Project Nim

I rented this on Lovefilm. It is the tale of an experiment run by a Columbia University professor in the 1970s to effectively humanise a chimpanzee - have him live with a family, teach him sign language, etc. I can't say I am drawn to the world of chimps but it was pretty interesting to see how many words he could master. Somewhat strangely few of the participants in the experiment seemed to have thought what Nim might be like when he had the strength of five adults and side teeth which one person described as fangs. I am no zoology professor but even I can tell you that! Look out for the slightly freaky scenes where Nim is cuddling a nice pussy cat and where he gives one of his teachers a friendly bite - think of it as a small nip in the ankle a la Sheba!

The skin I live in

I rented this on Lovefilm. It is directed by Alomodovar, whose films I have really enjoyed in the past. I found this one interesting but not captivating. It tells the story of a plastic surgeon, played by Antonio Banderas, whose wife was horrifically burned in a car crash. His dream is to develop a skin that is much tougher than human skin, and sets off on a mission to test his new invention on a human guinea pig - suffice to say that I think he broke all the medical rules re experimenting with new medical inventions. Elena Anaya, one of Almodovar's regular actors, plays the surgeon's housekeeper.

Autumn sun

I rented this on Lovefilm. It is set in Buenos Aires and is the story of two middle aged single people who find each other via the classified ads. I found it gentle and heartwarming.

Patiala house

I rented this film on Lovefilm. It is set in current day Southall and tells the story of an extended Sikh family, and mainly the oldest son. He was a successful cricketer at 18 but his father forbade him to play for England, because of the way Sikhs were treated by the British in the 1970s. He therefore abandoned his dream and settled down to be a shopkeeper. He gets a second chance to play cricket aged 34. Not the most deep and meaningful film, but enjoyed it's colour, fun and music.

Frontier blues

I rented this from Lovefilm. It is a rather bizarre film set around the Turkmenistan / Iran border and is anchored around half a dozen key characters and a donkey. Although not a great deal happens in the film, and it can be quite slow, I did find it quite strangely absorbing.

Sarah's key

I rented this film on Lovefilm. It is a story set in 1942 and the present day, in Paris. It tells the story of a young Jewish girl Sarah, who is rounded up along with her family by the French authorities, to ultimately be sent to the death camps. Before leaving their apartment in Paris Sarah locks her little brother in a cupboard, to hide him. Kristin Scott Thomas stars as an investigative journalist whose family is renovating the self same apartment. I found it a moving and thought provoking story about a shameful part of French history.