Teaching audiences to view films actively
By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4 cats
Director: Bill Plympton
Jason says: “IDIOTS AND ANGELS is Bill Plympton’s new film. For fans of the artist and many animation enthusiasts, this bit of information is all that really needs to be said when it comes down to deciding whether or not
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Rating: 4 cats
Director: Zak Penn
Starring: Cheryl Hines | Chris Parnell | David Cross | Dennis Farina | Richard Kind | Werner Herzog | Woody Harrelson
Michael says: “After mining the mock-documentary genre for some laughs, Zak Penn, known for writing blockbuster, superhero flicks, tackles the improvisational comedy genre a la Christopher Guest with fairly amusing results. THE GRAND gives us a comedic look into the
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4 cats
Director: Abdel Kechiche
Starring: Abdelhamid Aktouche | Bouraouïa Marzouk | Farida Benkhetache | Habib Boufares | Hafsia Herzi
Bruce says: “THE SECRET OF THE GRAIN won top awards (Best Film, Best Director, Best Writing) at the Césars, the French equivalent of the Academy Awards. Writer/Director Abdel Kechiche was born in Tunisia but was raised in the south of
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4 cats
Director: Brillante Mendoza
Starring: Cherry Pie Picache | Eugene Domingo | Jiro Manio | Kier Segundo
Bruce says: “Brillante Mendoza completed six feature films within a three year period, 2005-2007. He is working at a speed not seen since the salad days of Fassbinder although, age-wise, Mendoza (age 48) is about two decades behind Fassbinder (who
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4 cats
Director: Jeremy Thomas
Starring: Elle May | Jaden Holle | Jeremy Thomas | John Knight | Katie Webber
Jason says: “It is a bit worrisome when, prior to a festival screening, the director is offering what can seem like excuses or explanations – they had less money than the short film that precedes it, but it is long
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Rating: 4 cats
Director: Lynn Shelton
Starring: Basil Harris | Calvin Reeder | Jeanette Maus | Sean Nelson
Jason says: “I suppose it speaks well of me and the people I know that I’ve never had a friendship end like in the beginning of MY EFFORTLESS BRILLIANCE. Sure, there’s a long list of people I’ve fallen out of
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Rating: 4 cats
Director: Fatih Akin
Starring: Baki Davrak | Hanna Schygulla | Nurgül Yesilçay | Nursel Köse | Patrycia Ziolkowska | Tuncel Kurtiz
Michael says: “Fatih Akin made a bit of a splash a few years ago with his film HEAD-ON. The director was born in Germany from a Turkish heritage, and his films, at least the two I have seen, take place
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Rating: 4 cats
Director: John Patrick Shanley
Starring: Amy Adams | Meryl Streep | Philip Seymour Hoffman | Viola Davis
Michael says: “It’s probably a good thing that playwright John Patrick Shanley wrote and directed the movie adaptation of his acclaimed play Doubt. While another filmmaker might have made a better movie, Shanley’s film certainly recaptures the power and drama
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Rating: 4 cats
Director: Toa Fraser
Starring: Bryan Brown | Jeremy Northam | Judy Parfitt | Peter O'Toole | Sam Neill
Beth Curran says: “This charmer of a film showcases the sublime skills of Jeremy Northam, Peter O’Toole and Sam Neill. Set in 1900s England, a man (Northam) decides to liven up his regular Thursday visits to his eccentric set in
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Rating: 4 cats
Director: Chan-wook Park
Starring: Hie-jin Choi | Rain | u-jeong Lim
Jason says: “Even with the recent success of Bong Joon-ha’s THE HOST and popularity of Kim Ji-woon’s THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE WEIRD on the festival circuit, Park Chan-Wook is likely still the best-known Korean filmmaker outside his native
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