After last weekend being relatively quiet, we have a lot of new indie releases in theaters this weekend. Some of them have earned extremely noteworthy buzz on the way to cinemas, and others… well others might just be “limited releases”. Regardless, there’s plenty to see in theaters if you’re up for an indie movie this weekend.
ABOUT TIME
Richard Curtis’ Love Actually remains one of the more popular romantic comedies of the early 2000s, and Curtis return to the genre with About Time has an added twist: time travel. Domhnall Gleeson stars as a time traveler who uses his skill to do what probably most men would do: convince Rachel McAdams to become his girlfriend. It has played at several festivals and has received solid, if not overwhelmingly positive, reviews. All in all, it sounds like if you enjoyed Love Actually that you’ll enjoy this one, too.
DIANA
It’s been suggested that the main reason why Diana, a biopic of Princess Diana starring Naomi Watts, is opening in limited release because it has gotten completely horrid reviews from critics. Watts seems to be the only element of the film that gets any sort of praise. Everything else has been dismissed by nearly every critic, so see at your own risk.
THE BROKEN CIRCLE BREAKDOWN
Though it started making the festival rounds in late 2012, promotion for Belgium director’s Felix Van Groeningen really kicked into high gear when Tribeca Film picked up the U.S. distribution rights after playing at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival and winning Best Actress for Veerle Baetens and Best Screenplay. The film is about two musicians who have a daughter together despite a lack of chemistry and how their relationship changes once their child becomes ill.
MAN OF TAI CHI
It’s not surprising that the first film Keanu Reeves is in a genre that he knows quite well: martial arts. Tiger Hu Chen stars as a promising young martial artist whose skills put him in a lucrative position in the world of underground fight clubs. Chen served as a stuntman for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and the two Matrix sequels, so he and Reeves certainly make a formidable pair. Critics have said the film is a strong tribute to old-fashioned kung fu movies.
MR. NOBODY
Mr. Nobody premiered to some acclaim at the 2009 Venice Film Festival and a week later at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival, but it had some trouble finding its way to U.S. cinemas even though its already been released around the world and on the internet. Nonetheless, Magnolia is finally releasing Belgium director Jaco Van Dormael’s film in U.S. theaters. The film focuses on a choice a young boy (played as an adult by Jared Leto) who has to make between staying with his father or mother and the possibilities that result from either decision.
MUSICWOOD (Documentary)
Opening at New York’s Quad Cinemas this weekend and also available on iTunes, Musicwood is a documentary about the particular wood used in the finest American acoustic guitars and how the lumbering of those specific trees for other industries threatens to take that material away from guitar makers in the near future. It’s a combination of music, environmental, and investigative documentary and is a must-see (that I really enjoyed) for anyone who is a guitar enthusiast.
LAST LOVE
The always-charming Michael Caine stars as an elderly and retired American professor who has a connection with a young Parisian woman (Clémence Poésy) in a sort-of-but-not-quite version of Lost in Translation and Venus. Critics haven’t been particularly impressed, mostly suggesting it’s been done before. But if you’re a fan of either of those films or of Caine’s, I’m sure there’s something you’d enjoy from it.
CASTING BY (Documentary)
While it might be easy to assume casting decisions are made by directors and producers based on budget, that neglects the ever-important role of the casting director. Casting By takes a look at this important, and often unsung, role, featuring interview clips of 57 actors, directors, producers, and, of course, casting directors (culled from over 240 interviews). Many actors owe their thanks — or in some cases anger — to casting directors who served as “talent scouts” for future stars. It has received excellent reviews from those inside and outside the industry, and is definitely worth a look if you’re interested in how the casts of a film is put together.
Other notable weekend indie, foreign & documentary releases:
IMMIGRANT
BIG SUR
THE PERVERT’S GUIDE TO IDEOLOGY (Documentary)
SAL
UNDERDOGS
RUNNING FROM CRAZY (Documentary)
A PERFECT MAN
ANGELS SING
MIKEYBOY
DOONBY
SWEET DREAMS (Documentary)
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