Cineconcert: The Mark of Zorro with Hesperus at Smithsonian American Art October 28th

     This is a pretty cool event happening at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in October.  If you've never had the chance to see a silent film with live music accompaniment, it's really something to experience.  

     If you're not familiar with Hesperus, they are a local ensemble who were the ensemble in residence at the American History Museum for a decade back in the 80's and 90's and their music has appeared on Hollywood soundtracks like Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow.  Also, they take their name from an awesome poem by Longfellow. 

 

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hesperus_%28ensemble%29

Cineconcert: The Mark of Zorro with Hesperus

When	Sunday, October 28, 2012, 2 – 3:30pm
Categories	After Five, Films
Location	American Art Museum
Event Location	McEvoy Auditorium, Lower Level
Cost	Free tickets distributed in the G Street lobby thirty minutes before the start of the program (limit two per person).
Note	(Unrated, 1920; 90 minutes, black and white) Disguised as Señor Zorro (“Mr. Fox”), the son of a wealthy ranchero in the old Spanish California of the early nineteenth century takes a stand against the mistreatment of the common people by rich landowners and an oppressive government. The critically acclaimed musical group Hesperus will perform selections of music from Old and New Spain during the screening. Douglas Fairbanks plays the hero

Seven Psychopaths

     Here's another film I've been looking forward to for a while.  Seven Psychopaths reunites actor Colin Farrell with director Martin McDonagh who previously worked together in 2008's In Bruges, a terrific and underrated film.  McDonagh also produced The Guard last year, another fantastic film that went under the radar, written and directed by his brother, John Michael McDonagh.  Too bad they couldn't fit Brendan Gleeson in someplace. 

     This is another amazing cast, particularly for bringing together so many oddball actors, apparently the film's title is apt.  Colin Farrell, Christopher Walken, Sam Rockwell, Tom Waits, and Woody Harrelson lead the way.  It has all the makings of a fantastic crime film, reminiscent of the pre-Madonna Guy Ritchie films of 10 years ago.  Harrelson plays a crazy mobster who's dog is kidnapped and ransomed by Farrell and his crew of misfits. Harrelson stepped into the role when Mickey Rourke had to pull out of the movie.  Gabourey Sidibe takes a turn as the dog walker Harrelson feels responsible for the theft. 
    
     Throw in a couple a couple pretty faces with Abbie Cornish and former Bond Girl Olga Kurylenko and you have the makings of a film sure to be a hit among younger male viewers and those who act like younger male viewers like myself.  I'm guessing this is going to hit E Street here in Washington, DC, one of my favorite theaters in town, not sure it has the pull to end up in the major theaters hopefully.

Lincoln (Non-Vampire Hunter Version)

     Of all the Oscar buzz fall films, Lincoln is the one I am looking forward to most.  I was an American History major, I have a crush on Doris Kearns Goodwin, and Day-Lewis looks freakishly perfect as Lincoln himself.  Yes it's Spielberg so it's pretty much a lock to get award notice, add to that a classic figure in American history, and it would be hard for this film not to generate crazy Oscar hype.  What's really attractive to me about this film is the amazing supporting cast behind Daniel Day-Lewis who is sure to steal every scene he is in.  I'd easily rank this as the best cast of any film this year, with industry heavyweights, quirky indie darlings, obscure career character actors, and up and coming new stars.

Industry heavyweights: Tommy Lee Jones as Thaddeus Stevens, Sally Field as crazy Mary Todd Lincoln, Hal Holbrook as Francis Preston Blair.

Quirky indie darlings: Tim Blake Nelson as Richard Schell, James Spader as WN Bilbo, Jackie Earle Haley as Alexander Stephens, John Hawkes as Robert Latham, David Strathairn as William Seward,

Career character actors: S. Epatha Merkerson as Lydia Smith, Bruce McGill as Edward Stanton, Jared Harris as Ulysses S. Grant.

Up and coming new stars: Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Robert Todd Lincoln, Lee Pace as Fernando Wood, Joseph Cross as John Hay.

     I'm sure I'm leaving out some other actors but how do you look at that list and not say WOW, particularly after Spielberg's 2011 War Horse was noticeably short on recognizable actors.  Hopefully the films lives up to the hype.  Obviously the Kearns Goodwin book is about the best plce you could possibly start when making a historic bio-pic.  Tony Kushner wrote the screenplay, his first since the 2005 Munich, also by Spielberg, and a pretty good film (how can it not be with Daniel Craig in it).
     The film has all the makings of a powerhouse Oscar season winner, I'll guess we'll find out November 16th. 

Filmfest DC's Arabian Sights October 25th to November 4th

I'll be volunteering as a Theater Manager again this year for Arabian Sights, come down  and say hello and catch one of the great films this year, full catalog should be out shortly:

Arabian Sights Website

Arabian Sights 2012

The Arabian Sights Film Festival will take place October 25 through November 4.
The Seventeenth Annual Arabian Sights Film Festival returns with the newest and most innovative films from today's Arab world. Select directors will be present at their screenings to discuss their work. Special events will be held and an Audience Award for favorite film will be presented. All films will be screened with English subtitles. Please check back for updates on films, guests, events, and more.
This year, film screenings will take place at the National Geographic Society's Grosvenor Auditorium in conjunction with 1001 Inventions: Discover the Golden Age of Muslim Civilization, an award-winning exhibition dedicated to the history of science and technology in the Islamic civilization during the Golden Age.