Chess Story

“Chess Story” masterfully confounds expectations as a tautly calibrated, intricately constructed Chinese puzzle of a period drama set during Nazi Germany’s annexation of Austria.

Philipp Stölzl craftily melds the genres of period drama and psychological thriller, not for the purposes of reheated nostalgia, but to shed a cold light on the recursions of historical trauma.

It's extremely well-directed and one of the best uses of sound design I've heard in a while.

Despite boasting great performances and lavish production values, the film also feels unnecessarily messy, as though its makers were somewhat overwhelmed by the prospect of adapting such a lauded piece of literature.