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April 2-8, 2009
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Ballerina
In the grand tradition of Ballets Russes, feeling as if a Degas painting had come to life, comes filmmaker Bertrand Normand’s portrait of five St. Petersburg ballerinas from the Mariinski Theatre, formerly known as the Kirov. They range in age from promising student graduating to the corps de ballet to soloist to star and to retired star attempting a comeback. Russia’s pre-eminent dancers — superstars such as Nijinsky, Baryshnikov and Pavlova — established the reputation of Russian dancers as the best in the world. The dancers profiled in Ballerina are uniquely individual, tough, insightful and exceptionally talented; onstage they reveal no hint of the sweat, pain and hard work of the rehearsal studio. From Swan Lake to Romeo and Juliet, from the backstage studio to performing on stages around the world, Ballerina captures the sublime beauty of ballet, in all its resplendent glory. Narrated in English. Not rated. At Starz. — Denver Film Society
Branded to Kill (1967)
This film’s narrative centers on the third-best hit man in Japan’s organized crime system. Near the top of his game, his fortunes change when he encounters a death-obsessed woman who assigns him a difficult task. A butterfly lands on his gun’s sight at the exact moment he pulls the trigger, causing him to miss the shot. This failure means that the killer becomes the target, and must run for his life from his former employers, and the mysterious “No. 1 Killer.” While the film contains some spectacular action sequences, it is played out less as a suspense thriller than as a surrealistic, psychosexual nightmare filled with grotesque imagery and strange touches. Not rated. At Boulder Public Library. — BPL Film Program
Bridge to Terabithia (2007)
An 11-year-old boy has his life changed forever when he befriends the class outsider, a girl. Together they create an imaginary kingdom called Terabithia, where they can create their own adventures with giants, trolls and other incredible creatures until tragedy ultimately befalls their friendship. Rated PG. At Boulder Public Library. — BPL Film Program
The Class
This fantastic film takes place in a working-class, multi-ethnic Parisian middle school, where an unruly world of conflict, frustration and joy comes to life. Francois Begaudeau plays a version of himself; he taught in a Paris middle school and wrote a book about it, and The Class distills that book into a year in the life of a teacher and his combative, highly stimulating students. A documentary approach is the key to the film’s success, with real students playing characters, some based on themselves, some not. In French, with English subtitles. Rated PG-13 (language). At Colony Square. — Michael Phillips
 Crips and Bloods: Made in America
In Crips and Bloods: Made In America, renowned documentarian Stacy Peralta (Dogtown and Z Boys, Riding Giants) examines the story of South Los Angeles and the gangs that inhabit it. Blending gripping archival footage and photos with in-depth interviews of current and former gang members, educators, historians, family members and experts, Peralta brings his trademark dynamic visual style and story-telling ability to this often-ignored chapter of America’s history. Hard-hitting, yet ultimately hopeful, Crips and Bloods: Made In America not only documents the emergence of the Bloods and the Crips and their growth beyond the borders of South Central, but also offers insight as to how this ongoing tragedy might be resolved. Produced by NBA superstar Baron Davis and narrated by Academy Award-winning actor, Forest Whitaker. Not rated. At Starz. — Denver Film Society
The Draughtman’s Contract (1982)
Set in an exaggerated 17th-century England, Peter Greenaway’s sumptuous and sensuously charged brainteaser catapulted him to the forefront of international art cinema. Adorned with intricate wordplay, extravagant costumes and opulent photography, Greenaway’s first narrative feature weaves a labyrinthine mystery around the maxim “draw what you see, not what you know.” An aristocratic wife commissions a young, cocksure draughtsman to sketch her husband’s property while he is away in exchange for a fee, room and board, and one sexual favor for each of the 12 drawings. As the draughtsman becomes more entrenched in the devious scheming taking place in this seemingly idyllic country house, curious details emerge in his drawings that may reveal a murder. Not rated. At Boulder Public Library. — BPL Film Program
Duplicity
