Of Gods and Men (2010)

This based on true events story of a group of Trappist monks in rural Algeria is incredibly haunting and will leave you nailed to your seat long after the credits roll. It may be a little too sentimental and unsubtle to the point where it hamers in its centrepiece scene with an elaborate cinematic trick, but it is a brilliant film from beginning to the truly exceptional finale.

White Material (2009)

It is said of Pink Floyd’s guitarist David Gilmour that his genius lies not just with what he plays, but with what he doesn’t play. Gilmour himself in an interview a while ago said that he wanted to play all the flashy stuff, but despite all his efforts his fingers weren’t just fast enough. So he resigned himself to play the style that we have become familiar with. But I digress …

Claire Denis’ latest film could be said to be a film that can be defined for what it doesn’t show than what we see on the screen. Does that make it a “better” film? That’s open to discussion. It feels a little disjointed at times, but it is a sumptuous feast for the eyes and ears nevertheless.