Hello, fellow film lovers! Another week of the semester under our belt, so good job team! We recognize you’re all coming out of the pre-registration frenzy and are more than likely in need of some quality cinematic content, which is what we’re here to give you. This week, we bring you an eclectic mix of films from around the globe, which we are pleased as punch to be screening for you. Now, before we divulge the details of this week’s wide array of films, we have a question for you. As we write this, it is raining and pouring outside, and since at least one of us loves the rain, we want to know: What is your favorite rainy day movie? Alternatively, what is your favorite rain-related scene in a movie? Leave us a comment below letting us know. Or, message us privately if you’re embarrassed by how much you love the reconciliation scene in the rain between Sam and Austin Ames on the football field in “A Cinderella Story.” (Don’t fret, we’re with you — it’s a classic.)
Enough rain talk for now. Let’s get into the movies of the week. On Wednesday, we move forward in our Hispanic Film Series with a showing of Venezuelan director Jorge Thielen Armand’s debut feature film, “La Soledad.” On Thursday, we welcome our first Bollywood film of the season to the Goldsmith. A firm favorite of those lucky students in FILM 329: Introduction to Global Bollywood, “Sholay” promises to be a joyous romp. Our Friday night movie this week is none other than the well-loved summer box office hit “Girls Trip.” And closing off the week, on Saturday, we’ll welcome a beautiful 35-mm print of the Japanese masterpiece “Seven Samurai.” We’ll just say you’re welcome in advance.
“La Soledad”
2016. Venezuela. Dir: Jorge Thielen Armand. With Jose Dolores Lopez, Adrializ López. 89 min.
Wednesday, Nov. 15. 8 p.m. Free.
This debut narrative feature from the rising star and Venezuelan- and Toronto-based director Jorge Thielen Armand, whose 2015 documentary “Flor de la Mar” won the Jury Award for Best Documentary Short at Cine Las Americas International Film Festival, is set to take your breath away with its ghostly charm and insight. It’s a relatively small film in terms of scale, yet it packs a political punch, drawing attention to the ways the economic crisis in Venezuela impacts everyday lives. The film has a simple premise: A man attempts to save the crumbling remains of his family home from demolition. The house in question is in Caracas, Venezuela, and was actually home to Armand’s own ancestors. This is a quietly compelling drama well worth 90 minutes of your time.
“Sholay”
1975. India. Dir: Ramesh Sippy. With Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra. 204 min.
Thursday, Nov. 16. 8 p.m. Free.
An engaging social commentary on the nature of criminality and evil at the dawn of Indian Emergency period (1975-77), “Sholay” is also one of the best made Bollywood films in history, a domestic cultural anchor similar to “Star Wars” in the United States. A mix of Western, crime thriller, comedy, and buddy film, it manages to portray a heartfelt adventure of two mischievous professional convicts. Their hilariously energetic journey grinds to a halt when an ex-police officer turns to them for help apprehending the cruelest bandit they’ve ever faced. In response to the promise of tempting rewards, the two pretend to accept the offer. Yet with love interests blooming and lethal threats on the horizon, they realize that they’re facing a choice between sticking to who they are and permanently putting an end to their peripatetic life.
“Girls Trip”
2017. USA. Dir: Malcolm Lee. With Regina Hall, Queen Latifah. 122 min.
Friday, Nov. 17. 8 p.m. $5.
“Girls Trip” is a riotous comedy about sisterhood, adventure, and sharing an insatiable lust for life with people you love. This perfectly assembled cast of powerhouse female actors brought home the bacon this summer and we are still smiling about it. Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Tiffany Haddish, and Jada Pinkett Smith play four lifelong friends who take a break from their busy lives to travel to New Orleans for the Essence Festival, an annual celebration that brings out their wildest sides. This ensemble will make you want to group text your platonic soulmates for a getaway as soon as you leave the cinema. This film was well received by critics and moviegoers alike, and we can’t think of a better Friday flick for you to prelude your raucous night out. As Vulture stated, “There’s a chemistry and harmony between the four leads that can’t really be written.” Go witness it for yourself!
“Seven Samurai”
1954. Japan. Dir: Akira Kurosawa. With Toshirō Mifune. 207 min. 35mm print.
Saturday, Nov. 18. 8 p.m. Free.
Fun fact: “Seven Samurai” actually had a huge influence on the narrative framework of the aforementioned “Sholay.” Another big hit in Asian cinematic history, “Seven Samurai” will light up your Saturday night. In postwar Japan, the flourishing chanbara (samurai cinema) enjoyed the Kurosawa treatment in the textbook-like epic of “Seven Samurai.” Centered around seven skillful warriors, it portrays how these ronin decide to defend a village from frequent invasions of local bandits in return for a meager income. In the model of a samurai movie as well as a romance and a comedy, Kurosawa delivers highly stylistic and dramatized adventures in his signature style, heavily featuring raging storms and sophisticated swordplay.