Showing independent and foreign films weekly on the Purdue campus. All screenings are subject to availability; we will make every effort to show the listed films as shown. We will update this list if/when changes need to be made.

The Fall 2016 Season runs September 2-December 16, 2016. All screenings but one for this season begin at 7:00 p.m. in Stanley Coulter Hall, Room 239, 640 Oval Drive. Parking is available in the University Street parking garage, on the Purdue University campus. (Screening on September 9 will be in Forney Hall, G124, 480 Stadium Mall Drive, parking in Northwestern Avenue garage.)

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

October 2, 2013 - "Amour" (2012)

Amour, 2012
Director: Michael Haneke
Origin: Austria
Languages: French | English
Running time: 127 min

In this 2012 Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or winner, Georges and Anne, retired music teachers in their eighties, have a time-tested love. But as Anne's health fails, Georges becomes her caregiver, and the couple's bond is tested like never before. (from Netflix.com)

MPAA rating: Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material including a disturbing act, and for brief language
U.S. box office: $6,738,954
Watch the trailer on IMDB.

-----
Review of last week's movie (The Big Picture, 4 stars )
Steven says: When I found out the official French title of this film ("The Man Who Wanted to Live His Life") everything clicked (no photography pun intended) for me. "The Big Picture" is a horrible English title for this film. Venting aside, Romain Duris does a great job of embodying his character, who is caught between old and new realities. Is the life you want really the life you expect? How much control do you have over your life, or is it simply a succession of choices and their consequences?

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

September 25, 2013 - "The Big Picture" (2010)

The Big Picture, 2010
Director: Eric Lartigau
Origin: France
Languages: French | Serbian | English
Running time: 114 min

Successful Paris attorney Paul Exben (Romain Duris) has everything going for him, including power, wealth and a picture-perfect family. But the mirror suddenly cracks when Paul discovers that his wife, Sarah, is carrying on an affair with a photographer. After a tragic error closes the door on all that he's achieved, Paul makes a fateful decision to escape, fleeing abroad to try and begin a new life as someone else altogether. (from Netflix.com)

U.S. box office: $158,411
Watch the trailer at IMDB.

---
Review of last week's film (No, 4 stars)
Steven says: The Chilean people removed Augusto Pinochet from office in 1988 in a first-of-its-kind election; they just needed the push to get to the polls first. This movie goes behind the scenes, detailing the advertising campaign that helped bring about the change, to vote "No." It's a good history lesson and a good reminder of the power of mass media, no matter whose message is being disseminated.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

September 18, 2013 - "No" (2012)

No, 2012
This is the last of three movies we will screen starring Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal.
Director: Pablo Larrain
Origin: Chile
Language: Spanish
Running time: 118 min

In this engaging drama from Chile, Gael García Bernal portrays René Saavedra, a hot-shot ad executive who creates a controversial media campaign opposing military dictator Augusto Pinochet during the referendum on his presidency in 1988. (from Netflix.com)

MPAA rating: Rated R for language
U.S. box office: $2,341,226
Watch the trailer on IMDB.

Read Bernal's entry on Wikipedia.

Read a story about Bernal from 2009 in the Telegraph.

---
Review of last week's film ("The Loneliest Planet", 3 stars)
Steven says: This film pits the fans of long, meticulous takes against those who prefer more dialogue and plot in their movies. The scenery is gorgeous, the scenes are artistic, and the tension is palpable. In the end, it's a film that dissects a relationship before and after a traumatic experience, asking the audience to be close-up spectators of the experience.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

September 11, 2013 - "The Loneliest Planet" (2011)

The Loneliest Planet, 2011

This is the second of three movies we will screen starring Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal.
 
Director: Julia Loktev
Origin: USA | Germany
Languages: English | Georgian | Spanish
Running time: 113 min

Alex and Nica, a young engaged couple, are so eager to take a serious walking trek through Georgia's Caucasus Mountains that they hire a local guide. As they travel deep into the wild landscape, however, the emotional atmosphere shifts for the trio. (from Netflix.com)

U.S. box office: $128,519 

Watch the trailer on IMDB.

Read Bernal's entry on Wikipedia.

Read a story about Bernal from 2009 in the Telegraph.




---
Review of last week's film ("Mammoth", 4 stars)
Steven says: With themes of "the wrong time" and family priorities, "Mammoth" follows two families and their struggles to create normalcy, better lives for their children, and connections that mean something. While they see points of clarity, we are unsure if it is enough to help them become better parents or better providers. The struggle to survive means something different to each person, and this film shows nicely the continuum of struggles found around the world.