Cinematheque Blog

7/9-12: The Song Of Sparrows, City Lights & More!

07/07/09  |  Posted by Cinematheque  |  Posted in Cinematheque

THE SONG OF SPARROWS, the new film from Majid Majidi, is a poetic, humanistic fable that ranks with his acclaimed previous movies ("Children of Heaven," "The Color of Paradise," "Baran," "The Willow Tree") and with the other great Iranian classics of the 1980s and 1990s. This one tells of a middle-aged father who loses his job at a rural ostrich farm, so goes to work in chaotic, corrupt Tehran, where he's in danger of losing his soul. This Saturday and Sunday we present the first (and probably only) Cleveland theatrical showings of this highly-praised new foreign film. (Read The New York Times review here) If you have not yet discovered the "New Iranian Cinema" of the past two decades, it's not too late to do so. It really is a remarkable movement, and will rank in future film history books with Italian Neo-Realism of the 1940s and the French New Wave of the 1960s. FORBIDDEN LIE$, showing Friday and Saturday, takes an in-depth look at Norma Khouri, author of the 2004 best-seller "Forbidden Lies" ("Honor Bound" in the U.S.), a sensational account of a Jordanian father's "honor killing" of his daughter after she fell in love with a Christian. Khouri claims it's a true story; an Aussie journalist says she made it all up. This acclaimed, dizzying new documentary, in which Khouri defends herself by taking the filmmaker on a fact-finding mission to the Middle East, lets each of us make up our own mind, but any conclusions are not necessarily conclusive. "Forbidden Lie$" is a one-movie "Con" Film Festival, and has been likened to Orson Welles' mind-bending "F for Fake." Click here to see why this film has an impressive 85 (out of 100) rating on metacritic.com. In 1949, legendary film critic James Agee wrote that the final scene in Chaplin's CITY LIGHTS contains "the greatest single piece of acting ever committed to celluloid." The rest of this 1931 classic ain't bad either, containing some of Chaplin's (and the screen's) most memorable moments of comedy and pathos. A silent film made during the sound era (with a music score composed by the multi-talented Chaplin), "City Lights" tells of a tramp's friendship with a blind flower seller and a drunken millionaire. It's one of the most revered movies ever made and essential viewing for any film buff. And you can also see it this Saturday or Sunday for a discounted price. Print out this post and present it at the box office and see "City Lights" for only $6 ($5 if you're a Cinematheque member). It's our Deal of the Week! Kids 12 & under also only $6. Louis Garrel is one of France's hottest young actors, starring in movies ranging from Bertolucci's "The Dreamers" to Christophe Honore's "Love Songs." This Thursday and Friday you can see him in FRONTIER OF DAWN, a new film directed by his father, legendary French auteur Philippe Garrel. Garrel fils plays a photographer romantically involved with two women: a tempestuous young actress and a less-volatile would-be mother. The stunning black-and-white cinematography (by the great William Lubtchansky) may look good in the trailer here but it will look great in 35mm this weekend! Ohio premiere!

• Comments
  0
• 
• Tweet

Leave a comment

Name

Comment

Security

  Submit

Back to blog listing