Autumn Gold (Herbstgold)

This inspiring and refreshing new look at today's elderly is the brainchild of German documentarian Jan Tenhaven. He follows five senior veteran athletes, between the ages of 82 to 100, as they train for the 2009 track and field World Masters Athletic Championships in Lahti, Finland.

These extraordinary athletes know of no obstacles and are determined to live life to the fullest. Too young to sit in a rocking chair is the amazing 100 years old Alfred Proksch, a discus thrower from Vienna as well as an avid nude painter. Proksch undergoes knee surgery six month before the finals in Finland. Set on winning the gold medal is the 93 years old sprinter Herbert Liedtke from Stockholm, training for the 100 meter dash. Palpable is the fierce competitive spirit he displays towards the Italian 90 year old challenger, the jaw dropper Ugo Sansonetti. Trying to break the world record is Ilse Pleuger, the 85 years old shot putter from Kiel, Germany. Likewise is the 82 years old high jumper from the Czech Republic Jiří Soukup who aims to reach the one meter mark. Keeping her age a secret is the glamorous Gabre Gabric, a discus thrower from Italy who hopes to break 13 meters.

Tenhaven's candid, well balanced, and somewhat humorous interviews reveal the profiled athletes' personal challenges, determination, and positive outlook on life. Recognizing that they compete in a race against time, these athletes are proof that with age come new opportunities and that it is never too late to live one's dreams.

100 Voices: A Journey Home

Whether it is to rediscover one's roots, honor one's parents, or visit one's ancestral home, or the birthplace of cantorial music, 72 opera trained cantors of Polish heritage from all over the world reunite in this remarkable historic trip to Poland in 2009 and revive the cantorial tradition sixty some years after its obliteration by the Nazi holocaust.

Joined by local choruses, the cantors performed to sold out audiences at the Krakow Philharmonic Hall, and at the Warsaw Opera House, the largest theater of its kind in Europe. Moving was the very first Jewish service conducted at the Auschwitz and at the Birkenau concentration camps.

Arising from a project initiated by Cantor Nate Lam of Steven S. Wise Temple in Los Angeles, the documentary features some of the world's most celebrated cantors. Cantor Alberto Mizrahi also known as the 'Jewish Pavarotti', Cantors Ivor and Joel Lichterman praying at Noygck Synagogue, the only Synagogue in Poland that was not destroyed in WWII and where their father was the synagogue's last Cantor, as well as Cantor Simon Spiro whose father was a famous member of the Yiddish theater and whose hilarious mime sketch is performed in the documentary by Simon. Among the female Cantors featured are Arianne Brown and Faith Steinsnyder.

Intrigued by the integrated similarities between the Polish and Jewish cultures, is Janusz Makuch, a non-Jew and founder of the Jewish Cultural Festival in Krakow 20 years ago. The festival attracts 25,000 people a year who come to listen to the ancient Jewish Polish music tradition.

Accompanying the cantors was Oscar nominated and Emmy and Grammy winning composer, Charles Fox (Killing Me Softly), who made the emotional trip to his father’s village. Fox's original 'Lament and Prayer' composition is performed at the end of the documentary and includes the prayer of forgiveness that Polish-born Pope John Paul II placed at Jerusalem 's Western Wall in the year 2000.

In this inspirational documentary, directors Matthew Asner & Danny Gold maintain an original feel to the story by blending amazing archival footage collected from the US Memorial Holocaust Museum and The National Center for Jewish Film at Brandeis University. Included are early twentieth’s century cantorial golden age era music and Yiddish theater footage.

100 Voices: A Journey Home, states Cantor Lam, is “about having a connection to the past through music.” 

127 Hours

Following Slumdog Millionaire's Oscar success, director Danny Boyle returns with his winning team in an edge of the seat suspense drama based on Aron Ralston's book Between a Rock and a Hard Place.
In this remarkable true story, James Franco is in the role of the independent canyoneer Aron Ralston who, in a desolate area of Blue John Canyon in Utah, falls into a crevasse 40 feet below the surface of the earth, remaining trapped and alone for 5 days with his arm pinned against a rock mountain by a boulder.

Mostly a one man show marked by little dialogue and minimal movement, this survival story gradually heightens in intensity with some not for the squeamish disturbing images.

Franco delivers a riveting performance as he moves his carefree character into an increasingly more introspective one, seeking liberation not only from his physical demise but also from the emotional barriers affecting his relationships.

Good technical skills mark this feature. The brilliant direction by Boyle is accompanied by Anthony Dod Mantle’s cinematography capturing spectacular canyon images, and A. R. Rahman’s upbeat score that so well represents Ralston's adventurous spirit.

Nora's Will

First time writer director Mariana Chenillo's award winning dark comedy, Nora's Will, is a journey of self discovery, understanding and love.

