December 16, 2015 - "Nora's Will" (2010)

Nora's Will, 2010 (Original title: Five Days without Nora)
Director: Mariana Chenillo
Origin: Mexico
Languages: Spanish | Hebrew
Running time: 92 minutes

This award-winning black comedy follows the family of Nora (Silvia Mariscal), who carefully plans her suicide so that her assortment of estranged relatives, including ex-husband José (Fernando Luján), will have to celebrate Passover together and hopefully achieve a reconciliation. As José battles with unsympathetic cemeteries, a fractious rabbi and his devoted assistant, and his own son (Ari Brickman), he realizes how deeply he still loved Nora. (from Netflix.com)

Watch the trailer on Trailer Addict.

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Review of last week's film (Philomena, 4 stars)
Steven says: A good script and an excellent Judi Dench make this a worthwhile watch. It's not hard-hitting or heavy drama, but it is a story well told, and we have a dearth of those. "I didn't see that coming. Not in a million years."

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.

December 2, 2015 - "The Clouds of Sils Maria" (2014)

Clouds of Sils Maria, 2014

Director: Olivier Assayas
Origin: France | Germany | Switzerland
Languages: English | French | German | Swiss German
Running time: 124 min

Twenty years after her breakthrough role as a young woman who beguiles and ultimately destroys her mentor, Maria Enders is invited -- in an ironic twist -- to play the part of the older woman in a stage production of the same drama. (from Netflix.com)

MPAA rating: Rated R for language and brief graphic nudity
U.S. box office: $1,811,138
Watch the trailer on IMDB.

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Review of last week's film ( '71, 3.5 stars)
Steve says: This film is heart-pounding, explosive, and confusing, much like the fighting between the nationalists and the unionists. Set at the beginning of the Irish "Troubles" in 1971, a British soldier is left behind in a war-torn area of Belfast where the IRA is becoming more violent and support from outsiders is fluid and dodgy. It's a welcome addition to the growing number of films about this era in Irish history.

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.

November 11, 2015 - "Life, Above All" (2010)

Life, Above All, 2010
Director: Oliver Schmitz
Origin: South Africa | Germany
Language: Southern Sotho
Running time: 100 min

In a tiny village near Johannesburg, 12-year-old Chanda is left to care for two younger siblings when her infant sister dies and her mother becomes gravely ill. But this isn't the only challenge she faces; the town has turned against her. (from Netflix.com)

MPAA rating: Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material and some sexual content
U.S. box office: $132,960
Watch the trailer on IMDB.

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Review of last week's film ("The Amazing Catfish", 3.5 stars)
Steven says: With the feel of an American indie film, The Amazing Catfish offers a realistic look into the lives of one Mexican family trying to survive as their single mother fights a terminal illness. They invite an young woman with no family to be part of their tribe. Interesting observations abound.

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*** We had a malfunctioning machine last week, so we screened an upcoming film that was streamable. "Zero Motivation" was shown last week, we will move "Life, Above All" to this week, and " ’71" will screen Nov. 18. 

October 28, 2015 - "The Amazing Catfish" (2013)

The Amazing Catfish, 2013

Director: Claudia Sainte-Luce
Origin: Mexico | France
Language: Spanish
Running time: 89 min

Claudia carries on a solo life as a supermarket product demonstrator until a sudden bout of appendicitis lands her in a hospital bed next to Martha. As the older woman's life begins to ebb, Claudia volunteers to help Martha care for her children. (from Netflix.com)

U.S. box office: $11,278
Watch the trailer on IMDB.

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Review of last week's film (Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem, 4 stars)Steven says: Modern beliefs and practices conflict with traditional proceedings in this film that takes place almost entirely in a small courtroom. Great acting, camera work and scripting keep the story flowing.

October 21, 2015 - "Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem" (2015)

Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem, 2015
Directors: Ronit Elkabetz, Shlomi Elkabetz
Origin: Israel | France | Germany
Languages: Hebrew | French | Arabic
Running time: 115 min

In this intense courtroom drama, Viviane Amsalem faces an uphill five-year battle as she seeks a divorce from her intractable spouse, who opposes the dissolution of the marriage -- and holds all the cards under Israeli law. (from Netflix.com)

U.S. box office: $987,830
Watch the trailer on IMDB.

