Shamus (1973) Buzz Kulik, Burt Reynolds, Dyan Cannon, John P. Ryan, Action, Comedy, Crime

Shamus (Buzz Kulik, 1973)
New York private eye Shamus McCoy likes girls, drink and gambling, but by the look of his flat business can’t be too hot. So an offer of $10,000 to finds some diamonds stolen in a daring raid with a flame-thrower is too good to miss. His investigations soon get pretty complicated and rather too dangerous. At least along the way he does get to meet Alexis.
Read More »

The Captive Heart (1946) Basil Dearden, Michael Redgrave, Rachel Kempson, Frederick Leister, War, Drama

The Captive Heart (1946)
After the evacuation at Dunkirk, June 1940, some thousands of British prisoners are sent to German P.O.W. camps. One such group includes “Capt. Geoffrey Mitchell,” a concentration-camp escapee who assumed the identity of a dead British officer. To avoid exposure, “Mitchell” must correspond with the dead man’s estranged wife Celia. But eventual exposure seems certain, and the men must find a way to get him out. If he reaches England, though, what will his reception be?
Read More »

Sign of the Pagan (1954) Douglas Sirk, Jeff Chandler, Jack Palance, Ludmilla Tchérina, Biography, Drama, History

Sign of the Pagan (1954)
Roman centurion Marcian is captured by Attila the Hun en route to Constantinople, but escapes. On arrival, he finds the eastern Roman emperor Theodosius plotting with Attila to look the other way while the latter marches against Rome. But Marcian gains the favor of Pulcheria, lovely sister of Theodosius, who favors a united Empire. As Attila marches, things look bleak for the weakened imperial forces. But the conqueror has an awe of the power of the Christians’ God…
Read More »

McLibel (2005) Franny Armstrong, Ken Loach, Helen Steel, Dave Morris, Bruce Alexander, Documentary

McLibel (2005)
McDonald’s loved using the UK libel laws to suppress criticism. Major media organisations like the BBC and The Guardian crumbled and apologised. But then they sued gardener Helen Steel and postman Dave Morris. In the longest trial in English legal history, the “McLibel Two” represented themselves against McDonald’s £10 million legal team. Every aspect of the corporation’s business was cross-examined: from junk food and McJobs, to animal cruelty, environmental damage and advertising to children. Outside the courtroom, Dave brought up his young son alone and Helen supported herself working nights in a bar. McDonald’s tried every trick in the book against them. Legal manoeuvres. A visit from Ronald McDonald. Top executives flying to London for secret settlement negotiations. Even spies. Seven years later, in February 2005, the marathon legal battle finally concluded at the European Court of Human Rights. And the result took everyone by surprise – especially the British Government.
Read More »

Panter Lavan / White Panther (2013) Danni Reisfeld, Ze’ev Revach, Yevgeny Orlov, Meytal Gal, Drama, Family, Sport

Panter Lavan AKA White Panther (2013)
In the 1990’s a million former USSR Jews arrived in Israel. The immigrants were despised by the local population who feared their ‘invasion’. While many embraced the Israeli lifestyle, others chose to live in self-made Russian ghettos. These ghettos were a fertile ground for the creation of self-hating Jewish skinheads. ‘White Panther’ is the story of Alex, a young Russian immigrant who joins a skinheads’ gang, led by his older brother. An unexpected meeting with David, a religious Moroccan Jew, gives Alex a chance to pursue his longtime dream of becoming a boxer like his father. Alex finds himself torn between his two father figures – his violent older brother and his new Jewish trainer, only to find out the truth about those he so admires.
Read More »

Laredet Meha Ets / Up the Wrong Tree (2013) Gur Bentwich, Sarah Adler, Sasha Agronov, Drama

Laredet Meha Ets AKA Up the Wrong Tree (2013)
This is the story of Nits, a restless bum and a hopeless cynic as he returns from his journey with an obsessive intention of bringing back his ex- girlfriend and their beloved dog. She however, throws him down the drain and so he finds himself, contrary to his anti- political and anti-everything attitude, stuck on top of a tree overlooking his beloved’s apartment fearlessly leading an environmental battle against real estate sharks. For once in his life, he finds some comfort by staying put. He refuses to disembark even when the bulldozers charge in. Perhaps it’s because he’s had enough time on the road and finally understands there’s nowhere to run to and perhaps because he can’t remember what he’s doing up that tree in the first place.
Read More »