Last seen together in Closer, Julia Roberts and Clive Owen play dueling corporate spies caught up in a cross/double-cross plot that starts coiling around itself like a snake. And, of course, there’s time for a little romance between the two stars. Duplicity is pure artifice, without any moral reckoning or higher intentions. Mainly it’s a classy excuse to hang out with Roberts and Owen and their wardrobes for a couple of hours. Rated PG-13 (language and some sexual content). At Flatiron, Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks. — Michael Phillips
The Great Buck Howard
This affectionate but flawed comedy stars John Malkovich as a mentalist who once filled venues around the country. Now, Buck is on a sad slide to obscurity, though great effort is expended in making sure he will be the last to know. Into the strong wind of Buck’s denial steps a law-school dropout (Colin Hanks) unsure of what to do with his life. Malkovich always works a lovely little sleight of hand with comedy, but what he needs here are supporting actors with a few more tricks up their sleeves. Rated PG (some language including suggestive remarks, and a drug reference). At Starz. — Betsey Sharkey
The Haunting in Connecticut
See full screen review on page 43. Rated R. At Flatiron, Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Hedwig, born a boy named Hansel in East Berlin, fell in love with an American G.I. and underwent a sex-change operation in order to marry him and flee to the West. Unfortunately, nothing worked out quite as it was supposed to. Years later, Hedwig is leading her rock band on a tour of the U.S., telling her life story through a series of concerts at Bilgewater Inn seafood restaurants. Her tour dates coincide with those of arena-rock star Tommy Gnosis, a wide-eyed boy who once loved Hedwig... but then left with all her songs. Rated R. At International Film Series. — Denver Film Society
He’s Just Not That Into You
The film adaptation of Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo’s 2004 relationship-advice book is a sprawling, many-threaded series of stories, most of which contradict the book’s advice about moving on when facing a lack of commitment. Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Connelly, Scarlett Johansson, Drew Barrymore and Ben Affleck head the cast of this romantic comedy, which has some fun with its bubble-gum tone until a rash of ridiculous happy endings takes all the bite out of the premise. Rated PG-13 (sexual content and brief strong language). At Flatiron. — Tasha Robinson
I Love You, Man
This minor but enjoyable entry in the boy-man comedy genre stars Paul Rudd as a heterosexual L.A. real estate agent engaged to be married but short on straight-up male companionship in general and a best man for his wedding in particular. Along comes a sometime investment whiz (Jason Segel) living the life of a Venice Beach slacker. How these two meet and bond leads to much engaging time-wasting. Rated R (pervasive language, including crude and sexual references). At Flatiron, Century, Twin Peaks and Colony Square. — Michael Phillips
Ink
As the light fades and the city goes to sleep, two forces emerge. They are invisible except for the power they exert over us in our sleep. These two groups battle for our souls in our dreams. Through good dreams one force supports our hopes and gives us strength. Through nightmares the other force leads us toward desperation.
In this high-concept visual thriller, part It’s a Wonderful Life and Sin City, John and his daughter Emma are thrust into a fantastical dreamworld battle between good and evil where the most precious elements — love, loss and redemption — are at stake. At Starz. — Denver Film Society
Knowing
Nicolas Cage plays a man privy to the details of upcoming disasters — when, where and how many people will die. Until it jumps the tracks into self-righteousness, Knowing can be as unnerving as the best episodes of The Twilight Zone. This slice of disaster porn dabbles in faith and doubt and has no patience for fence-sitters. And by the way, isn’t Cage due to make a high-quality film one of these days? PG-13 (disaster sequences, disturbing images and brief strong language). At Flatiron, Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks. — Christopher Borrelli
Milk
The story of Harvey Milk is a tragedy, but not since Jeff Spicoli in Fast Times at Ridgemont High has Sean Penn played such a serenely happy individual. Penn is superb as the martyred San Francisco city supervisor, America’s first widely acknowledged openly gay elected official. He was killed by Milk’s former colleague, Dan White (Josh Brolin, also excellent), minutes after White’s fatal shooting of Mayor George Moscone in 1978. Rated R (language, some sexual content and brief violence). At International Film Series. — Michael Phillips
Monsters vs. Aliens
See full screen review on page 43. Rated PG. At Flatiron, Century, Colony Square and Twin Peaks.
