Our Films 2012
Friday through Sunday, November 2-3-4, 2012
AI WEIWEI: NEVER SORRY 2012 Alison Klayman 91 mins USA Subtitled Documentary Rated R
Can an artist change China? The complex interplay of artistic practice and social activism is seen through the life and art of China's preeminent contemporary artist and most outspoken domestic critic, Ai Weiwei. Against a backdrop of strict censorship and an unresponsive legal system, Chinese authorities have shut down his blog, beaten him up, bulldozed his newly built studio, and held him in secret detention. First-time director Alison Klayman’s detailed portrait provides a nuanced exploration of contemporary China and one of its most compelling public figures. http://aiweiweineversorry.com/index.html
Ai WeiWei was freed from house arrest in Beijing in early July but is still unable to travel outside China.
ANY DAY NOW 2012 Travis Fine 101 mins USA Drama
Set in 1970s Los Angeles, this intimate and absorbing film is about an unusual family ...a drag crooner (Alan Cumming), a closeted prosecuting attorney (Garret Dillahunt), and a teenage boy with Down Syndrome who has been abandoned by his drug-addicted mother. As the teen discovers the strong bonds of family, disapproving authorities step in to tear the boy from the only stable environment he has ever known. The gay men wage an unlikely battle against a system stacked against them. Superb performances defy the easy stereotypes, making for a memorable night at the movies. http://www.anydaynowmovie.com/ Adult content
ATOMIC STATES OF AMERICA 2012 Sheena M. Joyce, Don Argott 95 mins USA Documentary
Taking the viewer on a journey to reactor communities around the country, this film exposes the truths and myths of nuclear power and poses the question of whether or not humankind can responsibly split the atom. Located at the intersection of US nuclear amnesia and the 2011 meltdown of the Fukushima plant in Japan, "The Atomic States of America" takes a fairly objective approach to an emotionally volatile topic, offering an examination of nuclear power that could convince its supporters to think otherwise. The argument is reasoned and worth engaging. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_J-RS0fTB0
BONES BRIGADE: An Autobiography 2012 Stacy Peralta 115 mins USA Documentary (suitable for tweens and up, some street language)
Six talented teenage outcasts unmotivated by fame or popularity came together in the1980s to form a team, reinventing the disrespected art of skateboarding, and themselves too. This misfit crew headed by a 1970s ex-skateboard champion blasted the industry with a mixture of art and raw talent, becoming the most popular skateboarding team in history. Chock-full of footage of their daring airborne feats, the film presents Tony Hawk, Rodney Mullen, Lance Mountain, Steve Caballero, Tommy Guerrero, Mike McGill, George Powell, and Stacy Peralta telling their amazing stories. If skateboarding had been an Olympic sport, they would have won gold. Street language http://bonesbrigade.com/trailer/
CHASING ICE 2012 Jeff Orlowski 76 mins USA Documentary
In the spring of 2005, National Geographic photographer James Balog headed to the Arctic on a tricky assignment: to capture images to help tell the story of the Earth's changing climate. Even with a scientific upbringing, Balog had been a skeptic about climate change, but that first trip north opened his eyes to the biggest story in human history and sparked a challenge that would put his career and his very well-being at risk. His hauntingly beautiful videos compress years into seconds and capture ancient mountains of ice in motion as they disappear at a breathtaking rate. http://www.chasingice.com/
CHICO AND RITA 2010 Tono Errando, Javier Mariscal, Fernando Trueba 94 mins Spain subtitled Animated drama rated R
In 1948 Cuba, Chico is a young piano player with big dreams. Rita is a beautiful singer with an extraordinary voice. Music and romantic desire unite them, but their journey – in the tradition of the Latin ballad, the bolero – brings heartache and torment from Havana to New York, Paris, Hollywood, and Las Vegas in this unique and lushly colorful, hand-drawn treat. Music is the third “character” in this film, with a remarkable assortment of the Cuban sound brought to life as well as classics from Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Thelonius Monk. Sexual content http://www.chicoyrita.com/synopsis.html