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Review of last week's film ("Leviathan", 4 stars)
Steven says: Mostly bleak with a little humor thrown in, this film shows Russian government in a deplorable light. It features lots of beautiful scenes mixed with corruption, vodka and deception at all levels.

October 14, 2015 - "Leviathan" (2014)

Leviathan, 2014

Director: Andrey Zvyagintsev
Origin: Russia
Language: Russian
Running time: 140 min

Living with his family in a village on Russia's northern fringe, auto-shop owner Kolya finds himself in a jam when the corrupt mayor insists on acquiring his property. Loath to concede defeat, Kolya secures an attorney, and a battle of wills ensues. (from Netflix.com)

MPAA rating: Rated R for language and some sexuality/graphic nudity
Watch the trailer on IMDB.


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Review of last week's film ("Tangerines", 3.5 stars)
Steven says: This film depicts the effects of war on those who are doing their best to survive without being part of the fighting. Sometimes poignant and sometimes revolting, it's a story that asks difficult questions about warfare.

October 7, 2015 - "Tangerines" (2015)

Tangerines, 2015
Director: Zaza Urushadze
Origin: Estonia | Georgia
Languages: Estonian | Russian | Georgian
Running time: 87 min

During the vicious Georgian-Abkhazian conflict of the 1990s, two Estonian tangerine farmers refuse to leave their homes as the fighting grows ever closer. After each one rescues a wounded soldier from the opposite side, a very personal battle ensues. (from Netflix.com)

U.S. box office: $112,818
Watch the trailer on IMDB.

September 30, 2015 - "Two Days, One Night" (2014)

Two Days, One Night, 2014
Directors: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne
Origin: Belgium | France | Italy
Languages: French | Arabic | English
Running time: 95 min

On the verge of losing her job, Sandra comes up with a last-ditch strategy: get her workmates to give up their bonuses so that she can stay on. With a single weekend to make it work, Sandra and her husband take her crusade for sympathy all over town. (from Netflix.com)

MPAA rating: Rated PG-13 for some mature thematic elements
U.S. box office: $1,333,900
Watch the trailer on IMDB.

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Review of last week's film ("Slow West", 3 stars)
Steven says: This is a new take on the Western film, bringing immigrants into the mix of the lawless West. Kill or be killed seems to be the winning strategy as a wealthy British teen searches for this true love in a convoluted quest.

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.

September 16, 2015 - "Timbuktu" (2015)

Timbuktu, 2015
Director: Abderrahmane Sissako
Origin: France | Mauritania
Languages: French | Arabic | Bambara | English | Songhay
Running time: 97 min

In this piercing tale of oppression set in 2012, fear grips Timbuktu after the Malian city is seized by Islamic rebels determined to impose their extreme beliefs on the moderate Muslim populace. (from Netflix.com)

MPAA rating: Rated PG-13 for some violence and thematic elements
U.S. box office: $1,067,000
Watch the trailer on IMDB.

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Review of last week's film ("White God", 3.5 stars)
Steven says: The three main characters (including one dog) experience and process loss in different ways, which determines the arcs of their lives within the parameters of this story. The film features great visuals and editing, dismal commentary on some humans, and a modicum of hope that things do get better.

September 9, 2015 - "White God" (2015)

White God, 2015
Director: Kornél Mundruczó
Origin: Hungary | Germany | Sweden
Languages: Hungarian | English
Running time: 121 min

When a cruel father dumps his daughter's beloved dog, Hagen, out on the highway to fend for himself, Hagen not only survives the horrors of abandonment, dog fights and starvation, but rouses an angry army of mongrels out to exact vengeance. (from Netflix.com)

MPAA rating: Rated R for violent content including bloody images, and language
U.S. box office: $280,494
Watch the trailer on IMDB.

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Review of the previous movie ("Wild Tales," 4 stars)
Steven says: The writer/director brings to life the creative ways we think about exacting revenge on those who have wronged us. Some of the six story lines are inspired by real events and others skewer Argentinian public officials and policies. Dark humor abounds in this fast-moving, enjoyable film.

