jdl's - Rented List
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Nowhere in Africa (2001)Nirgendwo in Afrika
A beautifully realised World War II-set love story spanning two continents, 'Nowhere in Africa' is the extraordinary true tale of a Jewish family who flee the Nazi regime at the very last moment for a remote farm in Kenya. Torn from her comfortable life in Germany, the shy five-year-old Regina (Karoline Eckertz / Lea Kurka) embraces her new life discovering the magic in the wilderness or the sun-burnt African plains and the initially strange African people who live there. Her parents however find it harder to leave their European roots behind and to adjust to the poverty and isolation of their new home. - Director:
- Caroline Link
- Cast:
- Herbert Knaup, Juliane Köhler, Merab Ninidze
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Career con man Roy (Ian McKellen) sets his sights on his latest mark, recently widowed Betty (Helen Mirren), who's worth millions. And he means to take it all. But as the two grow closer, what should have been another simple swindle becomes a high-stakes game of cat and mouse in this suspenseful drama about the secrets people keep and the lies they live. - Director:
- Bill Condon
- Cast:
- Helen Mirren, Ian McKellen, Russell Tovey
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Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2020)Portrait de la jeune fille en feu
Painter Marianne (Noemie Merlant) is commissioned by an affluent countess to paint the wedding portrait of her sheltered but headstrong daughter Héloïse (Adele Haenel). While posing as her hired companion, Marianne is instructed to complete the portrait in secret, observing Héloïse by day and painting her by night. However, as the two women grow closer, their intimacy and attraction begins to blossom, paving the way for a simmering, star-crossed romance. - Director:
- Céline Sciamma
- Cast:
- Noémie Merlant, Adèle Haenel, Luàna Bajrami
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From the moment she glimpses her idol at the stage door, Eve Harrington (Anne Baxter) moves relentlessly towards her goal: taking the reins of power from the great actress Margo Channing (Bette Davis). The cunning Eve maneuvers her way into Margo's Broadway role, becomes a sensation and even causes turmoil in the lives of Margo's director boyfriend (Gary Merrill), her playwright (Hugh Marlowe) and his wife (Celeste Holm). Only the cynical drama critic (George Sanders) sees through Eve, admiring her audacity and perfect pattern of deceit. Thelma Ritter and Marilyn Monroe co-star in this acclaimed classic, which won six Academy Awards and received the most nominations (14) in film history. - Director:
- Joseph L. Mankiewicz
- Cast:
- Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, George Sanders
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Adding a little spice to a waning marriage, Anne (Toni Collette) and Bob (Harvey Keitel), are hosting a luxurious dinner when Anne realises there are 13 guests. Panic-stricken, she insists her loyal maid Maria (Rossy de Palma) disguise herself as a mysterious Spanish noblewoman to even out the numbers. But a little too much wine and some playful chat leads Maria to accidentally endear herself to a dandy British art broker (Michael Smiley). Their budding romance will have Anne chasing her maid around Paris and finally plotting to destroy this most unexpected and joyous love affair. - Director:
- Amanda Sthers
- Cast:
- Toni Collette, Harvey Keitel, Rossy de Palma
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From acclaimed director John Boorman, comes a tale of hope and courage set amongst the rubble strewn streets of bomb ravaged London during the Second World War. Seen through the eyes of a young boy, the 'fireworks' provided by the Blitz every night are as exciting as they are terrifying. His family do not see things in quite the same way and as the bombs continue to drop, their will to survive brings them closer together. The nightly raids do not provide the only drama, however, as his sister falls for a Canadian airman and finding her life turned upside down, soon discovers how valuable the bonds of family can become. 'Hope and Glory' paints a picture of a world riven by conflict and yet united in resistance to the creeping tide of war that seems to be marching ever closer. - Director:
- John Boorman
- Cast:
- Sarah Miles, David Hayman, Sebastian Rice-Edwards
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Varda by Agnès (2019)Varda par Agnès
Whether in front of the camera or behind it, Agnés Varda was a visual storyteller who eschewed convention and prescribed approaches to drama. In 'Varda by Agnés' - the director's swansong film - she offers a personal insight into her oeuvre, using excerpts from her work to illustrate her unique ideas and artistic vision. - Director:
- Agnès Varda
