Category Archives: Movies

Sexmission – How to fool the sensors.

Movies, NewScreen Stuff
Lamia!

That was fun!

Thanks to Zofi (the original Pole!) for bringing this amazing film to my attention many years ago. On the surface this is a playful romp (one reviewer suggested that this is “Benny Hill meets George Orwell”) pitting a couple of bumbling men against a society of women that has evolved to the extent that they no longer need men in order to reproduce. But, reading between the lines, this movie was a daring critique of the then communist regime in Poland. The sensors saw it as a funny movie with a lot of naked women, and let it go. LOL.

A rather quiet night here tonight, but that didn’t stop the applause. Thanks to you loyal guests for coming!

Close. Close to heavenly.

Love and Life, Movies, NewScreen Stuff
Don’t say gay

This film devastated us tonight. As far as I know, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house, but I really couldn’t take account through my own teary orbs.

Lucas Dhont’s Close first celebrates a beautiful, innocent friendship between two young boys, Remi and Leo (pictured above) spending one last golden Belgian summer together before heading off to high school, and then mourns the gradual decay of that friendship due to peer pressure. “Are you two together?” asks one of the girl students, planting a destructive seed in Leo’s head.

Were they “together”? Who cares?

Outstanding performances from Eden Dambrine and Gustav De Waele as Leo and Remi, and Émilie Dequenne as Remi’s adorable mother. I was thinking how she looked familiar… Duh. Rosetta. Nice to see a child actor develop like this.

Another great NewScreen night. Thanks to all who shared!

Godland. Watch the birdie.

Movies, NewScreen Stuff, Trailers

The advent of the smartphone has put an extremely capable camera in many of our pockets. This has enabled an great amount of creativity to blossom, while at the same time proliferating an abundance of mundane imagery. “Everybody’s a photographer these days!” as they say.

Well… turning the clock back to the late nineteenth century, photography wasn’t easy at all, and creative expression was often not part of the craft. Lucas, the Danish priest dispatched to Iceland to build a church is obsessed with photography, but (often comically) wouldn’t know a good picture if it slapped him in his stoically dopey face. For example, the playful younger sister tried so hard to help him take a good picture, but…

First pose offered
Second pose offered
Third pose offered
And then she gave up

And the horse gave up too, and walked away before he could get a picture.

This is a gorgeous film, and we enjoyed a good turnout tonight. NewScreen continues to shine!

Broker. A family affair.

Movies, NewScreen Stuff
Who’s your mama?

Broker is another fun ride from Japanese director Kore-eda Hirokazu, this time in Korean. As in Shoplifters, a rag-tag “family” is made up of disparate members who have seemingly fallen through the cracks in our societal network.

This was a quiet but lovely NewScreen night. Sheldon takes this week’s [unofficial] prize for paying attention and not missing a single thing!

 

M3GAN – 3xc3ll3nt fun.

Movies, NewScreen Stuff, Strange Stuff
Scanning…

Well, that was a blast!

When I started noticing the posters for this popping up around town , and everywhere, I thought it was probably some some TV show for that would only appeal to Gen Z’ers. My curiosity eventually got the better of me though, and I was blown away. Smart, funny and exciting… just ask anyone who was here tonight!

And yes. The dance!

Aftersun. Aloe vera, anyone?

Love and Life, Movies, NewScreen Stuff
Package holiday with Dad

Charlotte Wells’ beautifully observed feature debut Aftersun struck a particular chord with me (substitute Mexico for Turkey). Unlike this movie, though, my daughter and I remain very much involved in each other’s lives, and we enjoyed watching this together recently.

Judging from the heartfelt reaction of our diverse NewScreen audience, it seems that it’s not necessary for this particular chord to be struck in order to enjoy Aftersun. It’s a gentle movie, and not much happens. Or does it?

Corsage. A tight fit, loosened up.

Love and Life, Movies, NewScreen Stuff
The Empress is not impressed

What a lovely way to start 2023! Thanks for coming, peeps.

Vicky Krieps’ portrayal of Empress Elizabeth of Austria (also the queen of Hungary) was delightful. Part true, part imagined, the spirit of “Sissy” (as she was known at the time) lives on in Maria Kreutzer’s anachronistic celebration of a free-spirited woman in the nineteenth century. A happy ending, and a new beginning.

So… the freshly-baked banana bread tradition almost took a hit tonight, as I was a bit behind schedule with my preparations (what a shocker, no?), but I decided that, although it might be rude to bake in front of the early guests, the loaf must go on. It turns out that I could almost bake this thing in my sleep, and… aprez-movie… happy guests.

I misbehaved a bit.

Viva Las Vegas – Viva Newscreen

Movies, NewScreen Stuff
Dancin’ wit da King!

Well… that was fun! There’s nothing like busting out in song and dance to take the rough edge off, even if that means taking the rough edge off of an unmitigated piece of cheese.

Thanks to all who came out tonight, and to all who continue to make this very special night, well… very special. See you in September for a new season!