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pick of the week Articles

• Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (PG-13)

  

  

  Ken Hanke | 03/12/2008

  Genre: Romantic Comedy

  Director: Bharat Nalluri

  Starring: Frances McDormand, Amy Adams, Ciarán Hinds, Lee Pace, Shirley Henderson

  The Story: An unemployable governess finds a life-transforming position as a social secretary. The Lowdown: Style, wit and likable characters carry the day in this generally lightweight, but not brainless, comedy.

  8 comments

  2.4K views

• In Bruges (R)

  

  

  Ken Hanke | 03/05/2008

  Genre: Black Comedy/Crime Thriller

  Director: Martin McDonagh

  Starring: Brendan Gleeson, Colin Farrell, Ralph Fiennes, Clémence Poésy, Jordan Prentice

  The Story: A pair of hit men hide out in the picturesque Belgian village of Bruges while awaiting further orders from their boss. The Lowdown: Blisteringly vulgar and frankly brutal on occasion, In Bruges is both blackly funny comedy and compelling drama.

  5 comments

  3.5K views

• Persepolis (PG-13)

  

  

  Ken Hanke | 02/20/2008

  Genre: Animated Fanciful Biopic

  Director: Vincent Paronnaud and Marjane Satrapi

  Starring: Chiara Mastroianni, Catherine Deneuve, Danielle Darrieux, Simon Abkarian, Gabrielle Lopes

  The Story: Animated coming-of-age story of a young Iranian woman. The Lowdown: An almost completely successful, wildly creative, funny and moving film that offers many surprises and rewards.

  0 comments

  2.1K views

• Starting Out in the Evening (PG-13)

  

  

  Ken Hanke | 01/30/2008

  Genre: Drama

  Director: Andrew Wagner

  Starring: Frank Langella, Lauren Ambrose, Lili Taylor, Adrian Lester, Jessica Hecht

  The Story: An aging writer finds himself the object of an enthusiastic literary student's attention -- both professionally and personally. The Lowdown: A remarkably astute and penetrating character study with fine performances by all and a brilliant one by Frank Langella.

  3 comments

  2.4K views

• The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (PG-13)

  

  

  Ken Hanke | 01/23/2008

  Genre: Biographical Drama

  Director: Julian Schnabel

  Starring: Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner, Marie-Josée Croze, Anne Consigny, Max von Sydow

  The Story: The fact-based story of Jean-Dominique Bauby, who wrote a book about his life despite being paralyzed and unable to speak. The Lowdown: A celebration of the human spirit from Julian Schnabel that succeeds once it finds its approach.

  0 comments

  2.0K views

• The Orphanage (R)

  

  

  Ken Hanke | 01/16/2008

  Genre: Ghost-Story Thriller

  Director: Juan Antonio Bayona

  Starring: Belén Rueda, Fernando Cayo, Roger Princep, Mabel Rivera, Montserrat Carulla, Geraldine Chaplin

  The Story: A woman returns to the orphanage of her early childhood, only to find her son disappearing and the past closing in around her. The Lowdown: A beautifully crafted ghost story that also functions as a horror film and a psychological thriller.

  7 comments

  3.8K views

• Atonement (R)

  

  

  Ken Hanke | 01/09/2008

  Genre: Drama

  Director: Joe Wright

  Starring: James McAvoy, Keira Knightley, Romola Garai, Vanessa Redgrave

  The Story: A young girl's lie sets the stage for this period drama about doomed lovers. The Lowdown: A beautifully crafted, intelligent film that somehow misses being as emotionally powerful as it needs to be to cross the line into greatness.

  16 comments

  3.9K views

• The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep (PG)

  

  

  Ken Hanke | 01/02/2008

  Genre: Family Fantasy

  Director: Jay Russell

  Starring: Emily Watson, Alex Etel, Ben Chaplin, David Morrissey, Priyanka Xi, Brian Cox

  The Story: Set during World War II, a lonely Scottish boy finds an egg that hatches to reveal a strange sea creature. The Lowdown: Surprisingly intelligent, well-made family fare that grounds the fantasy with believable characters of some depth and complexity.

  1 comments

  2.6K views