Author: theryder

There are few who can rival Georgia Congressman John Lewis and his 60 plus years of social activism and legislative action on civil rights, voting rights, gun control, health care reform and immigration. The new film, John Lewis: Good Trouble, opens nationally (and in our virtual cinema) on July 3rd. It tells the story of this national treasure so that generations to come can continue to learn from Mr. Lewis’ remarkable story.

Through present day interviews as well as archival footage director Dawn Porter explores Lewis’ childhood, his inspiring family, and his fateful meeting with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr in 1957. Lewis was arrested more than 45 times, severely beaten and nearly killed while fighting for equality in the segregated deep South. His experiences and lessons regarding non-violent protest continue to shape his career today. The film also highlights Lewis’ many speeches and achievements, along with interviews from political leaders and Congressional colleagues who figure prominently in his life, all combined to illuminate his continuing influence on American culture.

Wait! There’s more. There are lots of other good films playing this week including …

We are featuring two delicious murder mysteries this week: one from Italy and one from France. Both feature characters accused of murder and under house arrest, an apt metaphor for our lives in the summer of 2020.  

THE INVISIBLE WITNESS:  (opens June 26) A young, successful entrepreneur wakes up in a hotel room locked from the inside next to his dead lover. He becomes the chief suspect, While awaiting trial under house arrest, he enlists the aid of a defense attorney who has never lost a case. Largely told in flashback, this noirish thriller from director Stefano Mordini recreates the days of intrigue that lead up to that fateful night. Characters’ motivations begin to blur until no one is quite who they seem to be, leading to a pulse-pounding conclusion that will leave you guessing until the final shot.  (in Italian with subtitles; 102 minutes; 2020)

THE GIRL WITH A BRACELET: Lise is 18 years old and is accused of murdering her best friend two years earlier. She’s been under house arrest, wearing an ankle bracelet to monitor her whereabouts, hence the film’s title. As her trial starts, her parents stand by her side. But once her secret life is revealed in court, her innocence is far from certain and her parents’ faith begins to unravel. Directed by Stéphane Demoustier (in French with subtitles; 96 minutes; 2020)

Family Entertainment on a Holiday Weekend! Here’s a film for the young and the young-at-heart

Marona’s Fantastic Tale: Marona is a mixed-breed Labrador whose life leaves deep traces among the humans she encounters. After an accident, she reflects on all the homes and different experiences she’s had. As Marona’s memory journeys into the past, her unfailing empathy and love brings lightness and innocence into each of her owners’ lives, in this beautiful and deeply emotional story of an average dog and her extraordinary life. (92 min / in Romaian and French with subtitles)
Critic’s Pick! Buoyant! A beautiful and original animated film. – The New York Times

Check out TheRyder.com for more films.

Do you have a comment or a suggestion for a film? Maybe you’d like to write something for our magazine. Send an email to editor@theryder.com. We can be talked into almost anything.

Look for the July issue of The Ryder magazine tomorrow. In the meantime, It’s never too late to read the June issue; here’s a link.

We are featuring two delicious murder mysteries this week in our virtual cinema, one from Italy and one from France. Both feature characters accused of murder and under house arrest, an apt metaphor for our lives in the summer of 2020.  

THE INVISIBLE WITNESS:  (opens June 26) A young, successful entrepreneur wakes up in a hotel room locked from the inside next to his dead lover. He becomes the chief suspect, While awaiting trial under house arrest, he enlists the aid of a defense attorney who has never lost a case. Largely told in flashback, this noirish thriller from director Stefano Mordini recreates the days of intrigue that lead up to that fateful night. Characters’ motivations begin to blur until no one is quite who they seem to be, leading to a pulse-pounding conclusion that will leave you guessing until the final shot.  (in Italian with subtitles; 102 minutes; 2020)

