The 10 Best Films of the Year (So Far)
variety.comPeter Debruge A relatable, realistic fable about the unbreakable friendship between an Italian city boy and the small-town kid he meets one summer in the Alps, this quietly profound portrait spans almost four decades in the lives of its two protagonists, who stay in touch, even as their paths veer in very different directions.
One feels a wanderlust that calls him to the far corners of the world — including the heights of Tibet at one point — while the other stays close to home, finding solace in the familiar.
Co-directed by “The Broken Circle Breakdown” duo of Felix van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch, the film invites us to examine our own life choices. —PD There’s poetic justice to the fact that Eva Longoria’s motivation-minded directorial debut overcame the naysayers to become Searchlight Pictures’ all-time most-watched streaming title.
Like its subject, the Frito-Lay janitor (and former gang member) whose idea for a new scorching snack-food flavor showed the company the importance of the Hispanic market, Longoria’s dynamic underdog story reminds that American businesses — including the film industry — still have much to win when embracing Latino consumers and culture.
Read more on variety.com
