2007, France, directed by Vincent Paronnaud & Marjane Satrapi, Rated PG-13, 95 minutes, 35mm print, in French w/ English subtitles.
Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature of 2007, Persepolis presents a deeply personal coming-of-age tale about finding one’s place in the world. Based on her best-selling graphic novel, Marjane Satrapi teamed up with underground comic book artist Vincent Paronnaud to co-direct this animated big screen adaptation. The result is an electrifying, heartfelt, and original portrait of a spunky girl, who surmounts countless obstacles to grow into a wise young adult. Marjane (voiced by Chiara Mastroianni) is an innocent 9 year old living in Iran, surrounded by a loving but incredibly protective mother (Catherine Deneuve) and father (Simon Abkarian). She finds comfort in the carefree spirit of her loving grandmother (Danielle Darrieux). When Marjane’s uncle is killed in the Iran/Iraq war, her parents send her to school in Austria, where she can study in safety. The only trouble is that her Middle Eastern appearance frightens people, giving her a harsh lesson in racial prejudice.
May 2 - 8: Fri. through Thurs. at 7 & 9 p.m.; Sat. & Sun. matinee at 2 p.m.; May 9 - 15: Fri. through Thurs. at 9:15 p.m.
May 9 - 22
The Bank Job
2008, UK, directed by Roger Donaldson, Rated PG-13, 110 minutes, 35mm print.
A car dealer with a dodgy past and new family, Terry has always avoided major-league scams. But when Martine, a beautiful model from his old neighborhood, offers him a lead on a foolproof bank hit on London’s Baker Street, Terry recognizes the opportunity of a lifetime. Martine targets a roomful of safe deposit boxes worth millions in cash and jewelry. But Terry and his crew don’t realize the boxes also contain a treasure trove of dirty secrets – secrets that will thrust them into a deadly web of corruption and illicit scandal that spans London’s criminal underworld, the highest echelons of the British government, and the Royal Family itself. This is the true story of a heist gone wrong ... in all the right ways.
May 9 - 15: Fri. through Thurs. at 7 p.m.; Sat. matinee at 2 p.m. (no matinee on Sunday due to graduation ceremony); May 16 - 22: Fri. through Thurs. at 9 p.m.
May 16 - 29
Paranoid Park
2008, USA/France, directed by Gus Van Sant, Rated R, 85 minutes, 35mm print.
Winner of the 60th anniversary award at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, director Gus Van Sant (Good Will Hunting, My Own Private Idaho) returns with the highly anticipated film Paranoid Park. This adaptation of Blake Nelson’s novel follows 16-year-old skateboarder Alex, who accidentally kills a security guard outside Paranoid Park, Portland, Oregon’s most infamous skateboarding park. When he decides to say nothing, he takes on a crushing burden of guilt with huge ramifications. Shot in Van Sant’s hometown of Portland, Paranoid Park is full of suspense and is his most lyrical and stylish film to date.
May 16 - 22: Fri. through Thurs. at 7 p.m.; Sat. & Sun. matinee at 2 p.m.; May 23 - 29: Fri. through Thurs. at 9 p.m.
May 23 - June 5
Married Life
2007, USA/Canada, directed by Ira Sachs, Rated PG-13, 90 minutes, 35mm print.
Harry (Chris Cooper) decides he must kill his wife, Pat (Patricia Clarkson), because he loves her too much to let her suffer when he leaves her. Harry and his much-younger girlfriend Kay (Rachel McAdams) are head over heels in love, but his best friend Richard (Pierce Brosnan) wants to win Kay for himself. As Harry implements his awkward plans for murdering his wife, the other characters are occupied with their own deceptions. Like Harry, they are overwhelmed by their passions, but still struggle to avoid hurting others. Married Life is an uncommonly adult film that surprises and confounds expectations. While it plays with mystery and intrigue, its ultimate concern is: “What is married life?”
May 23 - 29: Fri. through Thurs. at 7 p.m.; Sat. & Sun. matinee at 2 p.m.; May 30 - June 5: Fri. through Thurs. at 9:15 p.m.
Two sisters, Anne and Mary Boleyn, are driven by their ambitious father and uncle to advance the family’s power and status by courting the affections of the King of England. Leaving behind the simplicity of country life, the girls are thrust into the dangerous and thrilling world of court life, and what began as a bid to help their family, develops into a ruthless rivalry between Anne and Mary for the love of the King. Initially, Mary wins King Henry’s favor and becomes his mistress, bearing him two illegitimate children. But Anne, clever, conniving, and fearless, edges aside both her sister and Henry’s wife, Queen Katherine of Aragon, in her relentless pursuit of the King. Despite Mary’s genuine feelings for Henry, her sister Anne has her sights set on the ultimate prize. Starring Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, and Eric Bana.