August 26, 2015 - "Wild Tales" (2014)

Wild Tales, 2014
Director: Damián Szifron
Origin: Argentina | Spain
Languages: Spanish
Running time: 122 min

Threading together six independent narratives, this cathartic compendium provides a meditation on the bruising blows of everyday life as all the characters are pushed beyond their thresholds of restraint in merrily pernicious ways. (from Netflix.com)

MPAA rating: Rated R for violence, language and brief sexuality
U.S. box office: $3,079,012
Watch the trailer on IMDB.

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Review of the previously screened film ("Calvary", 4.5 stars)
Steven says: It is a well-constructed story that simultaneously takes on the Catholic Church in Ireland and offers a retelling of the Crucifixion for modern times. It is a layered, gorgeous and thought-provoking film that offers suspense and opportunities for personal reflection. Highly recommended.

Announcing the Fall 2015 season

• The Fall 2015 Season is August 26-December 16, 2015 (15 films).
• All screenings for this season begin at 7 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.

 Fall 2015 line-up

• Wednesday, August 26, 2015, Wild Tales, 2014; Director: Damián Szifron; Origin: Argentina | Spain; Language: Spanish; 122 min
• Wednesday, September 2, 2015, NO screening                    
• Wednesday, September 9, 2015, White God, 2015; Director: Kornél Mundruczó; Origin: Hungary | Germany | Sweden; Language: Hungarian | English; 121 min
• Wednesday, September 16, 2015, Timbuktu, 2015; Director: Abderrahmane Sissako; Origin: France | Mauritania; Language: French | Arabic | Bambara | English | Songhay; 97 min
• Wednesday, September 23, 2015, Slow West, 2015; Director: John Maclean; Origin: UK | New Zealand; Language: English | French; 84 min
• Wednesday, September 30, 2015, Two Days, One Night, 2014; Director: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne; Origin: Belgium | France | Italy; Language: French | Arabic | English; 95 min
• Wednesday, October 7, 2015, Tangerines, 2015; Director: Zaza Urushadze; Origin: Estonia | Georgia; Language: Estonian | Russian | Georgian; 87 min
• Wednesday, October 14, 2015, Leviathan, 2014; Director: Andrey Zvyagintsev; Origin: Russia; Language: Russian; 140 min
• Wednesday, October 21, 2015, Gett: The Trial of Vivane Amsalem, 2015; Director: Ronit Elkabetz, Shlomi Elkabetz; Origin: Israel | France | Germany; Language: Hebrew | French | Arabic; 115 min
• Wednesday, October 28, 2015, The Amazing Catfish, 2013; Director: Claudia Sainte-Luce; Origin: Mexico | France; Language: Spanish; 89 min
• Wednesday, November 4, 2015, Zero Motivation, 2014; Director: Talya Lavie; Origin: Israel; Language: Hebrew; 97 min 
• Wednesday, November 11, 2015, Life, Above All, 2010; Director: Oliver Schmitz; Origin: South Africa | Germany; Language: Southern Sotho; 100 min
• Wednesday, November 18, 2015, ’71, 2015; Director: Yann Demange; Origin: UK; Language: English; 99 min
• Wednesday, November 25, 2015, NO screening
• Wednesday, December 2, 2015, Clouds of Sils Maria, 2014; Director: Olivier Assayas; Origin: France | Germany | Switzerland; Language: English | French | German | Swiss German; 124 min
• Wednesday, December 9, 2015, Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter, 2015; Director: David Zellner; Origin: USA; Language: English | Japanese; 105 min
• Wednesday, December 16, 2015, Philomena, 2013; Director: Stephen Frears; Origin: UK | USA | France; Language: English; 98 min

August 12, 2015 - "Calvary" (2014)

Calvary, 2014

Director: John Michael McDonagh
Origin: Ireland | UK
Language: English
Running time: 102 min

An anonymous man comes to Father James in confession and vows to kill him in one week, simply because the priest is himself a good man. The father spends the week contemplating good and evil, viewing his small Irish community with new eyes. (from Netflix.com)

MPAA rating: Rated R for sexual references, language, brief strong violence and some drug use
U.S. box office: $3,593,460
Watch the trailer on IMDB.

