July Advisory Meeting Candidates

Animal Kingdom – Crime - David Michod
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5BsYRmMfus
A youngster is given an inside look at a criminal empire that also happens to be his family in this independent drama. Teenage Joshua Cody (James Frecheville) is suddenly on his own after his mother's drug habit catches up with her, and he's taken in by his grandmother Smurf (Jacki Weaver), usually regarded as the black sheep of the family. Joshua quickly learns Smurf's reputation is well deserved; she and her four sons are members of a mid-level crime syndicate that operates out of her home in Melbourne. Baz (Joel Edgerton) looks after the money and is urging Smurf to move into something legit, Pope (Ben Mendelsohn) is a criminal jack-of-all-trades who never lets go of a grudge, Darren (Luke Ford) is an enforcer with an unfortunate weak streak, and Craig (Sullivan Stapleton) is a drug dealer who has become addicted to his own product. When Baz is murdered, the family's voice of reason is gone, and the unstable Pope takes the lead in the family's hierarchy; as a war breaks out between rival families, Joshua is moved out of the house to keep him safe. But Nathan Leckie (Guy Pearce) is a police detective who has found out who Joshua is and what he knows, and he tries to convince the teenager to help him put the Cody family behind bars, though Joshua isn't certain about his loyalties to these outlaws who are also his blood. The first feature film from director David Michod, Animal Kingdom was an official selection at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, where it received the World Cinema Jury Prize for Best Dramatic Feature.

Behind the Burly Q – documentary - Leslie Zemeckis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=189Zme-Ioh8
"In the days before hardcore pornography attained mainstream accessibility in America, a more docile and suggestive form of adult entertainment proliferated in and around big cities, especially Manhattan: the classic burlesque show. Populated by musicians, comedians, and strippers, and cloaked in an overarching gaudiness, ""burly"" shows typically cost a dime for a single admission. Especially during difficult eras such as the Great Depression, the shows enabled male attendees to temporarily cast their troubles aside. As helmed by Leslie Zemeckis (documentarist wife of Robert Zemeckis), this chronicle examines the burly tradition by interviewing authors, historians, and burlesque participants including former strippers, comedians, and novelty acts. Taken together, the personal reminiscences not only reflect a broad spectrum of emotions, from triumph to tragedy, but add up to a historical chronicle of a unusual, now-extinct subculture that will remain forever tied to the early to mid-20th century.

Boogie Woogie – comedy - Duncan Ward
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SzNnR6OElw
A star-studded cast including Amanda Seyfried, Gillian Anderson, Alan Cumming, Heather Graham, Stellan Skarsgård and Christopher Lee brings the eccentricities of the London art scene to life in this character-driven comedy. The film is based on Danny Moynihan's book, which takes its title from Piet Mondrian's iconic painting, and the plot centers on the painting: who has it -- and who wants to get it.

Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky – drama - Jan Kounen
RT: 52 MC: 57
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1K0G9_SmT0
"The brief love affair between two 20th century icons is dramatized in this period drama from director Jan Kounen. Igor Stravinsky (Mads Mikkelsen) was one of Europe's most promising new composers when in 1913 he premiered his ballet Le Sacre du Printemps (aka The Rite of Spring); the piece proved to be wildly controversial, and the audience at the Paris debut was vocal in their disgust, ruining Stravinsky's reputation for years. One patron who did like the performance was Coco Chanel (Anna Mouglalis), who was already among Europe's most celebrated fashion designers. Seven years later, Chanel encounters Stravinsky at a party, and learns that the composer is penniless and without a place to live. Chanel befriends him, and allows him to move into her summer home in the country along with his wife, Catherine (Elena Morozova), and their four children. Chanel is nursing a broken heart after the recent death of her boyfriend, and what began as an act of compassion for a fellow artist turns into an affair of the heart as Chanel and Stravinsky become lovers, much to the chagrin of the sickly Catherine. Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky was the second film about the fashion icon released in 2009, following Anne Fontaine's Coco Before Chanel.
"
The Concert - comedy/drama - Radu Mihaileanu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aait4aOxP0
Twenty-five years after losing his position as the conductor of the Bolshoi Orchestra for his refusal to fire the Jewish musicians, a once-famous musical director attempts to stage a late-career comeback. Andreï Semoinovitch Filipov (Aleksei Guskov) was at the top of his game when the Soviet regime ended his career. More than two decades later, he's working as a janitor in the same theater where he once conducted. In his spare time, Andreï and his wife stage mock communist demonstrations to entertain the locals. When Andreï happens across an invitation to Paris' famed Théâtre du Châtelet, he contacts his old orchestra friends in hopes of staging a performance that will bring the crowd to their feet for a standing ovation.

