"If one is lucky, a solitary fantasy can totally transform one million realities."
-- Maya Angelou
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"If one is lucky, a solitary fantasy can totally transform one million realities." -- Maya Angelou
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January 6, 2009 | |||||||
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 Good Films Looking for a film that will leave you feeling good? Take our growing list to the theater or the video store. 
The First Year2002 good rental idea!
This Peabody Award-winning documentary should be required viewing for anyone who has ever agonized over the state of public education in the United States. The film is currently being distributed by PBS and will likely air in your area, it is also available on VHS and DVD. The First Year charts exactly that -- the first year in the careers of five teachers in the Los Angeles public school system. Directed by Davis Guggenheim, the film charts a series of equal parts in the story of each young teacher: their struggles to navigate the complicated bureaucracy of the school system's adminstration; their attempts to engage parents and guardians as partners in the education process; their own personal lives; and their adventures in the classroom. Only 80 minutes long, the film is packed with vignettes that help to sum up all the challenges that educators face today. More importantly, it illustrates the tireless efforts of those educators and the commitment they have to helping mentor and support kids in at-risk schools which lack many basic resources. But rather than leaving the viewer with a gloom-and-doom perspective on public school education, The First Year has the effect of restoring faith in a flawed system shepherded by young teachers who care about their kids and are determined to make a difference.
The late film director Michael Ritchie's extraordinary 1972 film, The Candidate, captured Robert Redford's rising star in all its glory. And it cast a different light on the American political system in a way that inspired Warren Beatty's Bulworth 25 years later. Redford plays Bill McKay, the son of the former US Senator from California. His moderate father -- a career politician -- having been defeated by the current conservative incumbent, Redford's character, a passionate liberal activist is put on the ballot as a token candidate for Senate and given no real chance to win the election. Buy your own copy of The Candidate from our affiliate [amazon] or rent it from your favorite local video store (tell them we sent you!)
In a place where people really know you – home – are there ever any secrets? We may fool ourselves into thinking our secrets can be hidden from the
people that love us. But in Big Eden it's clear that love means accepting
people exactly the way they are, with strengths, flaws and not-so-well-kept
secrets.
Henry Hart (Arye Gross) is a gay Manhattan artist who rushes home to Big
Eden, Montana when his beloved grandfather Sam falls ill. Henry
has two supposed secrets: he's never told his grandfather about his
homosexuality, and he's still in love with local boy Dean, who
dumped him ten years ago to get married. Now Dean is back in Big Eden,
divorced with two sons and a few secrets of his own –- both men need to face
their feelings to discover the meaning of their relationship.
What have you seen and why is it good?
Billed as a comedy, Va Savoir is, in fact, more serious than slapstick. It is
the story of the volatile relationships between an Italian stage director,
Ugo (Sergio Castellitto), his French lover and leading lady (Camille), and
the individuals they come into contact with while on tour in Paris. The film
revolves primarily around the temperamental Camille, who struggles between
the love and loyalty she feels for Ugo, and the rekindled feelings she
experiences when she seeks out an old and rather batty boyfriend, Pierre
(Jacques Bonnaffe), whom she hasn't seen in three years. As she becomes
increasingly preoccupied with her old love, Ugo indulges in his own
transgressions with a young University student who offers to help him search
for an obscure manuscript he is obsessed with finding.
Throw in Pierre's wife, Sonia (Marianne Basler), two oddly flirtatious
siblings, a thieving Romeo and a handful of other quirky characters, and what
you've got is this offbeat saga of love and friendship a-lá-Francaise. The
main characters respond to their emotional up's and down's with a casual air
of indifference that only the French can successfully pull off. In fact, the
film is enjoyable for the very reason that is so distinctly reflects the
culture in which it takes place. Peppered throughout the film are scenes
from the play in which Camille and Ugo perform each night, reflecting on
stage the actual drama going on in their lives. - lm
What have you seen and why is it good?
In reality, the new film About A Boy is about two of them -- boys, that is. Their notable difference is that one is twelve years old, the other a youthful 38. But Will (played by Hugh Grant) isn't a child in his vigor or playfulness; his immaturity is reflected in his inability to commit to meaningful work, relationships, or life in general. He's languishing in an altogether unfulfilling existence with too much television and too little connection to a real human beings at all. Then, seemingly out of nowhere comes Marcus, the twelve-year-old boy who, through his own troubles, rescues Will from his. Marcus (played by newcomer Nicholas Hoult) is being raised by a single mother, who suffers from severe depression; he also endures near-constant ridicule from his classmates. When Marcus and Will randomly meet through almost absurd circumstances, Marcus seeks refuge in the relative normalcy and calm of Will's life. With Will's reluctant guidance, Marcus begins a smoother transition into life as a teenager. And through the need that Marcus obviously develops for Will, the elder "boy" comes to understand that taking responsibility and becoming connected often go hand in hand.
What have you seen and why is it good?
