Teaching audiences to view films actively
By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 5 cats
Director: Álex de la Iglesia
Starring: Blanca Suárez | Carmen Machi | EnriqueVillén | Hugo Silva | Mario Casas | Pepón Nieto | Raphael
Thom says: “Alex de la Iglesia is such a fun director that I think about him all the time. For some 23 years now he has consistently gone the extra mile to make extravagant rich entertainments that are delightfully complex
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 5 cats
Director: Jia Zhangke
Starring: Dong Zijian | Liang Jing Dong | Sylvia Chang | Zhang Yi | Zhao Tao
Kyle says: “MOUNTAINS MAY DEPART is only the eighth feature film by iconoclastic virtually legendary Chinese director Jia Zhangke. According to his own words during a New York Film Festival Q & A last fall, he had thought about not
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Raman Hui
Starring: Bai Baihe | Eric Tsang Chi-wai | Jing Boran | Sandra Ng Kwun-yu | Wallace Chung Hong-leung | Wu Jiang
Jason says: “I’ve read that the English-dubbed version of MONSTER HUNT (releasing at about the same time the original Mandarin version hits the United States) cuts a few scenes, including one where dog meat is seen offered for sale in
Read the review...By Michael Colford
Rating: 4.5 cats
Director: Barry Jenkins
Starring: AlexHibbert | Ashton Sanders | Janelle Monáe | Mahershala Ali | Naomie Harris | Trevante Rhodes
Michael says: “Barry Jenkins second feature film, following the delightful, indie romance, MEDICINE FOR MELANCHOLY, is a bit of a visual poem, exploring race and sexuality in a way that at first glance might seem straightforward, but is surely something
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 2.5 cats
Director: Pou-Soi Cheang
Starring: Aaron Kwok Fu-shing | Gong Li | Him Law | Kelly Chen | William Feng Shaofeng | Xiao Shenyang
Jason says: “Believe it or not, this is not the first Chinese fantasy sequel I’ve seen where not having seen the predecessor was no big deal because it starts with ‘500 years have passed…’ This is a good thing, because
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4 cats
Director: William Monahan
Starring: Fran Kranz | Garrett Hedlund | LouiseBourgoin | Mark Wahlberg | Oscar Isaac | Walton Goggins
Jason says: “William Monahan’s new film is right on the line between the crime movies where the filmmakers are aware of the genre’s tropes and can therefore share a wink as it uses or avoids them and the movies which
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Director: Jeff Nichols
Starring: Adam Driver | JaedenLieberher | Joel Edgerton | Kirsten Dunst | Michael Shannon | Sam Shepard
Jeff says: “If you liked the Jeff Nichols/Michael Shannon collaboration in 2011’s TAKE SHELTER, you’ll probably find this little sci-fi thriller worth a look. The ending settles for some gee whiz special effects that sort of take the edge off
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.25 cats
Director: Stephen Chow Sing-chi
Starring: Deng Chao | Jelly’ Lin Yu | Kitty Zhang Yuqi | Luo Show
Jason says: “About ten years ago, Stephen Chow Sing-chi was briefly kind of popular in the States when the writer/director/star’s quick one-two punch of SHAOLIN SOCCER and KUNG FU HUSTLE, followed by CJ7, had pretty good theatrical runs for foreign
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Director: Michel Gondry
Starring: Agatha Peigney | Ange Dargent | Audrey Tautou | Diane Besnier | Théophile Baquet | Vincent Lamoureux
TC says: “This gem is not getting the notice it should here in the states, and it’s a shame, since it’s one of Michel Gondry’s best. Daniel AKA Microbe is small for his age and often mistaken for a girl.
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Ken Lonergan
Starring: Casey Affleck | Kyle Chandler | Lucas Hedges | Michelle Williams | Susan Pourfar
Michael says: “Writer/director Ken Lonergan made a big splash with his directorial debut, YOU CAN COUNT ON ME. Since then, it’s been sixteen years, and MANCHESTER BY THE SEA is only his third directorial effort. He’s written a bunch of
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