- Cast:
- Agnès Varda, Sandrine Bonnaire, Hervé Chandès
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"For Sama" is both an intimate and epic journey into the female experience of war. A love letter from a young mother to her daughter, the film tells the story of Waad al-Kateab's life through five years of the uprising in Aleppo, Syria as she falls in love, gets married and gives birth to Sama, all while cataclysmic conflict rises around her. Her camera captures incredible stories of loss, laughter and survival as Waad wrestles with an impossible choice - whether or not to flee the city to protect her daughter's life, when leaving means abandoning the struggle for freedom for which she has already sacrificed so much. - Director:
- Waad Al-Khateab
- Cast:
- Waad Al-Khateab, Hamza Al-Khateab, Sama Al-Khateab
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Director Ridley Scott, who created two of Hollywood's most stylish adventure thrillers, Alien and Blade Runner, hits the mark again in Black Rain. Academy Award winner Michael Douglas and Andy Garcia play New York cops whose job to escort a vicious assassin back to his native Japan leads the two Americans into Osaka's exotic underworld and right into the middle of a raging, brutal 'Yakuza' gangland battle. - Director:
- Ridley Scott
- Cast:
- Michael Douglas, Andy Garcia, Ken Takakura
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Bicycle Thieves (1948)Ladri di biciclette
'Bicycle Thieves' tells the story of Antonio (Lamberto Maggiorani), a long unemployed man who finally finds employment putting up cinema posters for which he needs a bicycle. His wife pawns all the family linen to redeem their already pawned bicycle and for Antonio salvation has come, until it is stolen. Antonio and his son take to the streets in a desperate search to find the bicycle which is so crucial to his livelihood. - Director:
- Vittorio De Sica
- Cast:
- Lamberto Maggiorani, Enzo Staiola, Lianella Carell
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Loro (2019)Loro 1
Master filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino (Youth, The Great Beauty) teams up once again with longtime collaborator Toni Servillo (II Divo) to reveal the scandalous and, until now, unseen private life of Italy's most infamous politician, Silvio Berlusconi. Told from the point of view of a corrupt pimp, 'Loro' depicts a world of unbridled hedonism and greed for power with a wickedly satirical sting. Biopics don't come more unauthorised than this! - Director:
- Paolo Sorrentino
- Cast:
- Toni Servillo, Elena Sofia Ricci, Riccardo Scamarcio
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When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is found dead at his estate just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is mysteriously enlisted to investigate. From Harlan's dysfunctional family to his devoted staff, Blanc sifts through a web of red herrings and self-serving lies to uncover the truth behind Harlan's untimely death. - Director:
- Rian Johnson
- Cast:
- Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas
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Modern-day Cornish fisherman Martin (Edward Rowe) is struggling to buy a boat while coping with family rivalry and the influx of London money, Airbnb and stag parties to his harbour village. The summer season brings simmering tensions between the locals and newcomers to boiling point, with tragic consequences. - Director:
- Mark Jenkin
- Cast:
- Edward Rowe, Mary Woodvine, Simon Shepherd
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"Jojo Rabbit" follows a lonely German boy Jojo (Roman Griffin Davis), whose world view is turned upside down when he discovers his mother Rosie (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a Jewish girl Elsa (Thomasin McKenzie) in their attic. Aided by his wildly idiotic imaginary friend, Adolf Hitler (Taika Waititi), Jojo must confront his blind nationalism. - Director:
- Taika Waititi
- Cast:
- Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin McKenzie-Harcourt, Scarlett Johansson
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The action begins as the Nazis - led by a camp Hitler in a dress (Alan Gumming) - plan an invasion of England. As Winston Churchill (Timothy Spall) plots an evacuation to Scot Land... somewhere in England's green and pleasant countryside, farmworker Chris (Ewan McGregor) is trying to win the heart of Daisy (Rosamund Pike) while rueing the fact that he can't fight for his country because his "hands are too big". When the Germans finally invade and blitz London, it falls to Chris and his countryside cohorts to come to the rescue and the raggle-taggle band head to Hadrian's Wall to seek help from the "bloodthirsty" Scots. - Director:
- Edward McHenry
- Cast:
- Ewan McGregor, Rosamund Pike, Richard E. Grant
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