I've been watching a whole lot of movies this weekend and saw two that really got to me. Sorry if I have spoilers.

The first was "The Magdalene Sisters". This was based on true stories about girls (teenagers, I assume) who were locked away with nuns who made them do hard labor (the place was called "The Magdalene Laundries" because that's what they did) for their crimes. The crimes included having a child out of wedlock, being lusted over by guys and being raped by your cousin! The girls where threatened all of the and beaten for "disobedience". Escape was very hard and if you got caught, heaven help you! It was a pretty rough movie to watch but also very powerful and moving. The girls really make you care about their plight and in particular the girl who plays Crispina...if there were any justice, she would be nominated for major awards. To think that this was going in the 1960s and the last one closed in 1996. A very important movie.

The next one is a funny and moving road movie titled "Around the Bend". This movie has a little star power with the leads being taken by Christopher Walken (his best movie in years!), Josh Lucas (who was in "Sweet Home Alabama", "Hulk" and other movies) and Michael Caine (if you don't like him, don't worry because he isn't in the movie long). I don't want to give anything away but it basically shows four generations of men who reunite after Walken's character comes back to see his dying father. The road trip happens when Caine and Walken, Lucas and his son go on a road trip to follow his last complicated wishes. It's filled with a surprising amount of humor and drama but it never gets too sappy, too silly or too strange. It's very real but is the sort of thing that could only happen in the movies. The characters are flawed and genuine. I think most people will love this. It's almost like a really great guy drama but it's kind of short and the road trip could have gone on.

Both movies are worth renting (in the case of "Around...", I might buy it) and are probably barely known or seen. Can anyone else recommend some new from the video store that is a smaller release? Taking chances with the small movies can be good.

The Phantom Menace

AsianBomb777 said:

Thanks....

VinnyM27 said:

Okay, we just got back from the Tribeca Film Festival!

We saw a great movie called "Play." A Chilean movie about something or other...

It was great!

not sure if it would be classes as indie but most canadian films are small budget and rather obscure

there is one called "last night" that i really liked off the top of my head

imdb link

jumpin through the bone yard

i think that is what it was called