By Hans Pedersen, August 2015 Issue.
Stand
Video release Aug. 4 | Unrated | 87 minutes
A Russian political drama set in the country’s chilling anti-gay climate, which mistreats the LGBT community under the auspices of a so-called gay “propaganda” law that criminalizes self-expression. Jonathan Taieb writes and directs this story of Anton and Vlad, a Russian same-sex couple who witness what appears to be a brutal gay bashing. Anton (Renat Shuteev) feels compelled to look into the hate crime, and Vlad (Andrei Kurganov) wants him to drop the issue, yet it seems he may have ulterior motives. Shot in the Ukraine, Stand has lots of positive buzz and screened at several film festivals.
Listen to Me, Marlon
In theaters Aug. 7 | 95 minutes
Marlon Brando’s face was captured digitally prior to his death, so his computer-generated face eerily narrates this jaw-dropping documentary, based on countless audio recordings he made. Brando was the hottest actor in Hollywood in the late ‘50s, and this film sheds light on that era, as well as his despondent, final years. In his own words only, with no other interviews, we look back at Hollywood, filmmaking and his acting methods and tools. Eerily similar to his role as Jor-El speaking to his son, Superman (1978), the actor privately reveals much more to a recording device than he ever could to the public.
Ricki and the Flash
In theaters Aug. 7 | PG-13
Casting Meryl Streep as a leather-clad rocker gal, à la Lita Ford, is not exactly a typecasting move. Of course, the captivating actress can embrace nearly any role under the sun. In this musical film with live performances, Streep inhabits the role of Ricki, the rock-star guitarist for The Flash, who put relationships in jeopardy in favor of a career. Now Ricki is trying to mend fences and repair connections with her family. Eighties heartthrob performer Rick Springfield co-stars as a band member who’s still in love with the guitarist, and Streep’s real-life daughter Mamie Gummer plays Ricki’s offspring.
In theaters Aug. 14 | 87 minutes
Liberal Gore Vidal was already out of the closet back in 1968 during his explosive debates with conservative William F. Buckley, Jr. during presidential conventions. Filled with archival footage and elucidating interviews, this enticing documentarty shows how these raucous televised debates dramatically changed TV news, infusing opinions into political coverage. The intriguing and well-paced film by Robert Gordon and Morgan Neville (20 Feet from Stardom) screened at the Sundance and Phoenix film festivals, and also appeared at this year’s Outfest in Los Angeles.
