December 9, 2015 - "Philomena" (2013)

Philomena, 2013

Director: Stephen Frears
Origin: UK | USA | France
Language: English
Running time: 98 min

Floundering BBC journalist Martin Sixsmith and aging Irishwoman Philomena Lee form an unlikely bond when they pair up to find the son Philomena was forced to give up for adoption 50 years ago. (from Netflix.com)

MPAA rating: Rated PG-13 on appeal for some strong language, thematic elements and sexual reference
U.S. box office: $37,707,719
Watch the trailer on IMDB.

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Review of last week's film ("Clouds of Sils Maria", 4.5 stars)
Steven says: A second viewing solidified my rating for this film - an intricate script and probing issues combine with top-notch performances. This is a thinking film that grabs you by the senses.

November 18, 2015 - " '71" (2015)

'71, 2015
Director: Yann Demange
Origin: UK
Language: English
Running time: 99 min

When a young British soldier is separated from his unit in Belfast at the height of Northern Ireland's Troubles, he must survive the night alone in a city that's swarming with would-be enemies. (from Netflix.com)

MPAA rating: Rated R for strong violence, disturbing images, and language throughout
U.S. box office: $1,268,760
Watch the trailer on IMDB.
Nominations and awards.

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Review of two previous films ("Life, Above All", 4 stars; "Zero Motivation", 3 stars)
Steven says:

Life, Above All: The contrast of AIDS-related films from the U.S. and Africa is stark. Because of the epidemic in South Africa, the fear of and animosity toward those infected creates dire living conditions and outright ostracism. This film provides a glimmer of hope through education, compassion and sheer will.

Zero Motivation: Non-Israelis may not understand everything that goes on here, but it does paint a different picture of the experiences women have during their compulsory military service in Israel. It's funny, series, odd, and not at all kind to powers that be.

September 23, 2015 - "Slow West" (2015)

Slow West, 2015
Director: John Maclean
Origin: UK | New Zealand
Languages: English | French
Running time: 84 min

A 16-year-old boy heads west on a journey across 19th Century frontier America in search of the woman he loves. He encounters a mysterious traveler named Silas who protects him from the savage elements and outlaws in a lawless land, but is Silas really watching out for him or tied to the band of thieves tracking their every step? (from Netflix.com)

MPAA rating: Rated R for violence and brief language
U.S. box office: $229,094
Watch the trailer on IMDB.

July 1, 2015 - "Lilting" (2014)

Lilting, 2014
Director: Hong Khaou
Origin: UK
Language: English | Mandarin
Running time: 86 min

"Lilting" features intensely moving performances by Asian cinema's legend Cheng Pei Pei as Junn, an immigrant mother grieving the untimely death of her only son Kai (Andrew Leung), and Ben Whishaw as her son's lover, Richard. Jun's grieving is disrupted by Richard's visits and his attempts to communicate are first met with distrust. Richard hires Vann, a young translator, who helps piece together the tender memories of the man they both loved. (from Netflix.com)

U.S. box office: $21,068
Watch the trailer on IMDB.

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Review of our previous screening ("The Retrieval," 3.5 stars)
Steven says: This is an intense look at the lives of two black people - one freed and in the North, one freed and perilously close to slavery -- toward the end of the Civil War. They both are affected by their relationship to each other, even as outside forces threaten their safety and their future.

April 15, 2015 - "The Selfish Giant" (2013)

The Selfish Giant, 2013
Director: Clio Barnard
Origin: UK
Language: English
Running time: 91 minutes

Two teenage boys band together to steal copper wire from power stations and railway lines to sell to a local scrap dealer in this dour drama. Their friendship sours when Kitten, the scrap dealer, begins to favor one of the boys over the other. (from Netflix.com)

U.S. box office: $10,531
Watch the trailer on IMDB.

Information about the film's Cannes Award.

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Review of last week's film ("24 City", 4 stars)
Steven says: Don't go looking for a plot. Instead, embrace this variety of stories from Chengdu, China, residents (real and imagined). In a world where we learn life lessons from "Humans of New York" and TED Talks, the experiences of the film's characters have mass appeal and poignancy.

March 4, 2015 - "A Way of Life" (2006)

A Way of Life, 2006
Director: Amma Asante
Origin: UK
Language: English
Running time: 91 minutes

Single teen mother Leigh-Anne (Stephanie James) tries to keep her baby's grandmother (Brenda Blethyn) and Social Services from taking her child away in this stark look at life in the British projects. When a social worker talks to a concerned Turkish neighbor (Oliver Haden), Leigh-Anne's racist views mix with utter paranoia and the situation turns deadly. Nathan Jones, Gary Sheppeard and Dean Wong co-star. (from Netflix.com)

Watch the trailer on YouTube.

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Review of last week's film (In Bloom, 4 stars)
Steven says: The lives of teenage girls, as well as their country's traditions, stand in for the bigger ideas of how a new country defends itself in war. The script is educational and the story line both normal and surprising.

