BLOCKBUSTER OF THE MONTH
Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
(EuropaCorp/STX) Dane DeHaan, Cara Delevingne, Clive Owen, Ethan Hawke. Based on the landmark graphic novel and brought to life by French director Luc Besson, this movie follows the exploits of Valerian and his partner in crime Laureline who are tasked with the assignment of protecting Alpha, an amazing city where thousands of sentient beings gather to share technologies, cultures and knowledge with one another. It is truly a city of peace but it has become threatened by an unknown force and it is up to the two agents to not only discover who the threat is coming from but head it off before the galaxy is plunged into an all-encompassing war. July 21
INDEPENDENT PICKS
City of Ghosts
(IFC/Amazon) Matthew Heineman. From the director of Cartel Land comes this extraordinary documentary which chronicles the attempts of citizen journalists in the occupied city of Raqqa who attempt to call attention of the world to the horrors being inflicted upon them by ISIS. Even when they leave their home, these courageous chroniclers are not safe. It’s a truly sobering look at the human toll of religious fanaticism. July 7
Bronx Gothic
(Grasshopper) Okwui Okpokwasili. This is a documentary account of performance artist Okpokwasili and her preparation and execution of the riveting and controversial piece Bronx Gothic. Attempting to bring the plight of black women to audiences who don’t understand it, Okpokwasili put her own body on the line night after night to make the pain of the black woman real. July 12
500 Years
(Paladin) Pamela Yates. The Mayans built an amazing civilization on the Yucatan Peninsula. Their descendants however faced extraordinary deprivation under Guatemalan President Jose Luis Rios Montt. Against all odds, the Mayan people stood up against his tyranny and against the violence being inflicted upon him and brought the dictator to trial. This is the amazing story about how an ancient people found their voice again. July 12
Birthright: A War Story
(Abramorama) Civia Tamarkin. It is no secret that abortion is an explosive topic of conversation in our country. Many women thought their rights to choose were protected thanks to Roe v. Wade but it has become clear in this era of conservative activism that is no longer true. Draconian laws have been enacted at the state and local level that have become so intrusive into the lives and reproduction of women that even some conservatives are uncomfortable. This documentary exposes the human cost of the Right to Life and the hypocrisy behind it. July 14
Chasing Coral
(Netflix) Andrew Ackerman, Mark Eakin, Luiz A. Rocha, Joanie Kleypas. From the team that brought us the sobering melting ice cap documentary Chasing Ice comes this new film that looks at the coral reefs, a vital part of the ocean’s ecosystem. The world’s coral reefs have been dying at a terrifying rate, including the Great Barrier Reef, the oldest living thing on the planet. All hope is not lost but time is running out and action is required. July 14
Amnesia
(Film Movement) Marthe Keller, Max Riemett, Bruno Ganz, Corinna Kirchhoff. Master Director Barbet Schroeder brings us this tale of memory and loss. A DJ in a club called Amnesia in Ibiza is mesmerized by a lonely woman who comes to the club every night. He befriends her and as she slowly lets him in, she begins to reveal the past she has been trying to forget – only now she is trying to make peace with it. July 21
Brigsby Bear
(Sony Classics) Kyle Mooney, Claire Danes, Mark Hamill, Greg Kinnear. A strange and magical children’s television show, The Adventures of Brigsby Bear, has an audience of one – James. When the show ends abruptly, he finds that he cannot accept that his beloved show is gone. Therefore he decides to finish the show himself and maybe define himself in the process. It looks to have a bit of a Michel Gondry influence judging on the trailer. July 28
Cinema365 