Final film of the summer 2013 season . . .
Starlet, 2012
Director: Sean Barker
Origin: USA
Language: English
Running time: 103 minutes
Jane, a 21-year-old slacker, finds $10,000 stashed in a thermos she buys at a garage sale. Unsure what to do with the money, she begins spending time with Sadie, the elderly widow who held the garage sale, and an unlikely friendship develops. (from Netflix.com)
U.S. box office: $87,910
Watch the trailer on IMDB.
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Review of last week's film ("I Wish", 3.5 stars)
Steven says: A great look at life and its problems from the perspective of pre-teens. Groups of friends try to balance their current lives with their wants and desires -- from dreams of stardom to bringing a broken family back together. In the process, they begin to see how the adult world operates and how they can maneuver within that framework.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Thursday, July 25, 2013
July 31, 2013 - "I Wish" (2011)
I Wish, 2011
Director: Hirokazu Koreeda
Origin: Japan
Language: Japanese
Running time: 128 minutes
When he learns that a bullet train will soon connect the city where his mother lives to the city where his estranged father resides, young lad Koichi and his kid brother hatch a wildly imaginative plan to use the new train to reconnect their parents. (from Netflix.com)
U.S. box office: $145,697
Watch the trailer on IMDB.
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Review of last week's film ("Found Memories", 5 stars)
Steven says: Stunning cinematography in a simply lovely film. Each scene is meticulously framed and staged for maximum beauty. And without feeling mystical, the film makes you wonder if the characters are real or simply forgotten memories. After you have time to think about the possibilities, I think a second viewing is in order, to relive the simple beauty and ponder alternate realities.
Director: Hirokazu Koreeda
Origin: Japan
Language: Japanese
Running time: 128 minutes
When he learns that a bullet train will soon connect the city where his mother lives to the city where his estranged father resides, young lad Koichi and his kid brother hatch a wildly imaginative plan to use the new train to reconnect their parents. (from Netflix.com)
U.S. box office: $145,697
Watch the trailer on IMDB.
---
Review of last week's film ("Found Memories", 5 stars)
Steven says: Stunning cinematography in a simply lovely film. Each scene is meticulously framed and staged for maximum beauty. And without feeling mystical, the film makes you wonder if the characters are real or simply forgotten memories. After you have time to think about the possibilities, I think a second viewing is in order, to relive the simple beauty and ponder alternate realities.
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
July 24, 2013 - "Found Memories" (2011)
Found Memories, 2011
Director: Júlia Murat
Origin: Brazil | Argentina | France
Language: Portuguese
Running time: 98 minutes
Life in a quiet village rolls slowly from one day to the next with little excitement -- until a young photographer named Rita arrives. Intent on capturing the town on film, Rita forms a profound bond with Madalena, an elderly baker. (from Netflix.com)
U.S. box office: $7,489
Watch the trailer on YouTube.
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Review of last week's film ("Be With Me", 4 stars)
Steven says: There are three stories and there are three themes -- communication, love, and Theresa Chan (though she embodies the other two). Chan's story is terrific (in an inspiring sense), and her scenes, especially the final one, speak to her grace and her ability to overcome great challenges. All the senses are engaged, even if only through the actor's experiences. This is a real treat (though the editing can be seen as clunky at times).
Director: Júlia Murat
Origin: Brazil | Argentina | France
Language: Portuguese
Running time: 98 minutes
Life in a quiet village rolls slowly from one day to the next with little excitement -- until a young photographer named Rita arrives. Intent on capturing the town on film, Rita forms a profound bond with Madalena, an elderly baker. (from Netflix.com)
U.S. box office: $7,489
Watch the trailer on YouTube.
---
Review of last week's film ("Be With Me", 4 stars)
Steven says: There are three stories and there are three themes -- communication, love, and Theresa Chan (though she embodies the other two). Chan's story is terrific (in an inspiring sense), and her scenes, especially the final one, speak to her grace and her ability to overcome great challenges. All the senses are engaged, even if only through the actor's experiences. This is a real treat (though the editing can be seen as clunky at times).
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
July 17, 2013 - "Be With Me" (2005)
Be With Me, 2005
Director: Eric Khoo
Origin: Singapore
Languages: Cantonese | English | Hokkien | Mandarin
Running time: 93 minutes
This poetic film weaves together three stories of human connection with a minimalist flair. In "Meant to Be," an elderly shopkeeper experiences intense loneliness until he reads the autobiography of an extraordinary blind and deaf woman. "So in Love" explores the bittersweet relationship between two teenage girls, and "Finding Love" tells the story of a security guard who has twin passions: for food and for a woman who works in his building. (from Netflix.com)
Watch the trailer on IMDB.
---
Review of last week's film ("Abel", XXX stars)
Steven says: This is definitely not a neatly packaged film, which makes for great interpretation and analysis. What is the true role of a father, and can it even be simply defined? Add to that mental health issues, and you have a film that takes you on an interesting, and sometimes freaky, journey.
Director: Eric Khoo
Origin: Singapore
Languages: Cantonese | English | Hokkien | Mandarin
Running time: 93 minutes
This poetic film weaves together three stories of human connection with a minimalist flair. In "Meant to Be," an elderly shopkeeper experiences intense loneliness until he reads the autobiography of an extraordinary blind and deaf woman. "So in Love" explores the bittersweet relationship between two teenage girls, and "Finding Love" tells the story of a security guard who has twin passions: for food and for a woman who works in his building. (from Netflix.com)
Watch the trailer on IMDB.
---
Review of last week's film ("Abel", XXX stars)
Steven says: This is definitely not a neatly packaged film, which makes for great interpretation and analysis. What is the true role of a father, and can it even be simply defined? Add to that mental health issues, and you have a film that takes you on an interesting, and sometimes freaky, journey.
Saturday, July 6, 2013
July 10, 2013 - "Abel" (2011)
Abel, 2011
Director: Diego Luna
Origin: Mexico
Language: Spanish
Running time: 82 minutes
When 9-year-old Abel assumes his absent father's role as man of the house, he garners his family's respect, and life resumes a comfortable rhythm -- until a man arrives at the house, claiming he's the long-lost patriarch. (from Netflix.com)
Watch the trailer on YouTube.
---
Review of last week's film ("The Kid with a Bike", 3 stars)
Steven says: I really like the Dardenne brothers and their films, and this one had great reviews. But it seemed to lack the nuance and believability of their other films. It is still packed with emotion, and the directors know how to get the audience to care about their characters. It's also an interesting look at institutional justice vs. street justice.
Director: Diego Luna
Origin: Mexico
Language: Spanish
Running time: 82 minutes
When 9-year-old Abel assumes his absent father's role as man of the house, he garners his family's respect, and life resumes a comfortable rhythm -- until a man arrives at the house, claiming he's the long-lost patriarch. (from Netflix.com)
Watch the trailer on YouTube.
---
Review of last week's film ("The Kid with a Bike", 3 stars)
Steven says: I really like the Dardenne brothers and their films, and this one had great reviews. But it seemed to lack the nuance and believability of their other films. It is still packed with emotion, and the directors know how to get the audience to care about their characters. It's also an interesting look at institutional justice vs. street justice.
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