Cinema Glee in 2003
American Splendor
The life of a real comic book writer, Harvey Pekar, seen through animated
versions of his comics; interviews with him and his wife, Joyce Brabner;
a movie where he is played by Paul Giamatti, and his wife is played by Hope
Davis; and a play seen within the movie. Got all that?
Bend it Like Beckham
A delightful movie about two girls in England, one English (Keira Knightley)and
one Indian (Parminder Nagra), neither of whose families can understand their
passion for playing soccer.
Cuckoo
Two soldiers, one Russian and one Finn, and a lonely Lapp widow, none of
whom can speak the others’ languages, end up living together at the
end of World War II. Misunderstandings and distrust turn into strong bonds
of friendship.
Dirty Pretty Things
A darkly humorous look at a side of London that tourists and most residents
never see: the lives of the immigrants who clean hotel rooms, drive cabs,
and work as prostitutes.
Far from Heaven
A 2002 movie we saw in 2003. Julianne Moore should have received the Best
Actress Oscar for her performance as the 1950s suburban housewife who is
ostracized when she seeks friendship from a black man (Dennis Haysbert)
after her husband reveals that he is homosexual.
Finding Nemo
A great animated children’s movie that all ages will enjoy.
Frida
Salma Hayek gave the other truly Oscar-worthy performance of 2002, completely
owning the screen in Julie Tamor’s boldly surreal homage to the Mexican
artist Frida Kahlo.
The Human Stain
Anthony Hopkins convincingly portrays a pale-skinned black man who severs
his links with his family and his past, and passes for white. A moving look
at the destructive power of secrets and how they can affect our lives. Great
performances by Nicole Kidman, Gary Sinise, and Ed Harris.
In America
An Irish family, grieving the loss of a child, moves to New York City so
the father can look for work as an actor. Inspired by events in writer/director
Jim Sheridan’s life. A fine cast. Based on their performances, the
Bolger sisters have great careers ahead.
Lost in Translation
An aging, has-been movie star, in Tokyo to film whisky commercials, meets
a young, neglected wife of a photographer in a Tokyo hotel. Together they
explore Tokyo and develop a friendship. Yes, it's that simple — which
is what helps make it so compelling.
Love Actually
Lots of intertwined love stories in this enchanting confection. Guaranteed
to melt the iciest heart and bring a smile to the frowniest face.
The Magdalene Sisters
Unwed pregnant girls in Ireland are sent away by their families and treated
as slaves by nuns. Based on actual events.
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Not just a good adventure story at sea, this film also looks at friendship
and loyalty and teamwork.
Mystic River
Powerful performances by Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, and Kevin Bacon make this
a movie not to be missed. A violent crime in the present is linked to violence
in the past, a past that none of the three principal characters can escape.
Great setting in working-class Boston and great direction by Clint Eastwood.
Nowhere in Africa
A look at the life of a German family that escapes Hitler’s Germany
for Kenya. This film won the Best Foreign Film Oscar for 2002, but was not
shown here until 2003.
The Producers
We don’t live in New York City, so we can’t see the Broadway
play. But the 1969 film is still milk-coming-out-the-nose hilarious.
Seabiscuit
“The horse is too small, the jockey’s too big, the trainer’s
too old, and the owner’s too dumb to know it,” says Jeff Bridges
playing Seabiscuit’s owner Howard in this wonderful film. Seabiscuit
captured America’s heart during the Great Depression, garnering more
media attention in his heyday than either Roosevelt or Hitler. A heart-warming
film that captures the mood of the era.
Shattered Glass
Hayden Christensen gives a great performance as a young journalist who so
desperately seeks approval and adulation that he makes up stories for his
magazine out of whole cloth — and gets away with it for more than
a year. A true story.
The Station Agent
A moving look at friendship and loneliness. A dwarf with a passion for trains
inherits an abandoned train station in New Jersey. Instead of solitude he
craves, he encounters a variety of eccentrics and discovers their friendship
is what he really needs. Touching performances by Peter Dinklage, Patricia
Clarkson, and Bobby Cannavale.
Whale Rider
A Maori girl in New Zealand has to prove that she is worthy and capable
of being tribal leader. Keisha Castle-Hughes in her first performance (she
had never before been in so much as a school play) is amazing.
Winged Migration
A look at birds, mainly geese, on their semi-annual migrations. There’s
a whole world above us that we will never look at in the same way again.
Wit
Emma Thompson’s performance as a lonely English professor dying of
ovarian cancer is harrowing, moving, and even funny. Because this was an
HBO film not released in cinemas, Thompson was not eligible for the Oscar,
but she did win a Golden Globe and a SAG award for her outstanding performance.
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