Film Reviews

Ulrike Ottinger’s documentary Prater (Austria-Germany), a half-decade in the making, chronicles over the past century and more the attractions that contributed to the rise and fall of Prater, the world’s oldest amusement park.

When her daughter Shanna is disqualified from competing for her Junior High School cheer leading squad, Wanda Holloway tries to get her ex-husband's brother, Terry Harper, to hire a hitman to incapacitate Shanna's rival or the girl's mother. He wants nothing to do with it and after several unsuccessful attempts, finally manages to convince the police that Wanda is serious. She is eventually arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit murder but when the media get hold of the story, it becomes a sensation, making front page news around the world. Based on a true story.

Ex-football star Mike Gambril meets Terry McKay on a flight to Sydney, which is forced to land on a small atoll. They become romantic on board a ship sent to take them to a larger island. They agree to meet in New York three months later to see if the attraction is real. One shows up but the other doesn't. However, a chance meeting brings them together again.

In the 16th century in the Cévennes, a horse dealer by the name of Michael Kohlhaas leads a happy and prosperous family life. When a lord treats him unjustly, this pious, upstanding man raises an army and puts the country to fire and sword in order to have his rights restored.

Gelsomina’s family works according to some special rules. First of all, Gelsomina, at twelve years of age, is head of the family and her three younger sisters must obey her: sleep when she tells them to and work under her watchful eye. But the world, the outside, mustn’t know anything about their rules, and must be kept away from them. They must learn to disguise themselves.

William Popper is the son of a stockbroker and is thoroughly disenchanted with "the system." So much so that even though he can prove that he ran over a woman in his car entirely by accident, he accepts a sentence for manslaughter.

Arjun and Geeta are a young couple, who are deeply in love with each other. They get married, and soon are proud parents. Arjun gets in the bad books of a notorious gangster named Nagraj, and is brutally killed. When Geeta finds out she decides to avenge Arjun's death. When Nagraj finds out that Geeta is out for vengeance, he scoffs at her, refusing to believe that a lone defenseless widow can do him any harm. But Nagraj is in for a surprise when he comes face to face with Geeta and a group of young men who are dedicated to bring him down - even if they die trying.

In a small town in Japan, Kirie comes upon her boyfriend's father silently videotaping a snail. Later, the mans obsession with spirals becomes more and more bizarre, ending in his suicide in a washing machine which turn his body into a spiral. Soon other inhabitants become possessed with different forms of spirals.

William S. Burroughs: A Man Within is a well-crafted, brand new documentary which attempts to open up the legendary figure and see what made him tick. Showing at the 54th BFI London Film Festival, Yony Leyser’s film is a riveting and emotional journey into the world of a man many considered as cold as an iceberg on a winter night.

Darius Lovehall is a young black poet in Chicago who starts dating Nina Moseley, a beautiful and talented photographer. While trying to figure out if they've got a "love thing" or are just "kicking it," they hang out with their friend, talking about love and sex. Then Nina tests the strength of Darius' feelings and sets a chain of romantic complications into motion.

Arkin escapes with his life from the vicious grips of "The Collector" during an entrapment party where he adds beautiful Elena to his "Collection." Instead of recovering from the trauma, Arkin is suddenly abducted from the hospital by mercenaries hired by Elena's wealthy father. Arkin is blackmailed to team up with the mercenaries and track down The Collector's booby trapped warehouse and save Elena.

A famous surgeon is beaten by drunken bullies, loses his memory and cannot recollect who he was before. He gets to a village, lives in a not so well to do family and becomes the Quack - he slowly regains his talent for medicine and saves the lives of several village patients.

A vain actor, his best friend, and an activist end up at a mutant freak farm run by a weirdo scientist.

When a doubting young boy takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery that shows him that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe.

Best friends Tod, a fox kit, and Copper, a hound puppy, visit a country fair when they see a band of dogs called "The Singin' Strays". The band has five members: Dixie, Cash, Granny Rose, and twin brothers Waylon and Floyd. It is important that they perform well because a talent scout is visiting.