Poison Friends

Poison Friends

A French university student (Thibault Vinçon) and pathological liar holds his circle of friends (Malik Zidi, Alexandre Steiger) in thrall with his blend of charisma and condescension.

The French can't be beat for depicting sheer nastiness because they do it with such style and relish...Kevin Thomas' Critics' Choice Review of Poison Friends

Release Date: May 2007
Run Time: 1 hr. 40 min.
Cast: Thibault Vinçon, Malik Zidi, Alexandre Steiger, Thomas Blanchard, Natacha Régnier
Director: Emmanuel Bourdieu
Genre: Psychological Drama, Drama

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Fay Grim

Fay Grim

Many years after her notorious husband, Henry Fool, fled after killing a neighbor, Fay Grim (Parker Posey) receives a visit from CIA agent Fulbright (Jeff Goldblum), who tells her that Henry is dead, but that some of his journals have been unearthed in France. She sets forth on a globe-trotting odyssey that soon leads to the discovery that he is alive, and his journals are more than they appear to be.

Kevin Crust of the LA Times in his Critics' Choice review of Fay Grim writes:

Hal Hartley's dark comedy "Henry Fool" was an indie masterpiece that effectively and accessibly meshed Hartley's literary influences with his specific minimalist style and some of the most memorable characters of the last decade. Now, Hartley takes the characters he created for that world and launches them into a surprisingly different direction in "Fay Grim," a worthy follow-up and rare art house sequel.

Release Date: May 2007
Run Time: 1 hr. 58 min.
Rating: R
Cast: Parker Posey, Jeff Goldblum, James Urbaniak, Saffron Burrows, Liam Aiken
Director: Hal Hartley
Genre: Comedy Thriller, Political Thriller, Thriller

Tickets and show times from Fandango

In Search of Mozart

"In Search of Mozart"

Kenneth Turan writes in his "Also Recommened capsule of "In Search of Mozart":

An exemplary documentary by Phil Grabsky in which the music reveals the man as Grabsky follows the trajectory of Mozart's career, endlessly criss-crossing Europe. Major musicians and singers perform Mozart and discuss, along with other experts, what his music means to them. The enduring richness of Mozart's music and the poignance of his short life are deeply moving even to those who may not be classical music aficionados.

Release Date: May 2007
Run Time: 2 hr. 10 min.
Director: Phil Grabsky
Genre: Biography, Music, Music History, Documentary

Once

A vacuum repairman (Glen Hansard) moonlights as a street musician and hopes for his big break. One day a Czech immigrant (Marketa Irglova), who earns a living selling flowers, approaches him with the news that she is also an aspiring singer-songwriter. The pair decide to collaborate, and the songs that they compose reflect the story of their blossoming love.

Tickets and Show Times for Once from Fandango

In his Critics' Choice capsule for "Once" the movie, Kenneth Turan says:

"Once" is about to come into your life and make it whole. The deserved winner of the world cinema dramatic audience award at Sundance...is a low-key concept and thoroughly winning in execution.

Release Date: May 2007
Run Time: 1 hr. 35 min.
Rating: R
Cast: Glen Hansard, Markéta Irglová, Bill Hodnett, Danuse Ktrestova, Hugh Walsh
Director: John Carney
Genre: Musical Drama, Musical

Pan's Labyrinth Out on DVD

No movies were given the LA Time's "Critics' Choice" or "Also Recommended" grades this week, but I do note that "Pan's Labyrinth" will be released on DVD this coming Tuesday, May 15th. Pan's Labyrinth received a "Critics' Choice" recommendation by Kenneth Turan.

Spider-Man 3

Writing for the LA Times, Kenneth Turan comments about "Spider-Man 3"

In the face of those unbending commercial imperatives, it is simultaneously encouraging that this "Spider-Man" actually attempts to bring some originality to the table and disheartening that those attempts are not enough. Certainly acceptable as a sequel to a sequel, "Spider-Man 3" misses an opportunity to be a movie that could be wholeheartedly recommended to those not already ensnared in its web.

For all it's buzz, Turan leaves "Spider-Man 3" in the LA Times "Also Showing" dustbin.

A strange black entity from another world bonds with Peter Parker and causes inner turmoil as he contends with new villains, temptations, and revenge. Director Sam Raimi and stars Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst and James Franco are joined in the third installment of Spider-Man by Topher Grace as Venom, and Thomas Haden Church as the Sandman.

Release Date: May 2007
Run Time: 2 hr. 20 min.
Rating: PG-13
Cast: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Thomas Haden Church, Topher Grace, Bryce Dallas Howard
Director: Sam Raimi
Genre: Action Thriller, Comic-Book Superhero Film, Sci-Fi Action, Action, Fantasy

Movie times and tickets online at Fandango

Stephanie Daley

Stephanie Daley

Sixteen-year-old Stephanie Daley (Amber Tamblyn) is accused of murdering her newborn but claims she never knew she was pregnant and that the baby was stillborn. Lydie Crane (Tilda Swinton), a forensic psychologist, is hired to determine the truth behind Stephanie’s continuing state of denial. Lydie is pregnant herself and grappling with a shaky marriage as well as a growing intuition that complications may arise with her own unborn child. Her encounters with Stephanie soon lead her to believe that unraveling the teenager’s mystery is crucial to her own fate.

Kenneth Turan in reviewing for the LA Times comments about "Stephanie Daley":

It is the stuff of tabloid television, and, in the hands of writer-director
Hilary Brougher, the stuff of strong, understated drama as well.

Release Date: April 2007
Run Time: 1 hr. 32 min.
Rating: R
Cast: Tilda Swinton, Amber Tamblyn, Timothy Hutton, Denis O'Hare, Melissa Leo
Director: Hilary Brougher
Genre: Psychological Drama, Feminist Film, Drama

Times and tickets online for "Stephanie Daley" from Fandango

Waitress

Buy poster at AllPosters.com

"Waitress" tells the story of Jenna's (Keri Russell) secret ambition to save enough money from her waitressing job to leave her overbearing and controlling husband (Jeremy Sisto). A sharp, sassy woman with a gift for making unusual pies, Jenna's recipes are inspired by the trials, tribulations and circumstances of her life. An unwanted pregnancy changes the course of events, giving her an unexpected confidence via letters to her unborn baby.

LA Times critic's choice capsule for "Waitress"

Release Date: May 2007
Run Time: 1 hr. 44 min.
Rating: PG-13
Cast: Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Cheryl Hines, Adrienne Shelly, Lew Temple
Director: Adrienne Shelly
Genre: Romantic Comedy, Comedy Drama

Show times and tickets for "Waitress" online at Fandango

Private Fears in Public Places

Private Fears in Public Places

Six Parisians engage in a lonely and mostly unsuccessful search for real love: Nicole (Laura Morante) and Dan (Lambert Wilson) are engaged to be married, but his drinking drives them apart; Thierry (André Dussollier) flirts with a religious co-worker (Sabine Azéma) who has a secret vice; Gaelle (Isabelle Carré) answers numerous personal ads, but her dates never show up.

The LA Times' Kenneth Turan in giving his "critics' choice" capsule of "Private Fears in Public Places" writes:

The human comedy in which (the seven interconnected individuals) are
caught up is viewed from the wintry yet warm perspective, suffused with the
wisdom and experience of a great filmmaker

Release Date: April 2007
Run Time: 2 hr. 0 min.
Cast: Laura Morante, Lambert Wilson, Pierre Arditi, Isabelle Carré, André Dussollier
Director: Alain Resnais
Genre: Drama, Ensemble Film

French with English subtitles