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Check out the latest exclusive engagements and premieres, including the best in new indies, foreign films, documentaries and restored classics, by downloading a PDF of the Ritz Philadelphia Film Calendar, with all-new programming from April 19 through June 20! |
Now Playing at the Ritz East
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Inspired by actual events, the suspense thriller The Iceman follows notorious contract killer Richard Kuklinski (Michael Shannon, Take Shelter) from his early days in the mob until his arrest for the murder of more than 100 men. Appearing to be living the American Dream as a devoted husband and father, in reality Kuklinski is a ruthless killer-for-hire. When finally arrested in 1986, neither his wife nor daughters have any clue about his real profession. Also starring James Franco (127 Hours, Oz the Great and Powerful), Winona Ryder (Black Swan), Chris Evans (Captain America), Ray Liotta (Goodfellas), David Schwimmer ("Friends"), Robert Davi ("Profiler"), Danny Abeckaser (Alpha Dog) and Stephen Dorff (Immortals). Directed and co-written by Ariel Vromen (Danika). Official Web Site Steven Rea's Philadelphia Inquirer review... |
Now Playing at the Ritz Five
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The stunningly photographed, sweeping adventure film Kon-Tiki portrays the true voyage of Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl, who crossed the Pacific ocean in a balsa wood raft in 1947. Together with five men, Heyerdahl (Pål Sverre Hagen) set sail to prove that South Americans already back in pre-Columbian times could have crossed the sea and settled on Polynesian islands. After gathering financing for the trip with loans and donations, he and his crew set off on an epic 101-day long journey across 8,000 kilometers, facing peril at every turn, all while the world watches. Kon-Tiki is directed by Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg (Max Manus: Man of War). In English. Official Web Site Steven Rea's Philadelphia Inquirer review... |
Now Playing at the Ritz at the Bourse
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It's 1971, and in the wake of the revolutionary fervor of May 1968 a group of youthful Paris radicals are trying to live their ideals, contributing to the revolution they believe is just beginning. Would-be painter/filmmaker Gilles (Clément Métayer)—a stand-in for the director in this semi-autobiographical story—tries to meld his artistic dreams with a commitment to political action. Passionate girlfriend Christine (Lola Créton of Goodbye, First Love), throws herself wholeheartedly into the task of organizing. Together, with a group of like-minded friends, they paint political slogan graffiti, take part in a street riot and throw the occasional Molotov cocktail. Olivier Assayas (Carlos, Summer Hours, Clean) brilliantly conveys the youthful spirit of the period, when change was in the air: in explorations of new lifestyles, arguments about strategies and tactics, and above all its music, a constant presence that becomes something like the artistic subconscious of an era. The period details are perfect, but what makes this film so special is the urgent sense it conveys of history as lived experience. Official Web Site Sam Adams' Philadelphia City Paper review... |
Now Playing at the Ritz Five
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In the tense and resonant drama Mud, two boys—Ellis (Tye Sheridan) and his friend Neckbone (Jacob Lofland)—find a fugitive named Mud (Matthew McConaughey) hiding out on an island in the Mississippi River. Mud describes fantastic scenarios—he killed a man in Texas and vengeful bounty hunters are coming to get him. He says he is planning to meet and escape with the love of his life, Juniper (Reese Witherspoon), who is waiting for him in town. Skeptical but intrigued, Ellis and Neckbone agree to help him. It isn't long until Mud's visions come true and their small town is besieged by a beautiful girl with a line of bounty hunters in tow. Also starring Sam Shepard and Michael Shannon, Mud is written and directed by Jeff Nichols (Take Shelter). Official Web Site Steven Rea's Philadelphia Inquirer review... |
Now Playing at the Ritz East
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The daring new movie from director Derek Cianfrance (Blue Valentine), The Place Beyond the Pines is a sweeping emotional drama powerfully exploring the unbreakable bond between fathers and sons. Luke (Ryan Gosling), a high-wire motorcycle stunt performer with a carnival passing through Schenectady in upstate New York, tries to reconnect with a former lover, Romina (Eva Mendes), only to learn that she has given birth to their son in his absence. Luke decides to give up life on the road to try and provide for his newfound family by taking a job as a car mechanic. Noticing Luke's ambition and talents, his employer Robin (Ben Mendelsohn) proposes to partner with Luke in a string of spectacular bank robberies—which will place Luke on the radar of ambitious rookie cop Avery Cross (Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook). Avery, who has to navigate a local police department ruled by the menacing and corrupt detective Deluca (Ray Liotta), is also struggling to balance his professional life with his family life, which includes his wife Jennifer (Rose Byrne) and their infant son. The consequences of Avery's confrontation with Luke will reverberate into the next generation. Official Web Site Steven Rea's Philadelphia Inquirer review... |