Orange. If asked to free associate at the mention of the new film Monsoon Wedding, that's what I'd say. Maybe it's because of the decidedly orange promotional poster that accompanies this film. Maybe it's because of the pervasive ceremonial garb that complements the upcoming Delhi, India wedding around which the film's primary action takes place. Maybe it's because of the traditional orange marigolds that seem to be everywhere -- both literally and figuratively -- in this film. Whatever it is, Monsoon Wedding is a film rich -- or is it orange? -- with both visual color and the kind of personal color that comes from an extraordinarily intriguing cast of characters.
What have you seen and why is it good?
Just when you thought (as this reviewer did!) that you couldn't be surprised by any romantic comedy you'd stumble upon among the current batch of movies, along comes Kissing Jessica Stein. Written and produced by its on-screen stars Jennifer Westfeldt and Heather Juergensen, it's a refreshing snapshot on life and love in the 21st century. Westfeldt plays Jessica Stein, a hard-working New York copy editor who's her own worst enemy when it comes to her love life. Paralyzed by her own extraordinary expectations about the kind of man she'd like to end up with, Jessica's dating life winds up a veritable disaster. Not until she's drawn in by the personal ad of someone who shares her love for Rainer Maria Rilke's poetry does she begin to find satisfaction in her quest for the perfect person. The only catch is that the perfect person for Jessica, much to her own shock, could very well be an adventurous art gallery owner Helen, played with aplomb by Juergensen.
What have you seen and why is it good?
For "real" cooks young or old, serious or amateur, simple or extravagant,
meals made for family and friends are sincere gifts of the heart. After all,
the "way to someone's heart" is "through the stomach," right? Well, at
least a cook believes that. The sumptuous film Big Night believes that
too, exploring the longings of the human heart through the relationship
between two immigrant brothers during the early 1960's and the extraordinary
Italian cooking at their struggling restaurant. Buy your own copy of Big Night from our affiliate [amazon] or rent it from your favorite local video store (tell them we sent you!)
Last Orders, an uplifting new British film about dealing with the loss of a loved one, features a wonderful ensemble cast with the likes of Michael Caine, Bob Hoskins, David Hemmings, Tom Courtenay, Ray Winstone, and recent Academy-Award nominee Helen Mirren. Caine plays the central figure, Jack Dodd. The film charts the experience of his three closest friends in the world -- two from childhood and one from his time in the military -- in the days following his death. Each of the friends lovingly, irreverently, surprisingly recalls the times in their lives when Jack most affected or influenced them. The film follows them as they ramble across the English countryside, along with Jack's son, to the place along the shore where Jack has asked them to spread his ashes. Mirren plays Jack's wife, who has her own separate day's experience remembering the moments of her life with her husband while visiting their disabled daughter.
The film offers a remarkable portrait of a life remembered and cherished. Without sugar-coating the life of a deeply flawed man, Jack's friends and loved ones pay tribute to him with emotion and dignity. A full half of the film is played through flashbacks, featuring young actors who in some cases bear stunning resemblances to their older counterparts. They give brilliant life to the memories of a lifetime of love and friendship. Last Orders is full of powerful moments for anyone who has ever cared deeply for another human being over years, decades of time. What makes the film so special is how it addresses the unspoken times between loved ones, the shared confidences, the secrets, and the trials that life presents. Read another review of Last Orders.
What have you seen and why is it good? Rob Morrow is best known as an actor for his portrayal of Dr. Joel Fleischman on the cult television favorite, Northern Exposure. Morrow is also a budding filmmaker, and a recent film he wrote and directed is an unexpected discovery on the shelves of the video store. In the film Maze, Morrow portrays Lyle, a talented painter and sculptor struggling to live with Tourette syndrome, a neurological disorder that causes people to have uncontrollable verbal and physical tics. And while Morrow's characters fails to connect with most people, he is fortunate enough to have two very close friends in Mike (Craig Sheffer) and Callie (played by Academy Award-nominee Laura Linney). Mike and Callie are a couple in a troubled relationship, and when Mike decides to go to Burundi to volunteer with Doctors Without Borders, he leaves Callie behind.
What he doesn't know is that Callie is pregnant. In the months that follow, Mike and Callie grow further apart, while Callie and Lyle form a bond based equally on Callie's desire to have someone to coach her through pregnancy and on the emotional security that Lyle finds in Callie's company. As their relationship grows into something neither of them is comfortable with, they explore issues of creativity, family, and pain together. Lyle's Tourette syndrome is an important element of Maze, both cinematically and in terms of how it affects his interactions with other people, as are its memorable soundtrack and complex resolution. Buy your own copy of Maze from our affiliate [amazon] or rent it from your favorite local video store (tell them we sent you!)
If you thought that speaking Italian could bring you one step closer to finding the person of your dreams, would you learn the language from scratch? In the new Danish film, Italian for Beginners, that's exactly what brings a group of wayward souls together. Two adult sisters separated in youth by their parents failed marriage, a has-been soccer player now tactlessly managing a hotel restaurant, his hotel-manager friend who hasn't been on a date in four years, and a young minister whose wife has died are just some of the misfits in a cast of characters languishing in their inability to connect with each other in meaningful way. They all find themselves in a simple Italian class, which proves to be the perfect tool, along with the inherent romance of the language, that enables each of their destinies gradually to take shape. The story culminates in a class holiday to Venice, where the language of love proves to be the only fluency necessary. Read another review of Italian for Beginners.
