Swingers. Go Daddy-O!

Trailers

28 years later, Swingers remains relevant, even though the answering-machine is pretty much a thing of the past. I mention the aforementioned device, because it plays a huge role in one of the cringiest and funny scenes in the movie. Poor Mike! (not to worry though… happy ending alert!)

Our crew was held enraptured, as happens most NewScreen nights. So happy I got this one off my to-show list!

Our short tonight was Tasty Fish, a music video that I directed in the early 90’s for The Other Two, after the split up of New Order. Is it ok that I featured my own work two weeks in a row???

The Night of the 12th. Where were you?

Movies

Based on an actual unsolved murder, this fascinating police procedural came up with so many likely suspects (homegirl fell in love easily, apparently) only to discover that none of them could actually have done it. The scenario was indeed bleak, but director Dominik Moll focused more on the workings of the police department, the detectives and the things that haunt them, and their personal problems. Somehow, there was plenty to laugh at.

Speaking of plenty to laugh at… my homemade short Miracle at MovieNight worked it’s magic on our guests once again tonight.

You Won’t Be Alone. Nor was I tonight.

Movies, NewScreen Stuff
Witches need loving too

I was craving something rich and delicious this week, and when this came to mind, it was impossible to shake off. It came to mind because Goran Stolevski’s new film, Housekeeping for Beginners, is just about to hit American theaters… I can’t wait to see what he does with that story. I the meantime I thought we should see this one again. Result!

Thanks to all my loyal peeps who came out on yet another rainy April night to enjoy this astonishingly beautiful work.

Also… our short was amazing too… Thank You For Not Answering, directed by Paul Trillo. Spooky.

Anatomy of a Fall. Hail Hüller!

Trailers

The weather tried it’s best to shut us down tonight, but we prevailed. Justine Triet’s Anatomy of a Fall was a transfixing view, and Sandra Hüller was at her finest. She managed to even be funny, in the face of everything happening to her. I got a bit excited, and considered re-visiting Toni Erdmann (her big breakout role). Probably not next week, but…

Past Lives. Finally.

Trailers
Marry. Go round?

I watched this beautiful film with friends on a warm night last summer, on the big outdoor screen upstate, and kinda filed it away for “later”. In the meantime, a lot of glittering gems pushed their way into my queue. But with it’s Best Picture Oscar nomination, Celine Song’s Past Lives came back into sharp focus for me, and tonight was the perfect “later”.

It’s hard to say what makes this story so moving… but it manages to touch a few places that are difficult to access, in a very non-Hallmark way. Greta Lee was perfectly cast as Nora, although she did seem to have aged significantly more than her childhood sweetheart Hae Sung (Teo Yoo). In the end, though, it doesn’t really matter. The bond between them is totally palpable. Of course I cried.

Lovely to see new guests here tonight, along with our loyal regular crew.

Poor Things? Lucky us.

Movies, NewScreen Stuff
Bella wants life.

Yorgos Lanthimos goes from strength to strength, and his latest, Poor Things, a fantastical steam punk voyage, delighted eighty percent* of our lovely audience tonight. His second collaboration with Emma Stone is bearing delicious fruit, and looks to continue with his next. Kinds of Kindness will be released this June, and Willem Dafoe will also rejoin the cast.

I’m inclined to say, “Can’t wait!”, but of course, I’ll have to. Stay tuned!

*The other twenty percent included some sleepy-heads, and some who just didn’t like. That’s ok. Maybe it’s an acquired taste.

Totem. Wow.

Movies, NewScreen Stuff

On a recent WNYC call-in radio show, on the subject of what makes a good movie to watch on an airplane, on caller touted his practice of choosing a movie by a female director. “It’s most often you’ll get an interesting perspective.”

Well, we certainly got an interesting perspective tonight! Lila Aviles’ Totem, takes us on a sometimes quiet, sometimes chaotic coming of consciousness through the eyes of Sol, a seven year old, during a large family’s preparation for what we soon learn will be her father’s last birthday.

Incidentally, this season of NewScreen has featured more work by women directors than ever before. Nothing “airplane” about this curation, though!

Thanks to everyone who came out tonight. Lovely.