Transforming ëNowhereí German Director Link Journeys Beyond African Continent by Ky N. Nguyen With the visually captivating ìNowhere in Africa,î German director Caroline Link ventures boldly beyond the fatherland. As with Linkís previous work, she astutely presents a childís distinct yet perceptive perspective. She studiously demonstrates how three peopleís transformations into better human beings conflict with their pre-existing notions of themselves, each other and society. A wealthy Jewish family in Germany temporarily relocates to Kenya before World War II, awaiting what they believe will be the impending fall of the anti-Semitic Nazi government. Elite attorney Walter Redlichís (Merab Ninidze) new career as a farmer is a difficult change for his elegant wife Jettel (Juliane K^hler), leading to marital strife. Their young daughter Regina (played by Lea Kurka, then by Karoline Eckertz as a teenager), who narrates the film, embraces her new surroundings, picking up the language with ease. As war approaches, the family is ironically interned along with other Germans by the British colonial g overnment. After a decade in Kenya, their lives are changed forever by their exile in a foreign land. Niki Reiserís soothing Africanized symphonies complement the striking location photography by Gernot Roll. ìNowhere in Africaî received an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language film (as did Linkís ìBeyond Silenceî) and five German Lolas, including Best Picture, Director and Cinematography. It premiered in Washington, D.C., at the Washington Jewish Film Festival. ìNowhere in Africa (Nirgendwo in Afrika)î (German, Swahili and English; 138 min.) is now playing at Cinema Arts and Landmarkís Bethesda Row. ëBend It Like Beckhamí British director Gurinder Chadha (ìBhaji on the Beach,î ìWhatís Cooking?î) was born in Kenya to Punjabi parents, who immigrated to the United Kingdom with the end of colonial government in 1963. With the entertainingly feel-good comedy ìBend It Like Beckham,î Britainís biggest box office hit, Chadha colorfully depicts yet another fiery mixing of cultures in the modern world. Teenager Jess Bhamra (Parminder Nagra) wants to be a soccer star like her idol David Beckham, much to the chagrin of her traditional Sikh parents. They want her to learn how to cook and get married to a nice Indian boy. In secret, Jess ends up starring on a local girlsí soccer team and has the chance to win a scholarship to Santa Clara University in California, where womenís soccer is a big sport. Her ambitions conflict with her obligations to her family and her sisterís impending wedding. The charactersí emotions are heartfelt and believable. Spirited acting enlivens the commonplace plot structure and frequently stereotypical characters. Other talented actors include Keira Knightley (Jessís teammate Jules), Jonathan Rhys-Meyers (their coach Joe), Anupam Kher (Mr. Bhamra), Shaheen Khan (Mrs. Bhamra), and Juliet Stevenson (Julesís mother Paula). ìBend It Like Beckhamî (English, Punjabi and Hindi; 112 min.) is now playing at Cinema Arts and Landmarkís Bethesda Row. What About Bob? On its own merits, ìThe Good Thiefî is pleasant enough, but itís no ìBob le Flambeur.î The gritty original (itself a French homage to American gangster flicks) by Jean-Pierre Melville presaged the coming of the French New Wave, with cinematographer Henry DecaÎ shooting FranÁois Truffautís ìThe 400 Blowsî and Melville acting in Jean-Luc Godardís ìBreathless.î Still, Irish director Neil Jordanís remake is a slickly entertaining romp offering a showcase for seasoned American star Nick Nolte to strut his stuff. Bob Montagnet (Nolte) is a former thief and current addict to dope and gambling who roams the rough streets of Nice. After his luck turns sour, heís presented the opportunity of a lifetime in the form of a big score at a Monte Carlo casino. The inspired ensemble cast includes delicious turns from Turkish-born French thespian TchÈky Karyo (Roger, Bobís cop friend whoís more interested in preventing his crime than catching him), Yugoslavian director Emir Kusturica (security expert Vladimir), Georgian newcomer Nutsa Kukhiani (teenage drifter Anne), American filmmaker twins Mark and Michael Polish (thievery competitors cum collaborators), and British actor Ralph Fiennes (fence cum art dealer). ìThe Good Thiefî (English; 109 min.) opens Friday, April 11. 