Amsterdam Film Show | September 2018

A modern missing person thriller, a vengeful lumberjack and some 80s pop nostalgia. The September edition of the Amsterdam Film Show is here.

Watch the full show, read the blog notes or find links in our Pinterest board below. The AFS is also broadcast on TV and on our radio station.

 

SHOW NOTES

News! We’ve now started the Amsterdam Film Club, to go with the Amsterdam Film Show. Join us on either or both to see films together at a local cinema and join in the discussions.

Find us on Meetup: https://www.meetup.com/Amsterdam-Film-Club

Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1499148403561897/

 

 

FILM FESTIVALS & SPECIAL SCREENINGS

 

Sat 22 Sept

Desperately Seeking Susan (1985) + LIVE band

Part of Eyeshadow, a new monthy series at @ Eye filmmuseum which pairs ‘modern classic’ films with live performances and drinks at the bar afterwards. The films themeselves will have a striking soundtrack, this one is full of 80s pop, including the hit single, Into the Groove, by cast member Madonna.

 

Mon 24 Sept @ 20:00 ( as it’s a long film, 4 hours!)

Hamlet (1996) @ Krtierion

Kenneth Branagh stars and directs in this film adaptation of Shakespeare’s famous tragedy. Chosen for the Moderne Klassiekers series, with the September theme being ‘Masters of Revenge’.

 

Thurs 27 Sept

Tesnota (aka Closeness) (2017) + EN subs @ Cinecenter

The CineExpat series screens recent foreign language films with English subtitles. This one’s a Russian drama: a small community shows it’s vunerability when a a poor young Jeweish couple are kidnapped and held to ransom.

 

REVIEW

Searching | CRIME THRILLER | Director: Aneesh Chaganty | Writers: Aneesh Chaganty, Sev Ohanian | Stars: John Cho, Debra Messing | FROM 6 SEPT | When his studious teenage daughter goes missing, a widowed father discovers he did not know her as well as he thought he did. A story told through the screens we use every day; desktop computer screens, Facetime, webcams, CCTV.

We spoke to a few members of the local Amsterdam Blockbuster Movie Meetup group and they gave it definite thumbs up.

 

@CathyCentral gives it 8/10 and says: ”OK so this is kind of lo-fi but that’s the point. Using the screen and cam footage makes it seems very close to our real-life experiences, especially the way we communicate with family at this current time. And like other lo-fi thrillers like Blair Witch Project, if there’s a good story that’s what counts. And there certainly is a good story, with plenty of red herrings, twists and turns, and a thoroughly gripping end sequence. But there’s plenty of humour, pointing fun at some of the everyday tech we use, and for this it’s worth watching on the big screen so that you can spot these ‘in-jokes’. I also like the way they have a strong Asian-American cast in the lead roles but they don’t make a song and dance about it (unlike Crazy Rich Asians), because hey – this should be completely normal.

 

NEW CINEMA RELEASES | OUR TIPS

Here’s our highlights from the rest of the film releases in NL this month.

 

FROM 13 SEPT

 

Mandy | HORROR | Dir-Scr: Panos Cosmatos  Stars: Nicolas Cage, Andrea Riseborough | A vengeful lumberjack anyone?

@Cathycentral says “This looks like an original, stylish, future-classic horror movie with one of my all-time favourite actors. Only question is, am I too pussy to see it?”

 

I Am Not a Witch | Director: Rungano Nyoni | Writer: Rungano Nyoni | 1h 33min | COMEDY DRAMA | Set in Zambia, a young girl is sent by her village to a witch camp. But what if she’s just a girl? About a year after it’s UK release, this first feature form an exciting new director is finally screening in NL. It’s a foreign language film so seek out a screening with English subtitles if you can.

@CathyCentral says: “This looks beautifully shot and I’m really intrigued to see how the director balances humour and emotion in this sad story.”

 

FROM 20 SEPT

The Children Act | COURTROOM DRAMA | Director: Richard Eyre | Writers: Ian McEwan, based on his novel | Stars: Emma Thompson, Stanley Tucci, Fionn Whitehead| Oscar-winnner, Emma Thompson, plays a judge with a particularly heavy moral dilema with life or death consequences for a teenage boy. Meanwhile her marriage is falling apart.

@CathyCentral says: “If there were ever a role custom made for Thompson this is probably it. Worthy, intellectual stuff with a top cast.”

 

FROM 27 SEPT

McQueen | DOC | Directors: Ian Bonhôte, Peter Ettedgui | A look at the life and work of the  late fashion designer Lee Alexander McQueen. One of the most interesting designers, with a dark, bold, creative vision. McQueen himself, and his friends and family, reflect on the pressures of the industry, and his troubled mind.  

 

Fahrenheit 11/9 | DOC | Dir: Michael Moore | The latest Michael Moore shock-doc looks at the rise and presidency of Donald Trump. (Not to be confused with his earlier film, Farenheit 9/11.) Interesting that the IMBD rating is less that 5/10 and the Rotten Tomatoes score is 96%. There’s maybe some political voting going on there.     

@CathyCentral: “But anyway, no matter how highly they rate it, I’m pretty sure I don’t want to go to the cinema and seriously depress myself at the state of the world.”