Cinema 21 Program Notes March

One Week: March 14 - 20

4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days

Starring Anamaria Marinca, Laura Vasiliu, Vlad Ivanov, Alex Potocean Directed by Cristian Mungiu
Language: In Romanian with English Subtitles

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Ends April 3 (Held Over)

Paranoid Park

Theatrical Premiere (2007, 90 Minutes)
Directed by Gus Van Sant

The most recent film from director Gus Van Sant, based on Blake Nelson's novel and filmed in Portland, revolves around Alex (Gabe Nevins), whose typical teenage angst is complicated by his involvement in the death of a security guard. Van Sant continues the exploration of disaffected youth and alienation that has been the cornerstone of some of his best films (MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO, ELEPHANT), while at the same time continuing with his recent style of emotional minimalism that asks the viewer to bring their own baggage to the cinematic experience. While working with varying degrees of success in his last three films, he finds an assured balance this time around. Notes Ken DuBois of Reel.com, "The real reason to see PARANOID PARK is to check out how Van Sant's visual style is evolving, as he's one of the few big directors willing to try something unusual, often with tremendous results. The first half of the picture is reminiscent of his early work, with lots of rain-soaked street shots, and skate-park scenes filmed with the same grainy, Super 8 home movie look he used in DRUGSTORE COWBOY in 1989. In the second half, we see more of the great, newer Van Sant style, in which he shows emotion (or lack of emotion) with light and sound."

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Ends April 10 (Held Over)

Taxi to the Darkside

Theatrical Premiere (2007, 106 Minutes)
Directed by Alex Gibney
Documentary

As he did with his compelling, thoroughly entertaining documentary ENRON: THE SMARTEST GUYS IN THE ROOM, director Alex Gibney once again examines a complex issue that the average person has trouble understanding, and distills it into an emotionally-charged crash course. Winner of the Oscar for Best Documentary, TAXI TO THE DARKSIDE turns a critical eye toward the torture practices used by United States forces in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay. Using the December 2002 death of an innocent taxi driver who was tortured and killed in Afghanistan as its starting point, the film becomes an unsettling glimpse of a nation that has lost its moral grounding in the wake of 9/11. But this is hardly the sort of biased, left-leaning documentary one might expect from a filmmaker like Michael Moore, as Gibney is careful to not paint this as a red-state vs. blue-state matter of politics as usual. "TAXI's mix of careful, credible interviews with former FBI heads, U.S. Army generals, interrogators, and former prisoners clearly shows how this nation has historically relied on its sense of ethics, fair play, and ingrained moral compass (itself deeply rooted in the Judeo-Christian religion) to maintain its place in the world order yet, thanks to astonishingly amoral leadership, is now completely adrift and rudderless in a sea of self-inflicted terror," writes Marc Savlov of the Austin Chronicle. At the same time, Gibney makes it clear that parties within the current administration have led the charge in creating an environment where torture of prisoners has become a justified weapon in the war against terrorism.

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One Week: April 4 - 10

Flawless

Premiere (2007, 108 Minutes)
Starring Michael Caine, Demi Moore Directed by Michael Radford

Michael Caine has played many memorable roles, but some of his most popular work was in the 1960s and 70s, with the Harry Palmer spy series (THE IPCRESS FILE) and his crime thrillers like GET CARTER and THE ITALIAN JOB. Caine returns to form in this crime caper set in 1960 London, in which he stars as Mr. Hobbs, a soon-to-retire janitor with a plot to pilfer diamonds from his employer. Demi Moore co-stars as Laura Quinn, a fellow employee of the London Diamond Exchange, who has her own reasons for getting on Hobbs' scheme. Highlighted by a great heist sequence that favors the tension of classic films like Jean-Pierre Meliville's LE CERCLE ROUGE over the flashy special effects of contemporary crime flicks, Flawless succeeds in what Variety calls "a polished and lustrous exercise in '60s nostalgia." Director Michael Radford (IL POSTINO, MERCHANT OF VENICE) focuses on story and character, recalling a past era of filmmaking when action was used as a punctuation mark in telling a story, as opposed to driving the story.

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Held Over, Ends April 24

Super High Me

Premiere (2008, 89 Minutes)
Starring Doug Benson Directed by Michael Blieden
Documentary

Named "Stoner of the Year" for 2006 by High Times magazine, comedian Doug Benson-inspired perhaps by Morgan Spurlock's SUPER-SIZE ME-sets out to discover the true effects of smoking pot. But before he can determine the effects of smoking weed, he must get it out of his system, which leads to Benson going for thirty days without a single toke from a joint or hit from a bong. He then follows it up with thirty days of non-stop blazing in an attempt to get "super high," and discover what all that pot smoking will do to him. Is there a difference in his behavior or his health, and if so, can he even remember what those differences are? Intercut with Benson's comedy performances and appearances by fellow comics like Sarah Silverman, Bob Odenkirk and Patton Oswalt, SUPER HIGH ME is more than just a chronicle of one man smoking chronic, the documentary also looks at the debate over medical marijuana, and looks at pot-smoking in American culture.

