Loveless--marital breakdown with consequences; slow for some, with rich ambiguity; a great start for the Festival. Russia/subtitles 8B
The Other Side of Hope--the plight of a Syrian refugee in Finland shown with deadpan humour and compassion. Finland/subtitles 6A
Valley of Shadows--a little boy walks into a dark, mysterious forest. Not a horror film, but a haunting mood piece of the slow burn variety. Norway/subtitles 8B
The Journey--a surprisingly entertaining movie about a suicide bomber and the con-man who tries to talk her out of it. Iraq/subtitles 7A
The Square--a modern art museum curator gets himself in several kinds of hot water in the Cannes Palme d'Or winner. Sweden/subtitles 7B
The Killing of a Sacred Deer--a surgeon befriending a young teenage boy leads to unforeseen consequences in a brilliant movie that combines some very funny moments with a real cruel streak. Ireland/US/English 8C
The Mountain Between Us--a Harlequin Romance with lots of snow. Elba is fun. US/English 4A
Dark Is the Night--very rough and disturbing look at death and drugs in the Philippines. A movie that bears witness but who will see it remains to be seen. Nonetheless, a brave work. Philippines/subtitles unrated
Happy End--a brilliant, mostly hostile look at the French upper middle-class by an artist who has built a career out of not liking them. France/subtitles 7B
The Other Side of Hope--the plight of a Syrian refugee in Finland shown with deadpan humour and compassion. Finland/subtitles 6A
Valley of Shadows--a little boy walks into a dark, mysterious forest. Not a horror film, but a haunting mood piece of the slow burn variety. Norway/subtitles 8B
The Journey--a surprisingly entertaining movie about a suicide bomber and the con-man who tries to talk her out of it. Iraq/subtitles 7A
The Square--a modern art museum curator gets himself in several kinds of hot water in the Cannes Palme d'Or winner. Sweden/subtitles 7B
The Killing of a Sacred Deer--a surgeon befriending a young teenage boy leads to unforeseen consequences in a brilliant movie that combines some very funny moments with a real cruel streak. Ireland/US/English 8C
The Mountain Between Us--a Harlequin Romance with lots of snow. Elba is fun. US/English 4A
Dark Is the Night--very rough and disturbing look at death and drugs in the Philippines. A movie that bears witness but who will see it remains to be seen. Nonetheless, a brave work. Philippines/subtitles unrated
Happy End--a brilliant, mostly hostile look at the French upper middle-class by an artist who has built a career out of not liking them. France/subtitles 7B