What have you seen and why is it good?
Alongside his classics Diner and Rain Man, director Barry Levinson's Liberty Heights might seem to pale in comparison. But the overlooked fourth installment in his series of films focused on life in his hometown of Baltimore, Maryland, deserves attention. The film is set during the burgeoning Civil Rights movement of the late 1950s, early 1960s and centers on two relationships, one between Ben (a Jewish high school boy) and Sylvia (the first African-American girl in his school), the other between Ben's older brother and the wealthy object of his affection from across town. Levinson captures the period as well as any film about the era has, in terms of both the convincing look and feel of Liberty Heights and its subject matter. He gives depth to all the characters in the film, exploring issues of race, class, and sexuality through their strong personas. What makes the film interesting is the way it recognizes the many dimensions of each of these issues and gives them equal weight. It also shines in its vignettes about the power that popular culture - specifically, music, film, and comedy - has at unifying people from otherwise different walks of life. Read an interview with the stars of Liberty Heights. Buy your own copy of Liberty Heights from our affiliate [amazon] or rent it from your favorite local video store (tell them we sent you!)
Few could escape the buzz surrounding 2001's "It" movie, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. But do you remember the other four films nominated in last year's Best Foreign-Language Film Academy Awards category? It's highly possible that the best movie you didn't see last year was one of the other nominees. The Czech film, Divided We Fall, is a sophisticated and engaging exploration of the true-life World War II experience of Josef and Marie as they provide safe harbor in a small village in Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia for David, a Jewish man who has escaped a concentration camp. Fundamentally, it's a theme that's made it to the big screen before. But Divided We Fall distinguishes itself by using subtlety and even ambiguity in the situations its characters face to lend something altogether more challenging and satisfying to this film. As Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times suggested in his review, Josef and Marie go to the lengths they do for David, "(n)ot because they're stereotypically heroic, but because the other alternatives are even more unpalatable." Prior to the war and the Holocaust, Josef had worked for David's family's company. Now, in the wake of unspeakable events, Josef and Marie, a couple without children, effectively adopt a man who has lost his family into their own. - wt Divided We Fall was the Sydney Film Festival's most popular film. Learn more about it.
Rent Divided We Fall this weekend from your favorite local video store. Or get your own personal copy from our affiliate [amazon]. Rarely does a documentary film inspire viewers to stand up at the end and say "How can I help?" Yet that is exactly what happened as the credits rolled at the Sundance premiere of this powerful documentary showing the devastating affects of poverty in the Mississippi Delta. One by one, various audience members asked the filmmakers in attendance -- Albert Maysles, Susan Froemke and Deborah Dickson -- what they could do to help publicize the film and help bring this invisible crisis to national attention. The documentary tracks the life of 62-year-old Laura Lee Wallace, who lives in a trailer without running water or electricity, and her struggle to support a large extended family. It also tracks the Herculean efforts of West Tallahatchie school superintendent, Reggie Barnes, to improve student performance and keep the poorest of children in school. Their individual tasks are daunting, their efforts heroic. This film is to be applauded, not only for telling these peoples' story, but for making viewers want to do something about it. Lalee's Kin was one of our Favorite GoodThings 2001 honorees. Learn more about the Favorite GoodThings 2001 campaign!
What have you seen and why is it good?
Give thanks for good holiday weekend movie rentals! The Trip to Bountiful is a sentimental tale with a health dose of attitude. Based on the play by Horton Foote, it's the story of Mrs. Watts, an elderly woman played by Geralidine Page, who decides to go on one last pilgrimage from her sad and unappealing life in the city to the rural hometown where she joyfully grew up. That home is in a place called Bountiful, Texas. To get to Bountiful by bus, Mrs. Watts must ramble over country roads and through scores of other sleepy, forgotten towns. She shares the companionship of a young woman (played by Rebecca DeMornay), who's also on her own quest/escape. When Mrs. Watts finally makes it to Bountiful, her frantic son and daughter-in-law, with whom she lives, aren't far behind. The cross-generational dynamics the film's characters navigate offer a rich exploration of aging, small towns, the thirst for deep human connection, and the beautiful cruelty of time. Although Geraldine Page died before she could be recognized, she deservingly won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in The Trip to Bountiful. Read another review of The Trip to Bountiful.
