Isaach de Bankole

CHICAGO – Africa has routinely played a major role in the work of Claire Denis, a French writer/director deservedly hailed as one of the greatest living filmmakers. Her upbringing in colonial Africa certainly proved to be an influence on her 1988 directorial debut, “Chocolat,” as well as 1999’s equally evocative “Beau travail.” Both films centered on protagonists re-connecting with their deep-seated memories of life on the continent.

Rating: 4.0/5.0

CHICAGO – Can dedication overcome all odds? Film has taught us for years that it is the truly justified, righteous, and committed that will prevail. Of course, life is not that simple. And the films of the masterful French director Claire Denis often brilliantly portray the true complexity of life. Her newest film, “White Material,” completes an amazing 2010 one-two punch with the excellent “35 Shots of Rum” released earlier this year. She’s one of our best international filmmakers.

CHICAGO – Jim Jarmusch’s latest film experiment “The Limits of Control” is another example of a once-intriguing filmmaker becoming bogged down by his own self-aware style, delivering easily the worst film of one of the most important careers in the history of independent film. Jarmusch changed indie cinema in the ’80s. Now, he doesn’t even seem interested in his own films.