Film Reviews

Director Martin Scorsese speaks candidly and passionately about one of his formative filmmaking influences: the late Elia Kazan. Utilizing precisely chosen clips from Kazan's signature films including "On the Waterfront," "A Streetcar Named Desire," "Gentleman's Agreement," "Baby Doll," "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn," "A Face in the Crowd," "America, America," and "The Last Tycoon," and interview footage of the director himself, co-directors Scorsese and Kent Jones recount the director's tumultuous journey from the Group Theatre to the Hollywood A-list to the thicket of the blacklist. But most of all, they make a powerful case for Kazan as a profoundly personal artist working in a famously impersonal industry.

The film is notable for presenting a more human Jesus, compared to more solemn portrayals in earlier films; here Jesus laughs and cries like anyone else. Among other things, he weeps at Joseph’s funeral, throws stones in Lake Galilee when meeting Simon Peter and James son of Zebedee for the first time, dances at the wedding at Cana, and starts a water-splashing fight with his disciples as well. Satan is portrayed as a man in modern dress (and as a woman in red). During his temptation of Jesus, he shows him the Earth from the vantage point of space. Satan also shows Jesus images of wars and destruction carried out in his name. The film adds an apocryphal Roman historian named “Livio” who watches and comments as events unfold; he is presumably named after Livy.

Ginger Rogers, a telephone operator, is pursued by George Murphy (a down-to earth fellow), Alan Marshal (a rich man) and Burgess Meredith (a noncomformist). She dreams what life would be life married to each of them.

Eliza D'Amico thinks her marriage to Louis is going great, until she finds a mysterious love note to her husband. Concerned, she goes to her mother for advice. Eliza, her parents, her sister Jo and Jo's boyfriend all pile into a station wagon, to go to the city to confront Louis with the letter. On the way, the five explore their relations with each other, and meet many interesting people.

Three skydivers and their travelling thrill show barnstorm through a small midwestern town one Fourth of July weekend.

The time is the 1930's. Australia like the rest of the world is in the grip of depression. For Aussie's one man lifted their spirits, Don Bradman. Arguably one of the greatest sportsmen of any sport, The Don's cricketing prowess was a ray of sunshine to all Australian, especially to one Hubert "Fatty" Finn. He had a dream, to own a crystal set ( very early radio receiver) so as to listen to Bradman flay the Pom's ( English) in the upcoming Ashes Test match. However that took money to buy and times were hard. Fatty uses his enterprise to raise money and promptly loses it as misfortune strikes time and again. Then of course his arch rival Bruiser Murphy is also plotting Fatty's downfall. If he can only win the goat race again he will have enough to pay for the crystal set; or will Bruiser Murphy gazump him? With his band of friends plus Trumper the frog and Hector the goat Fatty sets out to win the day. Hurray for Fatty Finn. Oh yes and Bradman made a record score in the test.

In a large city lives a lonesome, 38-year old woman. Without friends, she has indulged in food and candy too much and has become a bit overweight. In short, she is disappointed of her life. One day she sees a young and handsome subway driver and instantly falls in love with him. In a very short time, she finds out all about him and eventually makes contact with him.

When the German Afrika Korps smashes through the allied lines in North Africa in 1942 during World War Two; a group of British soldiers are determined to get back to their own lines. Picking up more allied survivors along the way, their journey is fraught with danger and Germans at every turn.

"China Blue" is an engrossing documentary that tells the story of 3 teenage girls who leave their rural homes in China to come work for a factory that makes blue jeans.

A magistrate investigates a corporate executive.

Four women, who have been sterilized and are under constant toxic restraint and surveillance, are serving their term in a government-run brothel. Their duty is to have sex and beat their customers without remorse. The relations between them are at a critical point; food and water are scarce, their house is rotting and ready to collapse. Nothing on the outside exists any more. Nightmarish visions, simulated miscarriages and rapes, injections and nausea all make up their daily routine.One day, one of their customers disappears. The interrogation begins...

Deep within the mysterious Arboria Institute, a disturbed and beautiful girl is held captive by a doctor in search of inner peace. Her mind controlled by a sinister technology. Silently, she waits for her next session with deranged therapist Dr. Barry Nyle. If she hopes to escape, she must journey through the darkest reaches of The Institute, but Nyle wonʼt easily part with his most gifted and dangerous creation.

A nameless survivor is ambushed and infected with the virus, a beautiful gift to the world.

Teresa is a stewardess who lives a perfect life in the midst of his impeccable suits world clean and prepared foods. However the world scares land: men, motherhood, love ... Meanwhile, Julian, a young doctor, must travel to Ushuaia to throw the ashes of his dead wife in the place where they fell in love.

For generations, it was an urban legend that lived in the nightmares of children. Now, the season to rejuvenate the tale will revive a town's darkest fears. With the Scarecrow Festival on the horizon, school teacher Aaron Harris is doling out punishment for six students serving detention. Their task: help Aaron's girlfriend Amanda fix her family farm before it's sold. But the cornfields circling the farm come with a legend and Tyler takes macabre delight in recounting the tale: It never sleeps, it never dies, it can't be stopped, hear their cries.