Berlin: Days 5+6+7

Red Hill (Patrick Hughes, Aus: Panorama) B
Wobbly script, but cracking drive, sound and intensity for a debut

Caterpillar (Koji Wakamatsu, Japan: official competition) W/O

Literally pitches itself as gruelling arthouse gimp porn, so don't blame me

Gentlemen Broncos (Jared Hess, US: Generation 14+) B–

Wildly up and down, but hard done by, particularly given the delightful perfs

Amphetamine (Scud, Hong Kong: Panorama) D

Nothing but copious nudity and insane naiveté to recommend it. I did stay...

The Illusionist (Sylvain Chomet, UK/France: Berlinale Special) A–

A beautiful wisp of a thing: captures the Edinburgh twilight just sublimely

Please Give (Nicole Holofcener, US: out of competition) C+

Pleasant enough, though the want of ambition or novelty disappoints

Winter's Bone (Debra Granik, US: Forum) B+

Superb community flavour around a bracing Dardenne-ish narrative grip

The Kids Are All Right (Lisa Cholodenko, US: out of competition) B+

Radical no, generous and hilarious and expertly performed? Absolutely