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
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
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
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
Diane says: “MULE SKINNER BLUES is a docu along the lines of AMERICAN MOVIE. Music video director Stephen Earnhart met up with Beanie Andrew, a retired shrimper who considers himself an entertainer. Andrew’s dream has been to make a horror
Laura says: “Gere is good as the grieving widower intent on discovering what his link is to the shadowy things which his wife experienced. He may be onto a startling journalistic piece or he may be losing his mind. He
Laura says: “MOSTLY MARTHA takes its cue from every film that’s ever found a single adult suddenly become responsible for a child. The cold climate/warm climate analogies of ITALIAN FOR BEGINNERS are present everywhere, from the restaurant’s name to Lina’s
Diane says: “Janet and I liked MONSOON WEDDING very much. We’re both nom’ing Vijay Raaz (events manager) who makes a beautiful transition from an ugly boor to an eccentric lover. The opening and closing credits are very colorful and original.
Hilary says: “One of the most stunning things about the film is the stark contrast between the quality of the visuals and the incredibly bleak story. The prison, the dusty roads, the stuffy old house that ‘Hank’ (Billy Bob Thornton)
Bob says: “I for one didn’t see much of a connection to Lang’s film at all. There is the setting — a huge mechanized city in which many of the people find themselves below the surface (literally and figuratively), an