CLOUDBURST 2011 Thom Fitzgerald 93 mins Canada / USA Drama rated R
A romantic road romp starring Oscar-winning actresses Olympia Dukakis and Brenda Fricker as Stella and Dot, an aging couple who escape from a nursing home in Maine and drive to Nova Scotia on a quest to be legally married. Along the way, they pick up a hitchhiker, Prentice, a small-town boy turned modern dancer. With equal parts humor and grace, Cloudburst explores the important themes of life, death, and love through the eyes of this oddball trio. Salty language/sexual content
http://www.cloudburstmovie.com/
MIA AND THE MIGOO 2008 Jacques-Rémy Girerd 91 mins Animated Drama ('Family pick of the fest')
In this ecological fable, a brave yet calm heroine who is able to feel many things that others ignore must overcome her fears on a quest to find her father and save the world from destruction. Along the way, she meets a variety of weird and wonderful people, the Migoo (voice of Whoopi Goldberg), and a group of forest "spirits" tasked with guarding a tree at the heart of the world. This visually rich and magical film seems to be a painting come to life, bathed in rustic watercolors that bestow a handcrafted look that bursts at the seams. http://www.gkids.tv/mia/
ONE NATION UNDER DOG 2012 Ellen Gooseberg Kent, Amanda Micheli, Jenny Carchman 73 mins USA Documentary
We're a nation of dog lovers, but unfortunately there are not enough of us to go around. While most folks pamper their pooches, there are unpleasant truths of dog ownership, care, and commerce. This heartfelt documentary explores the passionate and complex relationship America has with dogs. An eye-opening three-part portrait (“Fear,” “Loss,” “Betrayal”) by three different filmmakers inspires us to rethink how we treat our furry friends. Film contains a short disturbing scene.
http://www.hbo.com/documentaries#/documentaries/one-nation-under-dog-stories-of-fear-loss-and-betrayal/index.html
ONCE IN A LULLABY 2011 Jonathan Kalafer 80 mins USA Documentary
An uplifting film that showcases the importance of encouraging the inner talents of children. Following Anne Hathaway’s surprise invitation to perform at the 2011 Oscars, NY PS 22′s teacher Gregg Breinberg, his fifth grade chorus, and the principal, Melissa Donath, are off and running on a whirlwind adventure. From rehearsals to the trip to Hollywood, we follow the children through the trials and joys of a once-in-a-lifetime experience. More than a film about a magical moment, it is a wonderful portrayal of compassionate teaching and the power teachers have to transform the lives of students from all walks of life. Suitable for ages 8 and up http://newjerseypictures.net/
STARLET 2012 Sean Baker 103 mins USA Drama Rated NC17 (not suitable for children)
An original and bold independent film that explores the unlikely cross-generational friendship between 21-year-old Jane (Dree Hemingway) and the elderly Sadie (Besedka Johnson) after Jane discovers $10,000 inside an object at Sadie's yard sale. “Starlet” challenges our prejudices and preconceived notions, but it does so with a heart. The breakthrough and beautifully understated sensitive performances by Dree Hemingway (Ernest Hemingway’s great-granddaughter) and 85-year-old Besedka Johnson, in her first-ever acting role, are well worth seeing. Explicit sexual scene http://www.starletfilm.com/index.html
A SIMPLE LIFE 2012 Ann Hui 118 mins China Subtitled Drama
A tender, true-to-life film about the unfolding of a relationship between a family servant, A Tao, and her “young master,” Roger, who she has treated as her own son. Deannie Yip gives an award-winning performance as A Tao, who suffers a stroke and must go through profound lifestyle changes, from looking after others to becoming the one being looked after. Gracefully directed by veteran director Ann Hui, the film has won much critical acclaim, and was China’s entry to the 2012 Academy Awards. A warm optimistic story that expresses hope for human nature. http://www.cinemagia.ro/trailer/tao-jie-6615/
