IFC Films

12 and Holding
IFC Films

Director - MICHAEL CUESTA

CAST
Conor Donovan - JACOB
Zoe Weizenbaum - MALEE
Jesse Camacho - LEONARD

A master work from Director Michael Cuesta, 12 and Holding confronts every parents challenge; maintaining a sense of the family unit while managing the sheer complexities of today’s adolescence. Seriously noteworthy was the serious acting presence of LEONARD (Jesse Camacho) as well as the all but 17 y/o and consistent Zoe Weizenbaum; well done all around and catch the trailer at Fierce.com.

Mister Lonely
IFC Films

Director - HARMONY KORINE
Screenplay - HARMONY KORINE, AVI KORINE
Producer - AGNES B.
Executive Producer - PETER WATSON

CAST
Denis Lavant - CHARLIE CHAPLIN
Diego Luna - MICHAEL JACKSON
Samantha Morton - MARILYN MONROE
James Fox - THE POPE
Melita Morgan - MADONNA
Anita Pallenberg - THE QUEEN
Werner Herzog - FATHER UMBRILLO

Take two parts Michael Jackson (Diego Luna), one part Marilyn Monroe (Samantha Morton), a sprinkle of The Queen (Anita Pallenberg) and a twist of Charlie Chaplin (Denis Lavant); outcome? The brilliance of Harmony Korine and his latest master work Mister Lonely. Blending sheer fantasy and reality you’ll walk away questioning the next time you pass judgement on that person on Sunset or the Vegas Strip. Another one I haven’t seen in it’s entirety but the emotional and easy to follow trailer is at Fierce.com.

This is England
IFC Films

Director - SHANE MEADOWS

CAST
Thomas Turgoose - SHAUN
Stephen Graham - COMBO
Jo Hartley - CYNTH
Andrew Shim - MILKY
Vicky McClure - LOL

It’s 1983 and the setting is Northern England. An impressionable and fatherless 12 year old boy named Shaun (Thomas Turgoose) is led astray by an older, hyper skinhead named COMBO (Stephen Graham) who takes Shaun on as as study. What I found most stunning about this film was how caught up I was in the core groups sense of belonging while simultaneously disgusted at the pure hatred of others simply for their beliefs and/or heritage. Not a new film but simply a must see! The trailer is at Fierce.com.