Movie top list: 101 to 125

"Paris Is Us is beautifully shot, intimate and abstract at the same time, it features a terrific score, a superb lead and it resonates way beyond its own narrative."

"An audiovisual trip through an intriguing world, it's a feverish nightmare presented as a soothing dream, but above all it's a film from a director who has a voice of his own."

"Memoirs of a Snail may not be a sequel, but it's a direct spiritual successor to Mary and Max, offering the exact same appeal in a different narrative with different characters."

"When you're in for a prime example of Japanese drama set to a sci-fi background you're in for a real big treat. It lingers, it surprises, it impresses, and it'll leave you in a daze."

"Big Fish and Begonia is an absolute stunner, an audiovisual experience that dragged me into its world and didn't let go until the final frame faded and the last note died."

"Kitano's humor is simple, somewhat childish and often improvised, but thanks to the typical editing and his superb comical body language it works wonders."

"A film that combines strong social commentary with a terrific sense of paranoia, leading you on with each successive twist but scoring purely on execution rather than surprise effect."

"The film's overwhelming visuals and its bright and bustling fantasy universe were quick to pull me in, the experimental touches and the onslaught of visual detail kept me glued to the screen."

"Don't expect a typical horror/mystery flick (despite many claims of Lynch-like scenes), Gozu is a superb comedy meant for people who like their slice of cinema a little crazy and different from the norm."

"It's a bleak, depressing but all the more impressive look into the darker depths of the human condition, it will leave you cringing in your seat, and it will make you want to look away."

"Stylish, classy, funny and revolting. The acting is top-notch, the film looks incredible and the soundtrack adds a lot of atmosphere. I'm thoroughly impressed by this Ko/Tsuei collaboration."

"A lovingly executed ode to laziness, boredom and feeling at ease. The characters do little else but loitering, loving the fact that they have nothing else to do but to sit and enjoy the moment."

"If you're looking for a short, fun and action-filled film than Gamer is a prime choice. It's extremely visual, fast and without compromise. And above all, it's executed remarkably well."

"A fun, varied and classy anthology film where Sogo Ishii allows himself to showcase his more experimental side while leaving room for some softer touches."

"It is great to see Miyazaki return to his former self after 15 years, Ponyo is certainly up there with the best of his work and is a good step up from Mononoke, Chihiro and Howl."

"If you can stomach the classic tragedy, a world of unmatched cinematographic beauty opens itself and provides one of the most stunningly beautiful action films ever released."

"I've seen Izo three times now and the film keeps impressing me, it's a superb mix of genre film making and arthouse cinema, an unlikely mix that we might never see again in this form."

"Debie's cinematography is first class, the soundtrack is spot on, the dance routines are pretty impressive, performances are great, and the final hour is Noé at his finest/darkest."

"The stylish cinematography and superb sound design create a unique and tangible atmosphere, the performances and strong characterization add extra flair to the whole."

"Tom Lin delivers one of the dearest, warmest and most charming films of the year, a beautiful, stylish and imaginative trip that glaces at the world through the eyes of a 13-year-old girl."

"A must-see this one, if only to marvel at the insane creations and wacky surreal scenes that come from an utterly silly premise given a fully straight-faced treatment."

"With a superb soundtrack, two killer leads and some visual panache, Kumakiri delivers a film that has the power to linger. That is, if you can stomach the punches My Man dishes out."

"The Fifth Thoracic Vertebra is the work of someone with a clear vision, the talent to execute it, and the business savvy (or plain relentlessness) to bring a project like this to fruition."

"The cinematography is crazy, the performances are all-in and the score is fitting. Add to that a wildly entertaining and unique premise, and you have a film that lingers."

"I experienced Moebius as an extremely intense drama, a strict downwards spiral invoked by a family acting purely on their urges and instincts."