Monthly Reel for May 2015

Orson Welles in the infamous 1938 War of the Worlds radio broadcast.
Orson Welles in the infamous 1938 War of the Worlds radio broadcast.

Celebrating Orson Welles, the Asheville Jewish Film Festival, and Avenging the Box Office!

by Michelle Keenan

This month we’re celebrating the 100th birthday of Orson Welles.

To mark the milestone The Asheville Film Society will be showing The Lady From Shanghai on May 20 and the Hendersonville Film Society will be hosting a presentation of Citizen Kane on May 3. The good Professor Kaufmann ponders whatever happened to Orson Welles on page 15. And as if that wasn’t enough, there are DVD picks to boot!

This month Chip reviews three very different movies, Ex Machina, Woman in Gold, and the record breaking box office blockbuster Furious 7. I on the other hand stumbled on to a theme in my reviews of three films that all grapple with the concept of truth in some way, shape or form – Child 44, True Story, and While We’re Young.

By the time this issue comes out Furious 7 may be knocked off its red hot #1 streak at the box office by the latest installment of the Avengers series. Also coming soon to a theatre near you is Russell Crowe’s directorial debut The Water Diviner, remakes of Far From the Madding Crowd and Mad Max, as well as Tomorrowland with George Clooney and Aloha with Bradley Cooper.

dough - AJFFThe Asheville Jewish Film Festival will have screenings each week in May at the Fine Arts Theatre. The Asheville Jewish Film Festival promotes the diversity of Jewish identity to its community through film, exploring the dynamic environment of history and culture on the modern Jewish experience to a rich and varied community.

Titles to be screened are Deli Man, Above and Beyond, Once in a Lifetime, and what looks to be a delightful little film, Dough. For more information go to www.AshevilleJewishFilmFestival.com.

Until next month, enjoy the show.