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For all the talk these days of the eventual demise of theatrical distribution, you might be surprised to learn that drive-ins, that quintessentially American pop culture phenomenon, have not only survived but, in some areas of the country, are actually thriving. Dennis Cozzalio's " Drive-In Movies" primer is many things: a personal love letter to the experience; a history of drive-ins; an annotated list of 13 directors who have shaped the idea of the "drive-in movie" as a genre; and a fun shortlist of drive-ins in the movies. We honor the Drive-In on its 75th anniversary with "Drive-In Movies: A Primer" >>
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In This Dispatch:
- What's New: Persepolis, In Bruges, and much more.
- What We're Watching: The Free Will, Fireworks Wednesday, Chaos Theory.
- Explore: The Grocer's Son.
- Special Promo: The Auteurs.
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Raved Carrie Rickey about this Oscar-nominated film: "Persepolis, the superb film based on [Marjane] Satrapi's graphic memoirs of the same name, is a riveting odyssey in pictures and words. It's unlike any journal you've read or any animated movie you've seen." Adds the NY Times' AO Scott: "Persepolis, austere as it may look, is full of warmth and surprise, alive with humor and a fierce independence of spirit." Also: See our interview with Satrapi and co-director Vincent Paronnaud; and for another slice of Iran, see review below. |
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Irish playwright turned director Martin McDonagh concocted this highly original hit man comedy. "When it's funny, it's hilarious; when it's serious, it's powerful; either way, it's an endless pleasant surprise," wrote AV Club's Tasha Robinson. Roger Ebert: "An endlessly surprising, very dark, human comedy, with a plot that cannot be foreseen but only relished." More. |
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From Benten Films: Winner of a prestigious Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival, German auteur Matthias Glasner's brave and complex drama contemplates the terror of loneliness and whether love can be a salvation to damaged psyches. The Free Will (out on DVD today) stars co-writer Jürgen Vogel (whose raw performance won him Best Actor awards at both Tribeca and Chicago) as Theo, a convicted sexual predator who has just been released from psychiatric detention. His fear of women stirs a profound, unfulfilled longing within him, making his reintegration into society an unbearable ordeal. Can hope exist in his budding relationship with Nettie ( Sabine Timoteo), herself a victim of abuse, as they embark on a journey to the limits of free will? With a slyly stylized balance of brutal suspense and hesitant hopefulness, Glasner's emotional directness is never less than compassionate. |
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One of the things I love about Iranian cinema is that it seems to inspire itself. Even a decade after the first Iranian "New Wave" films began appearing in the United States in 1997, Iranian filmmakers have refused to "go Western" and use Hollywood methods in their films. Rather, they have continued to work with the original ideas and methods that made their cinema exciting in the first place. Fireworks Wednesday (released by Facets) was directed by a relative newcomer, Asghar Farhadi, and feels just as fresh as films by his predecessors, yet it also turns slightly inward, getting a little closer to the more turbulent human emotions, and it comes out the other side with a vivid... read review >> |
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Somebody at Warner Brothers goofed. This is no surprise, as the studio has long (perhaps since the 30s and 40s) been the worst when it comes to knowing or caring how to market a "small" movie. The goof here begins with the discarded theatrical release of Chaos Theory and continues through that of the video. If ever a film ought to have been pushed for Father's Day, it's this one. Instead it made its DVD debut the week after? And with no mention of Dad, parenting, paternity, love, marriage or the father/daughter bond? One has to wonder, after watching this surprising movie, whether anyone at Warners bothered to view it before they dumped it, or if they possess a single clue about movie marketing. Three years back, director Marcos Siega (with writer Skander Halim) gave us one of the more interesting and quirky films... read review >> |
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"Director Eric Guirado's The Grocer's Son is a small, self-assured film that moves at its own pace, always staying one graceful step ahead of its reluctant protagonist," wrote Michelle Orange in the Village Voice earlier this month. And - relatively speaking, of course - it's become a modest hit, now enjoying the third week of what was originally planned to be a one-week run in New York. And soon, it'll be expanding to several other US cities. James Van Maanen spoke with Guirado about this first two features and his plans for the next one. Read article >>
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The Auteurs is extending a special offer to GreenCine subscribers. Currently in closed beta testing, The Auteurs is providing access to a sneak preview of their online cinematheque. The Auteurs is where cinephiles from around the world come together to watch, discuss, and read about the best of film. Focusing on delivering great films through HD streaming and video on demand, editorial coverage of international cinema, and a highly interactive, community-based design, The Auteurs want to create a global community of the most interested and interesting film fans in the world. GreenCine's movie loving members can get an exclusive taste of the new online venue. To sign up click here! |
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