Los Angeles Film Festival 2009: UNMADE BEDS, COLD SOULS, ZMD: ZOMBIES OF MASS DESTRUCTION

Unmade Beds (top); Paul Giamatti in Cold Souls (2nd from top); Autumn (2nd from bottom); ZMD: Zombies of Mass Destruction (bottom)

Los Angeles Film Festival, Thu., June 25, highlights:
Alexis dos Santos‘ Unmade Beds (Landmark 4, 2:30 pm) chronicles the emotional, romantic, and sexual entanglements of a group of young denizens of London’s East End. In the cast: Déborah François, Fernando Tielve, Michiel Huisman, Iddo Goldberg, and Richard Lintern.
A second screening of Matthew Bissonnette’s Passenger Side (Landmark 8, 4:30 pm), which follows two estranged brothers — one an ex-junkie (Joel Bissonnette); the other a struggling writer (Adam Scott) — through the streets and freeways of Los Angeles and the nearby desert. Throughout it all the brothers get to know a little [...]

Sundance 2009: Gay Themes

Jim Carrey, Ewan McGregor in I Love You, Phillip Morris

Gay boycott or no, Sundance 2009 has several films dealing — at least to some extent — with gay characters.
The most publicized gay-focused film at Sundance is I Love You, Phillip Morris, about a scary-looking ex-cop (Jim Carrey) who becomes a criminal and is arrested. While in jail, he falls for a fellow inmate (Ewan McGregor). Based on a book by Steve McVicker, I Love You, Phillip Morris was written and directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, whose writing credits include Bad Santa and Bad News Bears.

Peter Bratt’s La Mission portrays the difficult relationship between a San Francisco gay teen (Jeremy Ray [...]

Sundance 2009: World Cinema Dramatic Competition

Sundance 2009: World Cinema Dramatic Competition
 

Nathalie Baye in A French Gigolo
 
Before Tomorrow (Le Jour Avant Lendemain) / Canada (Directors: Madeline Piujuq, Marie-Helene Cousineau)
A wise old woman fights to survive impossible circumstances with her young grandson in the Canadian Arctic. Cast: Peter-Henry Arnatsiaq, Paul-Dylan Ivalu, Madeline Piujuq Ivalu, Mary Qulitalik, Tumasie Sivuarapik. U.S. premiere
Bronson / U.K. (Director: Nicolas Winding Refn; screenwriter: Brock Norman Brock)
Traces the transformation of Mickey Peterson into Britain’s most notorious, dangerous and charismatic prisoner, Charles Bronson. Cast: Tom Hardy. North American premiere
Carmo, Hit the Road / Spain (Director-screenwriter: Murilo Pasta)
A lonely, handicapped smuggler and a beautiful girl embark on a reckless ride through [...]