Point Blank

2010 Director Fred Cavayé

This is fast paced, adrenalin packed ride through the streets of Paris. It continues the Hitchcockian theme that Cavayé started in his debut film "Anything for her". Take an ordinary man place him in extraordinary circumstances and let him loose.

A male nurse unwittingly saves the life of a dangerous criminal only to find his heavily pregnant wife kidnapped to ensure the criminal's escape. A roller coaster ride of twists and turns, subterfuge and misdirection follow that will keep you riveted to the very end.

Superb acting and very intelligent directing make this a must see. Cavayé is definitely a name to watch out for. His work is simple and focused, packing a tremendous story into a only 80 minutes with such precision that you have to pay full attention, not that you'll have much chance to become distracted.

The Secret in their Eyes

2009 Director Juan José Campanella

This is a film that sets a very high bar in story telling. Mixing humour and suspense tastefully around what is ostensibly a love story wrapped around a monstrous event.

When a retired criminal prosecutor decides to try his hand at writing a novel he finds himself inextricably drawn into the harrowing events of an unsolved crime. Re-investigating the brutal rape and murder of a beautiful woman he discovers devastated lives, corrupt government officials and a lost love. But as he delves deeper he finds himself at the dark heart of society where mysteries lurk in shadows and danger waits around every corner.

Strewn with ingenious twists and turns, this stunning, edge of your seat thriller is a cinematic tour de force of nail biting suspense and white knuckle excitement that will not disappoint. All the loose ends are neatly tied up in a wonderful finale.

Trafic

1971 Director Jacques Tati

This was Jacques Tati’s last foray in to the chaotic world of his hapless alter ego Hulot and also his penultimate film.

The bumbling Monsieur Hulot, outfitted as always with tan raincoat, beaten brown hat, and umbrella, takes to Paris’ highways and byways. For this, his final outing, Hulot is employed as a car company’s head designer, and accompanies his camper, fitted out with absurd gadgetry, to a trade show in Amsterdam. Naturally, the road is paved with modern-age mishaps.

After the financial disaster of Playtime, Tati embarked on this project undeterred, returning to his finer observational filming. This late-career delight is a masterful demonstration of the comic genius’ expert timing and side splitting visual gags, and a bemused last look at technology run amok.

The Last Battle

1983 Director Luc Besson

This is Luc Bessons debut film. Set in a post apocalyptic world it charts the progress of one mans struggle to survive.

Having built a glider out of spare parts our hero sets off to find a better area to live. Here he encounters a fierce opponent, played by a very young Jean Reno. Having come off the worse for his first encounter he is taken in by a doctor. All is not what it seems as the good doctor has his own agenda.

Shot in black and white with no dialogue at all, this film is a curious cross between David Lynch's Eraserhead and Jacques Tati's Les Vacances to M. Hulot. This is a very good example of an accomplished director cutting his teeth and feeling his way. Unfortunately the low budget shows at times but if you can forgive some fairly obvious anachronisms then this is definitely worth a watch.

If you have already seen Subway then you will recognise quite a few scenes and their composition, as well as Jean Boise, who played the doctor.