The 35th annual Starz Denver Film Festival is rapidly approaching, bringing with it gems of indie cinema created throughout the year. The event begins on Nov. 1 and lasts until Nov. 11, creating over a week of fun, film and festivities for locals to attend. Numerous theaters throughout the city will be used for the event and tickets will be available both online and at the theaters the films are playing at.
Over 250 movies will be screened, ranging from local productions to major indie studios. The Clarion delivers the inside scoop about which movies to watch for while you enjoy the occasion.
‘Shadow Dancer’
Nov. 2, 9 p.m.
L2 Arts and Culture Center
From director James Marsh, creator of the Academy Award-winning documentary “Man on Wire,” comes an indie drama juggernaut in the form of “Shadow Dancer.” The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was produced by Paramount Pictures in cooperation with BBC Films. Clive Owen stars as Mac, an MI5 agent who turns Colette McVeigh (Andrea Riseborough) – an IRA agent – into an in informant for the British.
The film presents a high-stakes, drama-soaked plot as Mac struggles to keep his asset alive in a world fraught with deception and demise. The plot seems to be a unique take on a classic storyline, focusing on a conflict that is not heavily focused on in the world of cinema. Owen’s acting looks superb in the film and that, combined with his name, will likely put this movie on the critics’ radar.
‘Quartet’
Nov. 3, 8 p.m.
Buell Theater
In his directorial debut, Dustin Hoffman delivers a comedy-drama concerning the lives of four opera singers living in a retirement home for talented musicians. Starring Dame Maggie Smith as Jean, the ex-wife of Reg (Tom Courtenay, “Doctor Zhivago”), who creates a stir as she enters the home, endangers the annual concert the musicians put on. Pauline Collins (“Shirley Valentine”), Billy Connolly (“The Boondock Saints”) and Michael Gambon (“Harry Potter” series) also star, creating an all-star cast of the industry’s older actors, essentially ensuring that the performances will be superb.
Dame Maggie Smith, the lead, will likely be the standout performance, receiving much critical acclaim for her recent roles in both the “Harry Potter” series and as Violet Crawley in the PBS series “Downton Abbey.” Hoffman appears to have created a fantastic tale, based on a play by Ronald Harwood, about life continuing on during old age and the spirit-igniting characteristic that is inherent to the arts. This feature film will be played on Saturday, the Big Night of the Denver Film Festival.
‘Jayne Mansfield’s Car’
Nov. 9, 7 p.m.
L2 Arts and Culture Center
With Billy Bob Thornton as both director and actor, “Jayne Mansfield’s Car” looks to be one of the standout dramas of the year. Thornton stars alongside Robert Duvall and Kevin Bacon as brothers and World War II veterans who are forced to interact with the British side of their family after the death of a loved one. The culture clash that will ensue, of course breeding an inevitable sense of understanding, will make for a fluid, tidy film supported by a strong cast.
“Jayne Mansfield’s Car” also marks the first time Thornton has worked behind the camera in over a decade, a long-awaited and much anticipated return. The film, which premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival in February, carries this powerhouse of a cast and – if the trailer is any indication – stunning cinematography that will delight audiences.
‘Stand Up Guys’
Nov. 4, 7 & 9:45 p.m.
UA Denver Pavillions
Christopher Walken and Al Pacino play old partners in crime in “Stand Up Guys,” in which Walken plays Doc, who is contracted to kill Val (Pacino) after he is released from prison after a 28-year stint in the joint. This crime-comedy is directed by Fisher Stevens – winner of the Academy Award for documentaries for “The Cove.” The chemistry between Walken and Pacino is fantastic, even from the distance of the trailer, and the two clearly have created rich, storied characters that will effectively play off one another. Dilemmas concerning friendship, morality and aging appear to be themes within the film, all of which will help create a full-bodied cinematic experience. The film has a gritty, classic feel to it that may appeal to audiences that favor older films, or just have a healthy sense of nostalgia about them.
‘Grassroots’
Nov. 4, 6:30 p.m.
L2 Arts and Culture Center
“Grassroots,” the upcoming film directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal, comes just in time for the election. Centered around the concept of a grassroots campaign, Phil Campbell (Jason Biggs), an unemployed journalist who helps his friend Grand Cogswell (Joel David Moore) run against the incumbent on a platform surrounding the improvement of the monorail in Seattle. Biggs, taking on a much different character from his famed role in the “American Pie” series, looks to be extremely effective in a more serious setting. Also starring Cobie Smulders (“How I Met Your Mother”) and Cedric the Entertainer, the film boasts a strong supporting cast.
Based on the true story “Zioncheck for President” by Phil Campbell, the film has an inspiring air about it, especially now during all of the mudslinging that occurs as the United States leads up to the election. Idealism and inspiration, apparent themes through the movie, could be exactly what viewers need to see right now.
‘The Life and Times of Paul the Psychic Octopus’
Nov. 5, 6:45 p.m.
L2 Arts and Culture Center
One of the more famous animals in the world now has his own documentary. Paul the Psychic Octopus, whose feeding patterns correctly predicted several matches during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, is now deceased, but that hasn’t diminished his fame. Paul’s predictions for the World Cup were completely correct, essentially a statistical anomaly.
The movie, which certainly takes a lighthearted, if slightly irreverent, approach to the subject, seems to be a bit asinine. However, director Alexandre Philippe (“The People vs. George Lucas”) seems to have struck a balance, making an intriguing documentary that soccer fans and anyone who finds interest in such pop culture niches will likely enjoy.
Taking a look not only at Paul but the culture surrounding him, the film will likely prove to be an expansive and remarkable ode to the cephalopod. Though now dead, the octopus lives on in the film, forever entombed in his celebrity status, world-renown, and in “The Life and Times of Paul the Psychic Octopus.”
