Another intersting pick, is Oligarkh or Tycoon: the new Russian, a movie-billed as a cross between Citizen Kane and Scarface, which starts with the accidental death of Platon Makovski, one of the new corrupt oligarchs left in the vacuum of the collapsed USSR. This movie is built upon flashbacks, starting with the carefree college days towards his descent into criminality. Each part of his life is retold through the eyes of his various former associates and lovers. Definitely worth a watch, though at times the quick jumps in time can be a bit abrupt and situations are left unsettled, and assumes that the audience would have a good grasp of the turbulent Russian government and economy, as would its target audience.

And another picture from the land that gave us vodka and caviar, is the surprise hit, Night Watch, Nochnoy Dozor, which many may have caught when it was released stateside earlier this year. It has finally hit the shelves of video shops across town, offering the expanded ending that the US theatrical release did not have. An excellent fantasy thriller pitting the forces of good and evil against the backdrop of modern day Russia, the grittiness of the cinematography enhances the ambience of the picture. The sequel is in the pipeline though release dates for the US are unknown and always subject to change.