THE GIRL WITH A BRACELET: Lise is 18 years old and is accused of murdering her best friend two years earlier. She’s been under house arrest, wearing an ankle bracelet to monitor her whereabouts, hence the film’s title. As her trial starts, her parents stand by her side. But once her secret life is revealed in court, her innocence is far from certain and her parents’ faith begins to unravel. Directed by Stéphane Demoustier (in French with subtitles; 96 minutes; 2020)

Wait! There’s more. There are lots of other good films playing this week including …

Race in America: We are screening three films that explore and bring a fresh and radical perspective to the current racial narrative in America. Two of these were shown in our series when they were originally released – I Am Not Your Negro and Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am. They are both well worth a second look. The third, Whose Streets? , is one that we overlooked when it was released in 2017. We are donating our portion of the ticket sales (just under 50%) to causes and organizations addressing longstanding injustices: police reform initiatives, The Bail Project, The Movement for Black Lives and Black Lives Matter.

Pioneers of Queer Cinema: three German classics from the 1920s and 30s that were landmarks in the early history of queer cinema: Madchen in Uniform, Michael, and Victor and Victoria

Proud: In 1981, it was still illegal to be gay in France. Today, same-sex marriage is recognized and has paved the way for legalizing the adoption of children by LGBTQ families. Proud tells the story of Charles, Victor and Diego, three generations of the same family who represent the seismic social changes that took place in just three decades.

In My Blood It Runs: This film could not be more timely. – The Washington Post Dujuan is a 10-year-old Arrernte boy from Mparntwe (Alice Springs) in Australia. Full of life and exuberance, he learns, with the support of his loving mother and grandmother, to hunt, speak two Indigenous languages, and become a healer.

Joan of Arc: Lise Leplat Prudhomme stars as the child-warrior. French filmmaker Bruno Dumont injects this heroine’s timeless cause and ideology with a modernity that highlights the fervor, strength and freedom women show when shackled by patriarchal societies and archaic virile customs.

The Wolf House an animated feature that tells the story of a young girl who escapes a cult colony of religious fanatics during Chile’s darkest years under rule of military dictator, Augusto Pinochet.

A White, White Day Iceland’s submission to the Academy for Best International Feature Film … a police officer on bereavement leave after the sudden loss of his wife in an apparent accident searches for someone to blame. He zeroes in on a neighbor whom he suspects may have had an affair with his wife. As past memories take on new meaning, his suspicion turns obsessive and imperils those around him.

Do you have a comment or a suggestion for a film? Maybe you’d like to write something for our magazine. Send an email to editor@theryder.com. We can be talked into almost anything.

Look for the July issue of The Ryder magazine next week.

If you have not seen our June issue, here’s a link.

Do you like mysteries? We’re screening a pair of delicious murder mysteries this month: one from France and one from Italy. . . .

The Girl With a Bracelet (opens June 19) Lise is 16 years old and is accused of murdering her best friend. As her trial starts, her parents stand right by her side. But once her secret life is revealed in court, her innocence is far from certain and her parents’ faith begins to unravel. Directed by Stéphane Demoustier (in French with subtitles; 96 minutes; 2020)

The Invisible Witness (opens June 26) A locked-room mystery with a twist: A slickly successful businessman wakes up next to his dead lover and becomes the chief suspect. His defense lawyer’s never lost a case, but can even she help him? Largely told in flashback, this noirish thriller from director Stefano Mordini recreates the days of intrigue that lead up to that fateful night. Characters’ motivations begin to blur until no one is quite who they seem to be, leading to a pulse-pounding conclusion that will leave you guessing until the final shot.  (Italy; subtitled; 2020)

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Wait! There’s more. There are lots of other good films playing this week including …

Race in America: We are screening three films that explore and bring a fresh and radical perspective to the current racial narrative in America. Two of these were shown in our series when they were originally released – I Am Not Your Negro and Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am. They are both well worth a second look. The third, Whose Streets? , is one that we overlooked when it was released in 2017. We are donating our portion of the ticket sales (just under 50%) to causes and organizations addressing longstanding injustices: police reform initiatives, The Bail Project, The Movement for Black Lives and Black Lives Matter.

