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Mina Takla

Mina Takla's reviews only count toward the Tomatometer® when published at Tomatometer-approved publication(s).
Biography:

Mina Takla brings over 10 years of experience in the media, gaming and film sectors with deep knowledge of both art-house and commercial cinema. Having worked in film marketing for over a decade, he has helped shape digital strategies for several Oscar-nominated, shortlisted and officially submitted films including Capernaum, The Insult, Yomeddine and others, as well as leading digital marketing campaigns for the Dubai International Film Festival. He has attended, covered and reviewed films from over 10 film festivals online including the Dubai International Film Festival, Abu Dhabi Film Festival, Cannes, Venice, BFI London and Annecy Film Festivals. Takla is a champion of foreign language cinema; and considers Awards Watch as a major platform to highlight under-seen foreign gems that deserve recognition and celebration. In addition to being an Awards Watch reviewer, he is also AW?s Foreign Language correspondent with a focus on the annual Best International Feature Oscar race. He holds a Masters degree in Strategic Marketing from Australia's Wollongong University and a Bachelor's degree in Integrated Marketing Communications with a focus on Arabic language.

Publications:

Reviews

Movies TV Shows
Silent Friend (2025) 100% A EDIT “As you exit the theatre and walk on the first grass you find, you’ll notice yourself smiling as your senses finally embrace everything you never knew existed.” – AwardsWatch Sep 8, 2025 Full Review Girl (2025) 70% B EDIT “Instead of tugging on our heartstrings with an overbearing score or long scenes of emotional breakdowns and confrontations, Shu Qi intentionally opts for a dry, matter-of-the-fact approach, which elevates the film beyond cheap sentimentalism.” – AwardsWatch Sep 5, 2025 Full Review Father Mother Sister Brother (2025) 81% C+ EDIT “A mixed bag of black comedy, social commentary and characters with varying degrees of depth and appeal, this is a film that will have its fans but its detractors would surely have hoped for much more than being mildly amused.” – AwardsWatch Sep 3, 2025 Full Review A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE (2025) 75% B+ EDIT “In a way, A House of Dynamite almost feels post-apocalyptic. But the apocalypse is already here.” – AwardsWatch Sep 2, 2025 Full Review The Smashing Machine (2025) 70% C EDIT “In the titular role, Johnson tries his best to deliver a different performance than his usual action/comedy fare, but the film doesn’t offer him a real chance to showcase his dramatic chops.” – AwardsWatch Sep 1, 2025 Full Review Bugonia (2025) 88% A- EDIT “But the film belongs to Plemons, who delivers one heck of a performance. As Teddy, he masterfully shows us the character’s multiple facets: menacing, deranged, bruised, tormented and unforgiving.” – AwardsWatch Aug 28, 2025 Full Review The Assessment (2024) 84% B EDIT “Olsen and Patel bring authenticity and vulnerability to their characters, and we can't help but root for them as they experience the toughest of challenges - but this is Alicia Vikander’s film. ” – AwardsWatch Sep 16, 2024 Full Review Eden (2024) 58% B EDIT “Eden manages to remain engrossing and entertaining for its entire runtime. And while the final act needed a bit of polishing, and the film sometimes struggles with its multiple tones, it remains among Howard’s best efforts in recent memory.” – AwardsWatch Sep 16, 2024 Full Review Happy Holidays (2024) 94% B EDIT “Boasting one of the year’s most thoughtful and potent screenplays full of timely themes and rich characterization, the film is certain to find further appreciation as it continues its festival run. ” – AwardsWatch Sep 16, 2024 Full Review The Fire Inside (2024) 93% C- EDIT “Ryan Destiny is quite convincing as the fierce and determined Shields, but the film never quite reaches the desired artistic, narrative