Teaching audiences to view films actively
By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.25 cats
Director: Francois Ozon
Starring: Catherine Deneuve | Danielle Darrieux | Emmanuelle Béart | Isabelle Huppert
Michael says: “This colorful, riotous musical is quite a romp, starring some of France’s most glamorous and notable actresses, including Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Huppert, Emmanuelle Béart, and Fanny Ardant. “Eight women, extended family, are trapped in an estate during a
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4 cats
Director: Spike Lee
Starring: Anna Paquin | Barry Pepper | Brian Cox | Edward Norton | Levani | Philip Seymour Hoffman | Rosario Dawson | Tony Siragusa
Phred says: “I just saw the 25TH HOUR, and read a bunch of reviews. Opinions are extremely mixed, with some people loving and others hating it. I loved it. It has many many faults. The dialog is sometimes embarrassing, the
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.25 cats
Director: Michael Winterbottom
Starring: John Thomson | Lennie James | Mark Windows | Paddy Considine | Paul Popplewell | Shirley Henderson | Steve Coogan
Michael says: “Michael Winterbottom’s 24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE follows the career of British journalist, Tony Wilson as he takes part in the rise of punk and new wave in Manchester, England in the early 80’s. Wilson, a British television reporter
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.75 cats
Director: Edward Yang
Starring: Elaine Jin | Issey Ogata | Jonathan Chang | Kelly Lee | Wu Nien Jen
Diane says: YI YI by Edward Yang is a Taiwanese AMERICAN BEAUTY. Members of a middle-class family go through changes, in isolation from each other (startlingly oblivious to each other’s crises, just like in this year’s novel The Bee Season).
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4 cats
Director: Marzieh Meshkini
Starring: Fatemeh Cherag Akhar | Hassan Nebhan | Shahr Banou Sisizadeh
Ellen says: “I recommend this film to everyone.vThe film is short so it’s not a major time commitment. It tells three vignettes about women in Iran. The stories are simple yet the message is overwhelming.” 4 cats Diane says:
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.8 cats
Director: Patrice Leconte
Starring: Daniel Auteuil | Emir Kusturica | Juliette Binoche
Diane says: “I’m not so sure about this film… I was waiting for the big payoff where we find out the pasts of the Binoche and Auteuil characters. I’d like to see the prequel! “A friend who enjoyed this film
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Rating: 4.5 cats
Director: Richard Linklater
Starring: Ethan Hawke | Julie Delpy | Lorelei Linklater | Trevor Jack Brooks | Wiley Wiggins
Diane says: “Janet and I loved WAKING LIFE The effect of digitally painting over film is beautiful. In this movie, a mélange of 50 characters impart wisdom to a dreamer. While one review I read said that WAKING LIFE is
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.25 cats
Director: Anh Hung Tran
Starring: Le Khanh | Nhu Quynh Nguyen | Tran Nu Yên-Khê
Diane says: “A lovely film. I really sank into it. Three sisters in Hanoi conduct their delicate relationships with each other, their husbands, and their lovers during the month between the memorial meal for their mother and the one for
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.75 cats
Director: Francois Ozon
Starring: Bruno Cremer | Charlotte Rampling | Jocques Nolot
Diane says: “Rampling will get a best actress nom from me. A contemplative film about a middle-aged woman dealing with the death of her husband. Rampling really is superb.” 4 cats Esme says: “UNDER THE SAND was verrrrryyyy French–which
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Rating: 4.6
Director: Allan Miller
Diane says: “5 cats for this docu about the production of Puccini’s opera ‘Turandot,’ which is set in ancient China. It’s the kind of docu I love: filmmaker Allen Miller doesn’t insert himself, but uses editing to highlight the conflict
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Rating: 2.75
Director: Silvio Soldini
Starring: Bruno Ganz | Licia Maglietta | Marina Massironi
Laura says: “As amusing as Costantino and his travails are, co-screenwriter (with Doriana Leondeff)/director Silvio Soldini spends way too much time following the hapless lug so that we almost forget about Rosalba. Fernando’s ‘mystery’ family (his daughter-in-law and grandson) are
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Rating: 3 cats
Director: Sandi Simcha Dubowski
Diane says: “This is a docu by Sandi Simcha Dubowski about gay and lesbian Jews trying to remain in the fold of Orthodox and Hasidic Judaism. The director succeeds by focussing on the line of tension within both the gay
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.75 cats
Director: Lukas Moodysson
Starring: Emma Samuelsson | Lisa Lindgren | Michael Nyqvist | Sam Kessel
Stephen says: “While the communal life doesn’t work for everyone in this story, the thrust of the narrative comes out mostly positive, and most of the lives we see have improved because of the loosening of restraints and expectations this
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Rating: 3.25
Director: Joel Schumacher
Starring: Clifton Collins | Colin Farrell | Jr. | Matthew Davis | Tom Guiry
Kevin says: “Colin Farrell gave one of my favorite performances in a really long time. Did you notice how bad Matthew Davis was as his side-kick; absolutely terrible! Apparently if you have a pretty face you can do whatever you
Read the review...Things You Can Tell Just By Looking At Her (USA; 109min.) directed by: Rodrigo Garcíastarring: Glen Close; Cameron Diaz; Calista Flockhart; Kathy Baker; Holly Hunter Ellen says: “Unfortunately this film apparently suffered from lack of release. Thank God for
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3 cats
Director: Joel Coen
Starring: Adam Alexi-Malle | Billy Bob Thornton | Frances McDormand | Scarlett Johnansson
Bob says: “I think it’s fair to say that the Coens are brilliant, and they have a great understanding of the cinema. The problem is that they know it, and they have a tendency to be intellectual snobs. Their films
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Rating: 4.125 cats
Director: Agnès Jaoui
Starring: Agnès Jaoui | Alain Chabat | Anne Alvaro | Brigitte Catillon | Gérard Lanvin | Jean-Pierre Bacri
Diane says: “This French film is one of those goodies about real people, like YOU CAN COUNT ON ME. It was written by Agnès Jaoui and her husband Jean-Pierre Bacri, was directed by Jaoui who plays a supporting role, and
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Rating: 3 cats
Director: Richard Linklater
Starring: Ethan Hawke | Robert Sean Leonard | Uma Thurman
Laura says: “Ethan Hawke, an actor who recently has delivered moribund performances, is charged as Vince, at once an overactive adolescent and pothead philosopher. Linklater should remain Hawke’s director of choice as he hasn’t been this good since BEFORE SUNRISE.
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Nagisa Oshima
Starring: Ryuhei Matsuda | Shinji Takeda | Tadanobu Asano | Takeshi Kitano
Marc says: “I would strongly suggest missing TABOO. Saw it yesterday and it lacked intellectual challenge, stunning visuals, and narrative coherence. I imagine that culture differences play some part to not understanding this film. Impenetrable may be the best discretion
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 2.75
Director: Joe Roth
Starring: Billy Crystal | Catherine Zeta-Jones | John Cusack | Julia Roberts
Robin says: “I had high hopes for AMERICA’S SWEETHEARTS what with its stellar ensemble cast and all. Julia Roberts is actually developing into an actor and does a good job as the self-deprecating, loyal sister to the star. She maintains
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