Pioneers of Queer Cinema: three German classics from the 1920s and 30s that were landmarks in the early history of queer cinema: Madchen in Uniform, Michael, and Victor and Victoria

Proud: In 1981, it was still illegal to be gay in France. Today, same-sex marriage is recognized and has paved the way for legalizing the adoption of children by LGBTQ families. Proud tells the story of Charles, Victor and Diego, three generations of the same family who represent the seismic social changes that took place in just three decades.

In My Blood It Runs: This film could not be more timely. – The Washington Post Dujuan is a 10-year-old Arrernte boy from Mparntwe (Alice Springs) in Australia. Full of life and exuberance, he learns, with the support of his loving mother and grandmother, to hunt, speak two Indigenous languages, and become a healer

Capital in the 21st Century: a film that breaks the popular assumption that the accumulation of capital runs hand in hand with social progress, and shines a new light on today’s growing inequalities

Joan of Arc: Lise Leplat Prudhomme stars as the child-warrior. French filmmaker Bruno Dumont injects this heroine’s timeless cause and ideology with a modernity that highlights the fervor, strength and freedom women show when shackled by patriarchal societies and archaic virile customs.

Mysteries of Lisbon: Portuguese filmmaker Raul Ruiz’s six-part mini-series evokes the complex intertwined narratives of Victor Hugo and Charles Dickens. It is One of the first cinematic masterpieces of this century – Film Comment

Santiago, Italia Italian filmmaker Nanni Moretti tells a story that many viewers may not know about: the efforts of the Italian Embassy to save the citizens of Chile targeted by the fascist regime of Augusto Pinochet.

The Wolf House an animated feature that tells the story of a young girl who escapes a cult colony of religious fanatics during Chile’s darkest years under rule of military dictator, Augusto Pinochet.

A White, White Day Iceland’s submission to the Academy for Best International Feature Film … a police officer on bereavement leave after the sudden loss of his wife in an apparent accident searches for someone to blame. He zeroes in on a neighbor whom he suspects may have had an affair with his wife. As past memories take on new meaning, his suspicion turns obsessive and imperils those around him.

Do you have a comment or a suggestion for a film? Maybe you’d like to write something for our magazine. Send an email to editor@theryder.com. We can be talked into almost anything.

Here’s a link to the June issue of The Ryder

Korean filmmaker Hong Sangsoo has made 21 deceptively buoyant, morally inquisitive films and is a regular at Cannes. Few of his films, however, have reached the States (although some of you saw The Day After when we screened it in 2018). Film distribution can be capricious – three of Hong Sangsoo’s films are finally being released this month . . .

YOURSELF AND YOURS – opens June 5 – Hong’s new film (made in 2016 but finally released in the States this week) is one of his most delightful comic mysteries. When a young, idealistic painter, Youngsoo,  learns that his girlfriend was recently seen having drinks with another guy, he can’t help but question her about it. It doesn’t go well. Yourself and Yours is clever puzzle of misconstrued meanings, unintended consequences and mistaken identities. (2020; 86 min)

CRITIC’S PICK! Hong puts you in tune with his world of his sad-sack characters. By the end, we may suspect that one character has found an entirely novel and effective way of resetting a romantic relationship. Or that something weirder and creepier is going on. The pleasure is in not quite knowing. – NY Times

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HILL OF FREEDOM – opens June 12 Returning to Seoul after a long, restorative trip, a woman is given packet of letters from her boyfriend who has come to propose to her. But she drops the undated letters before she has read them and they scatter about. When she reads them, she has to make sense of the chronology… and so must we. Shot in the narrow alleys, petite cafes and beautiful hanok inns of Seoul’s historic Jong-ro district, a favorite Hong location, Hill of Freedom is a masterful, alternately funny and haunting, tale of love and longing from the great  director. (2014; 67 minutes)

