Amsterdam Film Show | Feb 2018

Can a monster romance charm someone who doesn’t like monster films or romance films? Are child actors ever bearable? We’ll see, as our Amsterdam Film Show tips for February are here … 

• David Swatling reviews The Florida Project and The Shape of Water
• our highlights (low brow and high brow) from the rest of the new cinema releases hitting Amsterdam this month; The Post, Black Panther, and I, Tonya.
• special screenings and film festivals
• YouTube, TV, radio & audio versions + text script below
• links via Pinterest

SHOW NOTES

NEW CINEMA RELEASES 

“Here’s the Amsterdam Film Show’s highlights from the film releases in the Netherlands, this month.”

FROM 1 FEB

The Post | Director: Steven Spielberg | Writers: Liz Hannah, Josh Singer | Stars: Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Sarah Paulson

The Washington Post has the country’s first female newpaper publisher and she’s facing a show-down with the government over a huge cover up. How will she handle it?

@Cathycentral: “I’m so bored of the same names, same dirctors, same US focussed historical gaze. I’ll give this one a miss.” 

FROM 8 FEB

The Florida Project | Director: Sean Baker | Writers: Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch | with: Brooklynn Prince, Bria Vinaite, Willem Dafoe

Moonee (6) lives in poverty in a Florida motel with her mother, Hallie. But that doesn’t mean the summer holdiays have to be dull. Together with her band of motel friends, they fill their days with mischief, begging, vandalism and more, while causing the motel manager no end of headaches. But when Hallie can’t make the rent money anymore, can the fun last?

@cathycentral gives it 7/10 

@davidswatling says 8/10

Screening @ Cinecenter  /  Filmhallen /  The Movies / Pathé Arena  /  Pathé Tuschinski   /  Kriterion  / at least 

FROM 14 FEB

Black Panther | Dir-Scr: Ryan Coogler (Creed – a Rocky film) | Stars: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o & many more

The new king of Wakanda, T’Challa, already faces a challenge for the throne of this advanced but remote African nation. Black Panther steps up and leads the efforts to stop a brewing world war.  

@cathycentral says: “This is your top movie choice if you are looking for spectacle and action this month, and obvs better to see on a big screen so now’s your chance. Feted for the costumes especially, but the storytelling has also had great reviews – and story often lets the Marvel franchaise down …

FROM 15 FEB

The Shape of Water | Dir-Scr: Guillermo del Toro | Stars: Sally Hawkins, Octavia Spencer, Michael Shannon

A strange sea creature kept in a secret lab in the 1960s may have found true love with a lonely cleaner. But can their love survive?  

“I highly recommend it”  @davidswatling

Screening @ Uitkijk  / Pathé Arena & Tuschinski  /  Filmhallen  / Studio K

FROM 22 FEB

I, Tonya  | Dir: Craig Gillespie | Writer: Steven Rogers | Stars: Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan, Allison Janney

Tonya Harding, the working class US figure skater is technically brilliant but her reputation becomes tainted when her ex-husband tries to take out her main competion.

FESTIVALS & SCREENINGS

“Film festivals and our picks of the special screenings this month”

 

Sun 11 Feb from 19:00 | Drinks with the host before the film

The Insult | c/o CINE EXPAT series @ CINECENTER | Dir. ZIAD DOUEIRI, ARABISCH spoken + EN subs

A fight during the construction of an apartment building in Beirut between the builder, a Palestinian refugee, and Toni, a Libanese christian, becomes a conflict of national significance. Courtroom drama with great reviews.

• also another Cine Expat on Thurs 22 March probably.

 

26 Feb – 4 March

Taartrovers Film Festival @ EYE filmmuseum | “Taartrovers Film Festival, known previously as Fantastisch Kinderfilm Festival, is a festival for young children, packed with films and imagination.”

“taartrovers” = cake robbers  

“The festival aims to plant a seed with the young ones that will grow into a budding love for film and a first understanding of film literacy … They can share their observations, and create with one another in the ‘Playground of the Imagination’, a set of interactive installations on site. It’s a national, roving festival and the Amsterdam edition  includes international classics ‘The Neverending Story and Matilda (OVs and lots of cahrming looking shorts. Nick Park’s new aniamtion Early Man is screening but with Dutch dubbing. Opening dance on Monday morning and everyone encouraged to go in fancy dress. The website gives  a lot of info in English and provides age suitability for each item on the programme.

taartrovers.nl