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One Week: April 11 - 17

Chapter 27

Premiere (2007, 100 Minutes)
Starring Jared Leto, Judah Friedlander, Lindsay Lohan Directed by Jarrett Schaeffer

On December 8, 1980, former Beatle John Lennon was gunned down in front of his New York City apartment by Mark David Chapman. But the debut film of writer-director J.P. Schaefer is not so much about the murder of Lennon, as it is about the three days in the life of Chapman (Jared Leto) leading up to the killing. Inspired by crime journalist Jack Jones' interviews with Chapman, the film paints an unsettling portrait of a deranged man obsessed with J.D. Salinger's book CATCHER IN THE RYE; who by killing Lennon was attempting to write his own personal 27th chapter to the seminal novel that only has 26 chapters. With Chapman's statements to Jones providing the foundation, Schaefer weaves a tapestry of facts and fiction in this semi-speculative narrative driven by the performance of Leto as Chapman, who fancied himself to be a real-life Holden Caulfied. "Leto's portrayal of this hunched, pudgy, unhappy man is both merciless and sympathetic," says Salon.com.

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One Week: April 18 - 24

Last Year at Marienbad

Brand New Print (1962, 94 Minutes)
Directed by Alain Resnais
In French with English Subtitles

Few films have sparked more debate and discourse over its true meaning than director Alain Resnais' 1962 newly restored examination of an affair that may or may not have happened between a man, X (Giorgio Albertazzi), and a woman, A (Delphine Seyring), who may or may not know each other. X insists that he and A met a year earlier, and had agreed to rendezvous at a beautiful chateau where they can continue their implied affair. The problem is that A does not recall the meeting with X, and she is with M (Sasha Pitoeff), who carries himself as if he is her controlling husband. As X recalls his past with A, trying to convince her and the audience, the truth and reality of memories come into question. But Resnais is careful to never resolve the questions that arise throughout LAST YEAR AT MARIENBAD, which has helped lead to the film's enduring legacy of sparking speculation and debate. Revisting the film after four decades, Roger Ebert wrote, "Viewing the film again, I expected to have a cerebral experience, to see a film more fun to talk about than to watch. What I was not prepared for was the voluptuous quality of 'Marienbad,' its command of tone and mood, its hypnotic way of drawing us into its puzzle, its austere visual beauty. Yes, it involves a story that remains a mystery, even to the characters themselves. But one would not want to know the answer to this mystery."

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Sunday, April 27

Doug's In Trouble!

D.K. (Doug) Holm is the witty, erudite author and film critic whose work currently appears in Movie Talk, on radio KBOO, and quickstopentertainment.com. He is the film editor of the Vancouver Voice and the author of five books ranging from cinematic subjects to underground cartoonist R. Crumb. A Portland native, D.K. attended David Douglas High School and the University of Oregon. His work has appeared in nearly every publication in Portland over the last 30 years. After many years of providing us with savvy information and plenty of good reading, D.K. needs help. He has esophageal cancer and, though the doctors believe he can be cured, he requires at least a year of painful and costly treatment. As a freelance writer, D.K. has no medical insurance and no money. His many friends are organizing a fundraising event. please join us for complementary wine and hors d’oeuvres and a jam-packed evening of great entertainment including live performances, readings, testimonials and an incredible silent auction. Live performances including Thomas m. lauderdale (Pink Martini) with Karen brooks (The Oregonian) on piano, a patti lewis short film, Dover Weinberg and friends playing the blues, steve cheseborough playing 1920s Delta blues, an impressive list of Portland luminaries reading some of D.K.’s most deliciously vitriolic reviews and hate mail, sukiyaki sing-a-long, and more! silenT aucTion including amazing items from aalto lounge, cassidy’s, artistTom cramer, author Katherine Dunn, Hotel vintage plaza, Kenny & Zuke’s Deli, oregon symphony, pazzo, pink martini, portland center stage, gus van sant and much, much more! Direct contributions may be made to: Doug Holm, P.O. Box 4146, Portland, OR 97208-4146. For additional information or to donate items to the auction, please call Cindy Mason at 503-866-7951.

