September 4, 2013 - "Mammoth" (2009) featuring Bernal

Mammoth, 2009

This is the first of three movies we will screen starring Mexican actor Gael Garcia Bernal.

Director: Lukas Moodysson
Origin: Sweden | Denmark | Germany
Languages: English | Tagalog | Thai
Running time: 125 min

Lukas Moodysson writes and directs this drama centered on three intersecting stories, one of a traveling New Yorker named Leo (Gael García Bernal), another of his surgeon wife, Ellen (Michelle Williams), and also the children of their Filipino nanny, Gloria (Marife Necesito), in the Philippines. A series of dramatic events unfolds after Leo visits Thailand, causing everyone to reexamine their priorities. Sophie Nyweide co-stars (from Netflix.com).

U.S. box office: $8,530
Watch the trailer on IMDB.

Read Bernal's entry on Wikipedia.

Read a story about Bernal from 2009 in the Telegraph.

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Review of last week's film (Barfi!, 3 stars)
Steven says: Barfi! combines the physical comedy of silent era films with modern story telling, with varying degrees of success. Endearing at times, it comes close to running off the tracks (using the train theme from the movie) in places. It would be a fun game to have audience members identify movies from the last 100 years that inspired different scenes of the film.

August 28, 2013 - "Barfi!" (2012)

Barfi!, 2012

Director: Anurag Basu
Origin: India
Language: Hindi
Running time: 151 min (yes, 2.5 hours)

Years after rejecting Barfii, a hearing and speech impaired young man, for a more "appropriate" suitor, Shruti crosses paths with him once again. Now, the tables are turned as he has a girlfriend -- and Shruti finds herself falling for him. (from Netflix.com)

Watch the trailer on YouTube.

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Review of last week's film ("The Other Son", 3.5 stars)
Steven says: First, we all agree that the French title "Son of the Other" is more true to the film, and what a layered film it is. Finding out you are not your parents' child is one thing; adding in cultural and religious conflicts only amplifies the internal struggles that each unwilling participant must face. The rabbi's message ("God loves man like a father loves his son") is only half of the theme, for the love of the mothers is what brings about the most understanding.

Announcing the Fall 2013 Season

The Fall 2013 Season is August 21 – December 11, 2013.

All screenings for this season begin at 7:00 p.m. in Forney Hall, Room B124, 480 Stadium Mall Drive, on the Purdue University campus.

Parking is available in the Northwestern Avenue parking garage.

• Wednesday, August 21, 2013, The Other Son, 2012; Director: Lorraine Levy; Origin: France; Language(s): French | English | Arabic | Hebrew; Running time: 105 min
• Wednesday, August 28, 2013, Barfi!, 2012; Director: Anurag Basu; Origin: India; Language(s): Hindi; Running time: 151 min

Three featuring actor Gael Garcia Bernal

• Wednesday, September 4, 2013, Mammoth, 2009; Director: Lukas Moodysson; Origin: Sweden | Denmark | Germany; Language(s): English | Tagalog | Thai; Running time: 125 min
• Wednesday, September 11, 2013, The Loneliest Planet, 2011; Director: Julia Loktev; Origin: USA | Germany; Language(s): English | Georgian | Spanish; Running time: 113 min
• Wednesday, September 18, 2013, No, 2012; Director: Pablo Larrain; Origin: Chile; Language(s): Spanish; Running time: 118 min

• Wednesday, September 25, 2013, The Big Picture, 2010; Director: Eric Lartigau; Origin: France; Language(s): French | Serbian | English; Running time: 114 min
• Wednesday, October 2, 2013, Amour, 2012; Director: Michael Haneke; Origin: Austria; Language(s): French | English; Running time: 127 min
• Wednesday, October 9, 2013, Safety Not Guaranteed, 2012; Director: Colin Trevorrow; Origin: US; Language(s): English; Running time: 86 min
• Wednesday, October 16, 2013, A Royal Affair, 2012; Director: Nikolaj Arcel; Origin: Denmark | Sweden | Czech Republic; Language(s): Danish | English | German | French; Running time: 137 min
• Wednesday, October 23, 2013, A Late Quartet, 2012; Director: Yaron Zilberman; Origin: USA; Language(s): English; Running time: 105 min
• Wednesday, October 30, 2013, Pieta, 2012; Director: Kim Ki-Duk; Origin: South Korea; Language(s): Italian | French | English; Running time: 105 min
• Wednesday, November 6, 2013, Reality, 2012; Director: Matteo Garrone; Origin: Italy; Language(s): Italian | Neapolitan | English | Latin; Running time: 116 min
• Wednesday, November 13, 2013, The Edge, 2010; Director: Aleksei Uchitel; Origin: Language(s): Russian | German; Russian | German; Running time: 124 min
• Wednesday, November 20, 2013, Mud, 2012; Director: Jeff Nichols; Origin: US; Language(s): English; Running time: 130 min
• Wednesday, November 27, 2013, NO SCREENING
• Wednesday, December 4, 2013, Lore, 2012; Director: Cate Shortland; Origin: Germany; Language(s): German | English; Running time: 109 min
• Wednesday, December 11, 2013, Boy, 2010; Director: Taika Waititi; Origin: New Zeland; Language(s): English | Maori; Running time: 87 min

August 21, 2013 - "The Other Son" (2012)

The first film of the Fall 2013 season, which will be announced early next week . . .
 
The Other Son, 2012
Director: Lorraine Levy
Origin: France
Languages: French | English | Arabic | Hebrew
Running time: 105 min

While preparing to enter the Israeli military for his compulsory service, young Joseph Silberg learns he was accidentally switched at birth with the son of an Arab couple from the West Bank -- a shocking revelation that sends both families reeling. (from Netflix.com)

U.S. box office: $1,160,773
Watch the trailer at IMDB.

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Review of the previous film (Starlet, 4 stars)
Steven says: This is a film about isolation - how we get there, how we remain there, how hard it is to reverse. In the midst of this are two women, a widow and a porn star (which it takes a while to realize) who find an unlikely friendship. It's sweet and frustrating, and even a little eye-opening.