Cyrus - comedy/drama - Jay and Mark Duplass
Rotten Tomatoes: 79 Metacritic: 73
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0G0bYpMQ-fI
Directed by mumblecore stalwarts Jay and Mark Duplass, Cyrus stars John C. Reilly as John, a middle-aged lonely divorced guy who, as the film opens, gets dragged to a party by his remarried ex-wife (Catherine Keener) -- who remains his best friend. After a few clumsy, drunken passes at a variety of women, John encounters Molly (Marisa Tomei), an attractive single-mom who finds John's social awkwardness appealing. They hit it off, and quickly begin a tender new relationship. Problems soon arise in the form of Cyrus (Jonah Hill), Molly's twentysomething son, who has an off-puttingly close relationship to his mom. Soon the jealous Cyrus sets about trying to break them up, and John must figure out how to deal with this unhinged and unexpected rival.

Dancing Across Borders – documentary - Anne Bass
Rotten Tomatoes: 63 Metacritic: 47
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtVWON4fqCI
Filmmaker Anne H. Bass was visiting Cambodia when she saw a young man dancing in the street and was immediately struck by his skill, his passion, and his charisma. Bass introduced herself to the dancer, Sokvannara Sar, and she was impressed enough with him that she offered to help him come to the United States to study classical dance. It was the beginning of a remarkable journey for Sar, as he went from performing folk dances on the street to the rigors of professional-level ballet study in America, where he was a highly promising but unlikely new figure on the dance scene. Bass and her camera were on hand for much of Sar's transition to his new life, and the documentary Dancing Across Borders tells his remarkable story, from busking in the streets to a special performance accompanied by composer Philip Glass. Dancing Across Borders received its world premiere as an official selection at the 2009 Seattle International Film Festival.

Dogtooth – foreign - Giorgos Lanthimos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alqV65PnfOE
Three young people exist in a strange world of their parents' devising in this bizarre drama from writer and director Yorgos Lanthimos. A father and mother (Christos Stergioglou and Michele Valley) live in a large house on the outskirts of town with their three children, whose ages range from mid-teens to early twenties. The children have never been allowed to leave the house (which is surrounded by a tall fence), and their knowledge of the outside world has been strictly controlled by their parents, who have chosen to teach them only what they believe is important and have deliberately confused or misled them in many other areas. The parents quite literally treat their children like animals, and the only contact the youngsters have with people outside their family is Christina (Anna Kalaitzidou), a woman who works with the father's business and comes by periodically to have sex with the eldest son (Christos Passalis). Christina makes the mistake of bringing a present for the two younger daughters (Aggeliki Papoulia and Mary Tsoni), and explains the custom is that they should give her something in return. This simple act sets off a chain reaction of events that has terrible consequences for everyone involved. Kynodontas (aka Dogtooth) was an official selection at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.

Everyone Else - drama/romance - Maren Ade
Rotten Tomatoes: 100 Metacritic: 74
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OqI9gxz7tY
In this edgy comedy drama from director Maren Ade, Chris (Lars Eidinger) and Gitti (Birgit Minichmayr) are a couple whose relationship has more than its share of ups and downs; she works as a publicist for a rock group whose career is going nowhere in particular, while he's an architect who hasn't been able to persuade anyone to build one of his designs just yet. While Gitti's career isn't much, it's enough to give her head-of-the-household status, to Chris' chagrin. Chris and Gitti are spending some time at his well-to-do family's summer home in Sardinia, and they seem to be getting along relatively well until they meet another couple vacationing nearby, Hans (Hans-Jochen Wagner) and Sana (Nicole Marischka). Hans is an architect like Chris, but unlike Chris his career is in high gear, while Sana is a well-respected artist. Hans isn't afraid to display his alpha-male status in their relationship, and Chris' attempts to emulate him add to the tension between him and Gitti, while she isn't sure what to make of a couple who seem so outwardly happy. Alle Anderen (aka Everyone Else) was an official selection at the 2009 Berlin International Film Festival.

The Extra Man – comedy - Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
Rotten Tomatoes: 50
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etxKmplTT9Q
A lonely writer quits his job at a Princeton prep school and sets his sights on New York, where he forges an unlikely bond with an eccentric playwright who now earns his living as an escort for wealthy Manhattan widows. Upon arriving in New York City, Louis Ives (Paul Dano) quickly lands a job at an environmental magazine and leases a room from Henry Harrison (Kevin Kline), a celebrated playwright without a penny to his name. Later, as Louis attempts to strike up a relationship with his environmentally conscious co-worker Mary (Katie Holmes), his urban education gets a sizable jump-start thanks to Henry, who spends his evenings with high-society widows hanging off both arms. As the bond between Henry and Louis strengthens, the young protégé realizes he isn't the only one gaining something from their unusual friendship.

