Each Thursday in January, the BoomerVenture Screening Room will continue to show what it calls “diverse, critically acclaimed independent movies.”
The movie program is following up last week’s English language documentary Queen of Versailles with another recommended English language film, Ruby Sparks, from the directors of Little Miss Sunshine.
A release from organizers says, “This captivating romantic comedy portrays a former teen writer prodigy who confronts writer’s block and dreams up a perfect girl whom he names Ruby. Then one day he finds a seemingly real girl, Ruby, making breakfast in his kitchen. The movie not only is engaging and creative, but[ according to an Amazon.com review it ‘also examines some profounder issues that go to the very nature of the human race: free will (with the potential for making mistakes or worse) or no free will (at which point, what is the real value of the relationship you control?)’ A special ‘little’ film not to be missed.”
The heartwarming Le Havre is a French film that will be shown on Jan. 17. It is described as “a moving, beautifully acted and gloriously filmed story about the ordinary lives of a humble French couple living in Le Havre who unexpectedly have the opportunity to rescue the life of an illegal teenager from Gabon. It received much acclaim at Cannes in 2011.”
The popular English film, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, arrives on Jan. 24 , presenting actors Judi Dench, Maggie Smith and Bill Nighy. This film follows the adventures of seven English retirees who seek to “outsource” their retirement by seeking a more affordable location.
After an internet research, they commit to a new hotel in Jaipur, India. But it turns out that the Best Exotic Marigold hotel is far from what they expected. Faced with a shabby, old, and chaotic residence, much as Jaipur itself, the film explores how these retirees adapt to this unexpected predicament. As one character exclaims, “Nothing here has worked out quite as I expected,” to which there is the reply, “Most things don’t. But sometimes what happens instead is the good stuff.”
The festival month ends on Jan. 31 with the Danish film, In a Better World, which won both the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film in 2010.
This movie explores a family’s choice – and by extension the world’s choice-- between pursuing revenge or forgiveness when two boys and their families are faced with serious school bullying.
February’s selected movies include the powerful documentary called Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry; Woody Allen’s romantic homage to the city of Rome, called To Rome with Love; and the American film called Beasts of the Southern Wild, which is up for 2012’s Best Picture on many critics’ lists.
All residents are invited to attend these BoomerVenture screenings, and there is no charge. The movies are shown at the Andover Senior Center, 30 Whittier Court (behind Town Hall) and start at 7 p.m. with a brief “chat” beforehand. A selection of snacks is available.
