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.