THE MYSTERY OF THE THIRD PLANET
The undoubted magnum opus of the late Roman Kachanov, and a highlight of child-based sci-fi animation from the Soviet Union
PHRA ROT-MERI
Another example of an Eastern made film that was a commercial blockbuster in its native land but to Western eyes seems downright Jorodowsky-esque
WINDOW TO PARIS
A wild, nutty and supremely engaging comedic fantasy from Russia
IVAN VASILIEVICH CHANGES HIS PROFESSION
This is, quite simply, THE Soviet time travel comedy
NAKED TANGO
An ambitious 1990 production you probably didn’t see
THIS IS ME…NOW
In which the 54-year-old Jennifer Lopez, a.k.a. J.Lo, celebrates herself and her new album
Ukrainian Horror Essentials
Compiling a list of Ukrainian horror movies, much less essential Ukrainian horror movies, is no easy task…
FAMINE ’33
A chronicle of the Holodomor, or Artificial Famine, that afflicted Ukraine in 1932-33, engineered by Stalin to (it’s been claimed) crush Ukrainian resistance to Soviet rule
ROLLING THUNDER
One of the finest action films of ithe seventies, offering up naturalistic drama and brutal action in equal doses
CECIL B. DEMENTED
Far from John Waters’ best work, but funny and perceptive enough in its corrosive portrayal of guerilla filmmaking to warrant a qualified recommendation