Which films will you fall for?

The 13th annual East Lansing Film Festival opens tonight with ’I Am Love’

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This year’s East Lansing Film Festival begins with Italian passion and ends with a mass crucifixation. In between, you’ll find everything from mountain climbing to road tripping to a behind-the-scenes look at a comedy legend.

It’s an impressive assortment of features, documentaries, shorts and Michigan-made productions assembled by ELFF exceutive director Susan Woods. If it seems like it’s been a long time between festivals, it has: Now in its 13th year, ELFF has moved from March to October to avoid having to compete with the traditional March Madness hoopla. The new dates also allowed Woods more choices in terms of selections.

It also gave regional filmmakers a little more time to work on their submissions for the Lake Michigan Film Competition, which takes place Saturday. Cash prizes for top features, documentaries, shorts and student films will be awarded to directors whose films were, according to the festival website, "at least one-quarter filmed, produced, or financed in the states that border Lake Michigan — Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin."

City Pulse staff writers and freelancers have had the chance to see many of this year’s ELFF offerings, and there are plenty of gems in the bunch. Titles are listed alphabetically under the day of their first showing; additional or expanded reviews will be available at www.lansingcitypulse. com.

And now, as they say in the movie world: Roll ’em!


Venue abbreviations

HCC — Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbot Road, East Lansing

RCAH — Residential College in the Arts and Humanities, C210 Snyder Hall, Michigan State University

C!C — Celebration! Cinema, 200 E. Edgewood Blvd., Lansing

Tonight

“I Am Love” (7:30 p.m. HCC)

In the 1950s, director Douglas Sirk made a series of high-class melodramas, like “Written on the Wind” and “Imitation of Life,” which were supremely stylish symphonies of ravishing visuals and enormous emotions. Sirk’s spirit lives on in director Luca Guadagnino’s seductive sizzler “I Am Love,” in which the mesmerizing Tilda Swinton plays Emma, a Russian-born beauty who left her heritage (and perhaps her own identity) behind when she married into the Italian aristocracy. A quarter-century later, with her children now growing into adulthood, Emma faces the empty-nest syndrome, but in her soul, not in her palatial home.

It’s said that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach; Emma will demon strate the theory applies to women as well, as Antonio (Edoardo Gabbriellini), a gifted chef and a friend of one of Emma’s sons, creates culinary masterpieces that reawaken Emma’s stifled senses and lead her into an erotic adventure. (Don’t be surprised if you leave the theater with a deep curiosity about Russian salad and the savory fish stew, ukha.)

Guadagnino savors each step of Emma’s journey in the same way Emma enjoys every morsel of Antonio’s creations: When the lovestruck Emma strolls the sun-baked streets of San Reno in a tangerine-colored dress, her golden hair spun into a tidy knot and her heart spinning out of control, you can feel the heat, both on her skin and beneath it. Guadagnino also paints a vivid picture of tragedy, as in a cemetery scene in which a sudden shower makes it seem as if tears are erupting from the frozen eyes of the statues. “Love” is a banquet for the eyes, magnificently accompanied by John Adams’ surging, sweeping score, which makes this wildly passionate tale feel more like opera than soap opera. — James Sanford


Thursday, Oct. 21

“North Face” (7:30 p.m. HCC)

Some people climb mountains as a hobby. But for Toni Kurz (Benno Furmann) and Andreas Hinterstoisser (Florian Lukas), finding a way to scale the Eiger — known in Germany as Mordwand, or “wall of death” — is a mission of national importance. It’s 1936, and German patriotism is on the rise. If the bold Bavarians Kurz and Hinterstoisser can conquer this towering terror, it could be great publicity for the Third Reich.

Drawn from the true story of an ambitious and perilous quest, director Philipp Stolzl’s drama is both a nail-biter and a heart-breaker. It’s almost painfully sad to see how a nation’s hunger for heroic figures pulls two bright young men into a situation that’s all but certain to end in tragedy. To make matters worse, Kurz and Hinterstoisser’s childhood friend, bright-eyed press photographer Luise Fellner (Johanna Wokalek), is on-hand to capture the event, hopeful that it will give her some much-needed credibility in the eyes of her condescending boss (Ulrich Tukur).

