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What stands out first about The Cakemaker is the confidence with which Ofir Raul Graizer establishes its romance identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Cakemaker asks Tim Kalkhof and Sarah Adler to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Cakemaker is established with useful clarity: A German pastry maker travels to Jerusalem in search of the wife and son of his dead lover. That direct approach lets The Cakemaker use its 1h 53m running time

What stands out first about Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back is the confidence with which Hark Tsui establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back asks Kris Wu and Kenny Lin to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back is established with useful clarity: A monk and his three disciples continue on their journey to battle demons. That dire

What stands out first about Let the Sunshine In is the confidence with which Claire Denis establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Let the Sunshine In asks Juliette Binoche and Xavier Beauvois to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Let the Sunshine In is established with useful clarity: Isabelle, Parisian artist, divorced mother, is looking for love, true love at last. That direct approach lets Let the Sunshine In use its

What stands out first about Tubelight is the confidence with which Kabir Khan establishes its war drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Tubelight asks Salman Khan and Sohail Khan to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Tubelight is established with useful clarity: A story of two brothers set during the Sino Indian war, 1962: the younger one who's at war at the borders and the elder who's at war with his own world. That direct approach le

What stands out first about Landline is the confidence with which Gillian Robespierre establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Landline asks Jenny Slate and Jay Duplass to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Landline is established with useful clarity: In 1995, a teenager living with her sister and parents in Manhattan discovers that her father is having an affair. That direct approach lets Landline use its 1h 37m running

What stands out first about The Heart of Man is the confidence with which Eric Esau establishes its documentary identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Heart of Man asks Justin Torrence and Robert Fleet to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Heart of Man is established with useful clarity: The Heart of Man is a timeless tale of a father's relentless pursuit of his son interwoven with interviews of top thought leaders on brokenness, iden

What stands out first about Faces Places is the confidence with which JR establishes its documentary identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Faces Places asks Agnès Varda and JR to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Faces Places is established with useful clarity: Director Agnes Varda and photographer/muralist J.R. That direct approach lets Faces Places use its 1h 34m running time for character, atmosphere and consequence. ⁠ Agnès Varda approa

What stands out first about Lucky is the confidence with which John Carroll Lynch establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Lucky asks Harry Dean Stanton and David Lynch to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Lucky is established with useful clarity: Lucky follows the spiritual journey of a 90 year old atheist and the quirky characters that inhabit his off the map desert town. That direct approach lets Lucky use its 1h 28m

What stands out first about Last Flag Flying is the confidence with which Richard Linklater establishes its comedy identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, Last Flag Flying asks Bryan Cranston and Laurence Fishburne to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of Last Flag Flying is established with useful clarity: Thirty years after they served together in Vietnam, a former Navy Corpsman Larry "Doc" Shepherd re unites with his old buddies, former Marine

What stands out first about The Dawn Wall is the confidence with which Josh Lowell establishes its documentary identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Dawn Wall asks John Branch and Tommy Caldwell to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Dawn Wall is established with useful clarity: In an unbelievable story of perseverance, free climber Tommy Caldwell and climbing partner Kevin Jorgeson attempt to scale the impossible 3000ft Dawn Wall of

What stands out first about The Insult is the confidence with which Ziad Doueiri establishes its thriller identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, The Insult asks Adel Karam and Kamel El Basha to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of The Insult is established with useful clarity: After an emotional exchange between a Lebanese Christian and a Palestinian refugee escalates, the men end up in a court case that gets national attention. That direct app

What stands out first about 1945 is the confidence with which Ferenc Török establishes its drama identity. Rather than relying on premise alone, 1945 asks Péter Rudolf and Bence Tasnádi to supply personality from the opening stretch. The premise of 1945 is established with useful clarity: 12 August 1945, 11 AM. That direct approach lets 1945 use its 1h 31m running time for character, atmosphere and consequence. ⁠ Péter Rudolf gives 1945 its most dependable performance, findin