One Week Only - Podcast

Episode 82 of One Week Only! This week's key film is "Loving Vincent," which is the first painted feature animated film, created with over 65,000 frames of hand-crafted oil paintings. A loving tribute to Vincent Van Gogh, as well a introspective drama about the circumstances of his death and the painful legacy he left behind, the film celebrates artistic genius while also reckoning with the struggles and hardships faced by the artist and their loved ones. Directed by Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman, the immaculate recreations of Van Gogh's paintings, rippling with the fingerprints and life of each animator, are truly a sight to behold. Now Playing in New York and Los Angeles, with more cities to come. (49:55)

We also review the lovely, poetic animated gem "Window Horses" directed by Anne Marie Fleming (8:20); the compelling PTSD soldier drama "Blood Stripe" directed by Remy Auberjonois (19:05); the powerful immigration soldier drama "Soy Nero" directed by Rafi Pitts (27:35); and the stylish obsession thriller "Thirst Street" directed by Nathan Silver (40:10).

Hosted by Carlos Aguilar & Conor Holt. Music by Kevin MacLeod at www.incompetech.com

Episode 81 of One Week Only! This week's key film is "Hissein Habré: A Chadian Tragedy," a powerful documentary about terrible legacy of the Chad dictator and the stories of his victims. Directed by Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, the film takes a stark look at the devastating pain still affecting the people of Chad today, and meditates on the importance of justice and forgiveness. Now Playing in New York at the Museum of Modern Art. (58:30)

We also review the documentary "The Force" about the Oakland Police Department, directed by Peter Nicks (13:05); the Norwegian period drama "The King's Choice" directed by Erik Poppe (26:35); the documentary "Motherland" about a busy Maternity hospital in The Philippines, directed by Ramona Diaz (38:10); and the documentary "Bobbi Jene" about a up-and-coming modern dancer, directed by Elvira Lind (49:15).

Hosted by Carlos Aguilar & Conor Holt. Music by Kevin MacLeod at www.incompetech.com

Episode 80 of One Week Only! This week's key film is "Rat Film," an utterly unique documentary that explores the history of rats in Baltimore, and how it correlates to the city's legacy of racial and economic discrimination. Using historical research and modern visual technology, the film weaves a poetic but infuriating portrait of a city with deep rooted problems, rodent or otherwise. Now Playing at the Film Society of Lincoln Center. (36:20)

Carlos is currently attending the FilmQuest Film Festival in Utah, which screens the latest horror, fantasy & science-fiction indie films!

We also review the rural coming-of-age drama "Dayveon" directed by Amman Abbasi (11:35); the impressionist Holocaust documentary "Red Trees" directed by Marina Willer (17:10); and the Dominican Republican prison drama "Woodpeckers" (Carpinteros) directed by José María Cabral (26:30).

Hosted by Carlos Aguilar & Conor Holt. Music by Kevin MacLeod at www.incompetech.com

Episode 79 of One Week Only! This week's key film is "Nobody's Watching," a terrific, complex drama about a successful Argentinian actor who is attempting to start a new career in New York, but is hampered by his accent and his immigration status. Directed by Julia Solomonoff, and starring Guillermo Pfening, who won Best Actor at the Tribeca Film Festival, this is a nuanced, thoughtful immigrant drama that explores identity, privilege, and desire, as well as the conflict between dreams and reality. Now Playing in New York at the Film Forum. (45:15)

We also review the unnerving religious drama "Free in Deed" directed by Jake Mahaffy (12:05); fantastical anime adventure "Napping Princess" directed by Kenji Kamiyama (19:25); surreal documentary "The Challenge" about wealthy Qatari sheiks, directed by Yuri Ancarani (28:15); and the heartwarming documentary "School Life" about an Irish boarding school, directed by Neasa Ní Chianáin & David Rane (36:10).

Hosted by Carlos Aguilar & Conor Holt. Music by Kevin MacLeod at www.incompetech.com

Episode 78 of One Week Only! This week's key film is "Kill Me Please," a surreal & utterly original coming-of-age dark comedy murder mystery, set in a High School in the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro. Directed by Anita Rocha da Silveira, this beautiful, visually striking film is a thrilling & arresting vision of teenage life mixed with gruesome murders, and the awakening of dark desires. Now Playing in New York at the Alamo Drafthouse Brooklyn. (54:45)

We have an interview with Jordan Cronk, the founder of Acropolis Cinema, which plays international & avant-garde films in Los Angeles that don't have US distribution or are struggling to get theatrical attention. We talk about how the Acropolis Cinema came to be, the kind of films he looks for, and his involvement in the Locarno in LA film festival. Acropolis Cinema presents the LA Premiere of the award-winning Romanian drama "Sieranevada" on Saturday, September 2nd at 8pm at the Downtown Independent! (1:03:25)

We also review the ensemble comedy "I Do... Until I Don't" directed by & starring Lake Bell (5:35); the documentary "Dolores" about the unsung Activist hero Dolores Huerta, directed by Peter Bratt (16:40); the period drama "Viceroy's House" about British Rule in India, directed by Gurinder Chadra (26:30); the French divorce drama "After Love" directed by Joachim Lafosse (36:35); and the Chilean LTBTQ moral drama "Jesús" directed by Fernando Guzzoni (47:50).

