HERSELF
dir. Phyllida Lloyd, rated R, 97min, 2020
Sandra, on the surface of it, is a young Mum struggling to provide her two young daughters with a warm, safe, happy home to grow up in. Beneath the surface, Sandra has a steely determination to change their lives for the better and when it becomes clear that the local council won’t provide that home, she decides to build it herself from scratch.
With very little income to speak of and no savings, Sandra must use all her ingenuity to make her ambitious dream a reality. At the same time, she must escape the grip of her possessive ex-husband and keep him away from her and her girls. The lionhearted Sandra draws together a community of friends to support her and lend a helping hand and it is the kindness and generosity of these people and the love of her young daughters that help rebuild her own strength and sense of self.
Official selection of the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. Trailer
MINARI
dir. Lee Isaac Chung, Rated PG-13, 115 min, 2020
A tender and sweeping story about what roots us, “Minari” follows a Korean-American family that moves to an Arkansas farm in search of their own American Dream. The family home changes completely with the arrival of their sly, foul-mouthed, but incredibly loving grandmother. Amidst the instability and challenges of this new life in the rugged Ozarks, Minari shows the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home.
Winner of the 2021 Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language film and the 2020 Sundance Film Festival U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic and the Audience Award: U.S. Dramatic. Trailer.
NIGHT OF THE KINGS (available after 2/26)
dir. Philippe Lacôte, rated R, 93 min, 2020
A young man is sent to “La Maca,” a prison in the middle of the Ivorian forest ruled by its inmates. As tradition goes with the rising of the red moon, he is designated by the Boss to be the new “Roman” and must tell a story to the other prisoners. Learning what fate awaits him, he begins to narrate the mystical life of the legendary outlaw named “Zama King” and has no choice but to make his story last until dawn.
Official Entry, 93rd Academy Awards® Best International Feature Film – Ivory Coast. Official selection of the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Trailer
NOMADLAND
dir. Chloé Zhao, rated R, 108 min, 2020
Following the economic collapse of a company town in rural Nevada, Fern (Frances McDormand) packs her van and sets off on the road exploring a life outside of conventional society as a modern-day nomad. The third feature film from director Chloé Zhao, NOMADLAND features real nomads Linda May, Swankie and Bob Wells as Fern’s mentors and comrades in her exploration through the vast landscape of the American West.
Winner of the Venice Film Festival’s Golden Lion, the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival and the 2021 Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Director. Trailer
ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI
dir. Regina King, rated R, 114min, 2020
One Night in Miami imagines a night in February 1964, when real-life friends Cassius Clay, Jim Brown, Sam Cooke, and Malcolm X gather to celebrate Clay’s win over Sonny Liston, which made him the heavyweight champion of the world. Triumphant and playful, Clay — who’d soon take the name Muhammad Ali — is looking to party, but both he and football star Brown know that’s only a temporary escape from the civil rights abuses that limit the lives of even celebrated Black Americans. When Clay and Brown are joined at a swank Miami motel by the sober-minded Malcolm X and the flashy pop star Cooke, the four men begin with banter but soon root down to the hard questions facing them. Should successful Black entertainers speak out against racism? How best can Black celebrities serve the Black community? Are money and fame reward enough for humiliation?
Nominated for three Golden Globes including Best Director and Best Supporting Actor. Trailer
THE CLIMB
dir. Michael Angelo Covino, rated R, 98min, 2020
Kyle and Mike are best friends who share a close bond — until Mike sleeps with Kyle’s fiancée. “The Climb”” is about a tumultuous but enduring relationship between two men across many years of laughter, heartbreak and rage. It is also the story of real-life best friends who turn their profound connection into a rich, humane and frequently uproarious film about the boundaries (or lack thereof) in all close friendships.
Official selection of the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. Trailer