PERSEPOLIS – Retroview by Susan Granger

What’s unusual about this hand-drawn animated feature from France is that it tells an adult story from a child’s point-of-view. With the aid of French graphic artist Vincent Paronnaud, Iranian/French auteur Marjane Satrapi boldly details her very personal autobiography. Filmed primarily in stark black-and-white, except for brief scenes in color, it’s a monochromatic, simplistic narrative which delves into contemporary political history, including war, torture and execution. Persepolis is a stylized, sensitive 7, an often comic, yet heart-breaking, outspoken portrait of a young girl and a nation in turmoil.

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THE OLD GUARD – Review by Loren King

Filmmaker Gina Prince-Bythewood brings human drama to the superhero characters of The Old Guard, staging many action and fight scenes with lightening-quick finesse while getting dynamic performances from her e cast. But the heart and soul of the movie is Charlize Theron, gleefully believable as a 6,000-year-old warrior who’s saddled with a ghost that will no doubt figure in the next installment of this franchise.

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