Siberiade (USSR 1979)

This epic is actually a saga about two families living in Siberia, spanning the years from the eve of the Russian Revolution to the 70s. Structuring the plot according to the sweep of historical events, Konchalovsky also employs elements of folk culture in a more or less magical realist manner.

The Shoplifters (Japan 2018)

The trailer below is larded with blurbs by middlebrow critics to make you feel smart for watching Kore-eda’s film. Try to ignore that. This is a warm and humane story with a critique of capitalism and bureaucracy.

Thoroughbreds (USA 2017)

A relatively low-key black comedy about two teens’ plan to murder an almost entirely unsympathetic stepfather. Turns in character and plot raise the question of who the psychopath really is.