I'd highly recommend trying to see Breakup Buddies. It's a Chinese film, but I know it had some domestic distro because it was playing in theatres in Toronto. In one sense, its just a well done buddy rom-com type film, guy gets divorced and his crazy film-making friend takes him on a road trip to get him over it and find new love - its based on the director's actual experience with his writer friend. Within it though is some nice filming - I really liked what he did in the opening shot while credits rolled - and a simple twist to the storytelling that in a film of such a predictable genre feels brilliant and I think deserves to be seen.

One of my personal favourite films last year was Tu Dors Nicole. Its French-Canadian, was described as absurdist and brilliantly observes when it was received well at Cannes, and I'd say that's a fair description. A girl's just finished school, can't sleep at night, and nothing's happening in her life, and the movie just pulls you into that. It has a unique sense of humour that could either have you laughing out loud or giggling uncontrollably long after everyone else is over the joke (that actually happened in the theatre and lead to a second round of people laughing for no reason).

America needs to look out for What We Do In The Shadows, Taika Waititi and Jermaine Clement's new film, which I believe is just getting a theatrical release in some cities next weekend. It is a Hilarious 'documentary' about vampires that have been living in New Zealand all this time. If you're interested in checking out a unique action flick, try to find out about The Dead Lands. It's also from NZ, and is a sort of ancient martial arts type flick based entirely on a maori style of craved weapons and fighting. It might not do anything on the level of say The Raid, but it is unlike anything you will see anywhere else, and even the things that seem ridiculous and comical are based on legitimately real aspects of their tribal culture while still making for a simple, straightforward over-the-top and possibly corny action flick with high production value.

okpers might be interested in May Allah Bless France, debut feature by a french rapper/poet/writer who made a movie based on his memoir. Possibly flawed, but worth seeing. Catching these films in a festival environment sometimes leaves me overhyped possibly, but it also makes it pretty obvious when something's bad and I definitely didn't feel that way.

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Obviously White