Most of the movie’s second half recounts the torturous trip up the North Face of the Eiger, as Hinterstoisser, Kurz and two companions battle treacherous conditions, including merciless winds, thick cloud cover and, of course, rocks raining down upon them. Extremely well-acted and sometimes excruciatingly suspenseful, “North Face” is both a very scary history lesson and a strong warning about the dangers of getting caught up in the mania of the moment. — James Sanford


Friday, Oct. 22

“Being in the World” (6:30 p.m. RCAH)

A slew of philosophers talks about the human ability to learn skills — everything from cooking to carpentry to playing an instrument — in this documentary that’s billed as "a celebration of being human in a technological age." The interviews with the "masters" of their crafts are often just as interesting as those with the philosophers. While many of the ideas conveyed will be considered debatable in the audience’s minds, the film still serves as a great reminder of everything we are capable of without a computer or cell phone.

(Showing with the short "You’re a Good Man, Antimin") — Luke Allen Hackney

“The Happy Poet” (9:30 p.m. RCAH; repeats at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 27, C!C)

It used to be said that Al Pacino’s “Scarface” held the record for the most profanities in one film. “The Happy Poet” might set some sort of record for the most “um”s and “uh”s crammed into less than 90 minutes: Writer-director-star Paul Gordon is so low-key and laid-back he makes Steven Wright look like a real ball of fire.

Viewers willing to settle into the movie’s militantly mellow mood will find some kooky charm in this comedy about overeducated, under-experienced Bill (Gordon), who’s trying to make a go of his latest scheme: selling hummus, tabouli and eggless egg salad out of a hot dog cart, with the help of a drug-dealing delivery man named Donnie (Jonny Mars). “Poet” is set in Austin and it eagerly embraces the city’s eccentric attitude and “hey, dude, whatever” casualness. (Get ready for conversations along the lines of “I guess I’ll see ya later.” “Yeah, definitely.” “Cool.” “Yeah, see you later.”) While it’s more agreeable than it is flat-out funny, “Poet” does make one curious about what Gordon might be cooking up as his next project. — James Sanford

“Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work” (9:30 p.m. HCC; repeats at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 28, C!C)

This documentary keeps you entertained as it gives you a glimpse behind the scenes and to some extent into the psyche of comedian Joan Rivers, the hardest-working woman in show biz. We never learn what makes her so driven— all she offers is that she needs the money (about which she is shrewd) to maintain her lavish lifestyle — but she keeps us laughing in this intimate biography; Rivers at 75 vows to surpass George Burns and Phyllis Diller, who both performed into their 90s.

She is frank about her late husband, Edgar, whose suicide left her strapped and at a career low after, she claims, he mismanaged her late-night TV show. She ruminates on her days with Johnny Carson, who famously banished her. She hears the footsteps of Kathy Griffin, who she says is getting all her big club dates.

Mostly, though, she looks relentlessly ahead, never happy if she’s idle (the movie opens with her appearance at a rundown club in Queens). Years have not diminished her competitiveness, even with her own daughter, Melissa, who is booted early from “Celebrity Apprentice,” while Joan goes on to win. Rivers emerges as highly insecure (Melissa calls her “very damaged”) but largely likeable and certainly no act — she’s consistent on stage and off. She broadcasts her utter fear of not being wanted by the public, but doesn’t tell us why. Maybe even Joan Rivers is afraid to go there. (Showing with Bill Plympton’s short "Horn Dog") — Berl Schwartz

“Troubled Water” (6:30 p.m. HCC; repeats at 8:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 25, C!C)

A drama from Norway, following the journey of a convicted murder after he’s released from prison. As the ex-con finds a new vocation, the truth about his past begins to emerge.


