Sunday Night Film Club – Boston

One of the most highly anticipated films of the year, from the directors of Sweetgrass and Foreign Parts, LEVIATHAN is a thrilling, immersive documentary that takes you deep inside the dangerous world of commercial fishing. Set aboard a hulking fishing vessel as it navigates the treacherous waves off the New England coast the very waters that once inspired Moby Dick the film captures the harsh, unforgiving world of the fishermen in starkly haunting, yet beautiful detail. Employing an arsenal of cameras that pass freely from film crew to ship crew, and swoop from below sea level to astonishing birds-eye views, LEVIATHAN is unlike anything you have ever seen; a purely visceral, cinematic experience.

The true story of Richard Kuklinski, the notorious contract killer and family man. When finally arrested in 1986, neither his wife nor daughters have any clue about his real profession.

Happy Mothers Day!

One of the most famous and influential thrillers of all time, Hitchcocks immortal shocker features Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates, the ultimate mommas boy. Norman is the proprietor of the lonely Bates Motel whose disturbing relationship with his mother is upset and ultimately uncovered after the alluring Janet Leigh pays the motel a visit and never checks out.

Two teenage boys encounter a fugitive and form a pact to help him evade the bounty hunters on his trail and to reunite him with his true love.

Note: This screening is part of IFFBoston 2013 (which begins Wednesday and runs for a week). You can (and should) buy your tickets in advance here.

THE EAST, a suspenseful and provocative espionage thriller from acclaimed writer/director Zal Batmanglij and writer/actress Brit Marling (ANOTHER EARTH, IFFBoston 2011), stars Marling as former FBI agent Sarah Moss. Moss is starting a new career at Hiller Brood, an elite private intelligence firm that ruthlessly protects the interests of its A-list corporate clientele. Handpicked for a plum assignment by the companys head honcho, Sharon (Patricia Clarkson), Sarah goes deep undercover to infiltrate The East, an elusive anarchist collective seeking revenge against major corporations guilty of covering up criminal activity.

Determined, highly trained, and resourceful, Sarah soon ingratiates herself with the group, overcoming their initial suspicions and joining them on their next action, or jam. But living closely with the intensely committed members of The East, Sarah finds herself torn between her two worlds as she starts to connect with anarchist Benji (Alexander Skarsgard, True Blood) and the rest of the collective, and awakens to the moral contradictions of her personal life.

42 tells the story of two menthe great Jackie Robinson and legendary Brooklyn Dodgers GM Branch Rickeywhose brave stand against prejudice forever changed the world by changing the game of baseball. In 1946, Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford) put himself at the forefront of history when he signed Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman) to the team, breaking Major League Baseballs infamous color line. But the deal also put both Robinson and Rickey in the firing line of the public, the press and even other players. Facing unabashed racism from every side, Robinson was forced to demonstrate tremendous courage and restraint by not reacting in kind, knowing that any incident could destroy his and Rickeys hopes.

This intricate, romantic thriller has already been hailed as one of the best films of 2013 after appearing at just a handful of festivals. The second feature from director/star Shane Carruth (his first was the cult indie time travel film Primer), UPSTREAM COLOR opens with a man preparing for something. Its not clear what until the film follows him to a bar where he abducts a woman (Seimitz) and submits her to a bizarre brainwashing regimen that includes passages from Thoreaus Walden and a weird parasitic worm. As the layers of the films narrative are pulled back, a strange and complex conspiracy is revealed that has permanently affected dozens of victims. But thats only the bedrock for what Carruth is actually after: constructing a deeply felt story of the relationship that develops between two of those victims. Stunning, emotional, surreal, and gorgeous, UPSTREAM COLOR is a film that well be talking about for a long time.

Five friends head to a remote cabin, where the discovery of a Book of the Dead leads them to unwittingly summon up demons living in the nearby woods. The evil presence possesses them until only one is left to fight for survival.