Posted by Robert Samardick on March 6, 2009 under New Release | Comments are off for this article
Huge release week for the Indies has something for everyone, a bollywood horror flick, a Yale secret society reunion and a film about tokyo with an exclamation mark.
TOKYO!
TOKYO! brings together three different international directors to create three short films about Tokyo. Michel Gondry (of Eternal Sunshine fame) directs a piece about a nervous breakdown in the fast paced city. Leos Carax tells the tale of Merde (translation: Shit), a monster who lives in the sewers and only comes up to attack and terrorize passerby’s. Bong Joon-Ho shows the bizarre story of a Tokyo Hermit who commands the world through his telephone, then when an earthquake hits leaving a pizza delivery girl stuck in his room, he falls in love. A stunning trailer and three great artists for the price of one, TOKYO! is a sure bet for this weekend.
13B
Manohar just moved into a wonderful new home with his wonderful family. So what’s the problem? Their television set is trying to kill them. Instead of being the source of entertainment for the househeld, the TV has realized it’s own power and has decided to show them the images it wants to see. Specifically a television soap opera that seems to imply their lives are in danger. Bollywood fright flick 13B opens for limited release today.
EVERLASTING MOMENTS
Set in Sweden during the early 1900’s, Everlasting Moments is the story of a working class woman (Maria) who wins a camera in a lottery. She begins to see the world in a new light as her pictures develop and a young man begins to take interest in her photographic abilities.Her alcholic abusive husband doesn’t share the same joy and tries to put a stop to her new sense of liberation.
EXPLICIT ILLS
Explicit Ills binds together four different stories of drugs, love and poverty in Philadelphia. An art student falls in love with her drug dealer. A couple goes through hard times as they attempt to start a charity organization, meanwhile their son trains for the “world’s strongest man “ competition. An asthma ridden seven year old is transformed by his kind neighbor into a well read intelligent boy, just to get a girl to like him. Opens limited in Philly and LA.
FADOS
Fados is a documentary-fusion film that blends cinema with dance and music. The movie focuses on “Fado”, a style of contempary world music often reffered to as “The Portugese Blues”. Each song in the film is accompanied by beautiful images that help to aid the song’s story, as well as dance numbers. It goes farther , blending “Fado” songs with other types of music like hip-hop, jazz and more to illuminate the universal importance of music. The film is a tribute to “Fado” but also a brilliant capture of the soul of this art form.
PHOEBE IN WONDERLAND
A young girl has a dream come true when she is cast as Alice in the school production of Alice In Wonderland. This only creates problems as she now must try hard to be a good student so that the Principal does not take away her role. Stress builds and her Parents try to console her but nothing seems to work. She begins to retreat into her own imaginary world to cope, a world filled with the characters of the book. Her daydreams become increasingly more disturbing as the imaginary safe place she sets up begins to suck her into insanity. Phoebe in Wonderland opens for limited release.
REUNION
Reunion is the story of a group of friends from Yale who reconnect after many years. They all belonged to a secret society in college and when they reunite they commence to try and figure out why none of them have found love or happiness. The confessions take a dark turn when the death of a friend is explored more closely and the secrets of the group are thrust into the light.
SHERMAN’S WAY
Sherman’s Way is a quirky eccentric road trip movie that involves a young and overly ambitious law student and a washed up former athlete. As the Law Student tries to get to Beverly Hills in order to began his career he is taught a lesson by the more relaxed and weird Athlete, who puts a bend in his path.
Posted by editor@vimooz.com on January 14, 2009 under Academy award, Awards, Foreign Film | Comments are off for this article
Nine films will advance to the next round of voting in the Foreign Language Film category for the 81st Academy Awards®. Sixty-five films had originally qualified in the category.
The films, listed in alphabetical order by country, are:
Austria, “Revanche,” Gotz Spielmann, director;
Canada, “The Necessities of Life,” Benoit Pilon, director;
France, “The Class,” Laurent Cantet, director;
Germany, “The Baader Meinhof Complex,” Uli Edel, director;
Israel, “Waltz with Bashir,” Ari Folman, director;
Japan, “Departures,” Yojiro Takita, director;
Mexico, “Tear This Heart Out,” Roberto Sneider, director; (pictured)
Sweden, “Everlasting Moments,” Jan Troell, director;
Turkey, “3 Monkeys,” Nuri Bilge Ceylan, director.
The shortlist will be winnowed down to the five 2008 nominees by specially selected committees in New York and Los Angeles. The committee members will spend this Friday, Saturday and Sunday viewing three of the films each day.
The 81st Academy Awards nominations will be announced on Thursday, January 22, 2009, at 5:30 a.m. PT and the Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2008 will be presented on Sunday, February 22, 2009, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network.
Posted by editor@vimooz.com on December 30, 2008 under Awards, Foreign Film | Comments are off for this article
Foreign language film enthusiasts will have an additional reason to celebrate on Golden Globe Weekend as filmmakers from Germany, Sweden, Israel, France and Italy participate in the Fifth Annual Hollywood Foreign Press Association Foreign Language Film Nominees Symposium on Saturday, January 10 at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood at 1:00 pm.
The free round table panel discussion with the five directors of the Golden Globe Award-nominated foreign language films will be moderated by Mike Goodridge, HFPA Vice President and U.S. Editor of Screen International.
The event follows special screenings of the nominated movies at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica January 7-9.