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Review of the previous screening (Shun Li and the Poet, 4 stars)
Steven says: With audience descriptions ranging from "natural" to "exquisite," this film focuses on the tradition of a small Italian village and how two immigrants fit into and challenge those traditions.

July 29, 2015 - "Shun Li and the Poet" (2011)

Shun Li and the Poet, 2011
Director: Andrea Segre
Origin: Italy | France
Languages: Italian | Mandarin
Running time: 98 min

An unlikely friendship forms in a Venetian pub between a Chinese immigrant working as a bartender and a transplanted Yugoslavian known as The Poet. But the local fishermen who like to drink there aren't nearly as accepting of their differences. (from Netflix.com)

Watch the trailer on YouTube.

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Review of last week's film ("The Strange Little Cat", 3.5 stars)
Steven says: Strange, indeed, if all the human characters represent the title's cat. The plot stays at the fringe while everyday life is front and center. Astutely observed, this film challenges the notion of what a film can and should be.

July 22, 2015 - "The Strange Little Cat" (2014)

The Strange Little Cat, 2014
Director: Ramon Zürcher
Origin: Germany
Language: German
Running time: 72 min

In this quirky drama, three generations of a middle-class clan gather in a Berlin flat during the course of a day. A series of unspectacular moments, as the family cat comes and goes, sheds light on the world of a typical family. (from Netflix.com)

Watch the trailer on IMDB.

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Review of last week's film ("Mommy", 4 stars)
Steven says: What is normal, and what will help you feel it? Family tragedies, mental health issues, and everyday life combine in this highly intense film about coping with loss and finding yourself amidst the grief. This film pops with great performances and creative film-making.

July 15, 2015 - "Mommy" (2014)

Mommy, 2014

Director: Xavier Dolan
Origin: Canada
Languages: French | English
Running time: 139 min

Diane Després is a flamboyant middle-aged widow and mother to Steve, an adolescent with severe emotional and behavioral problems. As Diane struggles with Steve's radical mood swings, she begins receiving help from a solicitous new neighbor. (from Netflix.com)

MPAA rating: Rated R for language throughout, sexual references and some violence
U.S. box office: $3,492,754
Watch the trailer on IMDB.

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Review of last week's film ("Dear White People", 4 stars)
Steven says: Gather some friends and watch this film and then talk about the issues afterward. "It's complicated" just about sums it up. From four perspectives, it addresses a variety of topics that just may help you see racial attitudes differently.

July 8, 2015 - "Dear White People" (2014)

Dear White People, 2014
Director: Justin Simien
Origin: USA
Language: English
Running time: 108 min

A satire that follows the stories of four black students at an Ivy League college where a riot breaks out over a popular 'African American' themed party thrown by white students. With tongue planted firmly in cheek, the film explores racial identity in 'post-racial' America while weaving a universal story of forging one's unique path in the world. (from Netflix.com)

MPAA rating: Rated R for language, sexual content and drug use
U.S. box office: $4,404,154
Watch the trailer on IMDB.

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Review of last week's film ("Lilting", 3.5 stars)
Steven says: A first-time director/screenwriter does a fine job navigating two disparate lives affected by the death of a man they both love. While the characters turn to translation to complete their verbal communication, we learn how much emotion and non-verbal cues are even more important.

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.

June 17, 2015 - "The Retrieval" (2013)

The Retrieval, 2013
Director: Chris Eska
Origin: USA
Language: English
Running time: 92 min

1864: As war ravages the nation, on the outskirts of the Civil War, it is business as usual for slave-owners and traders. The Retrieval follows Will (Ashton Sanders), a fatherless thirteen-year-old boy who survives by working with a white bounty hunter gang. They send him to earn the trust of runaway slaves in order to lure them back to the south. On a dangerous mission into the free north to find Nate (Tishuan Scott), a fugitive freedman, things go wrong and Will and Nate find themselves on the run. As the bond between them unexpectedly grows, Will becomes consumed by conflicting emotions. (from Netflix.com)

MPAA rating: Rated R for some violence
U.S. box office: $50,257
Watch the trailer on IMDB.
See "The Retrieval"'s many festival awards
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Review of last week's film ("Girlhood", 3.5 stars) 
Steven says: While the script and female bonding seemed to resonate more with the women in the audience, the story highlights, once again, the challenges and systemic roadblocks that exist for families stuck in a poverty-stricken neighborhood. Fresh talent and perspective make this worthy of your time.

