By: John Monaghan
Source: http://www.freep.com
Category: Film School Online
The opening shot of Aki Kaurismaki's "Le Havre" ( * * * *) finds Marcel (André Wilms), an elderly shoe shiner in a French port town, expectantly watching the feet of potential clients as they leave a train. All wear soft boots or tennis shoes, further illustrating just how much Marcel is a man out of time.
His routine is disrupted when he encounters African boy Idrissa (Blondin Miguel), an illegal refugee who's running from the cops. Marcel harbors the kid because he doesn't like to see anyone pushed around, especially by the police.
"Le Havre," which opens the season at the Detroit Film Theatre on Friday, has all of director's Kaurismaki's trademarks, including intentionally stilted dialogue, languorous editing and candy-colored set pieces. Maybe I'm just getting used to him, but the stuff that used to bug me about Kaurismaki's other films (1989's "Leningrad Cowboys Go America" among them) works beautifully here.
The director's eye for detail and deadpan sense of humor are in full flourish, along with his love of American rock music. A second half highlight finds Marcel staging what he calls a "trendy benefit concert" featuring a diminutive lead singer named Little Bob whose face resembles a dried apple.
It all sounds sort of corny, but rest assured: "Le Havre" was one of the most moving films of 2011.
7 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday (also next weekend) at the DFT at the Detroit Institute of Arts, 5200 Woodward, Detroit. 313-833-4686 or www.dia.org/dft. $7.50; $6.50 students, seniors.
Also at the DFT: The DFT is also launching a series of winter weekends filled with classic films and documentaries. In the doc "Man on a Mission," Richard Garriott goes from being the famous creator of video games to being a pioneer in private space travel. 9:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 4:30 p.m. Sunday. $7.50; $6.50 students, seniors.
Meanwhile, Orson Welles' 1958 "Touch of Evil" is arguably the last great film from the fabled director. It finds a corrupt border town police detective (Welles) tangling with a crusading Mexican drug enforcement officer (Charlton Heston) and his new bride (Janet Leigh). 4 p.m. Saturday. $5.
'Wonderland' returns: A mix of Lewis Carroll and modern burlesque, "Wonderland" premiered in 2009 as a delightfully demented stage work at the Russell Industrial Center. A DVD version of the piece, assembled by the folks who run Theatre Bizarre, screens Friday at the Redford alongside live performances by members of the cast. 8 p.m. Friday, Redford Theatre, 17360 Lahser (at Grand River), Detroit. Info and tickets at www.whoooareyou.com. $15.
Mitten Movie Project: The January edition of the Mitten Movie Project, which showcases the latest Michigan-made independent films, arrives a little late because of the holidays. Among this month's highlights are trailers for upcoming projects from Oren Goldenberg ("Brewster Douglass, You're My Brother"), Joseph Johnston ("Mr. Henderson"), and Derek Schultz ("Northern Lights"), plus an award-winning webisode of "The Haywire Effect" from Blake O. Kleiner. 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Main Art Theatre, 118 N. Main, Royal Oak. Info at www.facebook.com/mittenmovieproject . $10, $8 advance.
'Take Shelter' at Cass City: "Take Shelter" was one of the best-reviewed but least-seen films of 2011. The story of a man plagued by apocalyptic visions features Oscar-worthy performances from Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain. Metro Detroiters have a second chance to see it this weekend at the Cass City Cinema, the new alternative film space in the old Burton International School, 3420 Cass, Detroit. 313-281-8301 or www.casscitycinema.com . $5.
Source: http://www.freep.com/article/20120112/ENT01/201120316/-Le-Havre-kicks-off-Detroit-Film-Theatre-s-new-season
Source: http://www.freep.com
Category: Film School Online
The opening shot of Aki Kaurismaki's "Le Havre" ( * * * *) finds Marcel (André Wilms), an elderly shoe shiner in a French port town, expectantly watching the feet of potential clients as they leave a train. All wear soft boots or tennis shoes, further illustrating just how much Marcel is a man out of time.
His routine is disrupted when he encounters African boy Idrissa (Blondin Miguel), an illegal refugee who's running from the cops. Marcel harbors the kid because he doesn't like to see anyone pushed around, especially by the police.
"Le Havre," which opens the season at the Detroit Film Theatre on Friday, has all of director's Kaurismaki's trademarks, including intentionally stilted dialogue, languorous editing and candy-colored set pieces. Maybe I'm just getting used to him, but the stuff that used to bug me about Kaurismaki's other films (1989's "Leningrad Cowboys Go America" among them) works beautifully here.
The director's eye for detail and deadpan sense of humor are in full flourish, along with his love of American rock music. A second half highlight finds Marcel staging what he calls a "trendy benefit concert" featuring a diminutive lead singer named Little Bob whose face resembles a dried apple.
It all sounds sort of corny, but rest assured: "Le Havre" was one of the most moving films of 2011.
7 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday (also next weekend) at the DFT at the Detroit Institute of Arts, 5200 Woodward, Detroit. 313-833-4686 or www.dia.org/dft. $7.50; $6.50 students, seniors.
Also at the DFT: The DFT is also launching a series of winter weekends filled with classic films and documentaries. In the doc "Man on a Mission," Richard Garriott goes from being the famous creator of video games to being a pioneer in private space travel. 9:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 4:30 p.m. Sunday. $7.50; $6.50 students, seniors.
Meanwhile, Orson Welles' 1958 "Touch of Evil" is arguably the last great film from the fabled director. It finds a corrupt border town police detective (Welles) tangling with a crusading Mexican drug enforcement officer (Charlton Heston) and his new bride (Janet Leigh). 4 p.m. Saturday. $5.
'Wonderland' returns: A mix of Lewis Carroll and modern burlesque, "Wonderland" premiered in 2009 as a delightfully demented stage work at the Russell Industrial Center. A DVD version of the piece, assembled by the folks who run Theatre Bizarre, screens Friday at the Redford alongside live performances by members of the cast. 8 p.m. Friday, Redford Theatre, 17360 Lahser (at Grand River), Detroit. Info and tickets at www.whoooareyou.com. $15.
Mitten Movie Project: The January edition of the Mitten Movie Project, which showcases the latest Michigan-made independent films, arrives a little late because of the holidays. Among this month's highlights are trailers for upcoming projects from Oren Goldenberg ("Brewster Douglass, You're My Brother"), Joseph Johnston ("Mr. Henderson"), and Derek Schultz ("Northern Lights"), plus an award-winning webisode of "The Haywire Effect" from Blake O. Kleiner. 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Main Art Theatre, 118 N. Main, Royal Oak. Info at www.facebook.com/mittenmovieproject . $10, $8 advance.
'Take Shelter' at Cass City: "Take Shelter" was one of the best-reviewed but least-seen films of 2011. The story of a man plagued by apocalyptic visions features Oscar-worthy performances from Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain. Metro Detroiters have a second chance to see it this weekend at the Cass City Cinema, the new alternative film space in the old Burton International School, 3420 Cass, Detroit. 313-281-8301 or www.casscitycinema.com . $5.
Source: http://www.freep.com/article/20120112/ENT01/201120316/-Le-Havre-kicks-off-Detroit-Film-Theatre-s-new-season
