5 Short Documentaries at I-House

Five MFA graduates from Temple's film program are screening documentary work at the International House this Tuesday, November 27, at 7:00pm. I've personally seen some of this work, either in-progress or completed, and I can say that it's quite strong and represents a range of approaches to documentary, including observation, animation, self-reflexivity, and poetic approaches.

The program, titled "The Things They Carry," comprises five shorts:

3956 County Road 15 (Ellen Knechel) 26m

Inheritance (Aggie Ebrahimi Bazaz) 29m
Pigment (Alexis McCrimmon) 12m
Roy: Dream Catcher (Andrew Bateman) 65m
Things We Keep (David Cooper Moore) 20m

More descriptions can be found at the event's homepage. In all, it's a cohesive program worth catching.

Ides of March at Bryn Mawr Film Institute

The mainstream film may turn some people on the right side of the political fence off, but there is no doubt that this power house drama is among the best that 2011 has to offer. This is the last chance to catch the film during its time at the cineplex, being pulled on November 22nd. So make sure to get over there!

"George Clooney goes behind the camera for the fourth time to direct The Ides of March, an adaptation of Beau Willimon's play Farragut North. The movie stars Ryan Gosling as Stephen Meyers, an idealistic deputy campaign manager for Governor Mike Morris (Clooney), who is in a major political battle in Ohio that could be the key to winning the Democratic presidential nomination. When the opposing candidate's campaign manager (Paul Giamatti) offers Stephen a job on his staff, Stephen neglects to inform his boss (Philip Seymour Hoffman). Just as that omission is revealed, Stephen uncovers a dirty personal secret that could sink Morris' political career. The Ides of March screened at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival."

The film provides phenomenal supporting performences from Paul Giamatti and Phillip Seymour Hoffman, who should both be appearing at the Oscars with nominations come this February.

If you want to see some of Clooney's new work, Alexander Payne's "The Descendant's" is beginning at the Bryn Mawr Film Institute on November 23rd! If you can't wait until then, it opens at the Ritz in center city Philadelphia this Friday, 11/18.