March 2, 2016 - "Runoff" (2015)

Runoff, 2015

Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Stanley Coulter Hall, Room 239

Director: Kimberly Levin
Origin: USA
Language: English
Running time: 90 min

With her husband's health and business failing, Betty Freeman is forced to take on a host of burdens -- including preventing foreclosure of the family's rural Kentucky home. Before long, she learns that desperate times require desperate measures. (from Netflix.com)

MPAA rating: Rated R for some drug use
U.S. box office: $29,227
Watch the trailer on IMDB.

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Review of last week's film ("Cirkus Columbia", 3.5 stars)
Steven says: Where is home? How do you fit in to society? Small questions with big implications when a war is looming in a country divided by ethnic backgrounds. In the calm before the storm, see one family's story of upheaval, as well as their road to reconciliation.

February 17, 2016 - "Cirkus Columbia" (2010)

Cirkus Columbia, 2010

7 p.m., Wednesday, February 17, 2016
Stanley Coulter Hall, Room 239

Director: Danis Tanovic
Origin: Bosnia and Herzegovina | France | UK | Germany | Slovenia | Belgium | Serbia
Languages: Bosnian | Serbian | Croatian
Running time: 113 min

With communism dismantled, refugee Divko Buntic returns to his Herzegovina home bearing a new paramour and old grudges. His first act of comeuppance is disturbing the peace of Lucija, the wife who refused to flee with him 20 years before. (from Netflix.com)

U.S. box office: $3,163
Watch the trailer on IMDB.

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Review of last week's film ("The Farewell Party", 4 stars)Steven says: The topic of mercy killing (aka euthanasia) is examined from several angles, including the fluid sense of acceptability depending on one's relationship to the patient. Viewers who have older family members with similar situations will find many scenes familiar and heartbreaking. This Israeli award winner if definitely worth the time.

February 10, 2016 - "The Farewell Party" (2015)

The Farewell Party, 2015Wednesday, February 10, 2016
7 p.m., Stanley Coulter Hall, Room 239

This is the second of two films we are screening that involve director Sharon Maymon.

Directors: Sharon Maymon, Tal Granit
Origin: Israel | Germany
Language: Hebrew
Running time: 95 min

Inventor Yehezkel lives at a facility for the elderly, where he comes up with gadgets to assist his fellow seniors. When neighbor Max asks him to build a machine that will enable Max to take his own life, Yehezkel must decide whether to oblige. (from Netflix.com)

U.S. box office: $171,963
Watch the trailer on IMDB.

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Review of last week's film ("A Matter of Size", 3 stars)
Steve says: This creative look at obesity in Israel (can you say, "Sumo"?) asks viewers to understand the broader perspectives of discrimination (real or imagined), insecurities and social norms. It is funny and has a message, even as it furthers some other stereotypes.

February 3, 2016 - "A Matter of Size" (2009)

A Matter of Size, 2009
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
7 p.m., Stanley Coulter Hall, Room 239

This is the first of two films we are screening that involve director Sharon Maymon.

Directors: Sharon Maymon, Erez Tadmor
Origin: Israel | Germany | France
Languages: Hebrew | English | Japanese
Running time: 90 min

Fed up with their fruitless attempts to lose weight, Herzl (Itzik Cohen) and his three heavyset friends decide to give up their tortuous diets and try their luck in the girth-friendly arena of sumo wrestling. Led by Japan native Kitano (Togo Igawa), Herzl and crew discover that there are places in the world where oversized waistlines are appreciated. Dvir Benedek and Shmulik Cohen also star in this lighthearted comedy. (from Netflix.com)

Watch the trailer on IMDB.

January 27, 2016 - "The Standford Prison Experiment" (2015)

The Stanford Prison Experiment, 2015
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
7 p.m., Stanley Coulter Hall, Room 239

Director: Kyle Patrick Alvarez
Origin: USA
Language: English
Running time: 122 min

Conducting a study on the psychology of incarceration, a Stanford professor assigns prisoner and guard roles to 24 male test subjects in a mock jail. Authority quickly escalates to abuse of power, which is allowed to continue in the name of research. (from Netflix.com)

MPAA rating: Rated R for language including abusive behavior and some sexual references
U.S. box office: $643,557
Watch the trailer on IMDB.

