Theatres

Like a species brought back from the brink of extinction, the American independent movie theatre is experiencing something of a comeback.  Suburban multiplexes effectively wiped out most smaller movie houses but here and there passionate film lovers and plucky entrepreneurs are rebutting conventional economic wisdom.  A great example of this is the Red River Theatres in Concord, NH, which opened in October of 2007 to enthusiastic community support.

If you're reading this article, you have likely been as profoundly and extensively influenced by the cinema as I have. When I began writing for NewEnglandFilm.com two years ago, I was thrilled to combine my awe and respect for feature filmmaking with my own creative aspirations; what better way to promote local and homegrown artists than to write for their premiere online resource?

With recent offerings ranging from a live concert of Mediterranean soul music to Margaret Cho’s stand-up comedy film "Notorious C.H.O.," Providence’s Columbus Theatre is shedding its recent image and reintroducing itself to the community.

According to Anthony Kaufman of The Village Voice, independent film died on May 2, 2002. This fateful day signifies Universal Studios acquisition of Good Machine, a film company whose name embodied the very essence of "indie." The genius of Good Machine’s James Schamus and Ted Hope created independent classics such as Hal Hartley’s "Simple Men" (1992), Ang Lee’s "The Wedding Banquet" (1993) and, most recently, Todd Field’s "In the Bedroom" (2002) to name a few. Although this loss may truly read more...

Amazingly, Kon Ichikawa, the subject of an August retrospective screening series at the Boston MFA, is no longer generally regarded as a major force in his own native Japanese film community. In fact, after a brilliant career spanning over half a century, he is thought of in Japan as a has-been, a relic. At 86 years of age, Ichikawa is still making films at a rate of one per year. To Americans, this sounds like staying power, to the Japanese, staying too long. Ichikawa is seen in Japan as being reluctant to throw in the directorial towel read more...

In early October the Coolidge Corner Theater in Brookline will unveil a new addition: A small, multi-purpose video theater built on the second floor of this Harvard Street landmark.

The new room’s modern feel will be in stark contrast to the art deco styling of the Coolidge’s main theaters. Instead of ornate chairs, there’s bench style seating for about 45 people. Instead of a film projector, there will be an LCD projection system and a digital surround sound system donated by Bose.

A struggling filmmaker, beret askew, shoots in black and white on a deserted city street, with only one goal in mind: to capture the grit and reality of everyday life. "Finances be damned!" he thinks. "This is art."

For many, that is the image that comes to mind when the topic of independent film comes up. But filmmaking is more than art; it is also business. Just ask David Kleiler, director of Local Sightings, Inc., and a 30-year veteran of the Boston film community.

Ever sit through a movie thinking it had just plain gone on too long? That's what can make a short film so good: it doesn't have to fill any sort of time requirement. The short films that comprise "Outstandingly Entertaining Short Films" range in length from less than a minute to almost 20 -- and not one wears out its welcome. Indeed, this fine collection of shorts offers a diverse mix of a variety of styles and themes, each film entertaining in its own special way.

As a film reviewer and enthusiast, I've witnessed some very powerful stories on the silver screen. There have been moments, sitting in the dark, I have been transfigured. You become part of a pulse, part of an idea, part of humanity. The lights come up. The audience filters out. A loud, manly cough may hide tears not allowed to fall. Women, red-nosed and sniffling, convene in the bathroom to talk about how wonderful it was. There is a connection.
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Festivals

Once a month, the faithful flock to Vermont's Stowe Village to sample the latest Epicurean stew of independent films presented at the Helen Day Art Center. A recent evening featured outtakes and declassified reels of World War II that depict the Atomic Age. "Hiroshima/Nagasaki: August 1945," released in 1970 by legendary documentary filmmaker Erik Barnouw, Paul Ronder, and Akira Iwasaki, uses footage shot by Japanese cameraman Iwasaki before the arrival of American ground troops. An animation short, read more...

You may be surprised to hear it, but the drive-in theater, that icon of the Fifties, is experiencing something of a resurgence. Screens that have been closed for years are reopening daily, and theaters that have limped along read more...