Get Low – comedy - Aaron Schneider
Rotten Tomatoes: 100
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y17Me8uL6mA
Inspired by the true story of Tennessee recluse Felix "Bush" Breazeale, who planned his funeral while he was still alive, director Aaron Schneider's dramatic period thriller stars Robert Duvall, Bill Murray, Sissy Spacek, and Lewis Black. Few folks have spoken with Felix Bush (Duvall) since he disappeared into the Tennessee woods 40 years ago, and the ones who have don't necessarily have the kindest things to say about him. Gruff, confrontational, and ill-tempered, Felix has been the source of many malicious rumors over the years. Some say he's a cold-hearted killer and his penchant for walking into town with a shotgun, a wild beard, and threadbare clothes doesn't exactly give the impression of a man who seeks to make friends. When Bush walks into Frank Quinn's (Murray) funeral parlor and announces his intentions to throw himself a massive party before he passes away, word quickly spreads through town and anticipation starts to run high. Before long the big day has finally arrived, and Frank surprises everyone by revealing exactly why he shunned society to lead a life of solitude in the deep woods.

Handsome Harry – crime - Bette Gordon
Rotten Tomatoes: 79 Metacritic: 57
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRvBcejsv7s
A man seeking to escape the past realizes that he'll first have to confront the present after receiving a desperate call from a friend on his deathbed. Harry Sweeny (Jamey Sheridan) is an aged but handsome divorcée with a grown son and a small business. He lives a comfortable life in a small town, where his main source of entertainment is stopping by the local diner to flirt with pretty waitress Muriel (Karen Young). But Harry's life hasn't always been this easy, and after getting a call from Tom Kelly (Steve Buscemi) he starts to remember why. Tom isn't long for this earth, and before he goes he seeks forgiveness from David Kagan, a fellow crewman that he and Harry knew from their Navy days. Unable to say no to an old friend, Harry sets out on a reluctant search for David, visiting old friends and drudging up painful memories in the process. Why does Tom feel like he needs David's forgiveness to pass on, and whose redemption is Harry searching for anyway?

I Am Love – drama - Luca Guadagnino
Rotten Tomatoes: 81 Metacritic: 79
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUXEAhJb_O0
This lavish, sprawling drama from filmmaker Luca Guadagnino has drawn numerous comparisons to the films of Luchino Visconti for the grace with which it plumbs the inner workings of the Italian upper crust. Edoardo Recchi Sr. (Gabriele Ferzetti) is the aging patriarch of a Milanese clan that has amassed a significant fortune over the years through shrewd investments in the textile business. Edoardo Sr. has a beautiful wife, Allegra (Marisa Berenson), and the two have a reliable and dependable son, Tancredi (Pippo Delbono). Years ago, Tancredi met, fell in love with, and then married a woman named Emma (Tilda Swinton) amid a trip to Russia, and brought her back home to Milan; their children include sons Edoardo Jr. (Flavio Parenti) and Gianluca (Mattia Zaccaro), and artist daughter Elisabetta (Alba Rohrwacher). The family gathers for a reunion at Edoardo Sr. and Allegra's villa in Milan, but the happy gathering takes a somber turn when Edoardo suddenly dies not long after having lunch with his family. But the death is far from the only pivotal event that occurs that day: Edoardo Jr. also introduces his mother to a chef, Antonio (Edoardo Gabbriellini), with whom he plans to open a restaurant, and Emma finds herself drawn to the culinary artist. Meanwhile, Emma learns that Elisabetta is a lesbian, and though initially startled by this news, she takes the liberation of her daughter as inspiration for her own liberation from confining nuptials. On impulse, Emma travels to San Remo, catches sight of Antonio, and finds herself helplessly drawn to him. Meanwhile, as Emma and Elisabetta undertake their life-changing journeys, all of the men in the Recchi clan outside of Edoardo Jr. feel bound to profit-driven motives -- the commercialism of a class that has long ago shucked responsibility for its workers. This critically acclaimed film constituted Swinton's second collaboration with Guadagnino; they first worked together on the 1999 feature The Protagonists.