June 10, 2015 - "Girlhood" (2015)

Girlhood, 2015
Director: Céline Sciamma
Origin: France
Language: French
Running time: 113 min

Set amid the projects of Paris, this absorbing depiction of a disaffected 16-year-old girl chronicles the transformation of her social identity after she falls in with a gang of female dropouts. (from Netflix.com)

Watch the trailer on IMDB.

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Review of last week's film (Force Majeure, 4 stars)
Steve says: For once, I agree with the new title for audiences outside of Sweden. This is an engrossing study of relationships after a traumatic experience for one family at a ski resort.  Beautiful acting and scenery, funky shots thrown in to keep the viewer off -kilter, and several questions to keep one discussing the film long after it is over. 

June 3, 2015 - "Force Majeure" (2014)

Force Majeure, 2014
Director: Ruben Östlund
Origin: Sweden | France | Norway | Denmark
Languages: Swedish | English | French | Norwegian
Running time: 120 min

At a ski resort in the Alps, the sudden and terrifying approach of an avalanche opens a deep fissure in the lives of a vacationing Swedish family when the patriarch flees to save himself instead of protecting his wife and children. (from Netflix.com)

MPAA rating: Rated R for some language and brief nudity
U.S. box office: $1,358,561

Watch the trailer on IMDB.

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Review of the previous screening (Gabrielle, 3 stars)Steve says: An interesting look into the lives of developmentally challenged adults, from obstacles to creative outlets, as well as their family dynamics.

Announcing the Summer 2015 season

Cinematheque for All – Summer 2015 season

• The Summer 2015 Season is June 3 – August 12, 2015 (nine films in total).
• All screenings for this season begin at 7 p.m. in Stanley Coulter Hall, Room 239, 640 Oval Drive, on the Purdue University campus.
• Parking is available in the University Street parking garage.
• No screening June 23 or August 5

Screenings

• Wednesday, June 3, 2015, Force Majeure, 2014; Director: Ruben Östlund; Origin: Sweden | France | Norway | Denmark; Language: Swedish | English | French | Norwegian; Running time: 120 min
• Wednesday, June 10, 2015, Girlhood, 2015; Director: Céline Sciamma; Origin: France; Language: French; Running time: 113 min
• Wednesday, June 17, 2015, The Retrieval, 2013; Director: Chris Eska; Origin: USA; Language: English; Running time: 92 min
• Wednesday, July 1, 2015, Lilting, 2014; Director: Hong Khaou; Origin: UK; Languages: English | Mandarin; Running time: 86 min
• Wednesday, July 8, 2015, Dear White People, 2014; Director: Justin Simien; Origin: USA; Language: English; Running time: 108 min
• Wednesday, July 15, 2015, Mommy, 2014; Director: Xavier Dolan; Origin: Canada; Languages: French | English; Running time: 139 min
• Wednesday, July 22, 2015, The Strange Little Cat, 2014; Director: Ramon Zürcher; Origin: Germany; Language: German; Running time: 72 min
• Wednesday, July 29, 2015, Shun Li and the Poet, 2011; Director: Andrea Segre; Origin:  Italy | France; Language: Italian | Mandarin; Running time: 98 min
• Wednesday, August 12, 2015, Calvary, 2014; Director: John Michael McDonagh; Origin: Ireland | UK; Language: English; Running time: 102 min

May 6, 2015 - "Gabrielle" (2013)

Gabrielle, 2013
Director: Louise Archambault
Origin: Canada
Languages: French | English
Running time: 104 minutes

Musicians Gabrielle and Martin fall in love and want to begin a relationship, which is against the rules at the home for the disabled where they live. Refusing to part with Martin, Gabrielle is determined to prove that she can live independently. (from Netflix.com)

MPAA rating: Rated R for some sexuality
Watch the trailer on IMDB.

