September/October 2014
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49 titles
- DirectorDavid Gordon GreenStarsNicolas CageTye SheridanGary PoulterAn ex-con, who is the unlikeliest of role models, meets a 15-year-old boy and is faced with the choice of redemption or ruin.Already on DVD, streaming, etc. Excellent film--just saw it, but likely old news by Sept.-- ES
- DirectorJim JarmuschStarsTilda SwintonTom HiddlestonMia WasikowskaA depressed musician reunites with his lover. However, their romance, which has already endured several centuries, is disrupted by the arrival of her uncontrollable younger sister.
- DirectorJohn MaloofCharlie SiskelStarsVivian MaierJohn MaloofDaniel ArnaudA documentary on the late Vivian Maier, a nanny whose previously unknown cache of 100,000 photographs earned her a posthumous reputation as one of the most accomplished street photographers.
- DirectorJim MickleStarsMichael C. HallSam ShepardDon JohnsonWhen a protective father meets a murderous ex-con, both need to deviate from the path they are on as they soon find themselves entangled in a downwards spiral of lies and violence while having to confront their own inner psyche.
- DirectorDavid AyerStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerSam WorthingtonTerrence HowardMembers of an elite DEA task force find themselves being taken down one by one after they rob a drug cartel safe house.
- DirectorBrin HillStarsMichael Stahl-DavidZoe KazanMark FeuersteinTwo seemingly unconnected souls from different corners of the United States make a telepathic bond that allows them to see, hear and feel the other's experiences, creating a bond that apparently can't be broken.
- DirectorTate TaylorStarsChadwick BosemanNelsan EllisDan AykroydA chronicle of James Brown's rise from extreme poverty to become one of the most influential musicians in history.
- DirectorMichaël R. RoskamStarsTom HardyNoomi RapaceJames GandolfiniBob Saginowski finds himself at the center of a robbery gone awry and entwined in an investigation that digs deeply into the neighborhood's past where friends, families, and foes all work together to make a living--no matter the cost.
- DirectorJessica YuThe complex subject of population growth is observed via three individuals who are tackling the topic on a personal level.
- DirectorAharon KeshalesNavot PapushadoStarsLior AshkenaziRotem KeinanTzahi GradAfter a little girl is brutally murdered, a suspect avoids arrest due to lack of evidence. Working separately, her father and a cop decide to do something about it.
- DirectorOlivier DahanStarsNicole KidmanTim RothAndré PenvernThe story of former Hollywood star Grace Kelly's crisis of marriage and identity, during a political dispute between Monaco's Prince Rainier III and France's Charles De Gaulle, and a looming French invasion of Monaco in the early 1960s.
- DirectorSteve JamesStarsRoger EbertChaz EbertGene SiskelThe life and career of the renowned film critic and social commentator, Roger Ebert.
- DirectorWoody AllenStarsColin FirthEmma StoneMarcia Gay HardenA romantic comedy about an Englishman brought in to help unmask a possible swindle. Personal and professional complications ensue.
- DirectorMichael WinterbottomStarsSteve CooganRob BrydonRosie FellnerTwo men, six meals in six different places on a road trip around Italy. Liguria, Tuscany, Rome, Amalfi and ending in Capri.
- DirectorZach BraffStarsZach BraffJoey KingPierce GagnonA struggling actor, father and husband finds himself at a major crossroads, which forces him to examine his life, his family and his career.
- DirectorJody Lee LipesStarsJustin PeckTiler PeckSterling HyltinFrom first rehearsal to world premiere, Ballet 422 takes us backstage at New York City Ballet as emerging choreographer Justin Peck crafts a new work.
- DirectorJoe SwanbergStarsAnna KendrickMelanie LynskeyMark WebberAfter a break up, Jenny moves in with writer Kelly, her filmmaker husband, and their child. Despite a rocky start, Jenny's influence helps Kelly realize that an evolution in her life, career and relationship is necessary for her happiness.
