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- DirectorXavier GiannoliStarsGérard DepardieuCécile de FranceMathieu AmalricAlain Moreau sings for one of the few remaining dance-bands in Clermont-Ferrand. Though something of an idol amongst his female audience he has a melancholic awareness of the slow disappearance of that audience and of his advancing years. He is completely knocked off balance when he meets strikingly attractive and much younger businesswoman Marion. She seems distant and apparently otherwise involved but soon shows quiet signs of reciprocating his interest. A brief dalliance turns into something much more complicated and he starts to employ - indeed monopolise - her services as an estate agent by announcing he suddenly must move house.
- DirectorMartin McDonaghStarsColin FarrellBrendan GleesonCiarán HindsAfter a job gone wrong, hitman Ray and his partner await orders from their ruthless boss in Bruges, Belgium, the last place in the world Ray wants to be.
- DirectorStefan RuzowitzkyStarsKarl MarkovicsAugust DiehlDevid StriesowThe story of the Operation Bernhard, the largest counterfeiting operation in history, carried out by Germany during World War II.
- DirectorJohn SaylesStarsDanny GloverLisaGay HamiltonYaya DaCosta1950. Rural Alabama. Cotton harvest. It's a make-or-break weekend for the Honeydripper Lounge and its owner, piano player Tyrone "Pine Top" Purvis. Deep in debt to the liquor man, the chicken man, and the landlord, Tyrone is desperate to lure the young cotton pickers and local Army base recruits into his juke joint, away from Touissant's, the rival joint across the way. His plan to hire a guitar legend goes awry and Tyrone is forced to take drastic action in a final scheme to save the club.
- DirectorEran KolirinStarsSasson GabayRonit ElkabetzSaleh BakriA band comprised of members of the Egyptian police force head to Israel to play at the inaugural ceremony of an Arab arts center, only to find themselves lost in the wrong town.
- DirectorBernardo BertolucciStarsJean-Louis TrintignantStefania SandrelliGastone MoschinA weak-willed Italian man becomes a fascist flunky who goes abroad to arrange the assassination of his old teacher, now a political dissident.
- DirectorPaul HaggisStarsTommy Lee JonesCharlize TheronJonathan TuckerA retired military investigator works with a police detective to uncover the truth behind his son's disappearance following his return from a tour of duty in Iraq.
- DirectorAbdellatif KechicheStarsHabib BoufaresHafsia HerziFarida BenkhetacheIn southern France, a Franco-Arabic shipyard worker along with his partner's daughter pursues his dream of opening a restaurant.
- DirectorDaniele LuchettiStarsElio GermanoRiccardo ScamarcioAngela FinocchiaroTwo brothers come of age in a small Italian town in the '60s and '70s.
- DirectorSidney LumetStarsPhilip Seymour HoffmanEthan HawkeAlbert FinneyWhen two brothers organize the robbery of their parents' jewelry store the job goes horribly wrong, triggering a series of events that sends them, their father and one brother's wife barreling towards a shattering climax.
- DirectorClaude MillerStarsCécile de FrancePatrick BruelLudivine SagnierA 15-year-old boy unearths a shocking family secret.
- DirectorOliver ParkerStarsDanny HustonDiego LunaPaz VegaAttempting to recover from his failed marriage to Rita Hayworth and restart his career, Orson Welles travels to Italy only to be drawn into a dangerous web of intrigue, murder and politics when an actor is murdered on his set.
- DirectorAng LeeStarsSihung LungKuei-Mei YangWang Yu-wenA senior chef lives with his three grown daughters; the middle one finds her future plans affected by unexpected events and the life changes of the other household members.
- DirectorClaude ChabrolStarsIsabelle HuppertFrançois BerléandPatrick BruelA magistrate investigates a corporate executive.
- DirectorLars von TrierStarsJens AlbinusPeter GantzlerFriðrik Þór FriðrikssonAn IT company hires an actor to serve as the company's president in order to help the business get sold to a cranky Icelander.