Now Playing at the Ritz at the Bourse
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Set on the French Riviera in 1915, writer/director Gilles Bourdos' lushly atmospheric drama Renoir tells the story of celebrated Impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir (Michel Bouquet), in declining health at age 74, and his middle son Jean (Vincent Rottiers), who returns home to convalescence after being wounded in World War I. The elder Renoir is filled with a new, wholly unexpected energy when a young girl, Andrée (Christa Théret), miraculously enters his world. Blazing with life, she will become his last model, and the wellspring of a remarkable rejuvenation. At the same time, Jean also falls under the spell of the free-spirited Andrée. Their beautiful home and majestic countryside reverberate with familial intrigue, as both Renoirs become smitten with the enchanting and headstrong young muse. Renoir locates a fascinating moment of change, one century's way of thinking giving way to the next, and the passing of the torch from a great painter to the great filmmaker of such classics as Grand Illusion and Rules of the Game. Official Web Site
Filmmaker Gilles Bourdos describes a suffering artist's desire for beauty Kenneth Turan's Philadelphia Inquirer review... |
Now Playing at the Ritz at the Bourse
Must End Thursday, May 23!
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| Venus and Serena takes an unfiltered look into the remarkable lives of Venus and Serena Williams, the greatest sister act professional tennis has ever seen. In a sport where they were not welcomed, the indomitable Williams sisters faced the opposition with grace and courage, not only breaking new ground for female and African American athletes everywhere, but dominating the women's game for over a decade. The film tells the inspiring story of how these two women—against all odds, but with the help of visionary parents—made it to the top. Venus and Serena also explores the struggle of these two veteran superstars during the 2011 tennis season as they battle life- and career-threatening health problems. We gain unprecedented access into the sisters' lives, both in the spotlight and behind closed doors, and we watch as they draw their greatest strengths from one another to overcome countless adversities. Music by Wyclef Jean. Directed by Maiken Baird and Michelle Major. Official Web Site |
Now Playing at the Ritz at the Bourse
Must End Thursday, May 23!
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Set in the competitive world of modern agriculture, At Any Price is a drama that melds timeless themes of fathers and sons, ambition and rebellion, morality and survival. A firm believer in the big-agribusiness mantra "Expand or Die," ambitious Henry Whipple (Dennis Quaid) wants his rebellious son Dean (Zac Efron) to help expand his family's farming empire. However, Dean has his sights set on becoming a professional race car driver. When a high-stakes investigation into their business unfolds, father and son are pushed into an unexpected crisis that threatens the family's entire livelihood. Also starring Heather Graham, At Any Price is co-written and directed by Ramin Bahrani (Goodbye Solo). Official Web Site Roger Ebert's Chicago Sun-Times review... |
Now Playing at the Ritz Five
Must End Thursday, May 23!
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| Midnight's Children is an epic film from Oscar-nominated director Deepa Mehta (Water), based on the Booker Prize-winning novel by Salman Rushdie. At the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947, as India proclaims independence from Great Britain, two newborn babies are switched by a nurse in a Bombay hospital. Saleem Sinai (Satya Bhabha), the illegitimate son of a poor woman, and Shiva (Siddharth), the offspring of a wealthy couple, are fated to live the destiny meant for each other. Their lives become mysteriously intertwined and are inextricably linked to India's whirlwind journey of triumphs and disasters. From the unlikely romance of Saleem's grandparents to the birth of his own son, Midnight's Children is a journey at once sweeping in scope and yet intimate in tone. Hopeful, comic and magical—the film conjures images and characters as rich and unforgettable as India herself. Official Web Site |
Now Playing at the Ritz at the Bourse
Must End Thursday, May 23!
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| It's to music what the bagel is to food—a Jewish staple that has transcended its origins and become a worldwide hit. Bob Dylan sang it. Elvis, too. And that's only the beginning when it comes to "Hava Nagila." Featuring interviews with Harry Belafonte, Connie Francis, Glen Campbell, Leonard Nimoy, Regina Spektor and more, Hava Nagila (The Movie) is a documentary romp that takes viewers from Ukraine and Israel to the Catskills, Greenwich Village, Hollywood—and even Bollywood—using the infectious party song as a springboard to explore Jewish history and identity and to spotlight the cross-cultural connections that can only be achieved through music. Follow the song on its fascinating journey from the shtetls of Eastern Europe to the cul-de-sacs of America in this hilarious and surprisingly deep film. Official Web Site |
Now Playing at the Ritz Five
Must End Thursday, May 23!