The table is set, the coffee is ready, the cooking instructions are posted on each item. Nora (Silvia Mariscal) has died and her ex-husband of 20 years, José (Fernando Luján) is left to take care of her funeral arrangements. Manipulated by a diabolical scheme designed by his ex, José rebels against following her wishes. Further burial complications arise by the upcoming Passover, the circumstances of Nora's death, the absence of their son Rubén (Ari Brickman), and even Nora's maid, Fabiana (Angelina Peláez). Surmounted with guilt and revenge, turmoil ensues with Jose undergoing the most transformation.

Chenillo perfectly maps out every scene. Expertly enhanced by Alberto Anaya Adalid's cinematography, Darío González' music, and by the realistic acting, the viewer is drawn into the ensuing drama buildup and satiric battle of wills.

Conviction

Hilary Swank and Sam Rockwell in CONVICTION; Photo by Ron Batzdorff

Director Tony Goldwyn brings to the big screen the remarkable true story of Betty Anne Waters (Hilary Swank) who gave her all to exonerate her brother Kenny Waters (Sam Rockwell), convicted in 1983 to a life sentence without parole for a murder he did not commit.

Flashbacks reveal Betty Anne and Kenny's traumatic childhood and early adulthood all the way to Kenny's arrest. Convinced of his innocence and determined to fight the system, Betty Anne embarks on an 18-year journey, completing high school, college, and eventually law school to overturn her brother's guilty verdict. Minnie Driver stars as Betty Anne's best friend Abra Rice who proves to be a great help in pulling together the needed evidence along with attorney Barry Scheck (Peter Gallagher).

The strength of the movie lies in the stellar cast. Hilary Swank delivers one of her strongest performances since 'Million Dollar Baby' while Sam Rockwell excels in the challenging role of Kenny Waters, a man with extreme contrasts from a reckless kid to a hardened prisoner.

The feature's authentic feel is captured through DP Adriano Goldman's (Sin Nombre, City of Men) handheld camerawork as well as Mark Ricker's production design of the mid '60s, early '80s, and mid '90s.

Betty Anne's bravery in her quest for justice, and the unique and unbreakable bond she shared with Kenny adds intensity and emotional depth to this engaging and uplifting drama.

Secretariat

Based on a true story, this uplifting and heartwarming family movie is about Secretariat, the triumphant thoroughbred considered by many to be the greatest racehorse of all times.

Diane Lane delivers a graceful performance as Penny Chenery, a Denver housewife and a mother of four who, despite opposition from her skeptical lawyer husband Jack Tweedy (Dylan Walsh) and brother Hollis Chenery (Dylan Baker), takes over, upon the death of her father Chris (Scott Glen), the family horsebreeding business. Through a coin toss with wealthy financier Ogden Phillips (James Cromwell) Penny ends up with Secretariat, known to family and friends as Big Red, the amazing horse who in 1973 made history by winning the first Triple Crown in 25 years.

Penny starts pulling things together by seeking the help of veteran French Canadian trainer Lucien Laurin (John Malkovich), jockey Ronnie Turcotte (real-life jockey, Otto Thorwarth), Secretariat's groom Eddie Sweat (Nelsan Ellis), and her father's supportive assistant Miss Ham (Margo Martindale).

Compelling performances are delivered by the stellar cast with Malkovich providing most comic relief in his portrayal of the eccentric trainer dressed in loud colors.

The horse race scenes are exciting to watch. Director Randall Wallace carries the viewers to the track making the horse races feel thrilling and real. DP Dean Semler makes use of several closeup shots bringing the audience eye to eye with Big Red. By placing at the end of a stick a small lightweight camera, or Ollie cam, Semler brilliantly captures the energy and spirit of the race getting closer to the track and inches away from the pounding hoofs, heaving torsos and churning legs all the way to Secretariat's victory.

Douchebag

In this low budget feature, the 27 year-old director, Drake Doremus (Spooner, Slamdance 2009), captures the feeling of awkwardness between two different and ordinary-looking brothers. Co-writing the script with Lindsay Stidham, Jonathan Schwartz, and Andrew Dickler, Doremus adds humor to the realistically raw and snappy dialogue, as well as to the natural and believable performances.

The overconfident, hippie-looking and devout vegetarian, Sam (Andrew Dickler), is about to marry his beautiful fiancee Steph (Marguerite Moreau).

Increasingly concerned that his shy brother Tom (Ben York Jones), a clean-cut, artist-wannabe, and in Sam's eyes, a complete loser, doesn't have a date for the wedding, Sam suggests that they both go on a road trip to search for Tom's mysterious last flame from fifth grade.

The feature gains steam in midsection with subtle and gradual shifts in the characters' dynamics.

Doremus effectively engages the viewer through the fine line between going towards and running away from something.