CRITICS PICK! -The New York Times

“A masterwork. Achieves a complexity akin to the grand historical meditations of Alain Resnais. Ingeniously constructed. I’ve watched it three times forwards and one time backwards and I feel as if I’m just beginning to get the hang of it.” — Richard Brody, The New Yorker

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WOMAN ON THE BEACH – opens June 19 – Joong-rae, a filmmaker suffering from writer’s block, takes a trip to the coast with his production designer Chang-wook, who brings along the vivacious Moon-sook. Soon after their arrival, Moon-sook falls for Joong-rae. Our fickle hero however cannot commit. What had been a sardonic Jules and Jim turns into a burlesque Vertigo when Joong-rae returns to the coastal resort and attempts to recreate the original romance with a woman who resembles Moon-sook, until his jilted lover shows up… (2006; 126 min)

Also playing in our virtual cinema…

Race in America: We are screening three films that explore and bring a fresh and radical perspective to the current racial narrative in America. Two of these were shown in our series when they were originally released – I Am Not Your Negro and Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am. They are both well worth a second look. The third, Whose Streets? , is one that we overlooked when it was released in 2017. We are donating our portion of the ticket sales (just under 50%) to causes and organizations addressing longstanding injustices: police reform initiatives, The Bail Project, The Movement for Black Lives and Black Lives Matter.

Pioneers of Queer Cinema: three German classics from the 1920s and 30s that were landmarks in the early history of queer cinema: Madchen in Uniform, Michael, and Victor and Victoria

Capital in the 21st Century: a film that breaks the popular assumption that the accumulation of capital runs hand in hand with social progress, and shines a new light on today’s growing inequalities

Joan of Arc: Lise Leplat Prudhomme stars as the child-warrior. French filmmaker Bruno Dumont injects this heroine’s timeless cause and ideology with a modernity that highlights the fervor, strength and freedom women show when shackled by patriarchal societies and archaic virile customs.

Mysteries of Lisbon: Portuguese filmmaker Raul Ruiz’s six-part mini-series evokes the complex intertwined narratives of Victor Hugo and Charles Dickens. It is One of the first cinematic masterpieces of this century – Film Comment

Santiago, Italia Italian filmmaker Nanni Moretti tells a story that many viewers may not know about: the efforts of the Italian Embassy to save the citizens of Chile targeted by the fascist regime of Augusto Pinochet.

The Wolf House an animated feature that tells the story of a young girl who escapes a cult colony of religious fanatics during Chile’s darkest years under rule of military dictator, Augusto Pinochet.

A White, White Day Iceland’s submission to the Academy for Best International Feature Film … a police officer on bereavement leave after the sudden loss of his wife in an apparent accident searches for someone to blame. He zeroes in on a neighbor whom he suspects may have had an affair with his wife. As past memories take on new meaning, his suspicion turns obsessive and imperils those around him.

Do you have a comment or a suggestion for a film? Maybe you have an idea for an article in our magazine? Send an email to editor@theryder.com. We can be talked into almost anything.

For Pride month: Restorations of three three German classics from the 1920s and 30s that were landmarks in the early history of queer cinema…

Victor and Victoria: Produced in the final days of the Weimar Republic, this dazzling, gender-bending musical romance about a female singer posing as a man in drag received limited exposure in the United States, and is today best known by Blake Edwards’s 1982 remake and the 1995 Broadway production. Viewers will be delighted to discover that the original is every bit as charming and outrageous, reminiscent of the sly sex comedies of Ernst Lubitsch and Billy Wilder.

Madchen in Uniform: As a new student at an all-girls boarding school, Manuela falls in love with the compassionate teacher Fräulein von Bernburg, and her feelings are requited. Experiencing her first love, lonely Manuela also discovers the complexities that come with an illicit romance. This artfully composed landmark of lesbian cinema – and an important anti-fascist film – was the first of just three films directed by Leontine Sagan.