- DirectorGia CoppolaStarsEmma RobertsJames FrancoJack KilmerAn unflinching portrait of adolescent lust, boredom, and self-destruction that centers around a shy young girl on the cusp of an illicit relationship with her soccer coach.
- DirectorEugene JareckiStarsEugene JareckiDavid SimonShanequa BenitezFrom the dealer to the narcotics officer, the inmate to the federal judge, a penetrating look inside America's criminal justice system, revealing the profound human rights implications of U.S. drug policy.
- DirectorDerek HallquistStarsDerek HallquistPaul ShepsonYoung filmmaker, Derek Hallquist travels to Barrow, Alaska on a chance invitation from Dr Paul Shepson to document Atmospheric Chemistry and the melting sea ice. With a background in cinematography and special access, Derek captures beautiful images of a place rarely seen by the rest of the World. Dr. Shepson and his team from Purdue University convert a Cessna airplane into a flying laboratory. The plane takes samples around the sea ice and over North America's largest oil drilling operation in Prudhoe Bay. While Derek is there, to his surprise, the local community is the more fascinating subject. Families financially supported by big oil come to grips with the reality that the ice is truly disappearing due to the use of fossil fuels.
- DirectorLukas MoodyssonStarsMira BarkhammarMira GrosinLiv LeMoyneThree girls in 1980s Stockholm decide to form a punk band -- despite not having any instruments and being told by everyone that punk is dead.Big crowd-pleaser buzz for this one. Seems like it should be a priority to get. -- ES
- DirectorSam FleischnerStarsJesus Sanchez-VelezAndrea Suarez PazAzul ZorrillaIn this intense, immersive journey, a young boy finds himself lost in the lively, dangerous world of the New York City subway, while his mother fiercely searches for him above ground in a race against the clock as Hurricane Sandy nears.
- DirectorMichael TullyStarsMarcello ConteJudah FriedlanderAmy SedarisA family vacation during the summer of 1985 changes everything for a teenage boy obsessed with ping pong.Maybe we could get local producer Marcus Dean Fuller to talk? Good for early Sept., if the timing worked. And I know the director, though he lives in Austin. -- ES
- DirectorCédric KlapischStarsRomain DurisAudrey TautouCécile de FranceA 40-year-old father's life is complicated when the mother of his two children moves to New York. Since he can't bear them growing up far away from him, he decides to move there as well.This is the third in the series behind Auberge Espagnole and Russian Dolls from director Cedric Klapisch -- Lisa
- DirectorMarc SilverStarsGael García BernalCharles HardingLorena Ivón Ton QuevedoAn anonymous body in the Arizona desert sparks the beginning of a real-life human drama. The search for identity leads us back across a continent to seek out the people left behind and the meaning of a mysterious tattoo.My very good friend is the social impact strategist on this film and I'm sure would be willing to come and introduce the film and do a Q&A/presentation after -- Lisa
- DirectorTom GilroyStarsLili TaylorSilas YelichMaggie LowWhen his self-reliant mother dies unexpectedly, Atticus flees deep into the forests surrounding his Catskills home. Wandering the woods in shock, relying on what meager food and shelter he comes across, Atticus' grasp on reality begins to fray. His nerves worn thin, Atticus latches on when he encounters Carter, a scruffy, pot smoking drifter, who lives out of his car and sells handmade necklaces on the festival circuit. A wary alliance forms, with each dependent on the other, but neither sure he is making the right decision.Eric and I recently met a friend of Tom Gilroy, the filmmaker, who thought Tom would be very happy to come and do a Meet the Filmmaker event for this one. It was filmed in Rensselaerville and the boy who starred in it is local as well. Also stars Lili Taylor and Michael Stipe did the soundtrack. -- Lisa