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Review of last week's film ("About Elly", 4 stars)Steven says: Lies, lies and more lies keep the viewer guessing (and frustrated) as this mystery unfolds.Try to watch it with someone from Iran (or at least discuss it afterward with that person) to gain a fuller understanding of why certain things happen. Artfully created.

January 20, 2016 - "About Elly" (2009)

About Elly, made in 2009, released in 2015
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
7 p.m., Stanley Coulter Hall, Room 239

Director: Asghar Farhadi
Origin: Iran | France
Languages: Persian | German
Running time: 119 min

After years abroad, Ahmad (Shahab Hosseini) returns to his native Iran to recover from his recent divorce, where he joins some old pals on a trip to the Caspian Sea. His friend also invites Elly (Taraneh Alidoosti), a young teacher who may be the cure for Ahmad's broken heart. But when Elly mysteriously disappears, the group is forced to review their actions to figure out what happened to her in this thoughtful Iranian drama. (from Netflix.com)
U.S. box office: $106,662
Watch the trailer on IMDB.

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Review of last week's film ("1001 Gram", 3.5 stars)Steven says: Writer and director Bent Hamer has concocted a sweet and thought-provoking meditation on the measure of one's life using the "weights and measures" community as a backdrop. It may help you rethink how you measure your own self-worth.

Announcing the Winter 2016 season

Introducing the 17-film Winter 2016 season.

• Wednesday, January 13, 2016, 1001 Grams, 2015; Director: Bent Hamer; Origin: Norway | Germany; Language: Norwegian | French | English; 93 min
• Wednesday, January 20, 2016, About Elly, 2015; Director: Asghar Farhadi; Origin: Iran | France; Language: Persian | German; 119 min
• Wednesday, January 27, 2016, The Stanford Prison Experiment, 2015; Director: Kyle Patrick Alvarez; Origin: USA; Language: English; 122 min

Two from Israeli co-director Sharon Maymon

• Wednesday, February 3, 2016, A Matter of Size, 2009; Directors: Sharon Maymon, Erez Tadmor; Origin: Israel | Germany | France; Language: Hebrew | English | Japanese; 90 min
• Wednesday, February 10, 2016, The Farewell Party, 2015; Directors: Sharon Maymon, Tal Granit; Origin: Israel | Germany; Language: Hebrew; 95 min

• Wednesday, February 17, 2016, Cirkus Columbia, 2010; Director: Danis Tanovic; Origin: Bosnia and Herzegovina | France | UK | Germany | Slovenia | Belgium | Serbia; Language: Bosnian | Serbian | Croatian; 113 min
• Wednesday, March 2, 2016, Runoff, 2015; Director: Kimberly Levin; Origin: USA; Language: English; 90 min
• Wednesday, March 9, 2016, Blind, 2015; Director: Eskil Vogt; Origin: Norway | Netherlands; Language: Norwegian; 96 min
• Wednesday, March 16, 2016, 7 Boxes, 2012; Director: Juan Carlos Maneglia, Tana Schémbori; Origin: Paraguay | Spain; Language: Spanish | Guarani | Korean; 105 min
• Wednesday, March 23, 2016, Tangerine, 2015; Director: Sean Baker; Origin: USA; Language: English; 88 min
• Wednesday, March 30, 2016, Memories of Murder, 2003; Director: Joon-ho Bong; Origin: South Korea; Language: Korean | English; 132 min
• Wednesday, April 6, 2016, Udaan, 2010; Director: Vikramaditya Motwane; Origin: India; Language: Hindi | English; 134 min
• Wednesday, April 13, 2016, The Assassin, 2015; Director: Hsiao-hsien Hou; Origin: Taiwan | China | Hong Kong | France; Language: Mandarin; 105 min
• Wednesday, April 20, 2016, Tu dors Nicole, 2015; Director: Stéphane Lafleur; Origin: Canada; Language: French; 93 min
• Wednesday, April 27, 2016, Mongolian Ping-Pong, 2005; Director: Hao Ning; Origin: China; Language: Mongolian; 102 min
• Wednesday, May 4, 2016, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, 2015; Director: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon; Origin: USA; Language: English; 105 min
• Wednesday, May 11, 2016, Living is Easy with Eyes Closed, 2015; Director: David Trueba; Origin: Spain; Language: Spanish; 108 min