- DirectorClint EastwoodStarsClint EastwoodBee VangChristopher CarleyAfter a Hmong teenager tries to steal his prized 1972 Gran Torino, a disgruntled, prejudiced Korean War veteran seeks to redeem both the boy and himself.Member rating 86% (A-19, B-16, C-1, D-1); Member comments:
Fantastic start to the season, absolutely riveting. What a great film to start the season - Clint Eastwood, true to his reputation. Violent but some great moments. Ever the iconoclast, Eastwood delivers another stunning directorial performance. Outstanding. So good, just so true of gangs etc. just now. Lively and heart-warming. Very powerful. Moving, funny, great film. Well executed, intercultural story - clever ending. Touching, funny, sad, well observed, well acted and well made. A film that I would not have heard of if I had not joined the club - worth the year's sub! It had everything from anger, sadness, remorse, comedy and humour. Very moving and clever humour. Good old Clint Eastwood, he got it right at the end. Great performance by Clint Eastwood, thought provoking film. Excellent portrayal of relationships - plot rather like an old fashioned parable. A traditional Eastwood but none the worse for it - a really worthwhile film, I am glad I saw it. Clint Eastwood is a remarkable actor - the cowboy comes out strongly. - DirectorWoody AllenStarsRebecca HallScarlett JohanssonJavier BardemTwo friends on a summer holiday in Spain become enamored with the same painter, unaware that his ex-wife, with whom he has a tempestuous relationship, is about to re-enter the picture.Member rating 77% (A-10, B-16, C-6, D-1); Member comments:
So lively and enjoyable. Good story and well acted. What a muddle of emotions, I'm still working it out! Amazing how sex can ruin a good holiday. Great music, good acting, tiresome plot. Very Woody Allen dialogue but also very enjoyable. Great narration, felt part of it with the way the characters were played. Absolutely bonkers, loved it. Juan Antonio, great character, he could charm any Chiquita!!! Woody tops again, both immensely complex and heavily involved. Outrageous, immoral, immensely amusing. Quirky but fun, a very different view of Barcelona. The best Woody Allen film so far, it gives a new meaning to action painting. On the face of it entertaining but actually rather sad. Fun but too knowing for its own good. A touching film. Obviously reflects Woody's muddled life style. A wonderful send up, interesting in the way it progressed with good acting all round. Beautiful scenery and direction but was left feeling very sad. They should have stuck with Gaudi. Woody Allen is a genius, great too Barcelona. Disappointing, Woody Allen tries too hard perhaps. Good acting but of little substance. Hmm, Mr Allen still obsessed with sex I see. Light, absurd, gentle on the eye and frivolous, but a work of art nonetheless. - DirectorErnesto ContrerasStarsCecilia SuárezEnrique ArreolaMagali BoysselleMarina wins a paradise vacation for two, but when she realizes that she has no one to bring along, she decides to invite a stranger named Victor. The pair soon discovers that true love depends more on compatibility rather than idyllic scenery.Member rating 46% (B-6, C-13, D-8, E-1); Member comments:
Undecided - social conventions seemed strange; perhaps I'm in the wrong cultural tradition. Missed proper ending. Quiet but slow; let this be a warning to you - when the socks come off you miss out on a free holiday! Slow, so slow - it would have been OK if it had moved along faster! kept waiting for it to happen. Very tedious; they needed winding up. Incredibly dreary and long winded to make a simple point. They didn't connect - neither did I! Plodding and fairly obvious. I can't believe they lived happily ever after - I expect it was dull for them. Very touching and sad. Sad but some amusing moments. Did not care for one of the scenes; different. I think it was appropriate that the film finished with a stalled engine! Very sad lovely film. Very delicately produced. Not very exciting. Atmospheric; a wonderful portrait of loneliness. Riveting and almost painful to watch the interaction between the two characters. So many missed opportunities; may need to see again to get the point. What is the Spanish for "too many longeurs"? Touching, well acted, photography suited the mood, but did Lulita need a good shaking? A bleak tale of desperation and unfulfilment - not a film I would rush to see again. Arty camera work and direction but not a film I could warm to; maybe one I will remember though. Intriguing, slightly uncomfortable. Different - made me want to see what would happen next. Found the sound production amateur and unsubtle. - DirectorMark AldridgeStarsJames NesbittNatascha McElhoneGary LewisA successful city trader suddenly loses everything he truly cares about. Seeking comfort in isolation on a remote island, his life is turned upside down by the arrival of a little girl.Member rating 74% (A-9, B-16, C-4, D-3); Member comments:
A very nice story beautifully told. Beautiful film, full of emotion. This film ticked all the boxes, a delight. Moving film - money isn't everything. Cleverly crafted, utterly uplifting. I thought it was going to end horribly - so glad it didn't. No shouting, no bad language, no violence, no sex, absolutely lovely. A lovely story beautifully told and acted with haunting background music. Charming and delightful film, what more can I say? Loved it and I was nearly in tears at one point. Delightful, beautifully crafted - a joy to watch. Wonderfully heart warming. A beautiful fairy story. Extremely touching. Very well done - the relationship of Peter with the girl and acting overall was very good. Felt one was left dangling at the end - a slight anticlimax. Don't know what to think - impressively interesting, but could not take seriously - absorbed, however, much of the time. Touching and entertaining - how did she do the tricks? An incredible but thoroughly likeable story that developed into something more than an average fantasy about half way through. A lovely tale with stunning scenery. Soppy but enjoyable. Deeply moving film which avoided sentimentality - beautifully acted and directed. Over sentimental and predictable - made Blue Eyelids look dramatic. Wonderful scenery, plot was very good, inspired hope. Beautiful - music a bit overpowering. Very annoying and completely unbelievable. Slight - overlong, but not unpleasant. Nice story, good child actor but unrealistic. Was it brilliant or just so much better than the last film. Stunning simplicity around heartbreaking story and a happy ever after was always good enough for fairy tales. - DirectorDoris DörrieStarsElmar WepperHannelore ElsnerAya IrizukiAfter Rudi's wife Trudi suddenly dies, he travels to Japan to fulfill her dream of being a Butoh dancer.Member rating 63% (A-7, B-16, C-9, D-9); Member comments:
[Note that The Elgiva received a DVD version they could not show at full brightness which is the reason for a number of the comments] Love and callousness entwined. Slightly too long to sustain concentration but beautifully realised. It grew on you and at the end I thought what a beautiful film. Interesting, different but too long. For an unadventurous man Rudi did very well! Beautiful profound film; great Japanese dancing. For a while I found it difficult to enjoy the film because of the relatively poor quality but in the end I really enjoyed it. Pity the film was so dark - it made viewing difficult; a very sad story. Rather slow. A beautiful and wise film. Beautiful touching film. The earlier scenes were not very clear; slow to start but developed as the film progressed. An inky black darkness swept over this film leaving me emotionally drained; a wonderful reflection on life in the end. Quite a depressing start, surprisingly enjoyed it. A moving depiction of grief and loss. A love story in more ways than one, told with great sensitivity. Was it just me - but I found the images rather dark and out of focus; however it was a fantastic film. Poor quality of film. Excellent and so original. Very strange, very fuzzy but fascinating. Could this film be the answer to the last taboo in the West - death? Too odd for me. Too long; dark picture, very poor quality image spoiled the atmosphere; was the aspect ratio wrong? A bit of a marathon and not a particularly feel-good film; glad it had a happy ending. Most unusual but a little bit protracted; poor visibility and focus not very helpful; father's acting and portrayal was excellent; family's attitude to German parent rather distressing. Quite fascinating but a trifle too long. Much too long, unsympathetic family; not a feel-good film at all, but a redeeming end. Was this film a pirate copy? in spite of terrible picture it must have been good. Deeply depressing; unsuitable for fathers over 60. Very slow and weird to begin with but improved greatly in Tokyo scenes; I'm glad I saw the film. Would love to have seen the original film (ie not DVD) but would not have missed it - thanks. A slow start but a very moving film. Was it a Fuji film? - it was an interesting story with some beautiful moments. The dislocation betweeen the generations was frightening, the film ultimately too sad despite cherry blossom. Japanese burial rituals were a real shock to the system. - DirectorPedro AlmodóvarStarsPenélope CruzLluís HomarBlanca PortilloHarry Caine, a blind writer, reaches this moment in time when he has to heal his wounds from 14 years back. He was then still known by his real name, Mateo Blanco, and directing his last movie.Member rating 81% (A-5, B-2, C-1, D-1); Member comments:
[Note that attendance was very low due to snow conditions]
Penelope Cruz as good as always, enjoyable film. Subtle and complex - an excellent piece of film making. Very interesting. Excellently acted. Wonderful story telling, the best writing since Cato! good acting and excellent atmospheric soundtrack. Well worth braving the snow! I wouldn't have missed for worlds, Penelope Cruz was stunning. I place Almadova up there among the great directors. - DirectorKelly ReichardtStarsMichelle WilliamsLucyDavid KoppellOver the summer, a series of unfortunate happenings triggers a financial crisis for a young woman and she soon finds her life falling apart.Member rating 55% (A-5, B-8, C-17, D-5, E-5);
Member comments: Heartbreaking stuff. Acutely observed and sad, but never sentimental. Slow as a wet week, but interesting. If only she'd paid for the dog food it could all have been over. A short doggie TV film, not really a cinema film; kept waiting for something to happen; poor. Deceptive story of naivety; excellent storyline and great to see goodness portrayed. Very well acted. Lovely filming in some parts; awful filming in some parts; unseeable. Too slow! A marvellous portrait of the difficulties facing a young homeless person. A beautiful portrayal of a very sad life; Michelle excellent as Wendy. Not a lot to write about it; the dog deserves an Oscar. Maybe its because I am not a dog lover but I failed to engage. "Wendy without Lucy" would have been an appropriate title! very poor plot. The film had the courage not to produce a happy ending but the correct one. Sad story; well portrayed and acted. Wendy's bad decisions bothered me and I lost interest in the film - sorry to score a film so low. Beautifully acted; very sad. Good but slow. Low-key, low budget? atmospheric. Nice film; I felt Wendy's pain every step of the way; slightly stunned at the abrupt ending. Well acted by Michelle Williams. Too too sad. Plaintive. I'm more of a cat person myself. Better as a short novella, not a film. Sad reflections of life when things go wrong. Very well realised; albeit rather downbeat for comfort. A moving film, life can be so cruel. Rarely seen anything so depressing. Perhaps it was too real or perhaps it played the sentimental chord too loudly by the constant threat to the animal. - DirectorJosé Luis GuerínStarsPilar López de AyalaXavier LafitteLaurence CordierA man returns to a city to try to track down a lovely woman he met six years earlier.Member rating 40% (A-1, B-5, C-14, D-6, E-20);
Member comments: The programme described the plot accurately but the film wasn't as "utterly transfixing" as promised! Very beautiful portraits but rather silent. Too slow! Utterly tedious and pointless; the highlight was the end credits! Rubbish. Good - interesting people watching. Fascinating to see how a car-free area functions and how pleasant an environment, especially for walking; very dependent on a strong central character. One of the worst films I've ever seen at film club. Too long. A good film for multi-tasking - I could think about other things while taking it all in. Deeply uninteresting - sparkling dialogue (not). Compelling but ultimately frustrating. About as interesting as watching paint dry. Made Wendy and Lucy look like Indiana Jones. 8 out of 10. I enjoyed Strasbourg. I was not sure if it was all a hoax; never have I spent 84 minutes doing so little. Utterly absorbing. Asks way too much of its audience; very poor. No, too slight a plot - didn't really engage with the audience. An interesting study of people with good photography but too slow. Dare I say another questionable choice of film from the CFS; too far left field for my liking; please give us a break from "worthy" and depressing films!!! Interesting, different, worthwhile; but a little more plot would have helped quite disproportionately! We almost went to Strasbourg for our holiday - I'm glad we didn't - couldn't have stood all that walking! This year's films have been a very poor choice; I do hope they liven up over the next couple of months? Interesting cinematography; visually intriguing but some scenes just seemed a little long, over-exaggerating an impression that had already been achieved. Can't comment - I fell asleep! Nice "people watching" but rather like watching paint dry. Two successive films without a plot - do change the programme!! Absorbing - everyone's looked for a Sylvia - and we all enjoy café watching - we could have done with more of the fiddlers. 