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Review of last week's film ("Land Ho!", 3.5 stars)Steven says: A mix between "The Trip" and "Sideways," this film offers a mini-travelogue of Iceland through the eyes of two retirees. Where else can two lonely old men find a cure for loneliness than this intriguing isolated island nation?

April 29, 2015 - "Land Ho!" (2014)

Land Ho!, 2014
Directors: Aaron Katz, Martha Stephens
Origin: Iceland | USA
Language: English
Running time: 95 minutes

In a bid to gain life perspective, retired Mitch persuades his ex-brother-in-law to join him on a journey through the frigid landscapes of Iceland. This freewheeling road comedy follows the pair through a series of encounters that changes them both. (from Netflix.com)

MPAA rating: Rated R for some language, sexual references and drug use
U.S. box office: $727,430
Watch the trailer on IMDB.

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Review of last week's film ("Siddarth", 3.5 stars)
Steve says: As a father begins a quest to find his missing son, we see him change from slightly concerned to near obsessive. His story is told over the backdrop of poverty and child labor in India.

April 22, 2015 - "Siddarth" (2013)

Siddarth, 2013
Director: Richie Mehta
Origin: Canada | India
Language: Hindi
Running time: 96 minutes

After sending his 12-year-old son away to work, impoverished street merchant Mahendra Saini launches a search for the boy when he doesn't return on the expected date. But Mahendra has no money and no picture of his child, hampering the hunt. (from Netflix.com)

U.S. box office: $59,808
Watch the trailer on IMDB.

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Review of last week's film (The Selfish Giant, 4 stars)
Steven says: The British have a knack for depicting the poor and downtrodden. Poverty affects lives in ways most people will never understand, which is how the main characters end up in a dangerous situation. This is a well-told story that is both raw and eye-opening.

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.

April 8, 2015 - "24 City" (2008)

24 City, 2008
Director: Zhang Ke Jia
Origin: China | Hong Kong | Japan
Languages: Mandarin | Shanghainese
Running time: 112 minutes

From director Zhang Ke Jia comes this drama about changing times in Chengdu, China, where state-owned factory 420 is closed by the government to make way for a high-end apartment complex called 24 City. The film tells the story through the lens of several distinctive characters, from factory workers to executives to the newly monied, who are all affected in different ways by the newfound dynamism and economic growth of their nation. (from Netflix.com)

Watch the trailer on YouTube.

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Review of last week's film ("Miele", 3.5 stars)
Steven says: Here is a look at relationships, colored by the controversial topic of euthanasia. Miele's secret career highlights her detached nature until one client breaks through her tough exterior. Caring for and loving people is hard work, no matter what form it takes.

April 1, 2015 - "Miele" (2015)

Miele, 2013

Director: Valeria Golino
Origin: Italy | France
Language: Italian
Running time: 96 minutes

In her debut as a director, actress Valeria Golino (Rain Man) has made a powerful drama about an unusual job. Irene (Jasmine Trinca) lives alone on the coastline outside Rome. To her father and her married lover, she's a student. In reality, she often travels to Mexico where she can legally buy a powerful barbiturate. Working under the name of "Honey" her clandestine job is to help terminally ill people die with dignity by giving them the drug. One day she supplies a new client named Grimaldi (Carlo Cecchi) with a fatal dose, only to find out he's perfectly healthy but tired of life. Irene is determined not to be responsible for his suicide. From this point on, Irene and Grimaldi are unwillingly locked in an intense and moving relationship which will change Irene's life forever. (from Netflix.com)

Watch the trailer on YouTube.

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Review of last week's film ("We are the Best!", 4 stars)
Steven says: This film paints a pretty realistic picture of the lives of middle school girls, regardless of era or country of origin. The scenario makes their antics more entertaining for sure, and you come away with a feeling of admiration for the girls' ability to assest themselves and their independence.

March 25, 2015 - "We Are the Best!" (2013)

We Are the Best!, 2013
Director: Lukas Moodysson
Origin: Sweden | Denmark
Language: Swedish
Running time: 102 minutes

Inspired by a graphic novel, this coming-of-age charmer set in 1980s Stockholm follows a trio of 13-year-old misfits who refuse to believe punk is dead, forming a band in spite of their collective lack of musicianship. (from Netflix.com)

U.S. box office: $180,222
Watch the trailer on IMDB.