Rent The Trip to Bountiful this weekend from your favorite local video store. Or get your own personal copy from our affiliates [djangos] or [amazon]. Combine an emerging international film star possessing all the charms of Audrey Hepburn and Juliette Binoche with a story as refreshing and life-affirming as anything since It's A Wonderful Life, and you have the French blockbuster and must-see film of the year, Amelie. In the title role, Audrey Tautou is positively beguiling as a young Parisian woman who discovers joy in her own life by first bringing it to others. Amelie is in her 20s and lives in the Montmartre section of Paris, working as a waitress in a quirky restaurant. She's endured loneliness and has resisted deep personal connection for years. Her widowed father has a lifetime's worth of wanderlust. Her elderly housebound neighbor -- an obsessed painter -- wallows in bitterness. People she's only tangentially connected to (for example, the man who grew up in the apartment she now inhabits) struggle with their own demons or regrets. Somewhat by accident, she sets out to anonymously, generously change their lives. The only thing lovelier than her random acts of kindness is the way Amelie mysteriously woos the man of her dreams.
But before you begin to think this is a predictable do-gooder plot, be forewarned: Amelie is far from formulaic. The film imaginatively incorporates graceful, sometimes stunningly splendid special effects to add whimsy to the tale. It also uses clever narrative devices in its opening minutes to introduce key characters and set the stage for the story about to unfold. Not only is Amelie upbeat and uplifting, it's also thrilling, beautiful, and invigorating to watch. Amelie is simply wonderful. - wt Read another review of Amelie.
What have you seen and why is it good? An amazing new film, silently and with limited fanfare, made its debut on cable television's Showtime channel earlier this year. Now available for rent on video, Things You Can Tell Just By Looking At Her should most certainly begin to reach its full audience. The film centers around poignant vignettes in the lives of seven women, each portrayed memorably and beautifully by Glenn Close, Holly Hunter, Kathy Baker (Picket Fences), Calista Flockhart (Ally McBeal), Valerie Golina, Amy Brenneman (Judging Amy), and Cameron Diaz. Organized almost as if it were a serious of five short films, Things You Can Tell... focuses on profound moments in each of the women's lives: romances late in life, pregnancy, grief, gripping family situations. Filmmaker Rodrigo Garcia (son of author Gabriel Garcia Marquez) borrows a Robert Altman technique of showing seemingly disconnected lives connected, in fact, in small, but often significant ways. For example, in the first sequence This is Dr. Keener, Glenn Close plays a doctor taking care of her elderly mother and obsessed with a new man in her life. Calista Flockhart plays an intense card reader, hired by Close to help her interpret the direction her life is heading. In another piece, Glenn Close plays Holly Hunter's doctor. In each of the sketches, the central woman is seen and analyzed through the eyes of someone else: Close, though Flockhart's eyes; Hunter, through the prescient eyes of a homeless woman; Baker, through the eyes of a new neighbor; Flockhart, through the loving eyes of her dying partner; and Brenneman, interestingly, through the blind eyes of her sister (Diaz). The results in each case are spellbinding. - wt Learn more about Things You Can Tell....
Rent Things You Can Tell... this weekend from your favorite local video store. Or get your own personal copy from our affiliates [djangos] or [amazon]. In movies, sexuality is usually the prerogative of the young and beautiful and, in a few lucky cases, the middle-aged. We flock to see the Brad Pitts and Julia Roberts of the world make full use of their sexuality on screen, and it is their very youth that makes this overt sensuality acceptable. Older actors, on the other hand, are often relegated to a different realm. They play dysfunctional parents or loving grandparents, lonely widows, or odd "characters" -- roles that may allow for a wide range of human expression, but stop short at showing the sexuality of these characters. Innocence, a film directed by Paul Cox, successfully flies in the face of this puritanical, or at least age-biased, cinematic tradition. It is the story of Claire (Julia Blake) and Andreas (Charles Tingwell), sweethearts in youth, who are separated for over 40 years before they reunite as lovers in their seventies. Both Blake and Tingwell give wonderful performances, revealing the emotional depth, wisdom and vulnerabilities of their characters. We see them hug and kiss, touch and love, become giddy in each other's presence -- just as young people do. It is a touching love story and beautifully filmed (Julia Blake could rival Julia Roberts any day) albeit a bit heavy handed. In the few scenes in which the film risks veering into melodrama, it is saved by fine acting and the "realness" of its characters. Overall, it is an enjoyable, important film that challenges assumptions about age, sex and love. At one point in the film, Claire's husband, John (Terry Norris), exclaims, "Love at her age. It's ridiculous!" Innocence shows us that, in fact, it is not. - L.M. Read another review of Innocence. [more]
What have you seen and why is it good? In this funny and warm-hearted Swedish film about the decline of an early 1970s community house, the members of Together Collective realize that being against everything bourgeois isn't enough to bind them together. In fact, they limp along in a cloud of hostility, constantly fighting over who is or isn't adhering to the values of the Collective. When gentle Goran brings in his working-class sister Elisabeth and her two pre-teen kids, things really go haywire. Suffice it to say the new film Together is an entertaining look at the inside of a very different kind of family. As a newcomer from the world outside, 13-year old Eva is disgusted by the rigid ideology and the lax personal conduct of the adults at Together. She already knows adults are idiots: her own father is an alcoholic wife-beater. But she finds the politics of Together particularly irksome. Eva and her little brother Stefan perfectly express the helpless and disappointed feeling many children felt then, as their worlds were shaken by the divorces and addictions of their parents. There are many scenes during which Eva and Stefan watch in horror as the grown-ups at Together argue about whether or not it is OK to walk around the house with no pants on. In the children's expressions, it is clear what is not OK, and if the adults would turn off the music and put down their wine glasses for a moment, they might notice.
