Teaching audiences to view films actively
By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 2 cats
Director: Takashi Nakamura
Starring: Akiko Hiramatsu | Megumi Toyoguchi
Michael says: “I’ve been trying to keep up with 2005 films I’ve missed in the theatre by catching them on DVD when they appear. The most recent in this category is a bit of Japanese anime entitled A TREE OF
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Rating: 4.25 cats
Director: Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Starring: Banlop Lomnoi | Huai Dessom | Sakda Kaewbuadee
Chris says: “This Thai film begins as a generally straightforward, refreshingly matter-of-fact gay romance between Keng, a soldier, and Tong, a young man from the provinces. This goes on for about an hour, building up a heady sense of erotic
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Rating: 3 cats
Director: Khyentse Norbu
Starring: Lhakpa Dorji | Sonam Lhamo | Tsewang Dandup
Beth C. says: “TRAVELLERS & MAGICIANS uses the popular ‘story-within-a-story’ method to present a character’s moral crisis within the context of other people who have gone through similar struggles. I found this film to be enjoyable and entertaining for the
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Rating: 4 cats
Director: Pablo Berger
Starring: Candela Peña | Fernando Tejero | Javier Cámara | Juan Diego | Mads Mikkelsen | Malena Alterio | Ramón Barea
Hilary says: “Struggling door-to-door encyclopedia salesman Alfredo’s (Javier Camara, TALK TO HER, BAD EDUCATION) boss, Don Carlos (Juan Diego), offers him a choice: participate in a series of ‘educational’ films the encyclopedia company will be producing for their Scandinavian market,
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Rating: 2.5 cats
Director: Benoît Jacquot
Starring: Isild Le Besco | Laurence Cordier | Nicolas Duvauchelle | Ouassini Embarek
Bruce says: “The French really know how to capture self-absorption. When it works for me as in the current LOOK AT ME, it is a joy. Other recent films such as RED LIGHTS, LOVE ME IF YOU DARE, KINGS AND
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Rating: 4.125 cats
Director: Jun Ichikawa
Starring: Issei Ogata | Rie Miyazawa
Michael says: “In the tradition of Tsai Ming Liang’s masterful WHAT TIME IS IT THERE, Jun Ichikawa’s TONY TAKITANI is a tale of loneliness filled with gorgeous imagery and moments of sudden humor. Tony’s mother died in childbirth, and he
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Rating: 3.8 cats
Director: Hou Hsiao-hsien
Starring: Chang Chen | Di Mei | Liao Su-jen | Mei Fang | Shu Qi
Bruce says: “Hou Hsaio-hsien covers three different decades within the last 100 years. The actors Qi Shu and Chen Chang play the lead characters in all three vignettes. ‘A Time for Love’ begins with a game of pool while the
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Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Mike Mills
Starring: Benjamin Bratt | Keanu Reeves | Lou Taylor Pucci | Tilda Swinton | Vincent D'Onofrio
Michael says: “Mike Mills’ THUMBSUCKER is a coming-of-age film that features some terrific performances but doesn’t really say anything new. Justin is a senior in high school who still sucks his thumb when he is stressed. He’s on the debate
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 1.75
Director: Donal Logue
Starring: Donal Logue | Jason Isaacs | Kirk Fox | Stephen Dorff
Scot says: “I really did write this outside the Brattle before the film’s climax occurred, but found that I couldn’t send via my Blackberry: “One of the worst films I’ve seen in recent years. Actually, I am outside the Brattle
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Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Mark Wexler
Bruce says: “TELL THEM WHO YOU ARE is a documentary about the filmmaker Haskell Wexler, a two time Oscar winner for cinematography, directed by his son Mark Wexler. Part way through TELL THEM WHO YOU ARE one of the talking
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