Hosted by Carlos Aguilar & Conor Holt. Music by Kevin MacLeod at www.incompetech.com

Episode 77 of One Week Only! This week's key film is "Polina"

(45:40)

We also review the gritty, immersive LGBTQ drama "Beach Rats" directed by Eliza Hittman (13:25); the terrific Egyptian political thriller "Clash" directed by Mohamed Diab (26:15); and the Mexican romantic comedy "Tales of an Immoral Couple" directed by Manolo Caro (35:20).

Hosted by Carlos Aguilar & Conor Holt. Music by Kevin MacLeod at www.incompetech.com

Episode 76 of One Week Only! This week's key film is "Gook," a powerful period drama about two Korean-American brothers and their friend, a young African-American girl, who get caught up in the LA Riots in 1992 Los Angeles. Directed by & starring Justin Chon, it won the NEXT Award at Sundance, and is now playing in New York and Los Angeles. (48:25)

Our interview this weeks is with Joslyn Jensen, the lead actress of the compelling indie drama "Without" which is playing this month at the Arclight Cinemas in Hollywood & Chicago as part of the Slamdance Cinema Club! (1:01:25)

We also review the hilariously uncomfortable dark comedy "Lemon" directed by Janicza Bravo (12:35); the wild, imaginative adventure "Dave Made A Maze" directed by Bill Watterson (25:15); and the powerful South African LGBTQ drama "The Wound" directed by John Trengove (37:20).

Hosted by Carlos Aguilar & Conor Holt. Music by Kevin MacLeod at www.incompetech.com

Episode 75 of One Week Only! This week's key film is "Nocturama"

(54:40)

We also review the gorgeous anime drama "In This Corner of the World" directed by Sunao Katabuchi (12:40); the dark comedy "Ingrid Goes West" starring Aubrey Plaza, directed by Matt Spicer (21:20); the Egyptian political thriller "The Nile Hilton Incident" directed by Tarik Saleh (28:35); the powerful documentary "Whose Streets?" about the Ferguson uprising, directed by Sabaah Folayan & Damon Davis (37:05); and the immersive, unsettling documentary "Machines" directed by Rahul Jain (47:45).

Hosted by Carlos Aguilar & Conor Holt. Music by Kevin MacLeod at www.incompetech.com

Episode 74 of One Week Only! This week's key film is "Columbus," a beautifully shot, meditative drama set in the architecture-mecca of Columbus, Indiana. With terrific performances from John Cho and Haley Lu Richardson, the film paints a quiet, thoughtful portrait of two people stuck at a crossroads and unsure of where they want to go in life. Directed by Kogonada, this is a simple but elegant film, and one of the best debuts of the year. Now Playing in New York and Los Angeles.(54:50)

We also review the animated adventure "Mune: Guardian of the Moon" (coming to theaters nationwide as a Fathom Event on August 12th) directed by Alexandre Heboyan & Benoît Philippon (8:05); the inspiring documentary "It's Not Yet Dark" directed by Frankie Fenton (19:10); the wild comedy "Fun Mom Dinner" directed by Alethea Jones (26:40); the gritty documentary "Check It" directed by Toby Oppenheimer & Dana Flor (36:20); and the French road trip romantic drama "4 Days in France" directed by Jérôme Reybaud (45:45).

Hosted by Carlos Aguilar & Conor Holt. Music by Kevin MacLeod at www.incompetech.com

Episode 73 of One Week Only! Our key film this week is the Mexican drama "I Dream In Another Language" about a linguist researching a dying indigenous language, but the last two speakers haven't spoken to one another in 50 years. Directed by Ernesto Contreras, this is a charming and thoughtful drama about language, culture, and the lingering impact of the past upon the present. Winner of the World Cinema Audience Award at Sundance this year, this is a terrific film with a profound message about the importance of preserving history & healing past wounds. Now playing in select theaters.(44:20)

We also review the Chilean character-study comedy "Family Life" directed by Cristián Jiménez & Alicia Scherson (10:10); the documentary "Rumble" about the untold stories of Native American rock stars, directed by Catherin Bainbridge (17:55); the drama "Menashe" about Hasidic Jews in NYC, directed by Joshua Weinstein (28:05); and the suspenseful documentary "Santoalla" directed Andrew Baker & Daniel Mehrer (35:20).

Hosted by Carlos Aguilar & Conor Holt. Music by Kevin MacLeod at www.incompetech.com