- DirectorMike LeighStarsTimothy SpallPaul JessonDorothy AtkinsonAn exploration of the last quarter century of the great, if eccentric, British painter J.M.W. Turner's life.About the artist J.M.W. Turner -- I don't think it's being released until the fall but I wanted to get it on the list -- Lisa
- DirectorRichard LinklaterStarsEllar ColtranePatricia ArquetteEthan HawkeThe life of Mason, from early childhood to his arrival at college.New Richard Linklater film -- filmed over the course of 12 years with the same cast including Ethan Hawke -- I think it did well at Sundance -- Lisa
- DirectorPawel PawlikowskiStarsAgata KuleszaAgata TrzebuchowskaDawid OgrodnikA novice nun about to take her vows uncovers a family secret dating back to the German occupation.Polish film - looks amazing -- great reviews so far -- Lisa
- DirectorFred SchepisiStarsClive OwenJuliette BinocheBruce DavisonAn art instructor and an English teacher form a rivalry that ends up with a competition at their school in which students decide whether words or pictures are more important.Before Bowtie this is the type of film that would do very well for us, if it doesn't come to Bowtie it still might -- Lisa
It's currently playing at Bowtie -- ES - DirectorJames GrayStarsMarion CotillardJoaquin PhoenixJeremy RennerIn 1921, an innocent immigrant woman is tricked into a life of burlesque and vaudeville until a dazzling magician tries to save her and reunite her with her sister who is being held in the confines of Ellis Island.Not sure if this was at Bowtie but could potentially do well for us -- Lisa
- DirectorMahdi FleifelStarsMahdi FleifelAn intimate, and often humorous, portrait of three generations of exile in the refugee camp of Ein el-Helweh, in southern Lebanon. Based on a wealth of personal recordings, family archives, and historical footage, the film is a sensitive, and illuminating study of belonging, friendship, and family in the lives of those for whom dispossession is the norm, and yearning their daily lives.
- DirectorFrédéric TchengStarsChristian DiorOmar BerradaRaf SimonsGet inside the storied world of the Christian Dior fashion house with a privileged, behind-the-scenes look at the creation of Raf Simons' first haute couture collection as its new artistic director.A documentary about the House of Dior today and chief designer Raf Simons, screened at Tribeca Film Festival. From the same filmmaker who made the Diana Vreeland and Valentino films, both of which were very well done. Bowtie would never show this -- Lisa
- DirectorLenny AbrahamsonStarsMichael FassbenderDomhnall GleesonMaggie GyllenhaalJon, a young wanna-be musician, discovers he's bitten off more than he can chew when he joins an eccentric pop band led by the mysterious and enigmatic Frank.Great buzz on this indie music-themed film starring Michael Fassbender. -- ES
- DirectorPetra CostaStarsLi AnElena AndradePetra CostaElena, a young Brazilian woman, travels to New York with the same dream as her mother, to become a movie actress. She leaves behind her childhood spent in hiding during the years of the military dictatorship. She also leaves Petra, her seven year old sister. Two decades later, Petra also becomes an actress and goes to New York in search of Elena. She only has a few clues about her: home movies, newspaper clippings, a diary and letters. At any moment Petra hopes to find Elena walking in the streets in a silk blouse. Gradually, the features of the two sisters are confused; we no longer know one from the other. When Petra finally finds Elena in an unexpected place, she has to learn to let her go.
