Great Movies You Missed: Film Festival at Stratford Library Begins April 4
The Stratford Library will present its 10th annual film festival of little-seen movies, Great Movies You Missed, beginning Monday, April 4 through Friday, April 8. The program is a continuation of the library’s specialized film series which attracts over 1,000 patrons annually. The series is free and open to the public.
Great Movies You Missed will highlight six critically acclaimed films from last year that – for whatever reason – did not reach a wide audience during their general release. One film slated to be shown, "Amy," was the 2015 Oscar winner as the year’s “Best Documentary.” The library series will feature guest film critics Joe Meyers from the Connecticut Post and Tom Holehan of Elm City Newspapers for commentary prior to the screenings.
The complete schedule for Great Movies You Missed is:
April 4: “Love and Mercy”: An unconventional portrait of Brian Wilson, the mercurial singer, songwriter and leader of The Beach Boys. Set against the era-defining catalog of Wilson's music, the film intimately examines the personal voyage and ultimate salvation of the icon whose success came at extraordinary personal cost. Paul Dano and John Cusack memorably share the role of Wilson. Shown at 12 p.m. 121 minutes. Rated PG-13.
April 5: “Timbuktu”: Not far from the ancient Malian city of Timbuktu, now ruled by religious fundamentalists, a proud cattle herder lives peacefully in the dunes with his wife, daughter and their twelve-year-old shepherd. But in town the people suffer, powerless, from the regime of terror imposed by the Jihadists determined to control their faith. Shown at 12 p.m.. 97 minutes. Rated PG-13.
April 5: “Ex Machina”: Computer programmer Caleb wins a competition to spend a week at the private mountain estate of his company's brilliant and reclusive CEO. Upon his arrival, Caleb learns he’s been chosen to evaluate his boss’ latest experiment in artificial intelligence. Alicia Vikander, Oscar-winner for “The Danish Girl,” plays the breathtaking A.I. whose emotional intelligence proves more sophisticated--and more deceptive--than the two men could have imagined. Connecticut Post arts critic Joe Meyers will introduce the film which won the Oscar for “Best Visual Effects” this year. Shown at 7 p.m. 108 minutes. Rated R.
April 6: “Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem”: An Israeli woman, seeking to finalize her divorce from her cruel and manipulative husband, finds herself effectively put on trial by her country's religiously-based marriage laws. In contemporary Israel there is neither civil marriage nor civil divorce; only rabbis can legalize a marriage or its dissolution, which is only possible with the husband's full consent. Riveting drama. Shown at 12 p.m. 115 minutes.
April 7: “Amy”: This year’s Oscar-winning documentary is an incisive, heartbreaking look at the multi-talented singer/songwriter Amy Winehouse. The singer was a pop star with soul; a once in two generational musical talent whose appeal crossed cultural and demographic boundaries. But while her music made her a star, her chaotic personal life stole headlines. Shown at 12 p.m. 128 minutes. Rated R.
April 8: “Goodnight Mommy”: In a lonesome house in the countryside, nine-year-old twin brothers are waiting for their mother. When she comes home, bandaged after cosmetic surgery, nothing is like before. The children start to doubt that the woman is actually their mother and what emerges is an existential struggle for identity and fundamental trust. Creepy and unnerving. Shown at 12 p.m. 99 minutes. Rated R.
All movies will be shown uncut and in widescreen format. The film festival, recommended for adult audiences, will be held in the library’s Lovell Room.
The Stratford Library is located at 2203 Main St. in Stratford, Conn. For more information, phone (203) 385-4164, or visit stratfordlibrary.org.
Photo: Recent Oscar winners “Amy” (top) and “Ex Machina”