News

It’s less than a week away, and we already have a wonderful slate of items available for bid, thanks to our many donors – and we’re still not done! This year, we are going to open up the bidding early and provide a way for members and friends not in the Boston area to participate in the auction. Check Mewsings after 5 o’clock this Friday night, September 30, for official details and instructions to place bids for one or more of the following items:

2 all-access passes for the Provincetown International Film Festival in June 2006

1 one-year membership as a Friend of Film at the Museum of Fine Arts

1 space in the Introduction to Directing workshop at the Boston Film School, fall 2005 fall semester

2 all-film passes for the Independent Film Festival of Boston in April 2006

2 passes to the Boston Latino International Film Festival this October

2 tickets to the New England Film & Video Festival opening night & after-party

1 6-month memberships to Film Movement (put only 1 online)

1 1-year dual membership in the Chlotrudis Society for Independent Film

2 1-night stays at the Charles Hotel

2 tickets to any A.R.T. play during the 2005-2006 season

2 tickets to the Lyric Stage’s production of Caryl Churchill’s ‘A Number’

2 tickets to any two performances at the Theatre Offensive’s Out on The Edge Festival

2 tickets to any performance at Jimmy Tingle’s off-Broadway

Movie passes to the Landmark Kendall theatre

And there are more being added every day! So check back on Friday to find out how you can participate even if you can’t make it to the event itself! Of course, no one will want to miss this terrific slate of short films, including the U.S. premiere of Don McKellar’s “Phone Call From an Imaginary Girlfriend: Ankara,” and “Phone Call From an Imaginary Girlfriend: Istanbul.”

We’d like to thank all of our generous donors: The American Repertory Theatre, Beth Caldwell, Boston Film School, The Boston Jewish Film Festival, The Boston Latino Film Festival, The Charles Hotel, The Coolidge Corner Theatre, Cibeline, Film Movement, The Independent Film Festival of Boston, Jimmy Tingle’s Off Broadway, Landmark Theatres, Lion’s Gate Films, The Lyric Stage Company of Boston, The Museum of Fine Arts, New England Film & Video Festival, The Provincetown International Film Festival, The Roxbury Film Festival, and The Theatre Offensive.

We are pleased to announce that our 6th annual Short Film Festival will open and close with short films by Don McKellar, acclaimed Canadian director/writer/actor. Most recently screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, the Monday October 3, 2005 showing at the Coolidge Corner Theatre will mark the shorts’ U.S. premiere, and will be shown out of competition.

Ten films have been selected to compete in this year’s festival. From experimental films, including one from a 14-year-old filmmaker and another shot in Iceland, to powerful narratives covering such topics as female genital mutilation and teen-aged girls coming of age, this year’s selections should appeal to a wide range of viewers.

As an added treat, DVDs of the Academy-award winning documentary BORN INTO BROTHELS will be given out as door prizes to audience members, courtesy of Lions Gate Home Entertainment. BORN INTO BROTHELS chronicles the transformative journey of a group of extraordinary children in Calcutta’s red light district. Ebert & Roeper give the film “two thumbs up,” and Newsweek calls it “a remarkable and moving story about the power of art to transform lives.” The DVD contains loads of extra features, including updates on each of the children. More information can be found about the DVD here.

Prior to and immediately after the screening, a silent auction fundraiser will be held for such items as passes to area film festivals, theatre tickets, and local business gift certificates. Tickets for the Chlotrudis Short Film Festival are $9/$6 for Chlotrudis and Coolidge members, and the short films begin at 7:30pm.

Hello Everyone,

As is often the case, we follow up a week where little of interest is released with a week where several new releases are calling out for attention. I must beg your indulgence once again as we swap next week’s movie of the week to Tuesday. Join Chlotrudis members Tuesday night at the Coolidge Corner Theatre, 7:30 p.m. for Mike Mills’ THUMBSUCKER. Enjoy supporting performances from Tilda Swinton, Vince Vaughn, Vincent D’Onofrio, and Keanu Reaves while lead actorLou Taylor Pucci plays Justin who throws himself and everyone around him into chaos when he attempts to break free from his addiction to his thumb. Pucci won a Special Jury Prize at Sundance for his performance.

THUMBSUCKER
dir. Mike Mills w/Lou Taylor Pucci, Tilda Swinton, Vincent D’Onofrio, Vince Vaughn, Benjamin Bratt, Keanu Reeves, 1h35m

The first feature film from acclaimed designer and video director Mike Mills (his work defined the look of the indie band Air) is based on the novel by Walter Kirn and features a stunning cast that includes Tilda Swinton, Vincent D’Onofrio, Benjamin Bratt, and Vince Vaughn. But the real casting coup wasn’t Keanu Reeves as a New Age dentist (though it is certainly an inspired performance!), it was newcomer Lou Pucci, who steals the film as the title character.

At 17, teenager Justin Cobb is still a habitual thumb-sucker, a habit that is beginning to disturb his family and disrupt his social life. Then his orthodontist helps him change his behavior through hypnosis therapy. Finally, Justin feels “normal” – but his troubles are really just beginning. He begins to spiral into manic behavior, is afraid his mother (Swinton) is about to leave the family, develops a newfound crush, and without really wanting to becomes the best member of the school’s debate team.

THUMBSUCKER is an honest and funny look at the struggles of those who yearn to be someone else (or to be “normal”) ‘ only to realize that their flaws are what make them human and loveable.

