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Blue Tony Pisarenkov   AFI Silver Theatre, Silver Spring, MD   15 January 2004 The first installment in the "Colors" trilogy, "Blue" is much more inward-looking and darker in tone than "White," as well as being much more of a solo performance for the lead (Juliette Binoche). It also places a much greater emphasis on visuals, which are expertly done. Less readily accessible than "White" but no less enjoyable, especially on the big screen.

Dreams Tony Pisarenkov   AFI Silver Theatre, Silver Spring, MD   16 August 2003 As an introduction to Kurosawa, a bit unusual, but well worth seeing for both Kurosawa fans and novices. Most of his dreams are really nightmares, and some might complain that the dialog is too direct, but the subtlety is in the visuals, not in the dialog, and besides, these are really just fables reinterpreted for the modern world, and as such they succeed wonderfully.

Flesh for Frankenstein Tony Pisarenkov   AFI Silver Theatre, Silver Spring, MD   20 October 2006 "To know death, Otto, you have to fuck life... in the gall bladder"

Japon Tony Pisarenkov   AFI Silver Theatre, Silver Spring, MD   28 September 2003 Beautifully filmed meditation on alienation, rediscovering spirituality and hope, and going to stomach-churning extremes to connect with it only to fail, combined with a hefty dose of lament on how the sad state of social relations in Mexico undermines its natural beauty. A few gratuitous scenes whose purpose, if there was one beyond shock value, is lost on me, but on balance, worth seeing. The unusual soundtrack (Bach, Arvo Part, and Schostakovich) works surprisingly well.

La Dolce Vita Tony Pisarenkov   AFI Silver Theatre, Silver Spring, MD   17 August 2004 My all-time favorite film, newly restored, on the big screen. What more could I ask for, a date with Anouk Aimee?

March of the Penguins Tony Pisarenkov   AFI Silver Theatre, Silver Spring, MD   23 July 2005 A well-made documentary on what has to be one of the most bizzarre phenomena in the animal kingdom -- the breeding process of the Emperor Penguins. Morgan Freeman's voiceover, added for the English-language markets no doubt, is a little pompous for its own good, but doesn't ruin the film.

Romper Stomper Tony Pisarenkov   AFI Silver Theatre, Silver Spring, MD   08 February 2004 A hyper-realistic, "take no prisoners" portrayal of a gang of skinheads in modern-day Melbourne, featuring a pre-Hollywood Russell Crowe in the lead. Recommended, but not for the faint of heart (or stomach).

Tattooed Tony Pisarenkov   AFI Silver Theatre, Silver Spring, MD   26 September 2006 A brooding but ultimately optimistic Argentine film about a teenage boy determined to find out the truth about his mother who left him and his father when he was three. Setless, scoreless and shot mostly hand-held, a sparse but poignant meditation on growing up, mutual acceptance and closure. Recommended if you can find it.

The Animation Show Tony Pisarenkov   AFI Silver Theatre, Silver Spring, MD   06 September 2003 Mike Judge and Don Hertzfeld's latest collection of animated shorts from around the world is once again a success. A little heavy on Hertzfeld's own work, which wears thin rather quickly, but on balance, a thoroughly enjoyable way to kill an hour and a half.

The Battle of Algiers Tony Pisarenkov   AFI Silver Theatre, Silver Spring, MD   18 January 2004 A rarely screened, justly famous and controversial film about the brutal tactics of terrorists during Algeria's fight for independence in the 1950s and their equally brutal suppression by the French government. Very well made and painfully relevant today both to the war in Iraq and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The Conformist Tony Pisarenkov   AFI Silver Theatre, Silver Spring, MD   13 September 2006 It's a travesty that Bertolucci's far inferior Last Tango in Paris is a cult classic while this film is unavailable and incredibly difficult to see despite having a better story (hell, having a story), better characters and equally brilliant cinematography.

Touchez Pas au Grisbi Tony Pisarenkov   AFI Silver Theatre, Silver Spring, MD   19 October 2003 With the incomparable Jean Gabin (of The Grand Illusion fame) in the lead, and a very young Jeanne Moreau, this is not a story of a specific heist so much as a portrayal of the criminal underground of post-war Paris. Well filmed, well written, with hefty doses of the French "savoir vivre." Plays very much like a period piece now, but still very enjoyable.

White Tony Pisarenkov   AFI Silver Theatre, Silver Spring, MD   14 January 2004 The middle installment of the "Colors" trilogy, this film actually stands wonderfully on its own. A story of a hapless loser who, dumped by his wife, transforms himself into a ruthless business tycoon out of obsession for her, bequeaths her his millions, and stages his own death. With a happy-yet-unhappy ending, and lots of subtle commentary on various aspects of love, life, cultural differences, and free market reforms in newly democratic Eastern Europe, "White" is a veritable layer cake of themes and messages.