Life became relative for lots of adults in the 1970s, and Together captures that. In this spirit, no one character emerges as the crown jerk. A delightful series of small kindnesses, committed by flawed characters, create a chain reaction to turn the Together house into a rag-tag, loving family. You'll walk out of the theater smiling and thoroughly filled with some sort of sweet and magic love. Call it hippie magic. - Reviewed by Susie Hillman Read another review of Together.
What have you seen and why is it good?
Antonia's Line is a rich, complex, warm story of a Dutch matriarch, Antonia, and the growth, over the course of 50 years, of her wonderfully non-traditional family. The film somehow manages to combine the mystical with the romantic with the all-too-harsh realities of life and by so doing creates a wonderful tapestry of human connection, struggle and triumph. The central tenet of the film, as lived out by Antonia, is a warm acceptance of people in all their wacky, frail, and wild manifestations. Judgement and criticism only reign in the face of mean-spirited brutality. Meanwhile, Antonia tends to her farm and her growing family with a strength and a love and a nurturing that warms us all. Antonia's Line carries us through the seasons of life and helps us embrace the many different forms of love this world holds. - B.F. Read another review of Antonia's Line.
Rent Antonia's Line this weekend from your favorite local video store. Or get your own personal copy from our affiliate [amazon]. Perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon, this sweet Italian film is a pleasure to watch. Don't go expecting a complex plot, just a light and quirky story about an Italian housewife (Rosalba) who, having been taken for granted by her husband and accidentally left at a rest stop during her family's vacation, decides to embark upon her own special vacation detour to Venice. Instead of simply spending a couple of days away from home, she finds herself compelled to build a new home -- for awhile anyway. We watch as she surrounds herself with another kind of family comprised of oddly endearing and lovable characters -- a thoughtful and lonely Icelandic waiter (played by Bruno Ganz), a wacky holistic masseuse, an anarchist florist boss, and a bumbling amateur private detective. Sweet friendships develop, and we witness Rosalba as she emerges from her suburban slumber and awakens to a renewed appreciation of herself. She rediscovers her love of music (via an old accordion recovered from the back of a closet). She reasserts her independence. She discovers what it's like to be loved and cared for again. Not complex, just a delightfully gentle film, Bread and Tulips features the actress Licia Maglietti, absolutely stunning and thoroughly likable as Rosalba.
By the way, the film swept the Italian version of the Oscars. - B.F. Learn more about Bread and Tulips.
What have you seen and why is it good? In this film about two German brothers lost in Japan, spiritual discovery gets a sweet and subtle touch. “Become homeless,” “lose your dignity,” and “rely on the kindness of strangers” are some lessons in Gustav's Pillars of Zen paperback. As he and Uwe find themselves lost in Tokyo without money, passports, or Japanese language skills, they become enlightened to the Pillars the hard way. That is, they wind up sleeping in boxes on the street, begging change off elderly gentlemen, and suiting up in lederhosen to earn a few yen. When they find the Zen monastery they came to Japan for, they strain to understand the rigid and sometimes punishing rituals of monastic life. So much chanting! So much sweeping! It's an understatement to say these boys are way outside their comfort zone. Both characters are fall-off-your-chair funny. At the monastery in particular, their deeply befuddled expressions are priceless. But unlike other movies that hinge on dead-pan-delivery acting (memorably, the Christopher Guest mockumentaries Best In Show and Waiting for Guffman), this one doesn't induce cringing or veer into farce. You really start rooting for poor Gustav and Uwe, who are, after all, trying really hard to find meaning in what's happening to them.
Enlightenment Guaranteed, while making fun of the notion of guaranteed enlightenment, delivers it with art and compassion. - Reviewed by Susie Hillman Learn more about Enlightenment Guaranteed.
What have you seen and why is it good? With the embattled United Nations World Conference Against Racism making headlines around the globe, it presents a timely opportunity to explore the treatment of racism through film. The 2000 British comedy East is East, originally a huge stage smash in the UK, examines the lives of a Pakistani-English family, the patron of which immigrated 25 years prior. George Khan (played by Om Puri) and his family run a successful fish-and-chips shop in working-class Manchester but face continual discrimination amidst the country's anti-immigrant fervor of the early 1970s. The family's travails as part of a growing Pakistani community in Britain clinging to its tenuous cultural heritage are poignant.
