Teaching audiences to view films actively
By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4.3 cats
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Starring: Adam Sandler | Emily Watson | Philip Seymour Hoffman
Bob says: “I’ve seen this film twice now, and I’m still not sure what to think. It’s clearly an extension of the idea Anderson so overtly espoused in MAGNOLIA — that the unexpected can indeed happen. This time he managed
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.3 cats
Director: B.Z. Goldberg | Carlos Bolado
Diane says: “Co-director B.Z. Goldberg, an American Jew, befriends some Palestinian and Israeli kids and gets some of them intrigued enough to want to meet. But it’s not the feel-good movie I was expecting–it’s realistic, showing what’s become of those
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.25
Director: Adam Larson Broder | Anthony Abrams
Starring: Brenda Blethyn | Christina Ricci | Dominique Swain | Hank Harris
Bob says: “If a film ever had a multiple-personality disorder, this is it. Christina Ricci chucks it all, falling head-over-heels with disabled Pumpkin, although he appears to do little for her except ease her guilty conscience. What exactly were directors
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.75 cats
Director: Michael Haneke
Starring: Annie Girardot | Benoît Magimel | Isabelle Huppert
Bob says: “I was part of a good-sized crowd at the Brattle last night for THE PIANO TEACHER, and came out of it finding myself pretty deeply affected. I found it odd that so many in the audience laughed so
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Lieven Debrauwer
Starring: Ann Petersen | Dora van der Groen | Rosemarie Bergmans
Michael says: “Pauline is a developmentally disabled woman in her mid to late sixties. She lives with her sister Martha, is fixated with her more glamorous sister Paulette, and has forgotten her youngest sister Cecile, who has moved away from
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 1.25 cats
Director: Mark Romanek
Starring: Connie Nielsen | Eriq LaSalle | Michael Vartan | Robin Williams
Nathaniel T. says: “Bad. A mannered performance by Robin Williams is the centerpiece of a hackneyed script and uninteresting direction. On the plus side, the cinematography and art direction were just dandy.” 1/2 cat Robin says: “Robin Williams gives
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Mike Leigh
Starring: Alison Garland | Daniel May | Helen Coker | James Corden | Lesley Manville | Marion Bailey | Paul Jesson | Ruth Sheen | Sally Hawkins | Timothy Spall
Laura says: “After diversions with career girls and period performers, writer/director Mike Leigh returns to the working class of SECRETS & LIES and LIFE IS SWEET. Within the confines of a dreary South London housing unit, Leigh and his actors
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Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Philippe de Broca
Starring: Daniel Auteuil | Fabrice Luchini | Marie Gillain | Vincent Perez
Laura says: “This French film has been made numerous times over the decades and de Broca’s version has a distinctly old- fashioned flavor that serves it well. ON GUARD! is classic cinema served up with heart and humor. “The old
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Director: Arthur Bradford
Diane says: “Okay, so it’s not a moviehouse movie, but if you’ve got Cinemax, I strongly recommend catching this documentary. I saw it at a special showing at the Brattle last week with cast present–one of the most thrilling movie
Read the review...By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 2 cats
Director: Eric Schaeffer
Starring: Bill Duke | Caroline Aaron | Jeffrey Tambor | Jill Clayburgh | Lisa Rabe
Laura says: “Schaeffer’s screenplay has an occasional glimmer of originality (the ‘talking point’ napkin Christopher draws up for Grace on their first date) and good dialogue, although it is telling that the dialogue improves dramatically with the level of performer
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