Faust is the final film in the biographical tetralogy of power examined by Russian filmmaker Alexander Sokurov.  Following Moloch, Taurus and The Sun, which looked at Hitler, Lenin and Hirohito respectively, Faust is a reworking of Goethe's masterpiece via Thomas Mann's masterpiece in its own right, set in the nineteenth century.  It won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival in 2011 and is one of the most critically regarded films of the 2010s.

The tale is well known.  In this iteration, Heinrich Faust cannot resist the fair Gretchen.  Consumed by his desire for existential enlightenment, a pact with the devilish Mauricius (filling in here for the damnable Mephistopheles) sees our hero (in the broadest sense, that is) sealing his own fate with a series of decisions made by temptation and crave.

It's not a barrel of laughs, this film.  If you know the myth, you understand the complexities of emotion and personality that the legend explores.  Regardless, there is an inherent truth about humanity lightly woven within the complex narrative.  It's a work of art that explores what it means to be human and what it means to want.  It's a film that attempts to mirror and reflect its audience.  Disturbingly, it makes this all reassuringly satisfying, and that's a difficult thing for a film to pull off.

Faust is at the British Film Institute tonight, until 02 August.

A treat for you, dear readers.  Okay, the weather's rubbish but hopefully you've managed to get away for a bit.  If you haven't, I hope you have something lined up.  For those of you who have neither, book yourself a ticket to the Barbican cinema for tomorrow and do yourself the favour of settling in to watch one of the most romantic, most beautiful and heartwarming films ever made.

La Nouvelle Vague changed cinema.  Directors like Jean-Luc Godard and Agnes Varda brought us young screen gods such as Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg.  Francois Truffaut wrote the essay that started it all, and this film, Jules & Jim, may just be his masterpiece.

The titular characters are best friends whose relationship is put to the ultimate test by age, war and the love of Jeanne Moreau.  This was the film that made her an international star, and never has she been more innocent, beautiful, sexy and intelligent.  She embodied what the French New Wave was.  Made eight years before 1968 and the student riots, this film presents a Paris that is full of whimsy, bare floorboards, bicycles, cigarettes and sex.  Some may argue that there are no better examples of French cinema than this.  In a way, they might just be right.

Jules & Jim plays at the Barbican tomorrow.

It's nice when people from the internet can come together in real life and put on a do.  It's nice that you can go along and get to know some of these people that you've only known from afar.  It's also nice when you're in a fab location and are being entertained by more than a handful of interesting folk and being fed by some master chefs.

Nice To Meet You is set up by Art Wednesday, an arts and culture website that promotes what's new to do in the city.  Thereafter, they set up their own event.  Nice To Meet You

#1 proved such a success that they are back for a second round, and #2 looks set to prove similar fates.

The one night only event takes place next Wednesday, and is led by Ben Hammersley.  The polymathic broadcaster is an internet technologist, Editor-at-Large at Wired UK, the Prime Minister's Ambassador to East London's TechCity and erstwhile war correspondent and photographer.  Pixie Geldof will provide the night's entertainment with her band Violet, with a barbeque on offer by speciality caterers Funthyme.  It all sounds like a jolly good time, provided the weather stays as nice as the ambience is sure to be - the venue is Dalston Roof Park.  Further dates are pencilled in for August and September, with talks by experts from fields as diverse as business, art and advertising; it's definitely one to keep a close eye on.

Nice To Meet You #2 is at Dalston Roof Park from 1830 on Wednesday 11 July.