You might not expect that Topher Grace (In Good Company, Traffic) would be quick to return to retro comedy after seven seasons on TV's That '70s Show, but lo and behold, the 32-year-old actor both executive produced and co-wrote the story for the '80s-set Take Me Home Tonight (now in theaters). For a new GC podcast, Grace chats about how cocaine almost sunk his movie's chance for release, being forced to watch "maybe the worst film ever made" on repeat one summer, and the famous actress who babysat him during those totally tubular '80s. More >>

Inside JobRent  

Charles Ferguson's documentary on the financial crisis of 2008 just won the Oscar. "The result is a masterpiece of investigative nonfiction moviemaking," writes Wesley Morris, "a scathing, outrageous, depressing, comical, horrifying report on what and who brought on the crisis." It's "a sleek, briskly paced film whose title suggests a heist movie," writes A.O. Scott. "[T]he story of a crime without punishment, of an outrage that has so far largely escaped legal sanction and societal stigma."

Four LionsRent  

Chris Morris' dark comedy was a hit in the UK. Four Lions. Writes Shawn Levy, it's a "dense, sharp, hilarious and unflinching film about a group of British Muslims who seek to shock the world with an apocalyptic act of jihad but are too dumb, contentious and accident-prone to succeed at anything much more audacious than ringing a doorbell and running." "The very existence of Four Lions is an act of audacity," adds Dana Stevens. "The fact that it's also smart, humane, and frequently hilarious is nothing short of a miracle. " See also our earlier podcast with director Morris.

Also out today Black Butler Season 1, Part 2; A Film Unfinished [powerful documentary about a lost Nazi propaganda film that serves as important historical document]; The Man From Nowhere [see more below]; The Next Three Days; The Sinister Eyes of Dr. Orloff; Tales from Earthsea; The Walking Dead: Season 1; Morning Glory; Jackass 3; Around a Small Mountain.

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Senso Rent  Read 

The essayist Phillip Lopate came up with a perfect phrase for Luchino Visconti's style: operatic realism. Like his contemporaries Roberto Rossellini and Vittorio De Sica, Visconti experimented with a realistic style, though it can be argued that he made only one genuine "Italian Neo-Realist" film, La Terra Trema (1948). Visconti was interested in adding personal flourishes to his films in addition to the realism and the social commentary, and his films eventually grew bigger and showier through the decades, while focusing on more personal themes. It can be argued that 1954's Senso (1954) is the culmination of Visconti's work, the perfect collision of style, themes and look --and perhaps his greatest film...Read more >>

More like this Earrings of Madame de... | The Leopard

Still Walking Rent  Read 

Hirokazu Kore-eda's new family drama Still Walking - now out courtesy of Criterion - is his most beautifully accomplished work since After Life (1998), but if it also comes so close to Yasujiro Ozu territory -- especially the themes of Tokyo Story (1953) -- that it ends up paling a bit in comparison. Still, it's a lovely work. Ryo (Hiroshi Abe) is an unemployed art restorer who has married a widow with a young son. Upon the anniversary of his older brother's death, he returns home for an annual family gathering. His grumpy father (Yoshio Harada) is a doctor who was forced to retire due to failing eyesight. His dream of one of his sons taking over... Read more >>

More like this Two Films by Ozu | Nobody Knows

The Man from Nowhere Rent 

This Korean blockbuster is "laced with black humor and some truly impressive action sequences... a quietly building slow burn of a film" says Todd Brown on Twitch. Director Lee Jeong-Beom "serves notice that he's got some John Woo in him, too, and though only two films into his career Lee has clearly established himself as one of the leaders of Korea's young generation." Adds Sean Axmaker, the whole thing "is pretty damn slick, suitably grim and just a little cute, thanks to the innocent adoration of a little girl waiting for a hero to save the day." (The film is also screening Sunday at the SFIAAFF.)

More like this JSA | Bad Guy

For more than 10 years South Korea's Jeonju International Film Festival selects three prominent directors and provides each with funds to put together short films for the Jeonju Digital Project (JDP). San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center recently screened the 33 JDP films from internationally acclaimed directors. Adam Hartzell has more >>

Also: Steve Dollar writes on GreenCine Daily about the problems with adapting Philip K. Dick stories to the silver screen, as the new Adjustment Bureau, which isn't particularly Dick-ish, is a reminder. Read more >>

And lastly, Vadim Rizov reports back from Columbia, MO's True/False Film Festival (a fest devoted solely to documentaries, which just finished its eighth annual run. More >>

GreenCine is a proud media sponsor for this year's San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival (SFIAAFF), which will be held from March 10-20, 2011 in San Francisco, Berkeley, and San Jose!  In addition to noteworthy international and Asian American films at the Festival, there will be events such as Festival Forum (FREE, outdoor live music and performances), Directions in Sound (The Bangerz, Silver Swans, Taiyo Na & more!), Social Club (have a few drinks and meet other festival-go-ers), and various engaging panels and events. Go here for more info >>