January 21, 2015 - "The Trip to Italy" (2014)

The Trip to Italy, 2014 (screening at 7 p.m. in Forney Hall, B124)

Director: Michael Winterbottom
Origin: UK
Language: English
Running time: 108 minutes

Following in the footsteps of the great romantic poets, Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon traverse the Italian countryside musing about life and love. Work enters the conversation as well in this largely improvised sequel to the roadtrip comedy "The Trip." (from Netflix.com)

U.S. box office: $2,873,758
Watch the trailer on IMDB.

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Review of last week's film ("Restless City", 3 stars)
Steven says: The director knows how to make a scene gorgeous, an actor smolder, a setting vibrate. That's what I focused on during this film whose plot has several holes in it. But it's a fun and beautiful watch.

May 28, 2014 - "Zaytoun" (2012)

Zaytoun, 2012
Director: Eran Riklis
Origin: UK | Israel | France
Languages: English | Arabic | Hebrew
Running time: 110 min

In 1982 Beirut, an Israeli fighter pilot named Yoni crashes outside a camp of young Palestinian refugees, where he's met by gun-toting orphan Fahed. In exchange for his freedom, Yoni agrees to take the boy back to the village where his parents lived. (from Netflix.com)

U.S. box office: $42,286
Watch the trailer on IMDB.
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Review of last week's film ("The Great Beauty", 4 stars)
Steven says: Reminiscent of Fellini's ("8 1/2"), this love letter to Rome juxtaposes the city's rich cultural history with the vapid nature of Italy's high society. From poverty to opulence, and from love to friendship, it touches on many life experiences through the eyes of an aging socialite. It leaves the viewer with many ideas to ponder.

March 5, 2014 - "Broken" (2012)

Netflix surprised us and sent us the March 12 film for March 5.

So, on March 5, we will watch "Broken", from 2012.

Director: Rufus Norris
Origin: UK
Language: English
Running time: 91 min

In this poignant coming-of-age tale, Skunk, a precocious and diabetic 11-year-old, lives happily with her brother and widower father in a suburban English neighborhood until an act of violence initiates her into the often-baffling world of adulthood. (from Netflix.com)

Watch the trailer on IMDB.

January 8, 2014 - "Kon-Tiki" (2012)

Kon-Tiki, 2012
Directors: Joachim Rønning, Espen Sandberg
Origin: UK | Norway | Denmark | Germany | Sweden
Languages: Norwegian | English | French | Swedish
Running time: 118 min

With five loyal friends in tow, explorer Thor Heyerdal sails a fragile balsa wood raft along an ancient path some 4,300 miles across the Pacific. Along the way, they're attacked by tidal waves, sharks and all the dangers the ocean can muster. (from Netflix.com)

MPAA rating: Rated PG-13 for a disturbing violent sequence
U.S. box office: $1,511,798
Watch the trailer on IMDB.

February 6, 2013 - "Oranges and Sunshine" (2011)

Oranges and Sunshine, 2011
Director: Jim Loach
Origin: UK | Australia
Language: English
Running time: 136 min

This drama based on a true story follows British social worker Margaret Humphreys as she uncovers a shocking deportation scandal involving thousands of children and risks her personal life to draw global attention to the grave injustice. (from Netflix.com)

MPAA rating: Rated R for some strong language

Watch the trailer on IMDB.

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Review of last week's film (In America, 4 stars)
Steven says: Sometimes I search too hard for extra meaning in films. In "In America", I think the film stands simply as a fluid story about one family trying to survive a tragic situation. And they ARE survivors, like so many others who try to get through the day, even though the thought of giving up is just as enticing. The Bolger girls are the glue for this film, and Samantha Morton and Paddy Considine are excellent as well. While sometimes the storytelling is uneven, I love the way we are forced to see situations from the perspectives of adults and children.

October 24, 2012 - "Tyrannosaur" (2011)

Tyrannosaur, 2011
Director: Paddy Considine
Origin: UK
Language: English
Running time: 92 min

Unemployed and frustrated, Joseph is in a downward spiral when he meets Hannah, a kind Christian woman who's drawn to try to help him. As their bond develops, however, it becomes apparent that Hannah's life is far from easy or simple. (from Netflix.com)

U.S. box office: $22,088

Watch the trailer at IMDB.com.

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Review of last week's film ("Tales of the Golden Age", 4 stars)
Steven says: Five stories. 2.5 hours. It goes quickly. The Party is in charge but the people are resilient. Most of the time. There are many covert operations, many mishaps, and nearly as many poignant moments. How does one survive under a communist regime where food and electricity are not certain? This film provides different glimpses into urban legends from Romania that try to answer the question. They make you laugh at the absurdity of it all; and then they make you think about why it seems funny. Very worthy of a viewing.