But the central story in East is East is the family's internal struggle. His six sons and one daughter -- all born in Britain and each uniquely English -- are more emotionally connected to their mother, George's heroic white English wife Ella (Linda Bassett) and engage in a battle of wills with their father who, somewhat ironically, is determined to raise them as proud Pakistanis. The trouble is, they see themselves as English. When the oldest son flees his arranged marriage during the wedding ceremony, the battleground is defined. Later, when George seeks to arrange the marriages of his next two sons -- the rebellious Tariq and the tormented Abdul -- the family's ability to survive intact is called into question. It makes for a compelling story that blends humor and intense drama to address many difficult issues. Much of the film's action is seen through the innocent and idiosyncratic eyes of twelve-year-old Sajid, adding a sweet touch. Learn more about East is East.
Rent East is East this weekend from your favorite local video store. Or get your own personal copy from our affiliates [djangos] or [amazon].
The scene is Milagro, New Mexico, a tiny town in the state's beautiful, mountainous north. The location of the quaint community has drawn the attention of real estate developers intent on creating a vast resort there. Still, the town's residents -- most are Hispanic, many are farmers -- continue to try to make a living, despite the growing pressure placed on precious resources. When a local man, recently unemployed, taps the water supply designated for new development in order to have enough to grow beans on his own property, a veritable "war" erupts between Milagro's long-time residents and the developers. The issues in The Milagro Beanfield War are serious -- class, race, defense of culture and history -- but their treatment is not, putting this rich movie in an all-too-rare category.
Rent The Milagro Beanfield War this weekend from your favorite local video store. Or get your own personal copy from our affiliates [djangos] or [amazon].
To see Istvan Szabo's 2000 film Sunshine is to wonder why this remarkable movie didn't make more of a splash when it hit theaters. At over three hours long, certainly its length might be one reason. And perhaps its difficult subject matter deterred audiences. It spans three generations in the lives of one Hungarian Jewish family, as they struggle against the many forms of 20th century anti-Semitism. Both the Holocaust and the purges under Stalinism are addressed tragically, even violently in this film, as is the Sonnenschein family's own battle with itself. The family makes its fortune in the late 1800s peddling a restorative elixir called Taste of Sunshine (their family name means "sunshine" in German). But as the family prospers professionally, it confronts difficult personal and cultural dilemmas. Sunshine is a deeply challenging film that provides a broad-brush glimpse of Jewish life in the tumultuous 20th century. Learn more about Sunshine.
Rent Sunshine this weekend from your favorite local video store. Or get your own personal copy from our affiliates [djangos] or [amazon].
From its very title, An Everlasting Piece begins with a pun and throughout the film, the double entendres never stop -- with great results. Based in working class Belfast, this comedy is set against the backdrop of ongoing sectarian strife in Northern Ireland. Two friends -- one Protestant, the other Catholic -- strike up a plan while cutting hair side by side in the barber shop of an area mental hospital. With the help of a mythical list of "clients" given to them by a patient, they will set out to become the most successful hairpiece (see the pun in the title?) salespeople in the province. Perhaps predictably, hilarity ensues, as the partners confront challenges from their venerable competitors (an outfit aptly named "Toupee or Not Toupee"), paramilitary groups, their families and neighbors, and their own individual socio-cultural tendencies. Directed by Barry Levinson (best known for the seminal films Diner, Rain Man, Good Morning, Vietnam, and the political satire Wag the Dog), An Everlasting Piece uplifts, entertains, and offers a refreshing glimpse of embattled Belfast where people find friendship, humor, and common bonds no matter which side of the city's so-called Peace Wall they happen to call home.
Rent An Everlasting Piece this weekend from your favorite local video store. Or get your own personal copy from our affiliates [djangos] or [amazon]. Adapted from author Maeve Binchy's novel, Circle of Friends is an enjoyable story of unlikely romance. Set in Ireland in1957, wiry-haired Benny, portrayed by then-newcomer Minnie Driver, is a plain Jane, the “big, soft” one between she and her two best pals. Yet Benny and friends Nan (Saffron Burrows), the beauty, and Eve (Geraldine O'Rawe), an orphan, are fresh out of the convent school. Finally college women in Dublin, they have one thing on their minds. Boys. Benny is reminded, however, that the pressures of family take precedence. While her friends are able to stay in Dublin, Benny must board the bus each evening to Knockglen, back to provincial life. Her parents operate a menswear store there, where they employ Sean (brilliantly played by Alan Cumming), a squirrelly fellow who intends to marry the boss's daughter. Benny, meanwhile, has her sights set on Jack (Chris O'Donnell), a debonair rugby player at school. Jack recognizes in Benny the beauty and wit that other boys have not yet taken the time to see. For Benny and Jack, young love ensues but, of course, herein lies the trouble. When her father unexpectedly passes away, Benny must stay in Knockglen with her mother and help out at the store, much to Jack's dismay but Sean's satisfaction. Jack becomes lonely and suffers from a mild case of the wandering eye. Nan jumps in over her head with a wealthy bloke named Simon (Colin Firth), who has little interest in a relationship unless it's of a physical nature. Eve's place in the film is more understated, leaving top billing for the relationship between Benny and Jack. And, so, the circle of friends begins to show signs of strain amidst honest issues of sexual awakening, loyalty and love. Fortunately for this gang, the friendships run deep. Circle of Friends is a light, coming-of-age tale, its rolling Irish hills and lush woodlands perfect for a rainy day rental. - Reviewed by Ellen Cady
Rent Circle of Friends this weekend from your favorite local video store. Or get your own personal copy from our affiliates [djangos] or [amazon]. Inspired by the journey of WorldWise, the nonprofit delivering maps and school supplies to children around the world via sailboat? The 1996 film White Squall offers a glimpse at what life is like on a tall ship sailing the waves of a mighty ocean. Jeff Bridges stars in a film that has sometimes been described as a Dead Poets' Society on water and is based on the 1960 true story of a group of troubled high school boys who venture out on the Caribbean aboard the Albatross. The purpose of the boys' journey is to use a highly disciplined, high-risk experience to help them gain self-respect and turn their lives around. While the film relies on predictable cliches to deliver its message, it nonetheless offers a powerful account of friendship and the often painful process of growing up. It includes a stunning, pivotal shipwreck sequence that's among the most memorable of its kind.
