Teaching audiences to view films actively
By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4 cats
Director: Andrey Zvyagintsev
Starring: Aleksey Rozin | Maryana Spivak | Matvey Novikov
Chris says: “Not as sharp a political allegory as LEVIATHAN, nor does it possess that film’s necessary gallows humor (which might’ve been out of place here, anyway.) However, Andrey Zvyagintsev (whose greatest film remains his first, THE RETURN remains a
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.25 cats
Director: Armando Iannucci
Starring: Jeffrey Tambor | Michael Palin | Paddy Considine | Simon Russell Beale | Steve Buscemi
Chris says: “Excessively funny and appropriately dark, from the ‘musical emergency’ opening to the slapstick moving-of-the-body to a deliriously profane argument playing out in front of a small child. I may need a second viewing to determine whether this is
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.25 cats
Director: Matt Tyrnauer
Starring: documentary
Chris says: “Never a movie star but definitely a character, Scotty Bowers’ life was inadvertently custom-built for a documentary. He ran a brothel inside a Hollywood Blvd. gas station in the years following World WarII, one that infamously catered to
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4 cats
Director: Debra Granik
Starring: Ben Foster | Jeffery Rifflard | Thomasin McKenzie
Chris says: “Although far less prolific, I’d like to think of Debra Granik as the American Mike Leigh for her depiction (consideration, even) of the working-class without condescending to them. Not as seminal or all-out engrossing as WINTER’SBONE, but teenager
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.5 cats
Director: Hong Sang-soo
Starring: Cho Yunhee | Kim Min-hee | Kim Sae-byeok | Kwon Hae-hyo
Michael says: “THE DAY AFTER is a Koren film from prolific director Hong Sang-Soo. This film that starts with our lead, Bongwan (Kwon Hae-hyo),a respected literary critic who runs his own publishing house, being accused by his wife (Cho Yun-hee)
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4 cats
Director: Ethan Coen | Joel Coen
Starring: Clancy Brown | Danny McCarthy | David Krumholtz | James Franco | Tim Blake Nelson | Willie Watson
Chris says: “Pretty consistent for what amounts to six separate stories only related by genre (in this case, the Western); also solid for a Coen Brothers film, given how scattershot the last one was. Not as fully realized as NO
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 5 cats
Director: Alfonso Cuarón
Starring: Carlose Peralta | Daniela Demes | Diego Cortina Autrey | Marco Graf | Marina de Tavira | Yalitza Aparicio
Brett says: “Jaw-dropping cinematography perfectly fits a form-follows-function approach in which the audience eavesdrops and hovers around the tale, which is a sort of ominous love letter or thank-you note to the voiceless. Clearly a personal film for director Alfonso
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.5 cats
Director: Dana Adam Shapiro
Starring: documentary
Julie says: “This was pretty interesting. The woman running the show Suzanne Mitchell reminds me of my Mom’s best friend back in Texas re some of her mannerisms in her old age. She’s a character for sure. They go back
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Andrew Haigh
Starring: Amy Seimetz | Charlie Plummer | Chloe Sevigny | Steve Buscemi | Travis Fimmel
Chris says: “Expanding his palette beyond the more contained worlds of 45 YEARS and WEEKEND, English director Andrew Haigh adapts a Willy Vlautin novel for his first American feature. The protagonist, transient 16-year-old Charlie (Charlie Plummer) unexpectedly finds solace when he
Read the review...At Eternity’s Gate (Switzerland/UK/France/USA; 110min.) directed by:Julian Schnabelcast: WillemDafoe; Rupert Friend; Oscar Isaac; Mads Mikkelsen; Mathieu Amalric;Emmanuelle Seignier Chrissays: “In theory, Willem Dafoe seems a misguided choice to play VanGogh, given the age difference, lack of resemblance, etc. Happily, hemakes
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3 cats
Director: Ruben Östlund
Starring: Claes Bang | Dominic West | Elizabeth Moss | Terry Notary
Chris says: “The title refers to a highly-touted conceptual piece on display at a Stockholm Art Museum, but as we know, a square is not always just an object. Could it actually refer to a person, like curator Christian (Claes
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.5 cats
Director: Sally Potter
Starring: Bruno Ganz | CherryJones | Cillian Murphy | Emily Moritmer | Kristin Scott Thomas | Patricia Clarkson | Timothy Spall
Thom says: “This little seen independent feature is short, sweet, with a shocking ending that can do nothing but please. Of special note here is that this indie stars five must-see actors: Patricia Clarkson, Bruno Ganz, Emily Mortimer, Kristin Scott
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: David Zellener | Nathan Zellner
Starring: David Zellner | Mia Wasikowska | Nathan Zellner | Robert Pattinson
Chris says: “The Zellner Brothers’ previous film, KUMIKO, THE TREASURE HUNTER, may end up on my top ten list for the decade, so this is a slight comedown. The less one knows going into it, the better, so I’ll just
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Director: Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Starring: Cai Cohrs | Ina Weisse | OliverMasucci | Paula Beer | Saskia Rosendahl | Sebastian Koch | Tom Schilling
Brett says: “Featuring a somewhat melodramatic style, this film from Germany showcases a touching story of art as it progresses through the decades of developing fascism before and during World War II all the way through east German socialism. As
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.5 cats
Director: Eliza Hittman
Starring: Frank Hakaj | Harris Dickinson | Kate Hodge | Madeline Weinstein | Neal Huff | Nicole Flyus
Thom says: “Here’s a strange film to review as I have no idea how anyone would react to the film. A friend in Boston didn’t like it at all. My dentist liked it, his wife no, & a dear friend
Read the review...By Michael Colford
Rating: 5 cats
Director: David Lowery
Starring: Casey Affleck | Kesha | Rooney Mara
Brett says: “The films that stand the test of time are the ones we take home with us long after we’ve had the pleasure of experiencing them. A GHOST STORY is a visual narrative that explores the very concept of
Read the review...By Michael Colford
Rating: 4 cats
Director: Nacho Vigalando
Starring: Anne Hathaway | Austin Stowell | Dan Stevens | Jason Sudeikis | Tim Blake Nelson
Michael says: “Sure it’s got some flaws, but this darkly hilarious romp from TIMEFRAMES director Nacho Vigalondo and star Anne Hathaway was a rollicking good time. After an intriguing prologue featuring a young Korean girl, her mother, and a giant, Godzilla-like kaiju,
Read the review...By Michael Colford
Rating: 4 cats
Director: Andrew Sullivan | Geoffrey Orthwein
Starring: Maika Monroe | Matt O'Leary
Michael says: “Tonight’s fascinating film is called BOKEH, an Icelandic indie that takes gorgeous advantage of that island-countries primordial, pastoral landscapes and otherworldly qualities. A young couple, Riley and Jenai, who are on holiday from the States are enjoying a fun
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4 cats | 4.125 cats
Director: Michael Moore
Starring: documentray
Jason says: “Michael Moore is likely the world’s best-known documentary filmmaker, and that is an obvious double-edged sword; while his first new film in years will certainly bring in one group of fans, the very fact that it’s from him
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Roar Uthaug
Starring: Ane Dahl Torp | Edith Haagenrud-Sande | Jonas Hoff Oftebro | Kristoffer Joner
Jason says: “It’s odd but fortunate that THE WAVE is getting an American theatrical release; it’s the sort of international genre film that tends to go straight to video-on-demand and maybe doesn’t even get a Region A Blu-ray. It’s understandable,
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