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One Night: Monday, May 5

Uncounted

Premiere Directed by David Earnhardt
Documentary

UNCOUNTED is an explosive new documentary that shows how the election fraud that changed the outcome of the 2004 election led to even greater fraud in 2006 - and now looms as an unbridled threat to the outcome of the 2008 election. This controversial feature length film by Emmy award-winning director David Earnhardt examines in factual, logical, and yet startling terms how easy it is to change election outcomes and undermine election integrity across the U.S. Noted computer programmers, statisticians, journalists, and experienced election officials provide the irrefutable proof. UNCOUNTED shares well documented stories about the spine-chilling disregard for the right to vote in America. In Florida, computer programmer Clint Curtis is directed by his boss to create software that will "flip" votes from one candidate to another. In Utah, County Clerk Bruce Funk is locked out of his office for raising questions about security flaws in electronic voting machines. Californian Steve Heller gets convicted of a felony after he leaks secret documents detailing illegal activities committed by a major voting machine company. And Tennessee entrepreneur, Athan Gibbs, finds verifiable voting a hard sell in America and dies before his dream of honest elections can be realized. UNCOUNTED is a wakeup call to all Americans. Beyond increasing the public's awareness, the film inspires greater citizen involvement in fixing a broken electoral system. As we approach the decisive election of 2008, UNCOUNTED will change how you feel about the way votes are counted in America.

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Two Days: May 6 - 7

Knowing All Of You Like I Do

Directed by Ivy Lin
Documentary

Music Millenium presents KNOWING ALL OF YOU LIKE I DO For thirty years the independently owned and operated Music Millennium was a regular fixture in Northwest Portland, but on August 31, 2007, the store closed its doors for good. Filmmaker Ivy Lin, herself a former employee of Music Millennium, documented the final days of the store, after it closed, when employees decommissioned the space and removed all traces of a once vital part of the city. Interviewing employees and former customers, Lin creates an emotional tapestry that serves as both a homage and a eulogy to a time and place that has passed. "Filmmaker Ivy Lin documents the gutting of the store with spare images - a Primal Scream poster torn down with a claw hammer, a hand-painted sign reading 'Please leave all bags at counter' in a spot where there is no longer any counter - that hint at the 'friendly ghosts' fleeing the neighborhood," writes Aaron Mesh of Willamette Week.

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Four Days: May 12-15 2008

Paprika

Directed by Satoshi Kon

Return Engagement (2006, 90 minutes)

When a machine that allows therapists to enter their patient's dreams is stolen, all heck breaks loose, and, in this anime from Satoshi Kon (Tokyo Godfathers), only one person can stop it, a young female therapist named Paprika. Richard James Havis of the Hollywood Reporter finds the film to be "intelligently written," while Internet reviewer Nick Schager advises that PAPRIKA becomes "far more enthralling the more one simply surrenders to the awe-inspiring beauty of its images." Aaron Hillis writes in Premiere that PAPRIKA is, "smart, electrifying, and proudly unhinged."

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One Week: May 16 - 22

OSS 117: Nest of Spies

Premiere (2006, 99 Minutes)
Directed by Michael Hazenavicius
Language: In French with English subtitles

French writer Jean Bruce's super-spy Hubert Bonisseur de la Bath, agent OSS 117 has had an enduring literary legacy that has seen him through 242 novels. Director Michel Hazanavicus' take on the adventures OSS 117 is comedic mix of action and loving satirical homage to the series of OSS 117 films produced in France between 1956 and 1970. When a fellow agent is murdered, OSS 117 (Jean Dujardin) is dispatched to Cairo, where he must solve the murder and save the day from the nefarious villains. But solving the mystery isn't that easy, as there are multiple suspects and motives, and our hero is a clueless idiot who still manages to get the job done in spite of himself. Dujardin plays Hubert Bonisseur de la Bath as if he were the illegitimate love child of James Bond and Maxwell Smart, resulting in clever cross of genres that recalls the classic spy spoofs OUR MAN FLINT and IN LIKE FLINT, starring James Coburn. Shawn Levy of The Oregonian writes, "The bulk of the film's comic genius is found in the tight, rapid delivery of hilarious, well-translated dialogue; picture a wittier, more disciplined AUSTIN POWERS."

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One Week: May 23 - 29

Standard Operating Procedure

Premiere (2008, 118 Minutes)
Directed by Errol Morris (The Fog of War, The Thin Blue Line)
Documentary

With the war in Iraq having moved into its sixth year, documentary films have gone from questioning how we got there and how we will get out, to examining how the War on Terror has altered the moral compass of the United States. There is perhaps no greater measure of what this conflict has brought out in America than the controversy surrounding the torture of prisoners of war by U.S. personnel. In his follow up to THE FOG OF WAR, director Errol Morris examines the notorious 2004 case at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, where U.S. forces were found to have been responsible for abusing and torturing prisoners. The disturbing photos of prisoners in humiliating poses, with smiling American soldiers giving the thumbs-up to the camera, only tells part of a much larger story of a military force ill-prepared for the monumental task that faces an invasion force. Morris, whose past films include THE THIN BLUE LINE, has proven himself to be as much a documentary filmmaker as he is an investigative journalist and detective. STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE finds Morris looking past the photos that define the horrors of Abu Ghraib, and searching for the answers of what led to these atrocities. Morris conducts on-camera interviews with five of the seven MPS indicted in the Abu Ghraib case, which lead to angry, personal recollections of a series of events that will plague this country for many years to come.

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Program Notes March - May 2008