If you're interested in a nautical film with a more compelling social critique, try The Mosquito Coast, based on the Paul Theroux novel and starring Harrison Ford. And if you'd prefer a bona fide classic, there's always The African Queen, the 1952 Humphrey Bogart/Katherine Hepburn jewel.
Rent White Squall this weekend from your favorite local video store. Or get your own personal copy from our affiliate [amazon]. Thanks to Dorothy Broom of Canberra, Australia, for recommending this goodthing: "To the list of films that lift the spirits, let me add the 1986 comedy Short Circuit with Steve Guttenberg, Ally Sheedy, and Fisher Stevens. I've seen it so many times I can lip-sync the dialogue, but I still laugh out loud. It is great viewing for both adults and children and contains a profound subtext debate (what does it mean to be 'alive'?), the answer to which is utterly delightful. Nobody to whom I have recommended this film has been disappointed. [P.S. I am told that Short Circuit 2 is not worthy of the original.]"
Thanks, Dorothy! But what, you might be wondering, is Short Circuit about? It's what happens when a humanoid robot, known in the film as Number 5, programmed to be a war-like killing machine gets struck by lightning. It "short circuits" and changes into its polar opposite, complete with compassion, comedy, camaraderie, and a lust for life (or whatever the robot equivalent is). The humans in the film include the robot's earnest creator and an obsessed animal lover, but Number 5 is the star of the whole heartwarming show.
Rent Short Circuit this weekend from your favorite local video store. Or get your own personal copy from our affiliates [djangos] or [amazon]. Theirs was an unlikely pairing. Jamal Wallace, a neighborhood kid, talented in both sports and his schoolwork, writes daily in his journal with dreams of a bright future. Local recluse William Forrester, whose first novel -- now required reading in Jamal's high school English class -- became a classic nearly forty years prior, lives life behind the curtains, rarely venturing out of his South Bronx apartment. On a dare from his friends one afternoon, Jamal slips into the hermit's apartment, leaving his backpack behind. When he goes back to fetch it, he finds the journals in his bag marked with critiques. Intrigued, Jamal -- realizing that this cantankerous man is THE William Forrester–seeks out his guidance. From there, they forge a relationship that is built on a shared love for writing, but also on mutual respect for their differences.
Master actor Sean Connery portrays William Forrester to a "T": one part crotchety, one part lovable, while newcomer Rob Brown lights up the screen with his delightful depiction of Jamal, the street-smart kid with book-smart wit. Though predictable at times, Finding Forrester is an inspiring tale of two writers: one whose writing success became grounds for his societal distrust, the other whose enthusiasm for the craft finally breaks Forrester out of his shell. Finding Forrester is the story of a student and his teacher, a disciple and his mentor, but, more importantly, it's a story of friendship. - Reviewed by Ellen Cady
Learn more about Finding Forrester. And rent it this weekend from your favorite local video store. Or get your own personal copy from our affiliate [amazon]. Certainly, active jazz listening may merit an acquired attention span for some, in which case the soothing, ethereal sounds of Bill Frisell and friends create ideal breaks. Fans of public radio's This American Life will love the inclusion of Frisell's Coffaro's Theme, a tune that forms a frequent backdrop for that show's stories, as well as his Beautiful E. Perhaps the most recognizable song on this collection is Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's stirring rendition of Over the Rainbow/What A Wonderful World. His emotive sound adds familiarity to a soundtrack that will expose most listeners to an often undiscovered world of music. (Sony/Legacy)
Get the Finding Forrester soundtrack from [djangos] or [amazon]. Award-winning actress Meryl Streep has built a career on performances in cause- and issue-related films. Her turns as a nuclear power industry whistleblower in Silkwood, as a Holocaust survivor in Sophie's Choice, as an embattled fine arts teacher in Music of the Heart, and as a divorcee in Kramer vs. Kramer (among many others) have not only established her as one of the most gifted American performers, but have also represented her commitment to powerful, important, and often difficult subject matter. Her portrayals of real people or characters facing authentic, human situations are without parallel, making her one of the most decorated and nominated actors in contemporary film.
