I can't wait until April 20th to tell you about LOLA and CAIRO TIME, the two visually stunning films (non-embargoed this time!) I saw back-to-back on this lazy pre-festival screening Saturday. I feel like somebody just gave me frequent flier miles. 

Quite a juxtaposition between the two trips. LOLA, Brilliante Mendoza‘s new film,is brilliant and yet depressing ("life with the sad parts left in for two elderly women some place around the globe where it rains a lot"); while CAIRO TIME overcomes stumbling blocks such as uneven acting and numerous clichés ("La Vie en Cairo" might begin to play during any given bridge scene), to please mainly on the strength of its Egypt footage and the likeability of its leading lady, Patricia Clarkson.

Lola is a profound and beautiful movie, and a tribute to the Filipino matriarchy, but so much grim reality, while arresting and moving, is not easy to watch. Cairo Time is fluffy and pleasant.

SUZANNE LYNCH