Year: 2020

Movie of the Week: ‘In the Bedroom’

Jeff Mitchell

“In the Bedroom” (2001) – AHFW’s Movie of the Week is Todd Field’s remarkable directorial debut “In the Bedroom” starring Sissy Spacek, Tom Wilkinson, Marisa Tomei, and Nick Stahl. Set in a New England small town, Matt and Ruth Fowler (Wilkinson, Spacek) live a happy life, and their son Frank (Stahl) is home for the summer after his college graduation.   Frank has big plans – which please his parents – but starts a relationship with an older woman Natalie (Tomei), and his future designs may lie with her, a single…

‘Irresistible’ successfully explores big, twisted political practices in Small Town, USA

Jeff Mitchell

“Irresistible” – “He’s a church-going Bernie Sanders with bone density.” – Gary Zimmer (Steve Carell) Mr. Zimmer, a Democratic strategist, describes Jack Hastings (Chris Cooper) of Deerlaken, Wisc. with the enthusiasm of an obsessed teenager yearning for a dance with the prom queen.  Jack, however, is no demure beauty.  He’s a farmer, a retired U.S. Marine Colonel, and a widower.  In other words, Gary sees this man as a perfect candidate, one who the Dems could use after Donald Trump’s 2016 famous – or infamous, depending upon your perspective –…

Happy Birthday, Valerie Pachner!

Jeff Mitchell

Happy Birthday, Valerie Pachner!  This Austrian actress turns 33 years young on June 26, so AHFW would like to recognize her outstanding work in Terrence Malick’s deeply affecting “A Hidden Life”, our #1 film of 2019!  (which is available to stream on Amazon Prime) Attached are: The link to AHFW’s original review:  Link An insightful interview at Cannes 2019 with her costar August Diehl “A Hidden Life” trailer Cannes 2019 interview: Trailer: Image credits: Fox Searchlight Pictures Classics; Clips credits: Festival de Cannes and SearchlightPictures