'Cowboy Bebopí on Big Screen Japanese anime import ìCowboy Bebopî has been a cult TV series on the Cartoon Network, and Japanese director ShinichirÙ Watanabeís ìCowboy Bebop: The Movieî continues the successful formula using the core artistic and acting talent. The fast and furious action features well-choreographed car chases, martial arts and gunfights a la Hong Kongís John Woo. The plot is convoluted with stylish, enigmatic dialogue. The vivid animation creates memorable figures and movements. And YÙko Kannoís distinctive blend of disparate musical genres fuels the soundtrack that drives the movie. On the eve of Halloween in 2071, the four-person, one-dog crew seeks to solve an apparent biological weapon attack on Mars resulting in more than 500 casualties. The reward of $300 million would also be quite a windfall to their cash-starved finances. ìCowboy Bebop: The Movie (Cowboy Bebop: Tengoku no Tobira)î (English; 115 min.) opens Friday, April 4. Thriller Starring Audrey Tautou French starlet Audrey Tautou (ìAmÈlieî) headlines ìHe Loves Me Ö He Loves Me Not,î a clever film showing a romance from two perspectives. Initially, Tautou appears to be reprising her signature role as a gamine Parisian in love. The object of young artist AngÈliqueís affection is LoÔc (Samuel Le Bihan), a married, older cardiologist who is about to leave his wife. AngÈlique proceeds to shower him with deliveries of presents, including a rose and a portrait. Nat King Coleís ìL-O-V-Eî is the coupleís theme song. Halfway through the movie, itís revealed that all is not what it seems. Director Laetitia Colombani continues the French tradition of reinventing the thriller genre. The devils are in the details, and Colombaniís work passes muster even after repeated viewings. ìHe Loves Me Ö He Loves Me Not (¿ la Folie Ö Pas du Tout)î (French; 92 min.) opens Friday, April 4 at Visions Cinema/Bistro/Lounge. Step Back in Time ìIrreversible,î French director Gaspar NoÈís (ìI Stand Aloneî) latest shocker, is a skillfully crafted analysis of perception and time. Be warned right now: The filmís extremely graphic violence is not for the timid. NoÈís provocative technique treads a fine line between condemning the brutality of violence and sensationalizing it. Its reverse chronological order is reminiscent of Christopher Nolanís ìMementoî or Jane Campionís ìTwo Friends,î and the 12 single-take scenes follow the model of Hitchcockís ìRope.î Generally, the hand-held camera is constantly moving, with the significant exception of the controversial nine-minute, seemingly endless rape scene midway through the film. ìIrreversibleî opens with two men (Vincent Cassel, Albert Dupontel) seeking revenge on the man (Jo Prestia) who raped oneís current and the otherís former girlfriend (Monica Belluci). Beginning with a savage nightclub beating, it goes back in time to an idyllic romantic momentótarnished by the viewerís knowledge of what is yet to come. ìIrreversible (IrrÈversible)î (French; 99 min.) opens Friday, April 4 at Landmarkís Bethesda Row. Repertory Notes The Washington DC International Film Festival, a.k.a. Filmfest DC, runs April 23 to May 4. The opening night gala features John Malkovichís directorial debut, ìThe Dancer Upstairsî (Spain/USA). The grand opening of the American Film Instituteís (AFI) Silver Theatre takes place in Silver Spring, Md. ((301) 495-6700, www.afi.com/Silver). April programs at the National Gallery of Art include ìItalian Cinema: New Restorations,î ìFrom Swiss Archives,î and films by Swiss director Xavier Koller ((202) 842-6799, www.nga.gov/programs/film.htm). The Freer Gallery of Art continues the series ìAdoor Gopalakrishnan: Poet Laureate of Indian Cinemaî with more films set in the state of Kerala. The screenings of ìWalls,î ìThe Rat Trapî and ìShadow Killî the weekend of April 25 to 27 include special guests Gopalakrishnan and Suranjan Ganguly ((202) 357-2700, www.asia.si.edu/events/films.asp). The Goethe-Forum concludes its series ìGermany in the Crosshairs,î a program featuring popular German television crime movies, with two episodes of ìPolice Callî ((202) 289-1200, www.goethe.de/uk/was/enindex.htm). The Jetstreamer Film Fest, comprising digital video pieces from around the world, takes place April 20 at 7:30 p.m. at the D.C. Arts Center (DCAC) ((202) 462-7833, http://dcartscenter.org). Ky N. Nguyen is the film reviewer for The Washington Diplomat.