Michael: Danish film master Carl Theodor Dreyer’s Michael is a mature and visually elegant period romance decades ahead of its time. Michael takes its place alongside Dreyer’s better known masterpieces as an unusually sensitive and decorous work of art and is one of the earliest and most compassionate overtly gay-themed films in movie history.

Also Playing:

Race in America: We are screening three films that explore and bring a fresh and radical perspective to the current racial narrative in America. Two of these were shown in our series when they were originally released – I Am Not Your Negro and Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am. They are both well worth a second look. The third, Whose Streets? , is one that we overlooked when it was released in 2017. We are donating our portion of the ticket sales (just under 50%) to causes and organizations addressing longstanding injustices: police reform initiatives, The Bail Project, The Movement for Black Lives and Black Lives Matter.

Hong Sangsoo X 3 Korean filmmaker Hong Sangsoo has made 18 films and is a regular at Cannes. Some of you saw The Day After when we screened it in 2018. Now we are hosting a micro-festival of three of his films, including his just released Yourself and Yours.

Capital in the 21st Century: a film that breaks the popular assumption that the accumulation of capital runs hand in hand with social progress, and shines a new light on today’s growing inequalities

Joan of Arc: Lise Leplat Prudhomme stars as the child-warrior. French filmmaker Bruno Dumont injects this heroine’s timeless cause and ideology with a modernity that highlights the fervor, strength and freedom women show when shackled by patriarchal societies and archaic virile customs.

Mysteries of Lisbon: Portuguese filmmaker Raul Ruiz’s six-part mini-series evokes the complex intertwined narratives of Victor Hugo and Charles Dickens. It is One of the first cinematic masterpieces of this century – Film Comment

Santiago, Italia Italian filmmaker Nanni Moretti tells a story that many viewers may not know about: the efforts of the Italian Embassy to save the citizens of Chile targeted by the fascist regime of Augusto Pinochet.

The Wolf House an animated feature that tells the story of a young girl who escapes a cult colony of religious fanatics during Chile’s darkest years under rule of military dictator, Augusto Pinochet.

A White, White Day Iceland’s submission to the Academy for Best International Feature Film … a police officer on bereavement leave after the sudden loss of his wife in an apparent accident searches for someone to blame. He zeroes in on a neighbor whom he suspects may have had an affair with his wife. As past memories take on new meaning, his suspicion turns obsessive and imperils those around him.

We are screening three films that explore and bring a fresh and radical perspective to the current racial narrative in America. Two of these were shown in our series when they were originally released – I Am Not Your Negro and Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am. They are both well worth a second look. The third, Whose Streets? , is one that we overlooked when it was released in 2017. We are donating our portion of the ticket sales (just under 50%) to causes and organizations addressing longstanding injustices: police reform initiatives, The Bail Project, The Movement for Black Lives and Black Lives Matter. You can watch all three films here

We will also be screening the upcoming documentary John Lewis: Good Trouble when it is released on July 4th.

Also Playing:

Capital in the 21st Century: a film that breaks the popular assumption that the accumulation of capital runs hand in hand with social progress, and shines a new light on today’s growing inequalities

Joan of Arc: Lise Leplat Prudhomme stars as the child-warrior. French filmmaker Bruno Dumont injects this heroine’s timeless cause and ideology with a modernity that highlights the fervor, strength and freedom women show when shackled by patriarchal societies and archaic virile customs.

Mysteries of Lisbon: Portuguese filmmaker Raul Ruiz’s six-part mini-series evokes the complex intertwined narratives of Victor Hugo and Charles Dickens. It is One of the first cinematic masterpieces of this century – Film Comment

Santiago, Italia Italian filmmaker Nanni Moretti tells a story that many viewers may not know about: the efforts of the Italian Embassy to save the citizens of Chile targeted by the fascist regime of Augusto Pinochet.

The Wolf House an animated feature that tells the story of a young girl who escapes a cult colony of religious fanatics during Chile’s darkest years under rule of military dictator, Augusto Pinochet.