3 nights was more than enough; the main character needs to get a life! Excellent people watching and authentic background insight into Strasbourg. I had the feeling reading the synopsis that this was going to be a VERY SLOW FILM - and by God it was. Different! Good for people watching. What a tedious film - no scenery, no conversation, no story! Beautiful girls but so frustrating; wonderful photography. I'm speechless. Could have been a good film about the observation of human relations but it concentrated too much on imagery and lost its appeal - too contrived. Boring, tedious, pointless. Soft colours soft storyline and oh so gentle observation. A very preRaphaelite hero with Pre-Raphaelite fixations- and I couldn't help admiring the sleek high-tech Strasbourg trams. Nothing took a very long time. I wish I had brought my sketch book - some lovely portrait studies. Photography and production of the film very good. - DirectorMichael WinterbottomStarsColin FirthPerla Haney-JardineWilla HollandA man moves his two daughters to Italy after their mother dies in a car accident, in order to revitalize their lives. Genova changes all three of them as the youngest daughter starts to see the ghost of her mother, while the older one discovers her sexuality.Member rating 55% (A-1, B-11, C-10, D-5, E-2);
Member comments: Beautifully shot with a feasible plot and an essay on the way a death affects different people. Beautiful description of grief and life going on, "Mary" was particularly good. Quite an emotional film very well acted against a brilliantly filmed background. Well made and moving film - painfully true. Very well portrayed but worrying. Very touching film about grief, the city was beautiful but menacing. Very enjoyable, good study of relationships, showed harm of traffic dominated streets and value of car-free or pedestrian usable areas. Very good acting but a rather inconsequential exercise. A pleasant film after the last two. Nice film, great acting - more questions than answers in the end. Unlike "Looking for Sylvia" this one worked. Another mood piece but they carried it off. Good story, very atmospheric. Great acting from the two girls. Well acted and moving but perhaps lacking in any clear development or progress in any of the characters coming to terms with their grief. Beautiful setting, but not much has happened. Good photography and scenery, a fitting backdrop for the poignancy of the story. Moments that were very moving, but as a whole disjointed and felt unresolved at end. Another film with no plot. Somewhat disappointing at times, fast moving, repetitive, and only a hint of resolve at the end. Disappointing film, too little plot development - nothing happened slowly. Reasonable promotional video for some Italian beaches. Most enjoyable, the depiction of life in Italy was excellent. Very tense. As a manifestation of grief it tried hard, but ultimately failed to touch the soul. Very tense, constantly waiting for something dreadful; excellent acting especially by the little girl. - DirectorEran RiklisStarsHiam AbbassRona Lipaz-MichaelAli SulimanThe story of a Palestinian widow who must defend her lemontree field when a new Israeli Defense Minister moves next to her and threatens to have her lemon grove torn down.Member rating 90% (A-22, B-6, C-2, D-1); Member comments: Very moving; leaves one sad and angry. Leaves me with a lot to think about. Very moving story highlighting the tragedy of conflict to both sides in personal terms. I wish life were fairer in the Middle East, then this story would be a fiction, not representative of grim reality. Very good; beautiful film. Beautifully constructed film. A very good film; gives insight to the seemingly insoluble problems - Might against Right. Wonderfully shot and played; showing the hypocrisy of Israel - and lawyers! Sad, leaving you with the feeling that there is no hope in the Israeli/Palestinian situation. Beautifully acted, very sad film. A very powerful and fair portrayal of the Israeli/Arab situation. Interesting but could not get absorbed as could not believe legality or that a Palestinian widow's needs could be taken seriously - could not see Mrs Navan as real. A very moving story; beautiful acting. Very good film; sad story. For once we get a fair reflection of the Palestinian side. What a wonderful allegory of a 3000 year old conflict - as usual, no one wins! Unlike "Genova" a lot happened in a small, quiet film; a gem. A truly excellent film. Shows us in the West what the Palestine/Israeli situation in reality. Teaches us what a futile conflict it all is. The struggle for ordinary people to be heard but unfortunately not always winning. A great women's film, poignant and beautifully filmed. Moving film with sad outcome, will things never change? Reminiscent of our Irish situation. Good theme spoiled by poor plot, why was security not considered before the Minister moved in? [Two people also commented that the sub-titles were very clear.]