Saturday, Oct. 23

“Annabelle and Bear” (6:30 p.m. 107 S. Kedzie)

A heartwarming film that follows the budding friendship between a biker named Bear and his 2-year old daughter, Annabelle. Bear’s free-spirited lifestyle changes overnight when the junkie mother of his child abandons Annabelle at his home.

Fearing that his fathering skills are inadequate, Bear sets off on a road trip, taking Annabelle to live with his estranged mother. However, car rides form bonds that cannot be broken as Annabelle adorably brings out the fathering skills in Bear that he never knew he had. "Annabelle & Bear" works best when focusing on its title characters, and the fine performances of first-time actors Curt Mastoff and Olivia Walby. — Paul Wozniak

“Bilal’s Stand” (3:30 p.m. 109 S. Kedzie)

If John Hughes had made a film about suburban African-American teens, it would have looked and felt very much like “Bilal’s Stand,” a sublime fable told with wide-eyed optimism and unflinching grittiness.

The film plays equal parts as a classic underdog story and as a love letter to Detroit. “All I see when I look around is a dream deferred,” says Bilal (Julian Gant, “Detroit 187,” “Real Steel”) as he drives past iconic downtown landmarks. The camera catches the decay, but it also highlights the areas of growth and bloom in the troubled metropolis. Hope, here, springs eternal.

“Stand” was written and directed by Sultan Sharrief, who has tweaked his own life’s story into the film’s plot. It follows Bilal, a high school senior who longs to leave his family’s taxi stand in the Detroit suburb of Inkster and pursue a higher education. The film cleverly employs popups to identify characters, translate ghetto-speak and underscore key moments. It’s also razor sharp in its observations on socio-economic, familial, religious, and racial castes—and unforgiving in its depictions of what it is to be black and Muslim in the 21st century.

“Stand” doesn’t shy from its use of non-PC slang, either. Special care is given to use these words in context only and to describe what it actually feels like to be called by the king daddy of all ugly words. For example, when one of his cousins casually calls Bilal a “nigga,” he shakes his head and sadly soliloquizes: “Regardless of what you do or who you try to be … they make you into something vulgar and you don’t even have a choice.” Powerful stuff, this is. Sharrief is definitely a voice we should be hearing from more in the future. — Allan I.Ross

“Breaking and Entering” (3:30 p.m. 107 S. Kedzie)

What does it take to get into the Guinness World Records? According to this movie, a lot of time on your hands, an acute talent for something obscure, and — quite possibly — a borderline personality disorder.

“Breaking and Entering” explores the lives of several individuals who are trying to break a world record so they can have their name forever etched in that hallowed book of miscellany. Meet the joggler! He runs marathons while juggling balls, but his family misses him. The stationary bike rider! This self-obsessed middle-aged guy (“I amaze myself”) wants to set the record for 100 hours of cycling in place, but he has some serious daddy issues. And the record-setter record setter! He holds the record for most Guinness records held by one person (which mostly consist of trivial feats, such as fastest mile while pushing an orange with his nose, but I won’t tell him no one’s impressed if you don’t.)

At worst, this movie is a series of schadenfreude moments, showing how much trying to set a world record has derailed the lives of some of these people. At best, however, it attempts to answer the question of What Life is Really About. Quoth the record holder for the World’s Smallest Telephone: “(It’s a) great inspiration for being the best at something. You make the world a better place.” — Allan I. Ross

"The Dream Play" (9:30 p.m. 109 S. Kedzie)

An intriguing film about Sartre, acting, and the quest for fulfillment, ‘The Dream Play’ is a dark drama that examines our personal prisons and the choices we make to escape. Although the film beautifully sets up its main premise and expertly ties all of its loose ends, it still leaves the audience to wonder why some ends were ever introduced. Very strong performances from the entire cast make ‘The Dream Play’ a first rate think piece on an independent budget. — Paul Wozniak

“Fairview St.” (1 p.m. 109 S. Kedzie)

The plot is simple and standard: a paroled convict goes home with the best intention of going straight, but things go immediately awry. No new ground is broken with this plot, but that hardly matters given the true mission of the film.

