Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Let independent films expand the mind

Magic Lantern Film Festival to feature cinema of all genres


By SABINA DANA PLASSE
Express Staff Writer

Tilda Swinton is Emma Recchi in the film “I Am Love,” which will screen at the Magic Lantern Cinema’s fall film festival. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

Laugh, cry and learn about people in the world at Magic Lantern Cinemas' 22nd annual fall film festival. The festival will begin screening films on Friday, Sept. 10, and will continue for two weeks through Thursday, Sept. 23. Some films will be held over through Thursday, Sept. 30.

"These are very strong films," said cinema owner Rick Kessler. "Some people will worry about not getting to see them all."

Kessler has created a line-up of films that includes powerful documentaries, excellent foreign cinema, hilarious independent comedies and serious and powerful low-budget dramas. It is storytelling beyond the Hollywood studio system, and it's good.

"Going to the theater is an entirely different experience than watching a DVD at home," said Kessler. "The screening rooms at the Magic Lantern are a different experience at the movies. The theaters feel like you are sitting in a private screening room."

Kessler said all the films in the festival are some of the best movie making in the past 10 years. The films are very entertaining with an array of subject matter ranging from a peek into the life of comedian Joan Rivers to the shocking survival skills of living within the crystal-meth culture in the Ozarks as well as European living on the low and high end of existence.

"Everyone should expand one's movie-going experience and attend the film festival," Kessler said. "Our community is a sophisticated audience."

The film festival will take place in all theaters at the Magic Lantern Cinemas in Ketchum. For details on screening times and dates, visit magiclanterncinemas.com or call 726-4274.

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Films

Exit Through The Gift Shop The film was a 2010 Sundance Film Festival favorite revealing the hidden underworld of graffiti artist Bansky. Bansky has a global reputation as being the leader of the counterculture movement of street art. The film takes viewers on a journey into the world of graffiti artists and the challenges of tracking down and learning about the mysterious artist called Bansky.

Joan Rivers—A Piece of Work "I was initially not interested in this film because I loathe her celebrity image, but this is an excellent film," Kessler said. "It's an examination of an artist at work and how hard she works at her craft. It is enlightening and poignant, and it's hilarous because it's about a comedian."

Another 2010 Sundance smash hit, "Joan Rivers—A Piece of Work" is an exposé on Rivers that is brutally honest and a rare glimpse at the comedic process.

Solitary Man "Solitary Man" tells the story of Ben Kalmen, a 50-something New Yorker and former successful car dealer who through his own bad choices lost his entire business. The film's star-studded cast includes Michael Douglas, Susan Sarandon, Jenna Fisher, Mary-Louise Parker and Danny DeVito.

Soul Kitchen Set in a run-down warehouse district in Hamburg, Germany, "Soul Kitchen" is about Chef Zinos Kazantsakis, who runs his restaurant on the edge of failure. The heart-warming comedy reveals the trials and tribulations of Kazantsakis when he unknowingly disturbs the peace in his locals-only restaurant by hiring a more talented chef.

Winter's Bone "Winter's Bone" is a true independent film about the clannish world of crystal meth making deep in the Ozark Mountains. The coming-of-age story is about a young girl, Rhee Jessup, whose father skips bail and goes missing, placing his family in dire straits. Unless she finds him, she and her siblings and disabled mother face destitution.

Micmacs One of France's most notable and highly acclaimed filmmakers, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, director of "Amelie," once again showcases his whimsical and imaginative story-telling in the film "Micmacs." Exploring weapons manufacturing, "Micmacs" tells the story of avid movie-watcher and video store clerk named Bazil, whose life is all but ruined by weapons of war.

I Am Love Called a "feast for the senses" by Shari Frilot for the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, "I Am Love" stars Tilda Swinton as the wife of wealthy industrial patriarch Edoardo Recchi, who is celebrating what will be his last birthday. Set in Milan, Italy, the stylish film explores a family in transition. Swinton plays off tensions and temptations in a stunning performance.

Animal Kingdom From Australia and a top contender in the 2010 Sundance Film Festival World Cinema Dramatic Competition, "Animal Kingdom" is a gripping tale of survival and revenge. Pope Cody is an armed robber on the run from renegade detectives. In his efforts to survive, he is in hiding surrounded by roughneck friends and family, which add another dimension of drama to his underground world.




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