Norwegian director Anne Sewitsky’s feature debut, originally titled “Insanely Happy,” (though there may be something lost in translation) is the story of a housewife who attempts to remain happy as her family is coming apart. Kaja is concerned because her husband doesn’t appear to love her anymore, her son is constantly irritated with her, and the bleak snowy landscape is starting to overcome her and her surroundings.

Director Chris Paine's "Revenge of the Electric Car" will be released this fall in a "non-traditional" distribution format by Area23a. The film will have both regular theatrical runs in large cities as well as some one-time screenings, and will expand to a larger market across the U.S. later this fall. "Revenge" premiered at Tribeca this year, and is slated to be the closing feature at this year's Silverdocs.

Screen Comment critic Lita Robinson reviews this brand-new documentary by first-time director Cindy Meehl.

"...Buck’s hard-luck backstory provides the thrust of this documentary: his father beat him and his brother relentlessly after his mother died; the two were eventually placed in a foster home.

A trick rider from the age of three, Buck was around horses his whole life, and attributes his psychic connection to horses with his own experiences of what it’s like to be dead-frightened of another person..."

“Weekend” isn’t so cynical that it’s incapable of showing its characters’ feelings for each other. It’s simply unflinchingly honest about Russell and Glen’s lives: everything from their childhoods to their sexual habits is discussed in detail—with an openness that you’d never see in a straight romantic comedy.

Farmiga’s direction keeps the story moving while never tipping into melodrama. In other hands the film could have lost its focus on its protagonist’s journey and emphasized the cult-like church instead—but Farmiga maintains her concentration on her character, allowing everything else in the film to swirl around, but never obscure, her. Just for this, the film deserves praise; the fact that it’s also simply excellent is an added bonus.

Unlike “Borat” which exploits similar stereotypes along the same leitmotiv (there’s the civilized West and then there’s everyone else), “Four Lions” manages to get several points across. In addition to lampooning jihadists for what they are, “Four Lions” pokes fun at xenophobia and chauvinism, too. And by doing so, director Chris Morris succeeds in exorcising the film of its risque subject matter far more effectively than had its story had been reduced to a one-dimensional, laugh-a-minute premise.

Set during the first wave of the bubonic plague in England, “Death” stars Sean Bean (“The Lord of the Rings”) and Eddie Redmayne (“The Pillars of the Earth”) as a hired gun and a monk, respectively. The church has hired Bean’s character, Ulric, to journey to a remote village that, rumor has it, has somehow avoided being infected with plague. Church heavies are convinced it’s because the village is run by a witch who raises the dead, and they want Ulric and his band of merry torturers to bring her back alive.

New Yorkers have a chance to see two great Caribbean films on Saturday, June 11: "Fire in Babylon" and "Calypso Dreams."  Both will be shown as part of the inaugural Caribbean Tales New York Film Showcase at the Spike Lee Screening Room on Long Island University's Brooklyn Campus.

Frances-Anne Solomon, founder and CEO of CaribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution (CTWD), announced her pleasure at securing a facility named in honor of an outstanding filmmaker. "We expect the Caribbean film showcase will become an annual event where we can celebrate the work of top Caribbean films and filmmakers," said Solomon, who added that the showcase was also designed to integrate African American filmmakers into the "Caribbean conversation."

The one-day event will begin at 12 noon and will feature a filmmaker's brunch as well as panel discussions, networking and the two screenings.  CaribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution, which has more than 60 films in its catalog, is putting on the event.

For more info visit: http://www.caribbeantales-worldwide.com and www.youtube.com/ctwdfilms

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