Teaching audiences to view films actively
By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Francois Ozon
Starring: Benjamin Voisin | Félix Lefebvre | Philippine Velge
Chris says: “Francois Ozon’s umpteenth feature is cinematic comfort food, a queer, coming-of-age period romance set in a beautifully shabby town off the Normandy coast. The twist (partially revealed at the start) and flashback structure distinguishes this from other like-minded
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.25 cats
Director: Hao Wu | Weixi Chen
Chris says: “Verité doc clandestinely filmed inside an ICU unit in Wuhan, China during the 76-day lockdown earlier this year. Expectedly difficult to watch (especially the heightened panic of the early days) but also genuinely life-affirming. This is an invaluable
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Michel Franco
Starring: Dario Yazbek Bernal | Patricia Bernal | Samantha Yazareth Anaya
Chris says: “After a flurry of brief, tantalizing, brutal images, NEW ORDER begins at a Mexico wedding attended by one-percenters; it’s best to go into the rest not knowing much more except that the first third is near-perfect in how
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 5 cats
Director: Chloé Zhao
Starring: David Straithairn | Frances McDormand | Gay DeForest | Linda May | Patricia Grier | Swankie
Chris says: “Already a lot of hype for this one and much of it is justified—if anything, it’s an advance on Chloe Zhao’s last film, THE RIDER, and not necessarily because she’s now working with an Oscar-winning actress (though McDormand
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 2.5 cats
Director: Kornél Mundruczó
Starring: Ellen Burstyn | Molly Parker | Shia LaBeouf | Vanessa Kirby
Chris says: “The first half-hour, which mostly consists of an extended tracking shot is not only an impressive technical feat but also an effective choice in what it depicts (a nerve-wracking home childbirth.) However, the remainder vindicates my mixed feelings
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.25 cats
Director: Ben Sharrock
Starring: Amir El-Masry | Grace Chilton | Kwabena Ansah | Vikash Bhai
Chris says: “A group of Middle-Eastern and African men are stranded in a refugee camp off the coast of Scotland. Our protagonist, Omar, is a musician from Syria and carries his oud wherever he goes. The refugees spend their time
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.7 cats
Director: Emma Seligman
Starring: Danny DeFerrari | Dianna Agron | Fred Melamed | Jackie Hoffman | Molly Gordon | Polly Draper | Rachel Sennott
Chris says: “Snappy cringe-com feature debut from filmmaker Emma Seligman with a near-perfect ensemble (esp. Fred Melamed and Polly Draper as the lead’s parents), along with a pressure-cooker environment and score both somewhat reminiscent of MOTHER! (thankfully, no one eats
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.2 cats
Director: Chaitanya Tamhane
Starring: Aditya Modak | Arun Dravid | Sumitra Bhave
Chris says: “A deep dive into Raag (Indian classical music) via Sharad, a performer/enthusiast of the stuff whom we first see accompanying his guru in concert. Where this varies from most films of this stripe is that, as it unfolds
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 2.9 cats
Director: Regina King
Starring: Aldis Hodge | Eli Goree | Kingsley Ben-Adir | Leslie Odom Jr.
Chris says: “It has a wish-fulfillment premise probably better suited to the stage (from which it’s adapted) than the screen, but Regina King’s assured directorial debut mostly overcomes the occasionally clunky dialogue through the sheer force of its four leads,
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 5 cats
Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel
Starring: Anamaria Marinca | James Nesbitt | Liam Neeson
Toni says: “First, I really think it is a shame that FIVE MINUTES OF HEAVEN was not distributed better in the United States. Considering, it was directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel of DOWNFALL fame and was written by Guy Hibbert, an
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 2.5 cats
Director: Stéphane Batut
Starring: Djolof Mbengue | Judith Chemla | Saadia Bentaïeb | Thimotée Robart
Michael says: “This curious French first feature directed by Stéphane Batut, a Casting director with nearly 80 films, including Claire Denis’ FRIDAY NIGHT and LET THE SUNSHINE IN, and Laurent Cantet’s TIME OUT is stars off with an intriguing premise, and
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Maïmouna Doucouré
Starring: Esther Gohourou | Fathia Youssouf | Ilanah Cami-Goursolas | Médina El Aidi-Azouni
Michael says: “Diane suggested we watch the film CUTIES for our weekly film discussion because of all the controversy it had been getting, and I’m glad she did, because otherwise I probably never would have watched it. Apparently most of
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Director: Jeremy Sklar
Starring: Baize Buzan | James Sharpe | Jeremy Sklar | Judah Abner Paul
By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 5 cats
Director: Maite Alberdi
Thom says: “This is Chile’s entry into the 2021 Best Foreign Film competition for the Academy Awards (that hoary, old extravaganza). Moreover, the film is my choice for Best Documentary for 2020. I have to honestly admit I’m not a
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Director: Tylor Norwood
By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Director: Ayumu Watanabe
Starring: Hiiro Ishibashi | Mana Ashida | Seishû Uragami | Win Morisaki
Toni says: “The independent team working on this broke off from Studio Ghibli, and this was adapted from a manga by the same name. I think it is worthy of an adapted screenplay nomination in addition to other categories like
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Director: Ciro Sorrentino
Starring: Eliana Manvati | Ellie Poussot | Mino Sferra | Sam Gittins
By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Director: Brian Skiba
Starring: Casper Van Dien | Jack Griffo | Ryan Phillippe | William Katt
By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 2.5 cats
Director: P. David Ebersole | Todd Hughes
Michael says: “The only reason I watched this documentary about fashion designer turned brand magnate, Pierre Cardin, was because I used to be on the Board of Directors of the Provincetown International Film Festival with the two directors, P. David
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Director: Brendan Walsh
Starring: Genesis Rodriguez | Mavis Simpson-Ernst | Vincent Piazza