In My Sleep - drama/thriller - Allen Wolf
Rotten Tomatoes: 10 Metacritic: 33
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2x_O2XAc-g
"A young man fears that he may be the architect of his own destruction in this mind-bending thriller from director Allen Wolf. Marcus' (Philip Winchester) terror begins when he inexplicably wakes up half-naked in a cemetery late one night, with no recollection of the events that led up to his arrival there. He learns that he actually suffers from a rare disorder known as parasomnia, which causes him to engage in bizarre behavior during his sleep that he cannot remember the next day. His life takes a rather grisly turn when he wakes up one morning covered in blood, with a knife at his side -- and then learns that his best friend's wife was just stabbed to death. Uncertain if he might have done this himself to cover up a long-buried secret between himself and the victim, or if someone is setting him up as the fall guy in a murder plot, Marcus vows to track his own after-dark activities. Life grows even more bizarre when several strange phone calls roll in, and suggest to Marcus that someone may be watching or following him.
"
In Search of memory – documentary - Petra Seeger
Rotten Tomatoes: 100
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Yh1odPMgXI
Two years after Eric Kandel's autobiography, In Search of Memory: The Emergence of a New Science of the Mind, brought his theory about the biological basis of memory to the masses, filmmaker Petra Seeger explores the Nobel Prize-winning neuroscientist's story to the screen in this documentary. A Viennese Jew by birth, Kandel was forced to emigrate to the United States at the age of nine. After studying literature and Austrian history in New York, he became a psychoanalyst and, eventually, a neuroscientist. Ever since Kandel's traumatic childhood in Nazi-occupied Vienna, he became obsessed with the search for memory. In this film, we follow Kandel on a personal journey into his own memory, and follow him as he conducts research from his institute at Columbia University in New York.

The Kids are All Right – drama - Lisa Cholodenko
Rotten Tomatoes: 93 Metacritic: 85
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgwjTy_cohg
The son of a same-sex couple seeks out the sperm donor who made his birth possible in this comedy from writer/director Lisa Cholodenko. The committed parents of two teenage children, Nic (Annette Bening) and Jules (Julianne Moore), are about to send their daughter, Joni (Mia Wasikowska), off to college when her younger brother, Laser (Josh Hutcherson), asks for her help in tracking down his biological father. Reluctantly inquiring with the sperm bank, Joni leaves her number so the office can pass it along to Laser's father. Enthusiastic at the thought of meeting his long lost offspring, Paul (Mark Ruffalo) musters the courage to reach out, and the family tree grows a new branch.

Lebanon – drama - Samuel Moaz
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHWWH2bdowM
A handful of soldiers take a claustrophobic journey into the heart of war in this drama from Israeli writer and director Samuel Maoz. It's June 1982, and Israel is launching an invasion of Lebanon. Four men assigned to take part in the first strike are put on the same tank detail -- Assi (Itay Tiran) is the commanding officer, Shmulik (Yoav Donat) is a gunner new to the outfit, Hertzel (Oshri Cohen) keeps the weapons loaded, and Yigal (Michael Moshonov) drives the machine. After being given their orders by Jamil (Zohar Strauss), the men set out toward the Lebanese border, recognizing little of what goes on outside beyond what can be seen through Yigal's tiny window; they occasionally stop to help fellow Israelis hurt in battle, but for the most part, they roll relentlessly onward, occasionally arguing amongst themselves, until they arrive at their destination, a town already bombed into rubble by the Israeli Air Force. Few of their allies remain in the city, putting the soldiers in a perilous situation when a band of Syrian resistance fighters lays siege to the tank. Levanone (aka Lebanon) was an official selection at the 2009 Venice International Film Festival.

Life During Wartime – comedy/drama - Todd Solondz
Rotten Tomatoes: 78
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdKkqU73CoU
"Part sequel, part variation on his acclaimed and controversial HAPPINESS, the newest film from celebrated director Todd Solondz (WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE, PALINDROMES) assembles an amazing ensemble cast including Allison Janney, Shirley Henderson, Paul Reubens, Michael Kenneth Williams, Ally Sheedy, Charlotte Rampling, and Ciáran Hinds in an utterly hilarious exploration of the boundaries of forgiveness, family, and love. Ten years have passed since shocking revelations shattered the world of the Jordan family, and now sisters Joy (Henderson), Trish (Janney), and Helen (Sheedy), each embroiled in their own unique dilemmas, struggle to find their place in an unpredictable and volatile world. The past now haunts their family both literally and otherwise, and jeopardizes the future. Alternately hilarious and tragic, outrageous and poignant, LIFE DURING WARTIME is an audacious comedy with unexpected resonance."

La Mission – drama - Peter Bratt
Rotten Tomatoes: 43 Metacritic: 46
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTkVM3nCnAs
A reformed ex-convict and lowrider car aficionado kicks his beloved son out of the house after discovering that the boy has been living a secret life in Sundance Film Festival veteran Peter Bratt's heartfelt family drama. Che (Benjamin Bratt) is out of prison and on the straight and narrow. Still, every day is a struggle as he battles alcoholism and drives a bus in order to support his family. When the workday is done, Che and his friends, the "Mission Boyz," pass the time by restoring junked cars to mint condition. Feared by his peers yet deeply respected as the toughest Chicano on the block, Che is the kind of guy whose entire existence is defined by his macho reputation. There's no one in the world that Che loves more than his adolescent son, Jesse (Jeremy Ray Valdez), but both father and son are about to discover that love isn't exactly unconditional. Upon discovering that Jesse has been living a secret life, Che flies into a violent rage, assaulting the boy and kicking him out onto the street. Meanwhile, Che's attractive and headstrong neighbor Lena (Erika Alexander) challenges the ultra-macho gearhead to step back for a minute and take stock of the life he thought he had.