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Review of last week's film ("A Way of Life", 3 stars)
Steven says: This bleak film doesn't give one much hope for the impoverished in Wales. I wanted to like the main character, but it was an uphill battle to find her redeeming qualities. It was a good film, but not uplifting in the least.

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.

February 25, 2015 - "In Bloom" (2014)

In Bloom, 2014
Directors: Nana Ekvtimishvili, Simon Gross
Origin: Georgia | Germany | France
Language: Georgian
Running time: 102 minutes

In post-Soviet Georgia, teen pals Eka and Natia live with their families in decaying high-rises and a social landscape rife with crime and despair. Sticking together in this bleak world, the girls use their nascent sexuality to gain the upper hand. (from Netflix.com)

U.S. box office: $50,000
Watch the trailer on YouTube.

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Review of last week's film ("The Wind Rises", 3.5 stars)Steven says: It's hard to separate this offering from the director's more fantastical previous films. The artistry is top-notch and gorgeous. The plot seemed to try to touch on too many story lines. Overall, it's another worthwhile film from this Japanese master.

February 18, 2015 - "The Wind Rises" (2013)

The Wind Rises, 2013
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Origin: Japan
Languages: Japanese | German | Italian | French
Running time: 126 minutes

Master animator Hayao Miyazaki spins a decades-spanning tale inspired by the life of Jirô Horikoshi, designer of the World War II fighter plane the Zero. Too nearsighted to become a pilot, Jirô settles for building planes, with spectacular results. (from Netflix.com)

MPAA rating: Rated PG-13 for some disturbing images and smoking
U.S. box office: $5,201,879

Watch the trailer on IMDB.

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Review of last week's film ("The French Minister", 3 stars)
Steven says: This is much more than a slapstick comedy. There is some depth of character and insights into how government offices work, even in the face of debilitating bureaucracy. The foreign affairs minister gets extra points for passion and conviction.

February 11, 2015 - "The French Minister" (2014)

The French Minister, 2014 
(screening at 7 p.m. in Forney Hall, B124)

Director: Bertrand Tavernier
Origin: France
Language: French
Running time: 113 minutes

Though French minister Alexandre Taillard de Worms cuts a striking figure among the power elite, not everyone is impressed by the pontificating politician, prompting him to hire a new young speechwriter -- who ends up in a political cyclone. (from Netflix.com)

U.S. box office: $3,800 
Watch the trailer on IMDB.

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Review of last week's film ("Tabu", 4 stars)
Steven says: I don't think any of the short write-ups do this film justice. There is so much to ponder, to experience, to discover in both halves of the film. It will definitely provoke great discussion.

February 4, 2015 - "Tabu" (2012)

Tabu, 2012

(screening at 7 p.m. in Forney Hall, B124)

Director: Miguel Gomes
Origin: Portugal | Germany | Brazil | France
Languages: Portuguese | English | Polish
Running time: 118 minutes

Named with a nod to F.W. Murnau's famed final film, Tabu weaves two seemingly disparate tales into one unclassifiable narrative, bringing together the tales of an elderly gambling addict in Lisbon and a widowed hunter on the plains of Africa. (from Netflix.com)

Watch the trailer on IMDB.

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Review of last week's film ("Ida", 5 stars)
Steven says: Beautifully shot and superbly acted, "Ida" unfolds with hints and small revelations. They all build to an ending that is suprising and fitting. It's a great film that should be seen.

January 28, 2015 - "Ida" (2014)

Ida, 2014Screening at 7 p.m. in Forney Hall, B124
Director: Pawel Pawlikowski
Origin: Poland | Denmark | France | UK
Languages: Polish | Latin | French
Running time: 82 minutes

Raised in a Catholic orphanage during the Nazi occupation of Poland, Anna is poised to join the order when she learns she has a surviving aunt. But visiting the woman before taking her vows uncovers some inconvenient truths about her heritage. (from Netflix.com)

MPAA rating: Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, some sexuality and smoking
U.S. box office: $3,702,720
Watch the trailer on IMDB.

