance of the male lead (Bujar Lako),
and I felt drawn into the nicely judged finale; but much of the rest
of the film never really came together into a satisfying whole.

[IMDB link: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0419934/ ]

Colonel Bunker [Kujtim Cashku, 1998]

The madness of totalitarian rule is here manifest in the lunacy of
installing bunkers across the whole of Albania. The metaphor for
the mentality of the regime works well, especially when conveyed by
moments of surreal humour. However, the imagery and performances
were sometimes a little too forced: the inner machinery of the film
a too much on display.

[IMDB link: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0115923/ ]

Gypo [Jan Dunn, 2005]

I've always been attracted to Dogme style films; this first UK
addition to the Dogme canon does not disappoint. It helps, of
course, that it has such a good cast. Pauline McLynn is a
revelation, proving that she is much much more than Mrs Doyle; Paul
McGann gives a bold performance as an unlikeable character; and
Chloe Sirene is a revelation as a Czech refugee girl.

The film is structured around one story, but seen from the view
point of three different characters in succession - a technique used
in films such as Lawless Heart. I particularly like the way, in
this film, the same scene is often significantly different when
looked through the eyes of each character, so that we get a vivid
insight into their perspective on events. Just watch how different
the viewpoints of Helen and Paul are on their crumbling marriage.

As well as the comically bleak, and at time brutally disturbing,
disintegration of this marriage, the other big theme is introduced
through the character of Tasha, the Czech refugee. The film is at
pains to dispel many of the Daily Mail type myths about such people,
but importantly, does so in a way that naturally emerges from the
storyline.

Shot on a miniscule budget, I think this film has more immediacy and
poignancy than many a big budget feature. And the gripping finale,
which is brilliantly shot, makes for a fittingly powerful and
uplifting close to a good quality film.

[IMDB link: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0443526/ ]

H6: Diary of a Serial Killer [Martin Garrido Baron, 2005]

It's described as a `shocker', and I can't argue with that. There
are extreme scenes of carnage here, photographed with voyeuristic
sadism in a rich artistic style.

There is little meaningful story, just bucketfuls of psycho-babble.
And no interesting denouement to give the whole enterprise some
semblance of meaning.

No, its pretty much gratuitous violence, if that's your thing. Not
for me, though.

[IMDB link: http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0455115/ ]