- DirectorDylan GochGruff RhysStarsMatthew BattenCory Spotted BearKeith BearIn 1792, John Evans, a farmhand from Snowdonia travelled to America to discover whether there was a Welsh-speaking Native American tribe walking the Great Plains. Over 200 years later, distant relative Gruff Rhys (Super Furry Animals) retraces the explorer's route through the continent by means of an investigative concert tour. A unique project that blurs the boundaries of music, literature and film and investigates what really happened in the heart of the new world.Interesting-looking music/history-oriented doc by Gruff Rhys, singer for the cult-favorite band Super Furry Animals. -- ES
- DirectorMichael Rossato-BennettStarsDan CohenLouise DuenoNell HardieDan Cohen, founder of the nonprofit organization Music & Memory, fights against a broken healthcare system to demonstrate music's ability to combat memory loss and restore a deep sense of self to those suffering from it.Looks like a moving doc about how music affects people, especially during the later years of life. -- ES
- DirectorAndrew RossiStarsElizabeth ArmstrongRichard ArumJamshed BharuchaA documentary that questions the cost -- and value -- of higher education in the United States.Good possibility for a ITPI screening? -- ES
- DirectorBrian KnappenbergerStarsAaron SwartzTim Berners-LeeCindy CohnThe story of programming prodigy and information activist Aaron Swartz, who took his own life at the age of 26.If we could really aim this one at Skidmore students and young professionals, could be a good turnout. -- ES
- DirectorDaniel DencikStarsPer Bak JensenJonas BergsøeBo ElberlingA grand and adventurous journey of discovery to the last white areas of the world map. But no matter how far we go and how hard we try to find answers, we ultimately meet ourselves and our own transience.A group of explorers travel to uncharted waters that used to be ice near Greenland. Good buzz and interesting climate change, scientific exploration angle. -- ES
- DirectorCraig JohnsonStarsKristen WiigBill HaderLuke WilsonHaving both coincidentally cheated death on the same day, estranged twins reunite with the possibility of mending their relationship.Looks like a good indie dramedy, with Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig. Possible crowd pleaser? -- ES
- DirectorJennifer M. KrootStarsGeorge TakeiBrad TakeiWalter KoenigA look at the many roles played by eclectic actor/activist George Takei, whose wit, humor and grace have helped him to become an internationally beloved figure and Internet phenomenon with 7-million Facebook fans and counting.Could be fun, especially since he's become such an online icon. -- ES
- DirectorIain ForsythJane PollardStarsNick CaveSusie BickWarren EllisWriter and musician Nick Cave marks his 20,000th day on the planet Earth.I'm a huge Nick Cave fan, and this looks fascinating. Not sure how it'd play for the non-Cave aficionado, though. -- ES
- DirectorBong Joon HoStarsChris EvansJamie BellTilda SwintonIn a future where a failed climate change experiment has killed all life except for the survivors who boarded the Snowpiercer (a train that travels around the globe), a new class system emerges.This has been playing at the Spectrum but didn't make it to Saratoga. Rave reviews and great RT scores. Dystopian thriller with prestige actors. -- ES
- DirectorBenedikt ErlingssonStarsIngvar SigurdssonCharlotte BøvingJohann Pall OddsonA country romance about the human streak in the horse and the horse in the human. Love and death become interlaced and with immense consequences. The fortunes of the people in the country through the horses' perception.
- DirectorAmma AsanteStarsGugu Mbatha-RawMatthew GoodeEmily WatsonThe biracial daughter, Dido Elizabeth Belle (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), of Royal Navy Captain Sir John Lindsay (Matthew Goode) is raised by aristocratic Great-uncle Lord William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield (Tom Wilkinson) in 18th century England.
- DirectorSean GulletteStarsChaimae Ben AchaSoufia IssamiMourade ZeguendiTo keep her parents from being evicted and fund her Clash-inspired punk band, Malika takes a job smuggling drugs over the mountains. Her partner in the run is a world-weary veteran drug mule, who unexpectedly wins Malika's sympathy.
- DirectorSarah FarhatOlha OnyshkoStarsAda RogovtsevaA Jewish man whose family chose to save the life of its worst enemy. A Ukrainian woman who endured the theft of her children to save her country. A Polish priest who risked everything to end the sectarian hatred that tore at his parish. In the epic settings of the events that changed the course of modern history, during and after the Second World War, Three Stories of Galicia reveals the intimate stories of three courageous individuals who took it upon themselves to preserve the dignity of the human spirit.
- DirectorMichael Beach NicholsDeidre SchooStarsDJ AaronAnimeKareem BaptisteA riveting look at Brooklyn street dancers battling for supremacy in the world of 'flexing.