Mao's Last Dancer – drama - Bruce Beresford
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ufBNOkTvdQ
The true story of Li Cunxin and his journey from rural China to the bright lights of ballet stardom is brought to the screen in this biographical drama from director Bruce Beresford. In 1972, 11-year-old Li Cunxin (Huang Wenbin) is living with his parents, Niang (Joan Chen) and Dia (Wang Shuangbao), and six siblings while attending a tumbledown school in Shandog province. Li's life changes when representatives of Madame Mao's Beijing Dance Academy visit his school, and he is one of several students believed to have promise as a dancer. While life at the school is difficult for Li and many of the instructors are harsh and unforgiving, Chan (Zhang Su) takes the boy under his wing and grooms him into one of the school's star pupils. In 1981, Li (now played by Chi Cao) is chosen to travel to the United States as part of a student exchange with the Houston Ballet Company. Under the tutelage of Ben Stevenson (Bruce Greenwood), the company's director, Li impresses his peers and is given a key role in a televised production of Die Fledermaus; despite an attack of stage fright, Li's performance is a triumph. As Li came to love life in the United States, he also falls for an attractive young dancer, Elizabeth (Amanda Schull), and when his time in America draws to a close, he makes the decision to leave his old life behind and pursue a life of personal and creative freedom in America. Also starring Kyle MacLachlan and Camilla Vergotis, Mao's Last Dancer received its world premiere at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival.

Micmacs – comedy - Jean Pierre Jeunet
Rotten Tomatoes: 79 Metacritic: 61
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buarPFzHmBw
An underground lair serves as the point of inspiration for this deeply whimsical fantasy comedy (with echoes of Jodorowsky's Rainbow Thief) from French cause célèbre Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Amélie, The City of Lost Children). The locale is post-9/11 Europe. As arms dealers go head to head with one another in a series of violent skirmishes -- suggesting that an apocalyptic cataclysm may be lingering on the horizon -- the unfortunate Bazil (Dany Boon) still reels from the long-ago death of his father from a roadside bomb, an event that left him orphaned as a boy. Now employed in a low-paying job as a video-store clerk, and still trying to determine how he fits into the scheme of things, he gets hit by a stray bullet from a drive-by shooting and promptly lands in the hospital. Upon release, he finds himself broke and unemployed. Hope soon crops up, however, in the form of Placard (Jean-Pierre Marielle), an ex-convict living in a scrap dump with a motley group of social outcasts -- all of whom welcome Bazil with warmth, compassion, and hospitality. Sure of his place for the first time in his life, Bazil joins forces with them to turn the dump into a lovely underground home, filled to the rafters with extraordinary inventions and sculptures. Soon after, the possibility of revenge against the munitions manufacturers responsible for Bazil's dad's death presents itself.

Mid-August Lunch - comedy/drama - Gianni Di Gregorio
Rotten Tomatoes: 91 Metacritic: 76
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEmkappTLEM
A man unexpectedly finds himself talking care of four women, three of whom he barely knows, in this sunny comedy from Italy. Gianni (Gianni di Gregorio) is a man in his mid-sixties who still lives with his mother; given that Valeria (Valeria De Franciscis) is well into her nineties, these days he looks after her rather than the other way around, though she remains quite spry given her age. Gianni and Valeria share an apartment in a building owned by Luigi (Alfonso Santagata); Gianni owes money on the rent, and Luigi, who wants to take off for the midsummer festivities of Ferragosto, makes him a deal -- Luigi will forgive the debt if his elderly mother, Marina (Marina Cacciotti), can stay with Gianni and Valeria for a few days. Gianni grudgingly agrees, but is upset when he discovers Luigi has also brought his aging aunt Maria (Maria Calì). Word apparently circulates that Gianni is running an informal home for the elderly, as his friend Marcello (Marcello Ottolenghi) stops by and drops off his mother, Grazia (Grazia Cesarini Sforza), for a day or two. While Gianni scrambles to look after the various needs of four elderly women, it soon becomes clear the ladies have strongly differing views on a number of subjects, making his job all the more difficult. Pranzo di Ferragosto (aka Mid-August Lunch) was written and directed by Gianni di Gregorio, who also played the harried son; it was the first directorial project for the veteran screenwriter.