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The tense new thriller The Reluctant Fundamentalist, directed by Mira Nair (The Namesake, Monsoon Wedding) and based on Mohsin Hamid's bestselling novel, begins in Lahore in 2011. At an outdoor café a Pakistani man named Changez (Riz Ahmed) tells Bobby (Liev Schreiber), an American journalist, about his experiences in the United States. Roll back ten years, and we find a younger Changez fresh from Princeton, seeking fortune and glory on Wall Street. The American Dream seems well within his grasp, complete with a smart and gorgeous artist girlfriend, Erica (Kate Hudson). But when the Twin Towers are attacked, a cultural divide slowly begins to crack open between Changez and Erica. Changez's dream soon begins to slip into nightmare: profiled, wrongfully arrested, strip-searched and interrogated, he is transformed from a well-educated, upwardly mobile businessman to a scapegoat and perceived enemy. With time, he begins to hear the call of his own homeland. Taking us through the culturally rich and beguiling worlds of New York, Lahore and Istanbul, The Reluctant Fundamentalist is a story about conflicting ideologies where perception and suspicion have the power to determine life or death. Official Web Site Richard and Mary Corliss' Time Magazine review... |
Now Playing at the Ritz Five
Must End Thursday, May 23!
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The world of Jim Grant (director Robert Redford), a public interest lawyer and single father raising his daughter in the tranquil suburbs of Albany, New York, is turned upside down when a brash young reporter named Ben Shepard (Shia LaBeouf) exposes his true identity as a former 1970s antiwar radical fugitive wanted for murder. After living for more than 30 years underground, Grant must now go on the run. With the FBI in hot pursuit, he sets off on a cross-country journey to track down the one person that can clear his name. Shepard, knowing this to be the opportunity of a lifetime for a journalist, is willing to stop at nothing to capitalize on it. As Grant reopens old wounds and reconnects with former members of his antiwar group, the Weather Underground, Shepard uncovers the shocking secrets Grant has been keeping for the past three decades. Based on the novel by Neil Gordon, this cat-and-mouse thriller's all-star cast includes Julie Christie, Sam Elliott, Brendan Gleeson, Anna Kendrick, Brit Marling, Stanley Tucci, Nick Nolte and Susan Sarandon. Official Web Site Steven Rea's Philadelphia Inquirer review... |
Starts Friday, May 24 at the Ritz Five
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| Frances Ha, a modern comic fable from Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale), explores New York, friendship, class, ambition, failure and redemption. Frances (co-writer Greta Gerwig), the exuberant 27-year-old heroine, is always on the move without ever seeming to get anywhere. The truth is she knows exactly where she wants to go, she's just unwilling to make the kind of compromises that might get her there. A fount of optimism, Frances is singularly compelling because she never lets anything—including reality—slow her down. Frances lives in New York, but she doesn't really have an apartment. Frances is an apprentice for a dance company, but she's not really a dancer. Frances has a best friend named Sophie (Mickey Sumner), but they aren't really speaking anymore. Frances throws herself headlong into her dreams, even as their possible reality dwindles. Frances wants so much more than she has, but lives her life with unaccountable joy and lightness. Director/co-writer Baumbach shot this exhilarating comedy in black and white, using the music of Georges Delerue, composer for Truffaut's French New Wave classics. Official Web Site |
Starts Friday, May 24 at the Ritz East
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A contemporary reimagining of Henry James' novel, What Maisie Knew is a heartbreaking but redemptive story of family, self-sacrifice and the indelibility of one child's love. Maisie (Onata Aprile) navigates the turmoil of her parents' bitter custody battle with a six-year-old's innocence, charm and generosity of spirit. Aging rock star Susanna (Julianne Moore) and contemporary art dealer Beale (Steve Coogan) are too self-involved even to notice their neglect and inadequacy as parents; their fight for Maisie is just another battle in an epic war of personalities. As they raise the stakes by taking on inappropriate new partners, the ex-nanny Margo (Joanna Vanderham) and the much younger bartender Lincoln (Alexander Skarsgård), the shuffling of Maisie from household to household becomes more and more callous, the consequences more and more troubling. Always watchful, however, Maisie begins to understand that the path through this morass of adult childishness and selfish blindness will have to be of her own making. From the directors of The Deep End and Bee Season and producers of The Kids Are All Right. Official Web Site
