Spain
THE METHOD
(EL MÉTODO)
(aka THE GRÖNHOLM METHOD)
2005, Marcelo Piñeyro, Spain, 115 min.
With Eduardo Noriega, Najwa Nimri, Eduard Fernández, Pablo Echarri, Natalia Verbeke
“Nifty. . . Imagine ‘Survivor’ by way of Enron.”--Robert Koehler, Variety
In this stylish, timely thriller by the director of BURNT MONEY, a Madrid corporation gathers together seven job candidates, isolates them in a room, and pits them against one another in a series of psychologically brutal challenges designed to weed out all but the most devious and ruthless. While the aspirants fiddle away their integrity in an onslaught of conniving and backstabbing, an anti-globalization riot burns in the streets below. In Spanish with English subtitles. 35mm widescreen print courtesy of Latido Films and Palm Pictures. (MR)
Saturday, March 3, 5:15 pm
Wednesday, March 7, 6:00 pm
THE SECRET LIFE OF WORDS
2005, Isabel Coixet, Spain, 115 min.
With Sarah Polley, Tim Robbins, Julie Christie
“The exquisitely coordinated performances elicit an empathy as powerful as anything I can remember feeling in a recent film.”--Stephen Holden, The New York Times
“Polley once again delivers a terrific performance, and Robbins hits a career high.”--Ken Fox, TVGuide.com
Winner of four Goya Awards (Best Picture, Director, Screenplay, Production Supervision), this moving character study features Sarah Polley in a custom-written role as a hearing-impaired factory worker sealed off from the world around her. While on a vacation, she volunteers to care for a seriously injured man (Robbins) on a North Sea oil rig--a relationship that slowly draws her from her shell until her hidden past comes pouring out in an electrifying torrent of long-held-back words. In English. Chicago premiere courtesy of Strand Releasing. 35mm. (MR)