“Fairview St.” is actually a love letter to the art of cinematography, written on a picture postcard of Lansing; that postcard was written and directed by its star, Lansing native Michael McCallum.

Shot in high-contrast black and white, the film’s best moments feature McCallum sitting in a familiar bar or restaurant, smoking. Filmed before the Michigan new ban forced smokers to hide under rain barrels to get their fix, the artful shots of smoke wafting around McCallum’s classic movie star visage reinforces the fact that smoking does, in fact, look cool.

Also notable are the languorous shots of McCallum sauntering through the local streets and back alleys to a phenomenal soundtrack of mostly local musicians, such as Jen Sygit, Cash O’Riley and Eightball Grifter. These long, contemplative shots are transposed with tight close-ups of McCallum, Elizabeth Moore as his wife, and “good” cop Shane Hagedorn. The skillful lighting and composition of these shots flatters the subjects, who shine most brightly when their “dialogue” is delivered only through their facial expressions. — Mary C. Cusack

"Hog Wild" (3:30 p.m. 107 S. Kedzie, screening with "Breaking and Entering")

The pig is of utmost importance in the documentary short "Hog Wild." In Viroqua, Wis., population 4,335, the object of the ‘13th Annual’ summer sport “Hog Wrestle” is to put the hog in the barrel feet first, unharmed, within 30 seconds, in a cage filled with mud. "Hog Wild" features five of the many competing teams with names like "Bodacious Oinkers" and the pirate themed "Pigger Me Timbers." Steady camera work, crisp editing, and a guitar-pickin’ soundtrack make this dirty documentary good clean family fun. — Paul Wozniak

“Kitchen Conversations: Life Through Recipes” (6:30 p.m. 109 S. Kedzie) It’s a fun concept: Women share memories of love, loss and tradition while executing old family recipes. Commonly the stories are of mother-daughter relationships, and the documentary features many variations on these.

The film falters in two ways: The theme song that plays between segments becomes a bit grating, and the overall length could be trimmed. While all of the stories are interesting individually, after an hour they start to melt into one. But because the film was made in the Kalamazoo area, Midwesterners in particular will feel right at home as the recipes are cooked and the stories are dished out. — Mary C. Cusack

“Lake Michigan Film Competition Dark Shorts Program” (9:30 p.m. 105 S. Kedzie)

“Bare Witness” eerily follows a man haunted by … something. An effective bleak tableau is squandered, however, in this meandering, repetitive piece that keeps up the suspense way past any point of interest.

“The Commandant” is set in a Polish farmhouse in the opening years of World War II. Two Russian soldiers are trapped behind enemy lines with their dying political officer, where the leave-no-man-behind maxim is put to the test. This taut, sharp thriller feels like a scene from a grander war epic.

Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart” is retold as a noir-ish mystery in the nearly wordless black-and-white short “Dark Heart.” It creates a creepy atmosphere, but fails to follow through with a good spook.

The Grim Reaper spends a night babysitting a precocious preteen in the joke-a-minute dark comedy “Death in Charge.” It lampoons the cynicism of the violent video game culture (in a fictional first-person shooter, a character receives a 97 percent in Indifference and 118 percent in Murderocity) while maintaining its heart, as we empathize with a little girl who feels abandoned by her floozy of a mother. A Gen-Yer mopes about her fears — including death — in the digital short “Death the Dialogue.”

“Let Old Ghosts Rest” is a loose remake of the oft-parodied crime drama “Angels with Dirty Faces,” this time set in the world of the Chinese Mafia in Chicago’s Chinatown. Unfortunately, it can best be referred to as Shyamalan-esque: suffering through stilted dialogue for a gotcha ending. Alan Watts’ “Myth of Myself” speech is set to a series of esoteric scenes in the abstract “Life as it is Described.” A couple of palookas hash it out over a two-timing dame in “Mugs,” a thankfully short piece that suffers from bad acting, sound, location and costumes.

