Jose Hobday on nurturing spirit by fasting.

A grim and focused anatomy of anger carried into our hearts and minds by two intense performances by Peter Mullan and Olivia Coleman.

An engrossing Iranian film about the familial clash of values of a sister seeking freedom and pleasure and a brother who is zealot for Islamic fundamentalism.

A lively and fascinating glimpse of the Black Power Movement and its messages for America.

An inventive Norwegian comedy that depicts the redemptive power of an extramarital affair.

A beautiful Turkish film about a six-year-old boy and his encounters with the adult world of mystery, beauty, and loss.

An engrossing look at the impact of social, political, and cultural change on five Russians from the last generation brought up behind the Iron Curtain.

A well-crafted and realistic look at the shameful and humiliating treatment of illegal immigrants in Belgian detention centers/

A recommendation from Buddhist teacher that the Baby Boom Generation set its sights on love.

On the tendency to inflate who we are, be deflated in turn, and on the value of taking the middle way between not-enoughness and too-muchness.

Drama about a long day's journey into night and catastrophe in 2008 as high-ranking members of a prosperous financial firm deal with its imminent collapse.

A mesmerizing film about the self-destructive and dark dimensions of perfectionism and unbridled ambition.

A wonderful animated feature that salutes the power of healing, the spirit-lifting importance of light, and the transformative marvels of touch and affection in our relationship with animals.