Movie reviews of Victor Fraga

Giallo-inspired and brazenly gay serial murder story from France features a magnetic Vanessa Paradis in the lead and an electrifying music score. Review

It’s rather formulaic and conventional, an average spy drama doused in saccharine and filled with two half-baked romances. On the other hand, Red Joan contains a very urgent message that world peace must prevail above national allegiances, and that nationalism can be an arrogant and exclusionary notion. Review

This 59-minute documentary is informative enough for those (like myself) who are little familiar into the world of intersex. A good starting point. Review

It’s effective and riveting enough to keep you hooked until the end. The performances are convincing, too. The script, however, insistently delves into petit bourgeois afflictions, and some people might find it a little pedantic. I still enjoyed it, though. Review

3 Faces returns to the old tradition of Iranian cinema of the 1990s, in its narrative/formal wizardry. It’s meditative, lyrical and cryptic, a lot like The Taste of Cherry. Review

We The Animals is a gentle yet harrowing tale about a premature coming-of-age in a fractured home, mainly seen from the perspective of the child. It’s very honest and brutal, without slipping into cliches. Review

All in all, Water Makes Us Wet is still refreshing enough to watch. Just don’t expect too much depth. Review

Being Frank: the Chris Sievey Story is interesting enough for nostalgic fans, but it’s unlikely to convert any new admirers. Review

Breaking Habits is a auspicious documentary about a singular initiative combining religion, business and medicine. Review

The director and crew behind the Oscar-nominated Embrace of the Serpent have created yet another cinematographically accomplished movie. Review

Sergei Loznitsa's twisted and grotesque allegory of the ongoing War in Donbass has good moments but lacks the lyrical genius of his previous works. Review

A small mining village is teeming with teenage hormones, Summer dreams and real-life deceptions, in profoundly sensitive and moving drama by first-time director. Review

Brazilian students protest and occupy hundreds of schools, demanding better public education and the end of austerity measures, in fascinating documentary about grassroots empowerment. Review

Maggie Gyllenhaal delivers auspicious performance and shines, despite playing a mostly disjointed character in awkward film about a small child poet. Review

A profoundly moving Charlotte Rampling stars in bleak and brutally honest character examination set in Belgium. Review

The images are raw and bleak with the very occasional splash of colouring – much like the existence of the Palestinians. Review

Ridley Scott's classic is one of the most subversive films ever made for more reasons than one... Review

Ugly problems surface when dysfunctional family goes on holidays in dejected seaside town, in British dirty gem starring Sadie Frost and Billie Piper. Review

Eerie sci-fi travels to a near-future and uncovers a Brazil intoxicated with bizarre evangelical practices. Review

The sensibility and the inventiveness of Brazilian director Marcelo Gomes are extraordinary. Review

A stern and yet ingenious documentary. The camera is entirely static, allowing viewers to reflect upon the topics at length. And the interview style is entirely unique. Review

Biopic of Brazilian revolutionary Carlos Marighella is very audacious in its content and yet very conservative in its format. Review

Israeli film set in France mocks nationalism from both nations with an absurdist tone reminiscent of Yorgos Lanthimos. Review

Audacious Brazilian film examines queerness at old age with a tender and empathetic tone, while also revealing that solitude is powerful venting outlet. Review