MudCelebrated American indie director Jeff Nichols (Take Shelter) gets back to the southern U.S. setting of his debut Shotgun Stories with another gritty tale.In Mud, the title character is portrayed by the current go-to indie-movie lead...
MudCelebrated American indie director Jeff Nichols (Take Shelter) gets back to the southern U.S. setting of his debut Shotgun Stories with another gritty tale.In Mud, the title character is portrayed by the current go-to indie-movie leading man Matthew McConaughey, who continues to show his impressive range. He shed pounds to play a stick-figure of a fugitive who is hiding out in a boat caught in the treetops of an island on the Mississippi River. Discovered by two boys, Ellis and Neckbone, they agree to help him, unwittingly putting themselves and their town at risk.The cast also features Nichols' regular Michael Shannon (who's also chewing up scenery as General Zod in Man of Steel), plus Reese Witherspoon, Ray McKinnon, Sam Shepard and Joe Don Baker.Mud premiered in competition at last year's Cannes Film Festival. Reception is overwhelmingly positive, with critics comparing it to such masterpieces of American literature as Huckleberry Finn or Tom Sawyer. Rated 15+.Also openingParadoxocracy (???????????, Prachathipatai) – Director Pen-ek Ratanaruang is better known for his surreal, darkly comic fictional features like Headshot, Last Life in the Universe or Monrak Transistor. But from time to time, he likes to change things up by doing a documentary. On Paradoxocracy, he collaborates with Pasakorn Pramoolwong, editor of A Day magazine, to cover Thailand's contemporary political history. The film is a mix of archive footage, narration and talking-head interviews with various academics and activists, surveying the tumultuous times since the constitutional monarchy was instated in 1932. Paradoxocracy was submitted to censors and had a few cuts ordered. In a bold move, no footage was actually cut, but words deemed inappropriate by censors have been muted, mouths blurred over and subtitles crossed out so you'll at least see that there's censorship going on. The film was initially slated for a limited release back in February, but then the theater balked. So Pen-ek and Pasakorn have been trying for months to secure a release. Finally, Major Cineplex decided it would take the risk. Starting Monday, June 24, and running until July 10, Paradoxocracy will screen at 2 and 8pm at Paragon Cineplex and Esplanade Cineplex Ratchada. There's more about it in the Bangkok Post. Rated G.World War Z – Brad Pitt fights a swarm of CGI zombies in this apocalyptic epic. In development for years, World War Z has all the makings of a box-office disaster, with rewrites by a changing roster of screenwriters, scene reshoots, postponed release dates and rumors of an on-set feud between Pitt and director Marc Forster (Machine Gun Preacher, Quantum of Solace). Despite bad buzz surrounding the troubled production, critical reception is actually not too negative. Goodwill for the film has been further buoyed by Pitt's partner Angelina Jolie joining him at premieres in her first public appearances since announcing she'd undergone surgery to prevent breast cancer. It's in 2D as well as converted 3D. Rated 13+.The Sapphires – An Aboriginal singing group of four soul sisters are discovered in Australia by a drunken Irishman (Chris O'Dowd from Bridesmaids), who becomes their manager and launches them on a career in show business that has them going to Vietnam to entertain the troops. This fact-based feel-good tale is generally well-received. It's at Major Cineplex (including Paragon, Esplanade, etc.). Rated 13+.Raanjhanaa – Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman scores this Bollywood romance, the sweeping tale of Kundun (Dhanush), who's long harbored feelings for boyhood gal pal Zoya (Sonam Kapoor). So he's understandably broken-hearted when she comes to him and asks for his help in winning the affections of Akram (Abhay Deol), her friend from college. Opening on Friday, it's in Hindi with English and Thai subtitles at Major Cineplex Sukhumvit and Rama III.Also showingRefugee Film Festival – In observance of World Refugee Day today, the United Nations High Commissioner
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