The five nominated foreign language films are:
– France, “I’ve Loved You So Long,” Philippe Claudel, director
– Germany, “The Baader-Meinhof Complex,” Uli Edel, director
– Israel, “Waltz With Bashir,” Ari Folman, director
– Italy, “Gomorra,” Matteo Garrone, director
– Sweden/Denmark, “Everlasting Moments,” Jan Troell, director (pictured)
The seminar and screenings are presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and The American Cinematheque at the Egyptian and Aero Theatres. The seminar is free but there is a ticket charge to view the nominated foreign language films. Advance tickets can be purchased at www.fandango.com. Additional information on the films is available at www.americancinematheque.com.
“The 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards” will take place Sunday, January 11, 2009 at The Beverly Hilton with a live telecast airing on NBC at 8 PM (EST.
Posted by editor@vimooz.com on December 3, 2008 under Awards, Documentary, Foreign Film | Comments are off for this article
53 foreign language films have been qualified for “The 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards” consideration honoring 2008 achievements, it was announced by Jorge Camara, President of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
Elizabeth Banks, Terrence Howard and Rainn Wilson will join Hollywood Foreign Press Association President Jorge Camara to announce the Nominations for “The 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards” on Thursday morning, December 11, 2008 at The Beverly Hilton.
The American Film Institute (AFI) and Camelot Theatres will once again join forces to present the ninth annual “AFI PALM SPRINGS SHOWCASE.” Seven award-winning and critically acclaimed films from the 2008 AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival (AFI FEST) will be screened beginning Friday, November 14 and continuing through Sunday, November 16, 2008. AFI FEST Artistic Director Rose Kuo said of the program, “We are honored to present these diverse and innovative films from emerging talent as well as masters at our annual showcase in the Camelot Theatres.”
The seven films selected range from DOUBT, directed by John Patrick Shanley, who brings his Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning play to the screen, to Director Erick Zonca’s JULIA, a story about an alcoholic who kidnaps a child, starring Academy Award winner Tilda Swinton.
AFI FEST presented by Audi, is the longest-running film festival in Los Angeles and one of the most influential film festivals in North America. Each year the Festival presents one of the world’s most anticipated showcases of international film, demonstrating AFI’s commitment to celebrating the art form. This year, a portion of the proceeds from the Palm Springs Showcase event will benefit the Palm Springs Cultural Center.
Tickets for all screenings will be on-sale beginning October 31: $10 for adults, $9 for Seniors, and an “All Access” pass is available for $55. For more information, please contact the Camelot Theatres box office at 760/325-6565 or visit www.camelottheatres.com.
THE LINEUP INCLUDES:
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14 – 7:30 PM
DOUBT Director: John Patrick Shanley
John Patrick Shanley brings his Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning play to the screen as a gripping story about the quest for truth, the forces of change, and the devastating consequences of blind justice in an age defined by moral conviction. Starring Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15 – 1:00 PM
THE CLASS Director: Laurent Cantet
This Palme d’Or-winning tale of a young teacher in a tough, multiracial Paris high school uses a documentary-like approach to explore the themes of redemption, tough love, and community dynamics, with Cantet (HEADING SOUTH) finding the delicate balance between grit and inspiration. Stars Francois Begaudeau, Nassim Amrabt, Laura Baguela, Cherif Bounaidja Rachedi. (French with English subtitles)
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15 – 4:00 PM
OF ALL OF THE THINGS Director: Jody Lambert
In the 1970s, songwriter Dennis Lambert had four songs in the top 100 at once, a feat previously accomplished only by the Beatles. Now retired, and selling real estate, Lambert’s discovery of an unlikely cult following-in the Philippines!! -lures him back on tour. This hilarious doc captures every note.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15 – 7:30 PM
THE KINSEY SICKS: ALMOST INFAMOUS Director: Ken Bielenberg
ALMOST INFAMOUS takes us backstage with The Kinsey Sicks, a spellbinding drag a cappella performance troupe that has become a phenomenon in the U.S. and abroad. We glimpse the depth, humor and political savvy of the guys behind the girls, as they head to Las Vegas for an opened-run and a shot at infamy. But is Las Vegas ready for The Kinsey Sicks’ brand of edgy, raunchy and ruthlessly honest material? The documentary is a roller coaster ride of concert footage, archival performance footage and “confession cam” interviews that take us behind-the-scenes as the group fights for their artistic freedom, their relationships and their sanity, as they make their way to opening night in Sin City. Featuring Ben Schatz, Irwin Keller, Chris Dilley, and Jeff Manabat.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16 – 1:00 PM
EVERLASTING MOMENTS Director: Jan Troll
Sweden’s greatest living filmmaker affectionately tells the poignant story of a woman who, to help cope with her at-times brutal family life, turns to photography. “The pictures take me over,” she tells her friend, as she snaps photos that put her, for at least the flash of the shutter, in control of her world. Stars Maria Heiskanen, Mikael Persbrandt, and Jesper Christensen.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16 – 4:00 PM
TWO LOVERS Director: James Gray
A suicidal young man (Phoenix) is caught between two women: the daughter of his father’s business associate (Shaw), and a gorgeous blonde socialite (Paltrow). With its sincerity and rich characters, this very modern ode to the complications of romance radiates a streak of Golden Age Hollywood moviemaking. Starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Isabella Rossellini, Joaquin Phoenix, and Elias Koteas.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16 – 7:30 PM
JULIA Director: Erick Zonca
Moving easily between the most challenging art films and mainstream movies, always bringing intelligence, passion and a psychological edge to her roles, Tilda Swinton has proven herself one of the most versatile, compelling performers of her generation.
Comments are off for this article 