May 30 - June 5: Fri. through Thurs. at 7 p.m.; Sat. & Sun. matinee at 2 p.m.; June 6 - 12: Fri. through Thurs. at 9 p.m.
June 6 - 19
The Counterfeiters
2007, Austria/Germany, directed by Stefan Ruzowitzky, Rated R, 98 minutes, 35mm print, in German w/ English subtitles.
Salomon “Sally” Sorowitsch is the king of counterfeiters. He lives a mischievous life of cards, booze, and women in Berlin during the Nazi-era. Suddenly his luck runs dry when arrested by Superintendent Friedrich Herzog. Immediately thrown into the Mauthausen concentration camp, Salomon exhibits exceptional skills there and is soon transferred to the upgraded camp of Sachsenhausen. Upon his arrival, he once again comes face to face with Herzog, who is there on a secret mission. Hand-picked for his unique skill, Salomon and a group of professionals are forced to produce fake foreign currency under the program Operation Berhard. The team, which also includes detainee Adolf Burger, is given luxury barracks for their assistance. While Salomon attempts to weaken the economy of Germany’s allied opponents, Adolf refuses to use his skills for Nazi profit and would like to do something to stop Operation Bernhard’s aid to the war effort. Faced with a moral dilemma, Salomon must decide whether his actions, which could prolong the war and risk the lives of fellow prisoners, are ultimately the right ones.
June 6 - 12: Fri. through Thurs. at 7 p.m.; Sat. & Sun. matinee at 2 p.m.; June 13 - 19: Fri. through Thurs. at 9 p.m.
June 13 - 26
Man in the Chair
2007, USA, directed by Michael Schroeder, Rated PG-13, 107 minutes, 35mm print.
Man in the Chair stars Christopher Plummer (The Sound of Music) as weathered curmudgeon Flash Madden. The former film gaffer is embittered about Hollywood’s current regime, which perpetuates a throwaway society by neglecting and forgetting the crews and creators that helped crank out some of the most significant films in cinematic history. He catches the attention of high school delinquent Cameron (Michael Angarano), who tries to convince Flash to mentor him in a filmmaking competition – the only thing that motivates Cameron to stay out of trouble. Impressed by Cameron’s persistence, Flash obliges and recruits his fellow crew-member friends, who live with him at the Motion Picture retirement home, to help out. While filming, the crew hits their share of ups and downs, but they become invigorated by their ability to work as they did in the past.
June 13 - 19: Fri. through Thurs. at 7 p.m.; Sat. & Sun. matinee at 2 p.m.; June 20 - 26: Fri. through Thurs. at 9 p.m.
June 20 - July 3
My Brother is an Only Child
2008, Italy/France, directed by Daniele Luchetti, Rated PG-13, 108 minutes, 35mm print, in Italian w/ English subtitles.
Set in a small Italian town in the ’60s and ’70s, My Brother Is an Only Child tells the story of two brothers who want to change the world – but in completely different ways. The elder, Manrico (Riccardo Scarmaccio), is a handsome, charismatic man who becomes the prime mover in the local Communist party. Accio (Elio Germano), the younger, more rebellious brother, finds his own contrary voice by joining the reactionary Fascists. What starts as a typical tale of sibling rivalry becomes the story of the polarizing and paralyzing politics of those turbulent times, and the rift between the brothers is further intensified when Accio realizes that he loves his brother’s girlfriend, Francesca (Diane Fleri), who, like everyone else, is blind to Manrico’s increasingly dangerous ideas.
June 20 - 26: Fri. through Thurs. at 7 p.m.; Sat. & Sun. matinee at 2 p.m.; June 27 - July 3: Fri. through Thurs. at 9 p.m.
June 27 - July 10
Priceless
2008, France, directed by Pierre Salvadori, Rated PG-13, 104 minutes, 35mm print, in French w/ English subtitles.
Jean (Gad Elmaleh) is a hardworking employee at one of southern France’s elite resort hotels. He is known for his excellent work ethic, but that changes after a chance encounter with sexy hotel guest Irene (Audrey Tautou). Bored with her wealthy and much older boyfriend/benefactor, Irene is looking for some excitement. She finds it with Jean, whom she believes to be another guest at the hotel. When she discovers that he is merely an employee there, she is furious and wants nothing more to do with him. Jean tries to rekindle their affair, but Irene lets him know that she is only interested in men with money – lots and lots of money. Jean is broke and brokenhearted, until he crosses paths with another hotel guest – an older woman of considerable means. He soon finds himself living the high life alongside Irene and her own rich patron. But Jean is far more interested in romance than in riches, and the glitzy fun and games quickly come to a head.
June 27 - July 3: Fri. through Thurs. at 7 p.m.; Sat. & Sun. matinee at 2 p.m.; July 4 - 10: Fri. through Thurs. at 9 p.m.
