MUBI

Some good additions recently...

Audrey Diwan's Happening stars a superb Anamaria Vartolomei as a young woman looking for an abortion in 1960s France, when it was still illegal. Difficult to watch at times, but honest and compassionate filmmaking with a clear sense of perspective. Obviously of particular relevance in Ireland given our own history with abortion laws, but freshly relevant given the grim events in the US (and there is of course the brilliant Never Rarely Sometimes Always on Netflix is a more contemporary take from a US perspective).

Also liked Aloners, the debut feature from Hong Sung-eun. A story about urban isolation and loneliness that feels particularly raw post-lockdown. There are some brilliant women filmmakers emerging from South Korea in recent years that wouldn't have gotten much of a release without Mubi. On that note: well worth checking out the lovely The Recorder Exam, a short film from Bora Kim (who went on to make the excellent feature House of Hummingbird a few years ago).

The exceptional documentary Mr Bachmann and His Class is well worth four hours of your time. A really grounded, thoughtful portrait of a modern classroom, and a welcome antidote to your usual inspirational teacher fare (although Herr Bachmann does seem like a bit of a legend :))

One of my favourite films of the last decade, the late Hu Bo's extraordinary An Elephant Sitting Still, is also streaming at the moment. Just a remarkable look at urban despair and uncertainty in modern China. If four hours isn't long enough for you, the peerless eight hour masterpiece Satantango is also currently streaming ;)

The great South Korean Murakami-adaptation Burning has been readded recently. That and Drive My Car are both exceptional films.

The great Japanese oddball horror Onibaba is up there for the next few days and very much worth a look.

Of recent Mubi releases, Petite Maman, Aftersun and Decision to Leave are all superb in their own distinct ways.