The Misfortunates – drama - Felix Van Groeningen
Rotten Tomatoes: 82 Metacritic: 53
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrYi4kYc-fA
A boy growing up with a family of Flemish slobs learns more than his elders imagined they were capable of teaching in this purposefully rude comedy-drama. Gunther Strobbe (Kenneth Vanbaeden) is thirteen years old and living with his father Marcel (Koen De Graeve), his three uncles (Bert Haelvoet, Johan Heldenbergh and Wouter Hendrickx) and his grandmother (Gilda De Bal). You would think that Gunther has more than enough adult role models in his life, but the Strobbes are not an ordinary family; Marcel works part-time as a letter carrier, though the fact there are several bars on his route makes getting the work done a challenge, while his brothers are booze-addled layabouts who sponge off their mother, who is too sweet to deny them her meager pension. Gunther loves his family, but they often seem more like seedy playmates than authority figures, as the men in the house spend their days gulping down beer and sausage, breaking things, playing rude pranks on others and chasing women, often with hilarious but embarrassing consequences. Years later, Gunther has launched a career as a writer, is married and is expecting a son; suddenly frightened by the new responsibilities that await him, Gunther seeks out Marcel and his brothers for some advice on fatherhood, a subject one might not imagine is one of their strong suits. Directed by Felix van Groeningen, De Helaasheid der Dingen (aka The Misfortunates) was adapted from the novel by Dimitri Verhulst.

Mother and Child – drama - Rodrigo Garcia
Rotten Tomatoes: 83 Metacritic: 64
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H87uMXAQzjc
Writer/director Rodrigo García (Nine Lives) teams with executive producer Alejandro González Iñárritu to craft this drama highlighting the powerful bond between a mother and her son. It's been years since Karen (Annette Bening) gave her daughter, Elizabeth, up for adoption, and the decision to abandon her child has always haunted her. Upon meeting laid-back Paco (Jimmy Smits), Karen permits her anxiety and mistrust to get the best of her. On the surface it appears that Elizabeth (Naomi Watts) is none the worse for never knowing her biological mother; she's a fast-talking lawyer who's just landed a high-profile job at a firm fronted by Paul (Samuel L. Jackson), though her unsavory penchant for exploiting others is about to blow up in her face. Meanwhile, maternal-minded baker Lucy (Kerry Washington) longs to experience the joys of motherhood, eventually deciding that adoption is the best bet to start a family with her husband, Joseph (David Ramsey).

Mugabe and the White African – documentary - Lucy Bailey & Andrew Thompson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uxz03dyZj40
Robert Mugabe's rule as president of Zimbabwe has been wildly controversial, with his economic plans generally held responsible for the nation's hyperinflation and massive unemployment, while Mugabe has also been accused of widespread human rights violations. One of Mugabe's most notorious programs has been his policy of seizing farms owned by white Africans and turning them over to individuals affiliated with the Mugabe government; many of these nationalized farms have been put in the hands of people with little practical background in raising crops, with the nation's agricultural base thrown into chaos. Many white land owners in Zimbabwe have fled the country, but 75-year-old Michael Campbell is a veteran family farmer who has chosen to stay and fight; rather than turn over his property, Campbell has taken his case to an international court, accusing the government of Zimbabwe of racial discrimination and violation of his human rights by claiming ownership of his rightful property. Filmmakers Lucy Bailey and Andrew Thompson profile Campbell and present an indictment of the abuses of the Mugabe administration in the documentary Mugabe and the White African, which was an official selection at the 2009 Hot Docs International Film Festival.

The Oath – documentary - Laura Poitras
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGHgn2-I3YU
Two men who were part of the al-Qaeda terrorist network look back on their past with strongly mixed feelings in this documentary from director Laura Poitras. Before the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington, D.C., made Osama bin Laden and his jihad against the West known to nearly every American, Abu Jandal was one of bin Laden's bodyguards, and he helped recruit Salim Hamdan, who served as bin Laden's personal driver. Jandal was able to escape prosecution and fled to Yemen, where he now makes a living driving a taxi. Jandal still regards America as a sworn enemy, but also views his days in al-Qaeda with little nostalgia, and he anticipates no hopeful future before him. Jandal also feels deep regret over the fate of Hamdan, who ended up in the United States military prison at Guantanamo Bay and was tried as a terrorist, despite his insistence he was bin Laden's chauffeur and nothing more. Hamdan's family and legal team struggle on his behalf without any illusions about his likely fate, and when Jandal speaks out to the press in his old friend's defense, Hamdan sends him a sharply worded letter asking him to stop. The Oath was an official selection at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.