“The Violinist” gets it right in every way possible, in which a loser with the ladies decides to impersonate a violin virtuoso. To tell you any more would risk giving away this polished-to-a-gem pitch-black comedy. Its smart storyline, fully fleshed out characters and a willingness to go to the proverbial “there” makes this one a must-watch. — Allan I. Ross


“Lake Michigan Film Competition Shorts Program” (3:30 p.m. 105 S. Kedzie)

Remember the good old days when a kid could mix rocket fuel in the garage with his dad’s 2-iron or charge up his neighbor’s lawn in a mock war-game invasion while wielding a realistic hand-cannon? The filmmaker behind the autobiographical “An American Boy” sure does, and gee whillikers, weren’t times so much better then? Apparently, since he shoots the re-enactments of his real-life childhood adventures at the actual locations.

It’s beautifully shot in the fuzzy cheesecloth style of halcyon-vision, but one can’t help but wish that he had bothered to add a running storyline to his trip down Memory Lane. The result is a series of episodic snapshots with no real point.

A woman’s love for watching movie credits becomes an analogy for life — and a heartwarming ode to movie aficionados — in the dreamlike meta short “Credits.” In “Dear Gerbil,” the death of a woman’s beloved pet inspires her to re-examine her relationship when her boyfriend proves to be less than sympathetic.

“Explosive Gains” is a short animated piece from a student at the Center for Creative Studies in Detroit. It uses audio from a George Carlin interview and a split-screen showing wheels being greased in Washington and armories churning out weaponry to make a been-there, done-that statement about the U.S. military-industrial complex.

In a fictional Library of Congress-style institution dedicated to cataloguing autobiographies, an elderly clerk wants to be remembered, too, in the bittersweet short “Forget Me Not.”

“The Lost & Found Shop” plays like a forgotten fairy tale. A little girl is trying to track down a beloved memory at a store where you can recover everything from your remote control to your virginity. Even the most jaded among you may get a little choked up.

“Playing House” is a fun, surreal fantasy about an alternate universe where grownups talk, act, and live like kids playing mommy and daddy. A heartbreaking comedy that effectively captures the emotions of having a fight with someone you love.

“Taco Mary” is a belabored comedy about an atheist skater dude who one day sees the Virgin Mary in his taco combo. High jinks ensue and the commerce of religion is mocked. Olé! Watch a relationship die in “Tumber: The Echo.” Actually, don’t.

“My dad used to say I was apathetic, which might have been true if I wasn’t so lethargic,” says slacker/serial purse snooper “Waldo Invincible” in a sunshiny short about a self-described “lover of all people.” — Allan I. Ross

“The Maid” (9:30 p.m. HCC; repeats at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26, C!C)

Catalina Saavedra’s riveting performance drives this bittersweet, seriocomic portrait of an upper-class Chilean household in transition.

Saavedra, who can work wonders with a sorrowful stare or a suspicious glare, plays Raquel, who’s spent more than 20 years attending to the needs of the Valdez family. Her great reward for two decades of dutiful domestic service: a series of dizzy spells and excruciating headaches that lead the lady of the house (Claudia Celedon) to look for someone to give Raquel a helping hand. Raquel, however, isn’t interested in an assistant and goes to extremes to hold on to her position.

While there are some hearty laughs to be had in watching Raquel’s passive-aggressive methods of dealing with unwanted interlopers and uppity teenagers (hell hath no fury like a wily woman with a vacuum cleaner), director Sebastian Silva underscores the humor with a strong sense of melancholy. Raquel has relinquished so much of herself to the Valdezes that she barely knows how to function outside of their house. “The Maid” is an examination of the tug of war between the need for change and the desire for security. Raquel knows how to clean up other people’s messes, but she’s ultimately faced with the scary task of sorting out her own heart. In Saavedra’s gloriously expressive eyes, we see both pain and potential promise. — James Sanford

“November Requiem” (9:30 p.m. 107 S. Kedzie)

On Nov. 18, 1958, 33 men from Rogers City, Mich. went down with the Carl C. Bradley, a freighter traveling across Lake Michigan. This documentary details the event, interviewing the families of the victims and the lone living survivor, bookended by a dive expedition to the downed ship.