The other big releases opening at the Kendall Square Cinema this week screened along with THUMBSUCKER at the Toronto International Film Festival. Beth saw EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED, Liev Schreiber’s directorial debut starring Elijah Wood. Schreiber also adapted the screenplay from Jonathan Safran Foer’s best-selling novel. I also heard good things about Thomas Vinterberg’s DEAR WENDY, which boasts a original screenplay by Lars Von Trier
and stars Jamie Bell (so good in UNDERTOW) and Bill Pullman. These releases along with PROOF, starring Gwyneth Paltrow, are just the tip of the iceberg as the fall flood of movie releases begins. There should be plenty to chose from in the coming weeks. However, if you’re looking to play catch up this week, the Brattle Theatre offers two well received Chlotrudis options in their Recent Raves series. On Monday night (if you just have to see a movie) don’t miss Gregg Araki’s MYSTERIOUS SKIN another triumphant literary adaptation. Doc fans will want to take advantage of another chance to catch MURDERBALL on Wednesday night. Both have a good chance at being contenders for next year’s Chlotrudis Awards!

Next Thursday is your chance to go out and have good time socializing, get your hands on some inexpensive, original artwork, and do your part in supporting the Brattle Film Foundation at the 2nd Annual ArtHouse Silent Auction at the Brattle Theatre! Enjoy wine, beer and some yummy food while perusing donated artwork from local artisans. Bid on your favorites and you just might end up with an original hanging on your wall. You can get a preview of some of the works that will be auctioned off at the Brattle’s ArtHouse page. Admission is only $15 and I can guarantee you’ll have a good time.

This week also marks the return of Gerry Peary’s BU CINEMATHEQUE, a terrific and free opportunity for Chlotrudis members to see filmmakers talking about their work each week. Obstensibly for BU film students, Gerry has kindly opened up this series to Chlotrudis members. The screenings take place on Thursdays or Fridays weekly. Tonight the BU Cinematheque teams up with the Harvard Film Archive to show student films from the archives. See early student films by such internationally known directors such as Mira Nair and Darren Aronofsky. Next Thursday I hope to attend to see Robert Patton-Spruill’s finished film TURNTABLE. You may recall that a select group of Chlotrudis members had the opportunity to see a rough cut of TURNTABLE and offer their input on the finished product. I hope someone from that group attends this screening so we can hear how the film was changed! Check out the September schedule at the end of this post.

That’s it for this week.
See you at the movies!

Playing this week, September 23 – 29.

Brattle Theatre, Cambridge
Special Engagement – New 35 mm Print
Cobra Woman (Fri. – Sun.)
The Goethe Institut Boston Presents an Evening With Andreas Dresen
Grill Point (Sun.)
Willenbrock (Sun.)
Recent Raves
Mysterious Skin (Mon.)
Land of the Dead (Tue.)
The Devil’s Rejects (Tue.)
Murderball (Wed.)
Harvard Bookstore Presents
Iraq War Panel
Special Event!
Art House: A Silent Art Auction To Benefit The Brattle Film Foundation (Thu.)

Coolidge Corner Theatre, Brookline
Thumbsucker
Broken Flowers
The Aristocrats
Muddy River Environmental Film Series
Slow Food Revolution (Fri.)
The Future of Food (Fri. & Sat.)
Kids Shorts (Sat. & Sun.)
The Lorax (Sat. & Sun.)
Portrait of a Coastline (Sat.)
Turning Down the Heat (Sat.)
Blue Vinyl (Sat.)
Thirst (Sun.)
The Next Industrial Revolution (Sun.)
Bike Like You Mean It (Sun.)
Lost Pond (Mon.)
The Greatest Good (Tue.)
Muddy River Watershed Event (Tue.)
The End of Suburbia (Wed.)
Pale Male (Thu.)
Gotham Fish Tales (Thu.)
Chain (Thu.)
Midnite Movies!
Firefly Marathon (Sat. – Sun. @ noon)
Brookline Booksmith Presents
Zadie Smith (Tue.)
Film Class
Prisoners of Circumstance (Thu.)

FEI Theatres
Capitol Theatre, Arlington
An Unfinished Life
Mad Hot Ballroom
Me and You and Everyone We Know
The Beat That My Heart Skipped

Harvard Film Archive, Cambridge
Too Human: The Films of Louis Malle
Vanya on 42nd Street (Fri. & Sun.)
My Dinner with Andre (Fri. & Sun.)
May Fools (Sat. & Tue.)
Damage (Sat. & Wed.)
Contemporary French Cinema
My Sex Life… Or How I Got Into An Argument (Mon.)
Film Architectures
Metropolis w/ live piano accompaniment (Tue.)
Imagine the City
Paris qui dort w/ live piano accompaniment (Wed.)

Hollywood Hits Theatre, Danvers
Proof
Broken Flowers
March of the Penguins
The Thing About My Folks

Landmark Theatres
Kendall Square, Cambridge
Dear Wendy
Thumbsucker
Everything is Illuminated
The Constant Gardener
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress
2046
Grizzly Man
Junebug
The Aristocrats

Embassy Cinema, Waltham
Thumbsucker
The Thing About My Folks
2046
An Unfinished Life
Broken Flowers
March of the Penguins

Loew’s Harvard Square, Cambridge
Proof
The Thing About My Folks
Broken Flowers
March of the Penguins

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Music on Film
I’ll Sing for You (Fri. & Sat.)
Starring Daniel Br’>
Honolulu (Sat.)
Elephant Heart (Sat.)
Ladies in Lavendar (Sun.)
Muddy River Film Festival
Darwin’s Nightmare (Sat.)
Mikio Naruse
When a Woman Ascends the Stairs (Wed.)
New England Film Artists Present
Mutual Appreciation (Wed.)