Off and Running – documentary - Nicole Opper
Rotten Tomatoes: 90 Metacritic: 68
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hga5PvXTMAs
An intimate and earnest examination of race , gender identity and the definition of "family," this sociological documentary chronicle filters said themes through the eyes of Avery Klein-Cloud, an intelligent and generally well-adjusted teenager from Brooklyn with decidedly unusual circumstances. Though African American herself, Avery grew up with two Jewish lesbian foster mothers, who also adopted two boys, one Korean and the other of mixed ethnicity. Encouraged by both mothers to get in touch with her biological mom for the first time, Avery writes a letter to the woman, but this decision sparks a profound identity crisis in Avery and contributes to increasingly disturbing behavior. As she questions who she is, she also begins spending lengthy periods of time away from home, drops out of school, and suffers from feelings of isolation and abandonment - and her plan to attend university on a track and field scholarship seems increasingly unlikely. What therefore commences as a meaningful journey of self-enlightenment regresses into a far more dangerous personal crisis for the young woman.

Paper Man - comedy/drama - Kieran Mulroney
Rotten Tomatoes: 33 Metacritic: 39
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5LPfNfSBmo
Jeff Daniels, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, and Lisa Kudrow headline co-writer/directors Michele and Kieran Mulroney's affectionate comedy drama detailing the unlikely friendship between a failed writer (Daniels) and the Long Island high school girl (Stone) who teaches him what it really means to take responsibility in life. Meanwhile, the author's long-suffering wife casts a disapproving gaze, and an imaginary superhero weighs in with his own take on the unusual bond.

Please Give - comedy - Nicole Holofcener
Rotten Tomatoes: 86 Metacritic: 73
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zi9WlsYCr-k
A family looking for some extra space gets drawn into a difficult relationship with the folks next door in this comedy drama from writer and director Nicole Holofcener. Kate (Catherine Keener) and Alex (Oliver Platt) are a couple living in New York City who run a successful store specializing in vintage furniture. Kate and Alex have a teenage daughter, Abby (Sarah Steele) and their apartment is starting to feel a bit small for the three of them; Kate and Alex own the unit next door to them, and once the flat becomes vacant, they plan to knock out a wall and take over the space. However, Andra (Ann Morgan Guilbert), their tenant, is an elderly woman with a poor disposition who doesn't seem eager to go anywhere soon, and it's occurred to Kate and Alex that they're probably going to have wait for her to die, since evicting her would be very awkward. Hoping to make the best of the situation, Kate tries to strike up a friendship with Andra and her fiercely protective granddaughter Rebecca (Rebecca Hall), but Andra isn't especially interested in making new friends, and Rebecca's sister, Mary (Amanda Peet), isn't much easier to deal with. Kate and Alex are also struggling to communicate with Abby, who has her own issues regarding self-image. Please Give received its world premiere at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.

PRINCESS KAIULANI – drama - Marc Forby
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnG1cQja_JA
This gorgeous, sweeping historical epic tells the story of the final days of Hawaiian independence and how one young princess stood up to the impending takeover of her nation.

Prodigal Sons – documentary - Kimberly Reed
Rotten Tomatoes: 80 Metacritic: 68
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oz2BHFH4fc
Debut filmmaker Kimberly Reed addresses issues of identity, sexual orientation, childhood trauma, and family love as she returns to her small Montana hometown for her high school reunion, and attempts a long overdue reconciliation with her estranged adopted brother. As intense sibling rivalries come into focus and startling revelations emerge (including a blood relationship with Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth), intimate family discussions lead the filmmaker on a journey from Montana to Croatia in order to understand her family's ongoing struggle to come to terms with the past, and accept the present.

Restrepo - documentary - Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger
Rotten Tomatoes: 98 Metacritic: 84
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DjqR6OucBc
Filmmakers Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington pay a visit to Afghanistan's Korengal Valley to spend a year with the Second Platoon, a besieged squadron who dubbed their stronghold Outpost Restrepo in honor of their fallen comrade PFC Juan Restrepo. An al-Qaeda and Taliban stronghold, Korengal Valley sees some of the fiercest fighting in the War on Terror. At Outpost Restrepo, every shot fired is personal, and every target hit a gift to a fallen friend.

Stonewall Uprising – documentary - Kate Davis, David Heilbroner
Rotten Tomatoes: 83 Metacritic: 76
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZUZKtko4R0
Filmmakers Kate Davis and David Heilbroner team up to explore the Stonewall riots, an event that served as a sharp turning point for gay rights in the United States. The setting was a Greenwich Village gay bar called the Stonewall Inn; the date was June 28, 1969. It was a time when homosexuality was still seen as a dangerous mental illness, and raids on gay gathering spots were commonplace. When New York City police raided the Mafia-run establishment, they figured the patrons could be herded into paddy wagons without a fight -- they were wrong. Over the course of the next three days, gay protestors clashed with police in an uprising that made headlines across the world. In this film, participants from both sides of the conflict offer firsthand testimony about the social climate of the era and the riots that sparked a revolution.

