AN AMERICAN CRIME

AN AMERICAN CRIME

The Story:
Based on a true story that shocked the nation in 1965, the film recounts one of the most shocking crimes ever committed against a single victim.

Two teenage girls - 16-year-old Sylvia Liken (Ellen Page) and her polio-stricken 14-year-old sister Jennie (Hayley McFarland), who are the daughters of travelling carnival workers. One summer, her parents Lester (Nick Searcy) and Betty Likens (Romy Rosemont), go on theroad and leave the girls with a complete stranger, a cash-strapped singlemother of six who attends their church - one Gertrude Baniszewski (Catherine Keener) -in return for weekly payments of $20.

Sylvia and Jennie are welcomed into the new family. Sylvia becomes fastfriends with 17-year-old Paula (Ari Graynor), who contributes to the household'smeagre earnings through a part-time job. Gertrude barely gets by with moneyshe makes from ironing and sporadic maintenance payments for her new babyfrom his father Andy (James Franco), a young layabout 15 years her junior who isabout to go off on military service.

Gertrude battles asthma, exhaustion and depression and starts to take outher frustrations on the new girls. She beats them with a belt when herparents' cheque fails to arrive one day, for example, an illogical act whichis the harbinger of much worse to come.

Indeed, when Paula tells Sylvia that she is pregnant by her marriedboyfriend, the real problems start. Paula falls out with Sylvia and lies toGertrude that she is spreading rumours about her at school; Gertrude stepsup her disciplinary action against Sylvia. She burns her with cigarettes andforces Paula to slap her.

When rumours of Paula's pregnancy start to surface, Gertrude refuses tobelieve that they are true and blames Sylvia. She has Sylvia thrownliterally down the cellar steps and keeps her locked up there, enlisting herkids and their friends to teach her a lesson - which consists of unspeakableand repeated violence and abuse.

Starring:

Ellen Page, Catherine Keener, Hayley McFarland, Michael O'Keefe, Ari Graynor, Nick Searcy, Bradley Whitford, Evan Peters.

Directed By:

Tommy O'Haver

Release:

2007

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ADVENTURES OF POWER

ADVENTURES OF POWER

The Story:
In the midst of tough times, small town mine worker Power (Ari Gold) only wishes one thing- that he'd learned to play drums. But his father (Michael McKean) could never afford to buy him a drum set, so Power has embraced the next best thing- air drumming. Tired of the constantly ridicule from his father and the local mine workers, with only the support of his Aunt Joanie (Jane Lynch) Power sets off across the country to the "paradise" of Newark- where an underground air drummer crew has invited him to join their team. But as the competition looms, so does a rival- multi-millionaire drummer Dallas Houston (Adrian Grenier), who thinks air drumming is an abomination and seeks to embarrass Power and his crew.

Starring:
Ari Gold, Adrian Grenier, Chiu Chi Ling, Jane Lynch, Michael McKean, Shoshannah Stern

Directed By:
Ari Gold

Release:
2008

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RAGING PHOENIX (JIJA DEU SUAY DOO)

RAGING PHOENIX (JIJA DEU SUAY DOO) จีจ้า ดื้อสวยดุ (Thailand)

The Story:
Raging Phoenix is thai martial arts starlet Jija Yanin's second film. Yanin returns after starring in Chocolate in what appears to be a plot involving her efforts to rescue another young girl from human traffickers.

Starring:
"Jija" Yanin Wismistananda, Kazu Patrick Tang, Nui Saendaeng, Sompong Lertwimonkaisom, Boonprasayrít Salangam, Roongtawan Jindasee.

Directed By:
Rashane Limtrakul

Release:
2009

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THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL

The Story:

In the 1980s, college student Samantha Hughes (Jocelin Donahue) who's sick of living in the dorms and is preparing to move into an apartment with her friend Megan (Greta Gerwig). Eager to earn some money to facilitate the move, Samantha responds to a flier posted on a campus bulletin board looking for a babysitter. The flier is blank except for a phone number and the words "BABYSITTER WANTED."

Once she convinces Megan to give her a ride to the creepy old house, Samantha learns that the job is not quite what was advertised. The clients are the Ulmans, Mr. Ulman (Tom Noonan) is a tall, gentle-voiced man who uses a walking stick; his wife (Mary Woronov) is old-school sophisticated, a woman whose evening wear requires fur.

The Ulmans don't even have a child. He tells Samantha that she just has to stay in the house with his elderly mother-in-law while he and the missus go out to celebrate the lunar eclipse. When she balks at the change of plans, he offers her more money. As the night goes on, it becomes clear that Samantha slowly realizes her clients harbor a terrifying secret; they plan to use her in a satanic ritual.

Starring:

Jocelin Donahue, Greta Gerwig, Tom Noonan, Mary Woronov, AJ Bowen, Dee Wallace

Directed By:

Ti West

Release:

2009

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MOTHER

MOTHER (South Korean)

The Story:
Widowed for a long time, a mother (Kim Hye-ja) lives alone with her only son, Do-joon (Won Bin). He is 28 years old, a shy and quiet young man. In the aftermath of a terrible murder, the woman’s hopeless, helpless son becomes the prime suspect. There is no real evidence against him, but the police throw groundless suspicion at him simply because there is no way he can prove his innocence. Eager to close the case, the police are happy with their cursory investigation and arrest the boy. His defense attorney turns out to be incompetent and unreliable, making a conviction seem inevitable. Faced with no other choice, his mother gets involved, determined to prove her son’s innocence.

Starring:
Bin Won, Ku Jin, Hye-ja Kim.

Directed By:
Bong Joon-ho

Release:
2009

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