The film sets the bar low, though. By focusing on this one tragedy and ignoring other shipwrecks — or even using it as a jumping-off point to discuss the history of Michigan’s rich shipping industry — it fails to do anything but allow a small town to express collective grief. Some of them still haven’t gotten over their heartbreak after 50 years, but without context, this film doesn’t have the power to break our hearts, too. (Showing with "Pulitzer Pride" and "The Last Survivor of the Ford Hunger March") — Allan I. Ross

“The Secret of Kells” (1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. C!C; repeats 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 24, C!C)

An Oscar-nominated animated feature inspired by Celtic mythology, "The Secret of Kells" tells the story of a 9thcentury lad named Brendan, who battles Vikings and a supernatural serpent in his quest to complete the Book of Kells and save his town.

"Short Film Program 1" (3:30 p.m., HCC)

Films in this program include "Cow Who Wanted to be a Hamburger," "Black Ops Arabesque," "Horn Dog," "Patrol," "The Adjustable Cosmos," "You’re a Good Man, Antimin," "The New, True Charlie Wu" and "The Secret Friend."

"Short Film Program 2" (9:30 p.m., HCC)

In " Love Child," an only child no longer receives the attention she has grown accustomed to after a new a new arrival in the family enters the picture: a cat. This funny, six-minute short offers a fairly accurate portrayal of sibling rivalry. Other short films screening in this program include: "Dying Western," "Horn Dog," "NYX," "Sebastian’s Voodoo," "Solitary Life of Cranes," "Proud Mary" and "Yardbyrds."  — Luke Allen Hackney

"Televising a Revolution of Spoken Word from Detroit" (1 p.m. 107 S. Kedzie)

An illuminating documentary that chronicles the history of the Detroit poetry scene from its counter-culture roots in the 1960s to its proud and thriving legacy today. Broken into several chapters, "Televising a Revolution" explores different poetic styles and the elements that make them distinct.

The cinematography and editing is nothing beyond camera-on-a tripod steady shots, but the interviews and performances, from featured poets and revolutionaries such as John Sinclair, Khary Kimani Turner, M.L. Liebler, and Jamaal "Versiz" May, certainly stand on their own.

Far from the bongo and beatnik stereotypes of the past, these Detroit artists make their city, its problems and its pleasures, come alive through the eloquence of their verse. (Showing with "Regional Roots: The Birth and Evolution of Detroit and Its People") — Paul Wozniak

“Tibet in Song” (6:30 p.m. RCAH; repeats at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 25, C!C)

Director and ethnomusicologist Ngawang Choephel documents life in his homeland.

“Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls” (6:30 p.m. HCC; repeats at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 25, C!C)

They’re introduced as “cultural icons (and) a national treasure” — but unless you live in New Zealand, you may never have heard of Jools and Lynda Topp, twin sisters who sing, yodel, clown around and make no secret of the fact they are lesbians.

“We’re not really comedians,” Lynda explains. “We’re singers who are funny.” They’re also not shy about their politics: Over the course of their 30-year career, the Topps have challenged South Africa’s apartheid policies and New Zealand’s nuclear weapons program while advocating (quite successfully) for gay rights. British singer-songwriter Billy Bragg admiringly refers to them as “cheeky chappies” and “sort of an anarchist variety act.”

Yet, as director Leanne Pooley shows us through an engaging combination of concert footage and archival clips, the Topps have amassed much more than a cult following: When they travel out to the hinterlands to entertain farmers and sheep herders, they get the same warm welcome offered by the Kiwi casino set. Their repertoire includes novelty tunes and heartfelt ballads, spiced up with the occasional off-color joke (“Why can’t lesbians wear makeup to Weight Watchers? Because you can’t eat Jenny Craig with Estee Lauder on your face.”) or candid confession.