Directors Scott McGehee & David Siegel on how a 6-year-old carries a film |
Starts Friday, May 24 at the Ritz Five
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| In the romantic comedy Love Is All You Need, Philip (Pierce Brosnan), an Englishman living in Denmark, is a lonely, middle-aged widower and estranged single father. Ida (Trine Dyrholm) is a Danish hairdresser, recuperating from a long bout of illness, who's just been left by her husband for a younger woman, Tilde (Christiane Schaumburg-Müller). The fates of these two bruised souls are about to intertwine, as they embark for a trip to Sorrento, Italy to attend the wedding of Patrick and Astrid, Philip's son and Ida's daughter. Love Is All You Need is a film about the simple yet profound pains and joys of moving on—and forward—with your life. Directed and co-written by Susanne Bier (In a Better World, Things We Lost in the Fire). Official Web Site |
Starts Friday, May 24
at the Ritz at the Bourse
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| It's the most mythic of all American emporiums—and the scene of many an ultimate fashion fantasy. Now, with Matthew Miele's new documentary, audiences get a rare chance to peek behind the backroom doors of Bergdorf Goodman and into the reality of the fascinating inner workings and fabulous untold stories from the luxury department store's iconic history. The legend, the parties, the fashion idols, the windows, the women, the buyers and shoppers—and most of all, the quintessentially American dreams of New York's high-fashion hot-spot—all come to life in an ode to a realm where creativity and commerce reign equally supreme. With a light touch, Miele explores not just the glamour but the passion behind the daily creation of this luxury mecca in a film as dynamic, lush and intimate as the store itself. Featuring Giorgio Armani, Candice Bergen, Dolce & Gabbana, Marc Jacobs, Karl Lagerfeld, Lauren Bush Lauren, Susan Lucci, Christian Louboutin, Isaac Mizrahi, Joan Rivers and many more! Official Web Site |
One Week Only! Starts Friday, May 24
at the Ritz at the Bourse
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| Deceptive Practice: The Mysteries and Mentors of Ricky Jay is a mesmerizing journey into the world of modern magic and the small circle of eccentric geniuses who mastered it. At its center is the multitalented Ricky Jay, a best-selling author and historian, an acclaimed actor (House of Games), a leading collector of antiquarian books and artifacts, but above all a conjurer capable of creating a profound sense of wonder and disbelief. Deceptive Practice traces the story of Ricky's achievement, from his precocious apprenticeship in Brooklyn, beginning at age 4, with his grandfather Max Katz, as well as Al Flosso, Slydini, and Cardini (all among the best magicians of the 20th century), to his extraordinary one-man shows on Broadway. Friends and collaborators appear, such as David Mamet and Steve Martin (who joins Jay in a hilarious turn on a vintage '70s "Dinah Shore" TV show). Throughout, Jay demonstrates live on camera his mastery of sleight of hand. Viewers will gain not only a deep appreciation for the arduous and arcane demands of the magician's craft, but also for the colorful use of language and storytelling central to the art. Official Web Site |
Fri, May 24 at Midnight at the Ritz at the Bourse!
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| Director Sam Raimi (Spider-Man trilogy, Evil Dead series) returns to the horror genre with an original tale of a young woman's desperate quest to break an evil curse. Christine Brown (Alison Lohman) is an ambitious L.A. loan officer with a charming boyfriend, professor Clay Dalton (Justin Long). Life is good until the mysterious Mrs. Ganush (Lorna Raver) arrives at the bank to beg for an extension on her home loan. Should Christine follow her instincts and give the old woman a break? Or should she deny the extension to impress her boss, Mr. Jacks (David Paymer), and get a leg-up on a promotion? Christine fatefully chooses the latter, shaming Mrs. Ganush and dispossessing her of her home. In retaliation, the old woman places the powerful curse of the Lamia on Christine, transforming her life into a living hell. Haunted by an evil spirit and misunderstood by a skeptical boyfriend, she seeks the aid of seer Rham Jas (Dileep Rao) to save her soul from eternal damnation. To help the shattered Christine return her life to normal, the psychic sets her on a frantic course to reverse the spell. As evil forces close in, Christine must face the unthinkable: how far will she go to break free of the curse? Official Web Site |
Friday Midnight Movies at the Ritz at the Bourse!
