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Black Book Directed by Paul Verhoeven. Written by Verhoeven and Gerard Soeteman. Cinematography, Karl Walter Lindenlaub. Music, Anne Dudley. Starring Carice van Houten, Sebastian Koch and Thom Hoffman. Sony Pictures Classics, 2006. R. 145 minutes. 
Chotic, fidgety and incredibly tense, Black Book carries so many contradictions that by the end it simply collapses, broken-backed. For one thing, this mostly enjoyable spy thriller is a love story between a Dutch Jew, Rachel Stein (Carice van Houten), and the German Colonel Muntze (Sebastian Koch) during WWII. What’s more, although Black Book was filmed in Holland to recreate a complex period in Dutch history, the film has an epic Hollywood feel reminiscent of Spielbergian blockbusters, notably Schindler’s List. It wants quite badly to be a serious picture, but Americans only know Black Book‘s director, Paul Verhoeven, as the man who yelled “Action!” just before Sharon Stone uncrossed her legs. I could go on, but you get the drift: Black Book is something of a paradox — one that’s satisfying almost all the way through. Read more…
Avenue Montaigne Directed by Danièle Thompson. Written by Danièle Thompson and Christopher Thompson. Starring Cécile de France, Valérie Lemercier, Claude Brasseur, Albert Dupontel, Laura Morante, Sydney Pollack and Christopher Thompson. THINKFilm, 2007. PG-13. 100 minutes. In French and English with English subtitles.
Once upon a time, maybe, more romantic comedies were like Avenue Montaigne.The film’s humor is a gentle thing, built more in small moments than belly laughs and pratfalls. As for romance, Avenue Montaigne take a wonderful and welcome tack: It gives nearly as much weight to an established relationship under strain as it does a new one just begun to bloom. Read more…
Archeology Channel International Film and Video Festival
This year, The Archaeology Channel International Film and Video Festival has a new home in The Shedd’s Jaqua Concert Hall. But as usual, the festival encompasses more than just movie screenings; a guided tour of Cascadia Cave with Tony Farque and a free symposium on heritage film at the Downtown Library, both on Friday, are among the additional events. Read more…