Race to Witch Mountain
Benign yet assaultive PG mayhem — it’s a neat trick if you can pull it off. The Walt Disney Co., determined to remake every live-action feature in its canon, brings us a frenetic update of Escape to Witch Mountain (1975) in which Dwayne Johnson reunites with The Game Plan director Andy Fickman. The premise — alien kids with special powers try to get back home — echoes the original, but this hopped-up remake lays on the X-Files paranoia. The charismatic Johnson helps make it work. Rated PG (sequences of action and violence, frightening and dangerous situations, and some thematic elements). At Flatiron, Century and Colony Square. — Michael Phillips
The Reader
Kate Winslet stars in the film version of Bernhard Schlink’s 1995 novel about a 15-year-old West German boy who, in 1958, embarks on an affair with a 36-year-old trolley conductor with more on her mind, and in her past, than she admits. The novel was hugely popular as well as controversial worldwide and an Oprah’s Book Club selection besides. However, it needed a different set of interpreters to make any emotional sense of it on screen. Even in the scenes dominated by Winslet, you never quite believe the way anything unfolds. Rated R (some scenes of sexuality and nudity). At Chez Artiste. — Michael Phillips
Shoot the Piano Player
Part thriller, part comedy, part tragedy, Shoot the Piano Player relates the adventures of mild-mannered Charlie Koller (Charles Aznavour), a former concert pianist reduced to playing honky-tonk rags in a side street bar. When his past catches up with him in the form of his wayward brother Chico (Albert Rémy), Charlie stumbles into the criminal underworld and a whirlwind love affair with admiring waitress Léna (Marie Dubois). Both a sly tribute to American film noir and a moving rethinking of its key tropes, Truffaut’s second feature is pure nouvelle vague. At International Film Series. — Denver Film Society
Slumdog Millionaire
Slumdog Millionaire, winner of this year’s Academy Award for best picture and seven other Oscars, is a ruthlessly effective paean to destiny, leaving nothing to chance. Every arrow plucked from director Danny Boyle’s quiver takes aim at the same objective: to leave you exhausted but wowed. An 18-year-old (Dev Patel) in the former Bombay, India, is suspected of cheating his way to national fame on the Hindi version of Who Wants To Be a Millionaire? Rated R (some violence, disturbing images and some language). At Flatiron, Esquire and Chez Artiste. — Michael Phillips
Sunshine Cleaning
Amy Adams and Emily Blunt play sisters who start up an unlicensed crime-scene cleanup business. They’re haunted by the suicide death of their mother; for them the biohazard removal biz is a way of processing their grief, and bringing to survivors the comfort they themselves seek. Certain narrative events are more about dramatic convenience than the mess of real life. But it helps to have actresses as vibrant as Adams and Blunt around. Director Christine Jeffs loosens the plotting as best she can, letting the interactions breathe. Rated R (language, disturbing images, some sexuality and drug use). At Century and Mayan. — Michael Phillips
Taken
Liam Neeson plays a former CIA spook whose clandestine career bled into his home and led to a divorce. After sex traffickers kidnap his daughter in Europe, our hero has 96 hours to save her, and he wastes no time karate-chopping his way through every mime and baguette peddler in France. The movie overheats quickly, but Neeson and the filmmakers manage to make the Charles Bronson-style simplicity work. Rated PG-13 (intense sequences of violence, disturbing thematic material, sexual content, some drug references and language). At Flatiron. — Christopher Borrelli
Two Lovers
Set in the insular world of Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, Two Lovers is a classic romantic drama, with Joaquin Phoenix giving a raw and vulnerable performance as Leonard, a charismatic but troubled young man who moves back into his childhood home following a recent heartbreak. While recovering under the watchful eye of his parents (Isabella Rossellini and Moni Monoshov), Leonard meets two women in quick succession: Michelle (Gwyneth Paltrow), a mysterious and beautiful neighbor who is exotic and out-of-place in Leonard’s staid world, and Sandra (Vinessa Shaw), the lovely and caring daughter of a businessman who is buying out his family’s dry-cleaning business. Leonard becomes deeply infatuated by Michelle, who seems poised to fall for him, but is having a self-destructive affair with a married man. At the same time, mounting pressure from his family pushes him towards committing to Sandra. Leonard is forced to make an impossible decision — between the impetuousness of desire and the comfort of love — or risk falling back into the darkness that nearly killed him. Directed and co-written by James Gray (We Own the Night, The Yards). Not rated. At Starz. — Denver Film Society
The Watchmen
A group of forcibly retired masked crimefighters are uneasily reunited to save the world, and to save themselves from the unknown predator targeting them for extinction. Director Zack Snyder’s bloated screen adaptation of Alan Moore’s graphic novel is marked by slavish fidelity to the source material. But the brutality is pretty numbing in Watchmen, and while the graphic novel poured it on as well, Snyder is a lunkhead when it comes to using that violence for storytelling purposes. Rated R (strong graphic violence, sexuality, nudity and language). At Flatiron, Century and Colony Square. — Michael Phillips
The Wrestler
This film spends 105 minutes grappling at the edge of camp, cheap laughs and cliches. Yet the way it’s handled by director Darren Aronofsky and especially by Mickey Rourke — who really should have gotten an Oscar for his portrayal of Randy “The Ram” Robinson, a steroid-addled sweetie in tights — it stays honest and keeps on fighting. An aging, down-on-his luck pro grappler, The Ram has heart problems, but The Wrestler does not. It’s sincere, violent, sentimental, predictable and extremely effective. Rated R (violence, sexuality/nudity, language and some drug use). At Starz. — Michael Phillips
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