or dramatic heights. ” – AwardsWatch Sep 12, 2024 Full Review Viet and Nam (2024) 98% B EDIT “Perhaps what makes this film stand out from similar works is Trương Minh Quý’s strong knack for mixing what’s imagined and what’s real, to create a wholly original picture that wonderfully conveys a sense of limbo.” – AwardsWatch Sep 11, 2024 Full Review To a Land Unknown (2024) 98% A- EDIT “Fleifel’s artistic choices in the film, everything from cinematography, locations, sparse score, and casting, rings so true that you forget at times that you’re watching a film.” – AwardsWatch Sep 8, 2024 Full Review Perfumed with Mint (2024) B+ EDIT “A challenging, contemplative film that may not be for everyone but remains a unique, provocative and haunting piece of cinema that is hard to forget. ” – AwardsWatch Sep 8, 2024 Full Review The Girl With the Needle (2024) 92% A- EDIT “With stunning black and white cinematography by Michal Dymek, an eerie score from Oskar Skriver and impeccable performances by the film’s two leads, Vic Carmen Sonne and Trine Dyrholm, The Girl with the Needle is pure cinema.” – AwardsWatch Sep 6, 2024 Full Review Four Daughters (2023) 96% A EDIT “A landmark achievement in every sense of the word, Four Daughters is a must-watch.” – AwardsWatch Sep 19, 2023 Full Review Shayda (2023) 97% A- EDIT “Zahednia delivers a stunning, heartbreaking performance as a child grappling with complicated truths that are quite hard to grasp as a child. ” – AwardsWatch Sep 17, 2023 Full Review Next Goal Wins (2023) 46% B EDIT “Waititi is able to make us root for and connect with each of the team members, and despite a limited runtime, get to know them on a more personal level as we witness their struggles and, entertainingly, their witty sense of humor.” – AwardsWatch Sep 13, 2023 Full Review Lee (2023) 68% C+ EDIT “Winslet showcases her immaculate abilities to bring to life such a powerful, wildly ambitious woman who’s never settled for less and whose defiance made countless war victims finally seen – and not just looked at.” – AwardsWatch Sep 13, 2023 Full Review Pain Hustlers (2023) 23% B- EDIT “Emily Blunt delivers a fantastic performance as a woman who, despite her irresponsible actions, still makes us root for her to correct her actions, even if it’s too late. ” – AwardsWatch Sep 13, 2023 Full Review Les Indésirables (2023) 65% C EDIT “It is a shame because Ly is a gifted filmmaker with a unique ability to build impressive set pieces, tackle pressing issues and giving a voice to the voiceless. And as important, but narratively lacking, as his sophomore film is, it ends up a misfire. ” – AwardsWatch Sep 11, 2023 Full Review Perfect Days (2023) 96% B EDIT “While steering away from over-the-top, unnecessary dramatic moments that this kind of film does not require, Wenders introduces some external forces that collide with Hirayama’s way of doing things.” – AwardsWatch Sep 10, 2023 Full Review Klondike (2022) 98% B EDIT “[Klondike] delivers a powerful, unflinching look at the life of a family whose every existence is shattered by the 2014 Russian-Ukrainian border conflict. ” – AwardsWatch Aug 21, 2023 Full Review A Gaza Weekend (2022) 80% C- EDIT “A Gaza Weekend is an amusing, yet surface-level comedy that doesn’t work more than it does and a step down from Khalil’s earlier, more insightful works.” – AwardsWatch Sep 21, 2022 Full Review Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022) 91% B+ EDIT “Just like peeling an onion, Johnson masterfully reveals his rich set of characters while keeping us surprised throughout with twists that keep coming.” – AwardsWatch Sep 20, 2022 Full Review Plan 75 (2022) 95% B+ EDIT “[Chie Hayakawa's] screenplay, despite the fact that not all characters sustain our interest equally, still manages to effortlessly move us, while showing us a society’s demise where compassion, and not only financial outlook, is on the decline.” – AwardsWatch Sep 19, 2022 Full Review
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