A White, White Day Iceland’s submission to the Academy for Best International Feature Film … a police officer on bereavement leave after the sudden loss of his wife in an apparent accident searches for someone to blame. He zeroes in on a neighbor whom he suspects may have had an affair with his wife. As past memories take on new meaning, his suspicion turns obsessive and imperils those around him.

Hong Sangsoo X 3 Korean filmmaker Hong Sangsoo has made 18 films and is a regular at Cannes. Some of you saw The Day After when we screened it in 2018. Now we are hosting a micro-festival of three of his films, including his just released Yourself and Yours.

Coming Soon:

Pioneers of Queer Cinema: three German classics from the 1920s and 30s that were landmarks in the early history of queer cinema: Madchen in Uniform, Michael, and Victor and Victoria

Willow Aldrich is a graduate of Edgewood High School; she took these photographs at this weekend’s protest marches in Bloomington.

Here’s what’s playing this week in our virtual cinema…

Mysteries of Lisbon

Raul Ruiz’s masterful adaptation of the classic Portuguese novel evokes the complex intertwined narratives of Victor Hugo and Charles Dickens and is “one of the first cinematic masterpieces of this century.” – Film Comment Find out more »

Joan of Arc – Q&A w/filmmaker on June 4th

Compelled by visions of God, young Joan leads the French charge against invading English forces. When she is captured, the Church sends her for trial on charges of heresy. Refusing to accept the accusations, the graceful Joan of Arc will stay true to her mission. Find out more »

A White, White Day

A bereft former police chief whose golden years are spent caring for his granddaughter and remodeling a house, begins to suspect a local man of having had an affair with his late wife. Filmmaker Hlynur Pálmason finds seemingly boundless new ways to capture the volatile climate, the elemental delights and estrangement of Iceland’s east coast, and the unpredictable nature of grief in A White, White Day. Find out more »

Santiago, Italia

In the early seventies, the world was watching as Chilean voters elected Socialist leader Salvador Allende. His political ideals and aspirations—among them providing education for all children and distributing land to the nation’s workers—terrified the country’s right-wing, as well as the U.S. Nanni Moretti tells a story many viewers may not know about: the efforts of the Italian Embassy to save and relocate citizens targeted by the fascist Pinochet regime in Chile. Find out more »

The Wolf House

The Wolf House is an animated feature that tells the story of a young girl who escapes a cult colony of religious fanatics during Chile’s darkest years under rule of military dictator, Augusto Pinochet. Find out more »

Mephisto

“What do they want from me now? After all, I am just an actor.” So how did an up-and-coming thespian with a mixed-race mistress and left-wing sympathies make it to the top of Nazi Germany’s theatrical world? Find out more »

New French Shorts 2020

A feature-length program of delightful, funny, charming, provocative festival favorite Gallic shorts. Find out more »

The Booksellers

Antiquarian booksellers — whose job requires the disparate skills of a scholar, a detective, and a businessperson — have personalities and knowledge bases that are as broad and deep as the material they handle. ​This Booksellers burrows deep inside their small but fascinating world, populated by an assortment of obsessives, intellects, oddballs and dreamers. Find out more »

Capital in the 21st Century

A lively, entertaining, and eye-opening look at the number one economic issue of our time
(and the 2020 elections) Find out more »

If you are a fan of animation you’ll want to see The Wolf House: the story of a young girl who escapes a cult colony of religious fanatics during Chile’s darkest years under rule of military dictator, Augusto Pinochet. (This is actually one of two films that we are opening this week about Chile during Pinochet’s rule; the other is Santiago, Italia.)

Look for a new issue of The Ryder magazine on virtual newsstands all over the internet.

And there’s still time to submit a short story for our upcoming issue.

There are lots of other exciting films streaming in our virtual theater including THE BOOKSELLERS, A WHITE, WHITE DAY and CAPITAL IN THE 21ST CENTURY