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Review of last week's film ("The Trip to Italy", 3 stars)
Steve says: With a slight scripted nod to sequels not living up to the originals, "The Trip to Italy" does its best to explore Italy while it explores the personal lives of its main characters, first introduced to us in "The Trip". It is touching, insightful, very improvisational, and for the most part, enjoyable.

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.

January 14, 2015 - "Restless City" (2011)

Restless City, 2011
Director: Andrew Dosunmu
Origin: USA
Languages: English | French | Wolof | Yoruba
Running time: 80 min

An aspiring musician's life takes a turn toward more meaning when he meets a prostitute controlled by a loan shark. Together they do all they can to escape the lure of the street in order to achieve the American dream. (from Netflix.com)

MPAA rating: Rated R for some drug use and brief sexuality
Watch the trailer on IMDB.

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Review of previous film ("In the House", 3.5 stars)
Steven says: While the plot may be a little preposterous at points, the approach to storytelling and acting make it an interesting piece that keeps you guessing.

Announcing the Winter 2015 season

Cinematheque for All - Winter 2015

• The Winter 2015 Season is January 14 – May 6, 2015.
• All screenings for this season begin at 7 p.m. in Forney Hall of Chemical Engineering, 480 Stadium Mall Drive, on the Purdue University campus
• Parking is available in the Northwestern Avenue parking garage.

Screenings

• Wednesday, January 14, 2015, Restless City, 2011, Director: Andrew Dosunmu, Origin: USA, Language(s): English | French | Wolof | Yoruba, 80 min
• Wednesday, January 21, 2015, The Trip to Italy, 2014, Director: Michael Winterbottom, Origin: UK, Language(s): English. 108 minutes
• Wednesday, January 28, 2015, Ida, 2014, Director: Pawel Pawlikowski, Origin: Poland | Denmark | France | UK, Language(s): Polish | Latin | French, 82 minutes
• Wednesday, February 4, 2015, Tabu, 2012, Director: Miguel Gomes, Origin: Portugal | Germany | Brazil | France, Language(s): Portuguese | English | Polish, 118 minutes
• Wednesday, February 11, 2015, The French Minister, 2014, Director: Bertrand Tavernier, Origin: France, Language(s): French, 113 minutes
• Wednesday, February 18, 2015, The Wind Rises, 2013, Director: Hayao Miyazaki, Origin: Japan, Language(s): Japanese | German | Italian | French, 126 minutes
• Wednesday, February 25, 2015, In Bloom, 2014, Director: Nana Ekvtimishvili, Simon Gross, Origin: Georgia | Germany | France, Language(s): Georgian, 102 minutes
• Wednesday, March 4, 2015, A Way of Life, 2006, Director: Amma Asante, Origin: UK, Language(s): English, 91 minutes
• Wednesday, March 11 - NO SCREENING
• Wednesday, March 18 - NO SCREENING
• Wednesday, March 25, 2015, We Are the Best!, 2013, Director: Lukas Moodysson, Origin: Sweden | Denmark, Language(s): Swedish, 102 minutes
• Wednesday, April 1, 2015, Miele, 2013, Director: Valeria Golino, Origin: Italy | France, Language(s): Italian, 96 minutes
• Wednesday, April 8, 2015, 24 City, 2008, Director: Zhang Ke Jia, Origin: China | Hong Kong | Japan, Language(s): Mandarin | Shanghainese, 112 minutes
• Wednesday, April 15, 2015, The Selfish Giant, 2013, Director: Clio Barnard, Origin: UK, Language(s): English, 91 minutes
• Wednesday, April 22, 2015, Siddarth, 2013, Director: Richie Mehta, Origin: Canada | India, Language(s): Hindi, 96 minutes
• Wednesday, April 29, 2015, Land Ho!, 2014, Director: Aaron Katz, Martha Stephens, Origin: Iceland | USA, Language(s): English, 95 minutes
• Wednesday, May 6, 2015, Gabrielle, 2013, Director: Louise Archambault, Origin: Canada, French | Language(s): English, 104 minutes