Film: Twenty Feet from Stardom

Movie Info

Millions know their voices, but no one knows their names. In his compelling new film 20 FEET FROM STARDOM, award-winning director Morgan Neville shines a spotlight on the untold true story of the backup singers behind some of the greatest musical legends of the 21st century. Triumphant and heartbreaking in equal measure, the film is both a tribute to the unsung voices who brought shape and style to popular music and a reflection on the conflicts, sacrifices and rewards of a career spentharmonizing with others. These gifted artists span a range of styles, genres and eras of popular music, but each has a uniquely fascinating and personal story to share of life spent in the shadows of superstardom. Along with rare archival footage and a peerless soundtrack, 20 FEET FROM STARDOM boasts intimate interviews with Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Mick Jagger and Sting to name just a few. However, these world-famous figures take a backseat to the diverse array of backup singers whose lives and stories take center stage in the film. (c) TWC-Radius

http://twentyfeetfromstardom.com/synopsis

Film: You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet

Found online: http://www.kinolorber.com/film.php?id=1346

Release Year: 2012
Running Time: 115
Color Type: Color
Country: France, Germany
Language: French w/English subtitles

Based on two works by the playwright Jean Anouilh,You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet opens with a who's-who of French acting royalty (including Mathieu Amalric, Michel Piccoli and frequent Resnais muse Sabine Azema) being summoned to the reading of a late playwright's last will and testament. There, the playwright (Denis Podalydes) appears on a TV screen from beyond the grave and asks his erstwhile collaborators to evaluate a recording of an experimental theater company performing his Eurydice--a play they themselves all appeared in over the years. But as the video unspools, instead of watching passively, these seasoned thespians begin acting out the text alongside their youthful avatars, looking back into the past rather like mythic Orpheus himself. Gorgeously shot by cinematographer Eric Gautier on stylized sets that recall the French poetic realism of the 1930s, You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet is an alternately wry and wistful valentine to actors and the art of performance from a director long fascinated by the intersection of life, theater and cinema.

 

Film: Image from The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice

Film: THE FLAVOR OF GREEN TEA OVER RICE

From the Film Forum website:

"(1952) At first glance, Shin Saburi seems the thick-headed dullard wife Michiyo Kogure likens to a carp, while she seems a spoiled snob, but then the layers of character peel away, as Keiko Tsushima (7 Samurai) flees from an arranged marriage and eventual yakuzalegend Koji Tsuruta extols buying second-hand. And a resolution seems inevitable at the simple plain meal of the title. Approx. 115 min. 35mm."

http://www.filmforum.org/movies/more/flavor_of_green_tea_over_rice

Film: The Discovery at Dawn

From the website:  http://www.filmlinc.com/films/on-sale/the-discovery-at-dawn

Kent and I were swept away by this film today at Lincoln Center.  Exiting the theater, we glanced into the nearby cafe and saw director Susanna Nicchiarelli sitting at a nearby table. We spoke to her and told her how much we enjoyed the film; she stood up and smiled; we had a sweet private conversation with her for a minute or two. We were so excited to be able to share with her our appreciation of her brilliant and engaging film!



THE DISCOVERY AT DAWN
LA SCOPERTA DELL'ALBA | SUSANNA NICCHIARELLI, 2012
ITALY | ITALIAN WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES | 95 MINUTES

"Rome, 1981:  Professor Mario Tessandori is shot in the university courtyard and dies in the arms of Lucio Astengo, his friend and colleague. A few weeks later, Astengo vanishes mysteriously.  Flash forward to 2011. Caterina and Barbara Astengo, six and 12 when their father passed away, put up for sale their family cottage by the sea, which has long since been abandoned. The house is filled with memories of a childhood interrupted by the father's disappearance, a broken family that never reassembled. In one corner, there's an old phone still attached to the outlet. Caterina picks it up and discovers that, inexplicably, it works, even though the line is disconnected. Playfully, she dials her home number from 30 years earlier and hears the voice of a child responding on the other end. In shock, she realizes that she is speaking to her 12-year-old self, a week before the death of her father. She's been given a second chance, if not to save him then at least to uncover the truth. Wonderful performances by Margarita Buy and Nicchiarelli herself as Caterina's sister."