Sweetgrass – documentary - Ilisa Barbash
Rotten Tomatoes: 95 Metacritic: 70
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdC2OvtzdE8
Filmmakers Ilisa Barbash and Lucien Castaing-Taylor continue their work capturing the stark beauty and danger of the Western landscape with this documentary. With only a soundtrack as narration, Sweetgrass tracks shepherds through Montana as they take their flocks on the long trek to the Beartooth Mountains.

The Tillman Story – documentary - Amir Bar-Lev
Rotten Tomatoes: 91
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-NbZqt8WJk
In 2002, as America was poised to go to war in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Pat Tillman, a defensive back with the Arizona Cardinals, joined the United States Army, believing he had a duty to serve in a time of need even though he had signed a lucrative deal to play professional football. Tillman served a tour of duty in Iraq and was on patrol in Afghanistan when, on April 22, 2004, he was killed during a reconnaissance mission near the border of Pakistan. When word spread about Tillman's death, the Army issued a press release declaring he'd been shot down while trying to heroically block the fire of a band of Taliban insurgents. While the Army's story painted a glowing picture of the fallen soldier and athlete, some of the details sounded suspect to Tillman's family, and in time they began asking questions. As it happens, Tillman's parents were outspoken in their opposition to the war in Iraq, and after he had seen what was happening firsthand, so was Tillman, who had been a sharp student with an interest in politics during his college years. In time, Tillman's parents demanded an investigation into their son's death, and the testimony of several witnesses revealed that Tillman wasn't felled during an act of heroism -- his death was the result of "friendly fire" by men from his own company, shooting indiscriminately at an unknown target. Filmmaker Amir Bar-Lev examines Pat Tillman's unusual life and times, the facts about his death, how and why the military created a cover story to hide the truth, and his family's battle to bring the real story into the open in the documentary The Tillman Story, which received its world premiere at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.

Who Do You Love – drama - Jerry Zaks
Rotten Tomatoes: 42 Metacritic: 52
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTWopcUmodo
The story of legendary record producer Leonard Chess (Alessandro Nivola), who helped rocket Bo Diddley, Muddy Waters, and Etta James to stardom by founding the record label that revolutionized modern music, is told in Who Do You Love. Leonard and his brother, Phil (Jon Abrahams), were two immigrants living in Chicago in the 1950s, just as the blues sound was evolving into something vital and new. Recognizing the passion of the performers and the possibility for profit, the Chess brothers founded a nightclub that quickly evolved into a full-fledged record label. And while there were sacrifices to be made along the way, the transformative effect their efforts had on both the music industry and the masses still resounds each and every time we turn on the radio today.

Wild Grass – drama - Alain Resnais
Rotten Tomatoes; 66
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3TeAiMb754
Alain Resnais, one of the towering figures of the French New Wave, demonstrates he still has plenty to say in this drama based on a novel by Christian Gailly. Marguerite (Sabine Azéma) is a successful dentist with a busy practice and an offbeat hobby, flying small airplanes. One day, while running errands, Marguerite loses her wallet, and it's found by Georges (André Dussollier), a seemingly happy man with a wife, Suzanne (Anne Consigny), and two children (Vladimir Consigny and Sara Forestier). As Georges looks through the wallet and examines the photos of Marguerite, he finds he's fascinated with her and her life, and soon his curiosity about her becomes an obsession. Georges' attempts to integrate himself into Marguerite's life begin to alarm her, and she hires a private security team (Mathieu Amalric and Michel Vuillermoz) to keep him away, but Georges is determined that his new love for her will not be denied. Les Herbes Folles (aka Wild Grass) received its world premiere at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.

Winnebego Man – documentary - Ben Steinbauer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dRQtD-DL9k
In 1988, a man named Jack Rebney spent time with a camera crew making a promotional video to be used as a sales tool for recreational vehicles. To say Rebney was having a frustrating time would be something of an understatement; unable to remember much of the sales pitch he'd written and showing little patience as he dealt with bugs, hot weather, and uncooperative equipment, Rebney spoiled take after take, swearing a blue streak as one thing or another went wrong. The editors of the video created a gag reel in which Rebney's colorful bursts of anger were strung together for comic effect, and the footage circulated on dubbed videotapes until 2005. That year, someone posted Rebney's tirade online, and before long "Winnebago Man" became an Internet sensation, with the video racking up countless views and inspiring a number of parodies and on-line tributes. But who was Jack Rebney, why was he in such a lousy mood, and is he aware of his underground fame today? Filmmaker Ben Steinbauer decided to find out, and his search to locate Rebney and uncover the true story behind his moment of Internet infamy is chronicled in the documentary Winnebago Man. The film received its world premiere at the 2009 South by Southwest Film Festival.