There’s also more than a hint of Milton Berle in their goofy sketches — in one of their most popular bits, they don drag to play sex-crazed, over-the-hill sports commentators — and, like Berle, the Topps always leave ‘em laughing: They even end their signature song, “Untouchable Girls,” with a hearty “cha cha cha.” How can you not love that? (Showing with Bill Plympton’s "Cow Who Wanted to Be a Hamburger") — James Sanford

“A Village Called Versailles” (1 p.m. HCC)

A small group of New Orleans residents — comprised of Vietnamese immigrants and their children — deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in this documentary. The first generation arrived in 1975, and the group had been splintering, with the older generation unwilling to embrace American culture, and the youth largely uninterested in the past. Following the disaster, the bond betwenn the generations is strengthened, even as things get worse in the aftermath of the storm. (Showing with Richard Martin- Jordan’s "God is American") — Luke Allen Hackney

“When Cotton Blossoms” (1 p.m. 105 S. Kedzie)

The subtitle says it all: “The Inspiring Life & Legacy of Dr. Laurence C. Jones.” Jones founded the Piney Woods School in 1909 in Braxton, Miss., to provide education to the children of sharecroppers: The documentary was produced by the school to celebrate its 100th.

While the work does at times come across as a promotional piece for people who are already familiar with the school, the story is touching enough to appeal to a broad audience. Credit outstanding production values.

“Cotton” is a concise and almost flawless lesson in how to make a compelling documentary. The filmmakers combine vintage footage and photographs with historical reenactments, with effective results. Jones’

life story unfolds with a natural arc, climaxing in a lynching attempt and culminating in a tearjerking appearance on Ralph Edwards’ “This Is Your Life.” (Showing with Bob Hercules’ "Radical Disciple" and Tim Nagae’s "Charles McGee — Nature") — Mary C. Cusack

Sunday, Oct. 24

“Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage” (6:30 p.m. HCC; repeats at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 27, C!C)

Band documentaries are often for fans, save for "Behind the Music"-type specials in which really sordid things happen (think Motley Crue). While "Beyond the Lighted Stage" may or may not convert listeners, this is a dream for Rush die-hards.

The film has interviews with all the members, and insights from everyone from Jack Black to Gene Simmons to Billy Corgan. As far as a music doc goes, this is as well done as possible. Plenty of interviews, tours of old neighborhoods, clips from their first show, photos, concert footage, the works.

While it may not interest everyone — nobody overdosed twice in the same day, snorted ants or killed their friend in an automobile accident (think Motley Crue) — if you find yourself caught up in the music, you’ll love it. (Screening with Sebastian’s Voodoo" from director Joaquin Baldwin) — Luke Allen Hackney

“Sita Sings the Blues” (3:30 p.m. C!C)

Artist Nina Paley’s interpretation of Indian mythology involves a beautiful woman abducted by a demon king; the soundtrack is provided by jazz singer Annette Henshaw.

“Who Does She Think She Is?” (3:30 p.m. HCC)

Director Pamela Tanner Boll profiles a quintet of women trying to balance their careers and their home lives. (Screening with "The Adjustable Cosmos.")

Wednesday, Oct. 27

“Spartacus” (7 p.m. HCC)

Kirk Douglas plays the title role in director Stanley Kubrick’s rousing, lusty epic about a slave and gladiator who leads a revolt against the Roman empire.

The opulent film (which will be presented in its full 192minute original version) won four Academy Awards and the cast includes Laurence Olivier, Tony Curtis, Jean Simmons, Charles Laughton, John Ireland and Peter Ustinov.

But the real thrill for Lansing viewers may be the famous cries of "I am Spartacus," which were recorded in the Michigan State University stadium 50 years ago, prior to a Notre Dame/MSU football game.

A MSU Archives display at the screening includes a personal letter from Douglas to City Pulse writer Lawrence Cosentino at the screening. — James Sanford

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