film

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AI WEIWEI: THE FAKE CASE

Following on the startling Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry, this documentary reflects the artist’s battle against the lawsuit thrust upon him by the Chinese government in an effort to silence him. After 81 days of solitary detention, under house arrest with 18 cameras monitoring his studio and home, police agents following his every move, he is shaken, but still finds new ways to provoke and challenge authorities. At Boedecker. — Boedecker Theater

THE CURSE OF THE GOTHIC SYMPHONY

A group of brave and committed musicians take on an 80-year curse in an attempt to stage one of the longest, largest and most technically difficult symphonies ever composed. At Boedecker. — Boedecker Theater

THE DOUBLE

Based on a story by Dostoyevsky, Jesse Eisenberg plays a timid, isolated man who’s overlooked at work, scorned by his mother, and ignored by the woman of his dreams. The arrival of a new co-worker, his exact physical double and his opposite (also played by Eisenberg) causes problems, as the confident and charismatic doppelgänger slowly starts taking over his life. This is absurdist comedy with a sharp edge. At Boedecker. — Boedecker 

FUNNY FACE

Gary Susman summed it up: “It was a musical with a borrowed score, based on a stage play its author had failed to sell, with a leading man past his prime and a leading lady, 30 years younger, who had a thin singing voice. Indeed, when released in 1957, it was not a hit, but now regarded as a visually sumptuous classic, with Fred Astaire dancing with impossible grace at 58 and Audrey Hepburn in one of her most stylish, iconic performances.” At Boedecker. — Boedecker Theater

LE WEEK-END

This is a bittersweet film. Two academics whose love life is about as exciting as their careers, which are about as exciting as paint drying, decide it’s time to relight the fire. They head to Paris, where they once honeymooned, in their effort to find what has been lost. Jim Broadbent and Lindsay Duncan star as the central couple and are amazing. Jeff Goldblum has a supporting role and is equally up to the task as an old friend from college who just happens to be in Paris at the same time. The dialogue is masterful and drives the film from beginning to end. Le Week-End is emotionally rich and, when at its best, hysterical. At Boedecker.

NOW, FORAGER

Lucien and Regina are foragers, gathering wild mushrooms in the woodlands of New Jersey and selling them to restaurants. Their lifestyle is simple, their income unstable. They also share a Basque heritage and love of traditional recipes. When Regina seeks a more stable lifestyle, their bonds are tested. At Boedecker. — Boedecker Theater

OPEN SESAME: THE STORY OF SEEDS

See review above. At Boedecker. — Boedecker Theater

SCIENCE ON SCREEN: JAELYN EBERLE AND ICE AGE

Curator of fossil vertebrates at the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History and an associate professor in geological sciences at CU-Boulder, Jaelyn Eberle’s research focuses on the study of mammalian faunas during past intervals of climate change. Ice Age is the animated story of an unlikely band of mammals who embark on a bit of heroism while trying to adapt to drastic cold weather. Voiced by an all-star cast, this family-friendly fun has spawned a wildly successful franchise. At Boedecker. — Boedecker Theater

A YEAR IN BURGANDY

See review above. At Boedecker.

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