Streep's 1998 role as a mother stricken with cancer in One True Thing was a moving example of how she has used her talent to communicate life-changing ideas to mainstream audiences, particularly on health-related issues. Before that well-known and widely lauded performance, she produced and appeared in a 1997 made-for-television film called First Do No Harm, a title which comes from the initial lines of the Hippocratic Oath taken by all physicians. She plays a mother whose young son is diagnosed with epilepsy, a neurological disease, and subjected to countless medical treatments with little positive impact. He struggles through devastating seizures and the brutal side effects of his prescribed health care. That is, until Streep's character learns of an experimental alternative, the high-fat-high-protein ketogenic diet, being tested at Johns Hopkins Medical Center in Baltimore. First Do No Harm explores the family's experience with their doctors, their friends, and each other in their determined effort to confront uncertainty. Learn more about Meryl Streep's off-screen commitment to important issues, including global poverty, music education, and children's advocacy. Read an interview with Meryl Streep about First Do No Harm.
Rent First Do No Harm this weekend from your favorite local video store. Or get your own personal copy from our affiliate [amazon].
When Laura Linney was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress last year, millions of people who missed You Can Count on Me when it first hit theaters discovered it during the public relations push in the weeks before and after the Oscars were handed out. Now in video stores, the film -- written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan -- is the story of adult siblings confronting both the challenges of their own lives and the pressures of being each other's only living relative. The story takes place in a quaint New England town where the sister, played by Linney, is living an apparently upstanding existence as a single mother to a young son, while her wandering younger brother, played by Mark Ruffalo, appears to be her irresponsible counterpoint, having rambled far and wide without a plan and without much hope. Things are rarely as they seem, as Ruffalo's character proves to be much more grounded than it originally seems while Linney's character shudders under the weight of her struggles to control outward appearances. The result is a powerful story about a connection between siblings that transcends all else, and the strength that those two people ultimately derive from each other, despite all kinds of adversity.
Rent You Can Count on Me this weekend from your favorite local video store. Or get your own personal copy from our affiliates [djangos] or [amazon].
Thanks to Seattle reader Yael Sachs for this recommendation! One can actually feel the texture of the music, taste the subtle and blatant flavors, see the art being created and hear sounds at times almost classically lyrical and at others bold and complex. Numerous times in the movie, which is essentially an intimate concert played for each viewer alone, you're sitting on the edge of your seat, heart beating faster at the sheer perfection of the music. Think of entering the darkened theater having not heard any of the film's compositions before and leaving almost two hours later, making a beeline for the closest music store.
Calle 54 is a very personal film. It is one man's unapologetic version of the people making up the foundation of Latin jazz. Yes, it would have been nice to have seen more than one female musician included, and yes, it might have been nice to gain just a little more insight into who the musicians were and how they came about their art but in the grand scheme of things, that really doesn't matter. Calle 54 sets out to prove that Latin jazz is an abstract art that captures melancholy and elation, exuberance and sadness, complexity and simplicity. As one leaves the theater with the senses reeling and the beat still resonating, it is clear the movie does just that."
Visit the Calle 54 Web site to learn more about the film and to find out when it will be in theaters near you.
But before he turned to more predictable filmmaking, Ritchie directed a series of films that many point to as unsung classics. He worked with Robert Redford on two films -- Downhill Racer (1969) and The Candidate (1972) -- before directing Smile. Downhill Racer (about the personalities behind big-time ski-racing) and The Candidate (about a less-than-qualified, less-than-electrifying lawyer who stumbles his way through a senatorial campaign) helped to establish Ritchie as a maven of American cultural satire. Smile followed in that vein, taking a hilarious, often biting look at the world of California beauty pageants. The film stars Bruce Dern, Barbara Feldon, Michael Kidd, Annette O'Toole, and a very young Melanie Griffith and highlights a small town's quest for purpose and meaning. Smile is most noteworthy not for the way that it makes fun of how that quest manifests itself in inconsequential beauty pageants, but for the way that it helps us learn to take ourselves -- and our lives -- a little less seriously. But before all of them came Roman Holiday. Her Oscar-winning performance as a princess trying to liberate herself from her tiring official responsibilities on an official visit to Rome made her a star. Her attempts to go underground, far from the protective grip of her entourage, lead her to Gregory Peck. He plays Joe, a reporter who, unbeknownst to the princess, is digging for a high-profile story about her. Their magical day-long spin throughout the streets of Rome -- initially a sneaky interview strategy by Peck -- turns into the stuff that romance is made of. Filmed on location long before it was almost expected of movies, the film captures all of the glory that is Rome, even in black and white. Of course, the plot is predictable -- you always know what is going to happen next. But then, who cares? Half a century after Roman Holiday, we still flock to the theaters time and time again for our romantic comedies, and this is one of the best there is.
And if you needed another reason to rent this classic this weekend, visit Audrey Hepburn's official Web site and find out how you can support the Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund. During her lifetime, she was very active in her support of UNICEF. | |||||||||||||||||||||
