"Mustang" The sublimely beautiful story of five young sisters

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Early summer in a village in Northern Turkey. Five free-spirited teenaged sisters splash about on the beach with their male classmates. Though their games are merely innocent fun, a neighbor passes by and reports what she considers to be illicit behavior to the girls’ family. In reaction, the family overreacts, removing all “instruments of corruption,” like cell phones and computers, and essentially imprisoning the girls, subjecting them to endless lessons in housework in preparation for them to become brides.  As the eldest sisters are married off, the younger ones bond together to avoid the same fate.  The fierce love between them empowers them to rebel and chase a future where they can determine their own lives in Deniz Gamze Ergüven’s debut, a powerful portrait of female empowerment. Mustang is a great movie.

You will love a modern “Grandma”

By GTVW Staff

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From the creative mind Paul Weitz, this film includes the best of the cast Lily Tomlin, Julia Garner, Marcia Gay Harden, Judy Greer, Laverne Cox, Sam Elliott, Nat Wolff, and John Cho.  Elle Reid has just gotten through breaking up with her girlfriend when her granddaughter Sage unexpectedly shows up needing 600 dollars before sundown. Temporarily broke, Grandma Elle and Sage spend the day trying to get their hands on the cash as their unannounced visits to old friends and flames end up rattling skeletons and digging up secrets.

Despite the low-budget of this great film, the family bonds are important especially with a Grandma” with strong personality and ill-tempered Elle wreaking. This is a film in which gradually will see sensitive subjects such as abortion, lesbianism, light comedy with fresh humor, satire, and many feminist politics. A simple story that reflects a deep social issues , lack of education for our youth of this times.

A film full of contrast and passion in “Jimmy’s Hall”

By GTVW Staff

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From Director Ken Loach and a well structured cast Barry Ward, Francis Magee, Aileen Henry, Simone Kirby, Stella McGirl, Sorcha Fox, Martin Lucey, Mikel Murfi, Shane O’Brien, as spectator you will enjoy for 106 minutes the great story of Jimmy Gralton’s sin was to build a dance hall on a rural crossroads in an Ireland on the brink of Civil War In 1921. The Pearse-Connolly Hall was a place where young people could come to learn, to argue, to dream… but above all to dance and have fun. As the hall grew in popularity its socialist and free-spirited reputation brought it to the attention of the church and politicians who forced Jimmy to flee and the hall to close.

 A decade later, at the height of the Depression, Jimmy returns to Co. Leitrim from the US to look after his mother and vows to live the quiet life. The hall stands abandoned and empty, and despite the pleas of the local youngsters, remains shut. However as Jimmy reintegrates into the community and sees the poverty, and growing cultural oppression.

Definitely is a smart and familiar film, full of turbulent times for each character and celebrates the spirit of these free-thinkers. The best key element is the Jazz Music with certain predictable anti-clerical anti-Irish stereotype. Even Ken Loach tends to be unsubtle when he is making some political points; however, this film earns points in many facts such as all violent protests that the main character has to face from the church for running a dance hall where his freedom has been compromised.

Midnight’s Children will set you up at night

By Jenny Alvarez

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A film by Oscar®-nominated director Deepa Mehta, based on the universally heralded novel by world-renowned author Salman Rushdie and adapted by Rushdie himself (who also serves as the film’s all-knowing narrator), MIDNIGHT’S CHILDREN is a tale at once sweeping in scope and intimate in tone. Full of heartbreak, hope, comedy, tragedy and a considerable amount of magic, the film conjures characters and images as rich and unforgettable as the vast nation it celebrates.

At the stroke of midnight on August 15th, 1947, as India declares independence from Great Britain, two babies are switched at birth by a nurse in a Bombay hospital. And so it is that Saleem Sinai (portrayed as an adult by SatyaBhabha), the bastard child of a beggar woman, and Shiva, the only son of a wealthy couple, are fated to live the destinies meant for each other. Over the next three decades, Saleem and Shiva find themselves on opposite sides of many a conflict, whether it be because of class, politics, romantic rivalry, or the constantly shifting borders that are drawn every time neighbors become enemies and decide to split their newborn nation into two, and then three, warring countries. Through it all, the lives of Saleem and Shiva are mysteriously intertwined. They are also inextricably linked to the history of India itself, which takes them on a whirlwind journey full of trials, triumphs and disasters.

The Liberator comes full of ideas

By Jenny Alvarez

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A Simon Bolivar’s life comes with The Liberator, a film full of good nature scenes, and historical information. Directed by Alberto Arvelo and written by Timothy J. Sexton. The impassioned struggle of Simón Bolívar’s (Édgar Ramírez) fight for independence in Latin America from Spain and his vision of a united South American nation. During 1hr. 59 min. the viewer will enjoy many idealistic characters. A title tells the viewers that it’s 1828. The man hands his sword to one side in a humble manner. Definitely, a film that involves lost love, military heroism, betrayed loyalties and banking (courtesy of poorly developed visitations from Danny Huston as a British moneybags).Simon shows dramatically a real leader inspiring enough — to follow into battle. Many of the sceneries and locations are beautiful and the music is really majestic and well structured by the L.A. Philharmonic’s Gustavo Dudamel adds to the majesty, layering more drama atop this historic drama.

“Emoticon” flirts with nature of human identity

By Jenny Alvarez

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From co-writer/actor/director/producer Livia De Paolis.  De Paolis stars alongside Michael Cristopher (American Horror Story, Ray Donovan), Academy Award and Golden Globe-nominee Carol Kane (Hester Street, Sleepwalk with Me), multiple Golden Globe-nominee Sonia Braga (Kiss of the Spider Woman, The Burning Season), Diane Guerrero (Orange Is the New Black, Open Vacancy), and Miles Chandler (The Longshots, The Education of Charlie Banks). Elena Gallenti (Livia De Paolis) is an anthropology graduate student struggling to compete her thesis on ‘modern means of communication.’ All that changes when she meets her new boyfriend’s (Michael Cristofer) teenage kids (Miles Chandler and Diane Guerrero), who are going through their own journeys of self-discovery. Through these relationships and the help of her PhD advisor (Carol Kane), Elena comes to a better understanding of how to navigate love and intimacy in the digital age. Ultimately they develop a bond that strikes a balance between the old world and the new, and everyone’s longing to find true emotional sense in both. In 79 minutes Elena has emotional struggles trough several series of scenes in which she’s seen interacting with her thesis advisor (Carol Kane). The adolescent performances show how they interact with their emotions and communication among them and their world. Also the story deals with unexpected pregnancies and how they can turn lives upside down in a heartbeat as well as the joys and pitfalls of trans-generational relationships. “Emoticon” isn’t bad, but in the end it just doesn’t reach down deep enough for something gritty and true.