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Fri, May 24: Drag Me to Hell, directed by Sam Raimi. Fri, May 31: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, lean, green and on the screen! Fri, Jun 7: Samurai Cop, you have the right to remain silent... dead silent! Fri, Jun 14: The Room, "You are tearing me apart, Lisa!" Fri, Jun 21: The Rocky Horror Picture Show, with Live Shadow Cast Transylvanian Nipple Productions! Fri, Jun 28: Aliens, directed by James Cameron and starring Sigourney Weaver. Fri, Jul 5: Dazed and Confused, see it with a bud! Fri, Jul 12: V/H/S/2, Philadelphia theatrical premiere! Fri, Jul 19: The Rocky Horror Picture Show, with Live Shadow Cast Transylvanian Nipple Productions! |
Starts Friday, May 31 at the Ritz Five
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| In the inspired, genre-twisting new film Stories We Tell, Oscar-nominated writer/director Sarah Polley (Away From Her) discovers that the truth depends on who's telling it. Polley is both filmmaker and detective as she investigates the secrets kept by a family of storytellers. She playfully interviews and interrogates a cast of characters of varying reliability, eliciting refreshingly candid, yet mostly contradictory, answers to the same questions. As each relates their version of the family mythology, present-day recollections shift into nostalgia-tinged glimpses of their mother, who departed too soon, leaving a trail of unanswered questions. Polley unravels the paradoxes to reveal the essence of family: always complicated, warmly messy and fiercely loving. Stories We Tell explores the elusive nature of truth and memory, but at its core is a deeply personal film about how our narratives shape and define us as individuals and families, all interconnecting to paint a profound, funny and poignant picture of the larger human story. Official Web Site |
One Week Only! Starts Friday, May 31
at the Ritz at the Bourse
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| In the hilarious dark comedy Sightseers, Chris (co-writer Steve Oram) wants to show Tina (co-writer Alice Lowe) his world, and he wants to do it his way—on a journey through the British Isles in his beloved Abbey Oxford Caravan. Tina's led a sheltered life and there are things that Chris needs her to see—the Crich Tramway Museum, the Ribblehead Viaduct, the Keswick Pencil Museum and the rolling countryside that separates these wonders in his life. But it doesn't take long for the dream to fade. Litterbugs, noisy teenagers and pre-booked RV sites, not to mention Tina's meddling mother, soon conspire to shatter Chris's dreams and send him, and anyone who rubs him the wrong way, over a very jagged edge... Directed by Ben Wheatley (Down Terrace, Kill List). Winner of the Best Screenplay Award at the British Independent Film Awards. Official Web Site |
Fri, May 31 at Midnight at the Ritz at the Bourse!
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| In Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze, the Turtles are up to their shells in trouble when a canister of toxic ooze falls into the hands of the evil Master Shredder (François Chau). Aided by their new pal Keno (Ernie Reyes Jr.) the pizza delivery boy, the Turtles take on Shredder and his mutant allies, Rahzar (Mark Ginther) and Tokka (Kurt Bryant), to capture and destroy the dangerous ooze and make the world safe again for Turtles, humans and pizza! |
Starts Friday, June 7 at the Ritz East
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| Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy) first met in their twenties in Before Sunrise, reunited in their thirties in Before Sunset, and now, in director/co-writer Richard Linklater's Before Midnight, they face the past, present and future. Jesse's a successful novelist, and they're in Greece at a writer's retreat, staying in the bucolic country villa of an older expat writer, Patrick (Walter Lassally). As a treat, their Greek friends have gifted Jesse and Celine with a night at a luxurious seaside hotel while they babysit their young twin daughters Ella and Nina (Jennifer and Charlotte Prior). Feeling the undercurrent of friction between them, Celine wants to beg off, but their friends insist. They set off on foot through the spectacular countryside, enjoying each other's company, talking, teasing, debating, flirting. But for Jesse and Celine, realities intrude: the weight of children, work, ambitions, disappointments and the strains of an evolving, deepening relationship. Their idyllic night tests them in unexpected ways, and before the clock strikes midnight, their story again unfolds. Official Web Site |
One Show Only! Monday, June 10 at 7:00pm
at the Ritz East
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| Bill W. tells the story of William G. Wilson, co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, a man included in TIME Magazine's "100 Persons of the 20th Century." Interviews, recreations, and rare archival material reveal how Bill Wilson, a hopeless drunk near death from his alcoholism, found a way out of his own addiction and then forged a path for countless others to follow. With Bill as its driving force, A.A. grew from a handful of men to a worldwide fellowship of over 2 million men and women—a success that made him an icon within A.A., but also an alcoholic unable to be a member of the very society he had created. A reluctant hero, Bill Wilson lived a life of sacrifice and service, and left a legacy that continues every day, all around the world. Official Web Site |
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