I haven't been held in such suspense since I jumped the Corinth canal only to have my bungee snap off; The 33 showcases the human condition in all its complexities.

This has been a good year for actresses in general, and actresses past 50, once a rarity come Oscar time, are in strong position to get a little love from the Academy.

An actor's preparation is one of the main subjects of the excellent Clouds of Sils Maria, where Stewart co-stars with the luminous Juliette Binoche in a film that reveals aspects of an actor's life few ever see.

I went to the 8:30 a.m. U.S. premiere of, "Bonobo,"a film co-written and directed by Matthew Hammett Knott. "Bonobo," was first released in the UK to great success, winning awards and was very well received.

This year's Berlinale is certainly woman-centric. There are exceptional leading ladies commanding the red carpet as Juliette Binoche did on opening night, in her tuxedo-inspired white gown and fresh make up.

Against all odds filmmakers continue to make fine works, adapting or creating stories not from comics or video games but exploring the human experience on our own planet.