57th Berlin International Film Festival

57^th Berlin International Film Festival

February in Berlin means one thing! It’s time for the Berlin International Film Festival. There were plenty of celebrities on hand at 2007’s Berlinale which showcased some highly anticipated movies and paid homage to some film favorites. What were some of the highlights from the 57^th annual Berlin Film Festival?

300

The Battle of Thermopylae which pitted three hundred brave Spartans against the massive Persian forces is the premise for the movie “300”. The movie stars Gerard Butler.

Andy Warhol: A Documentary Film

This documentary features a retrospect and archival footage of the infamous Andy Warhol. Look for a number of well known faces including Bob Dylan and Dennis Hopper in the film.

Angel

“Angel” is based on the book by Elizabeth Taylor and stars Romola Garai in the title role about a woman who creates her own version of reality. The movie also stars Sam Neill and Charlotte Rampling.

Away From Her

Julie Christie and Olympia Dukakis star in “Away From Her”. The movie tells the story of a woman (Christie) who checks herself into a care clinic when she discovers she is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and the effects that it has on her life as well as her husband.

Bordertown

Antonio Banderas and Jennifer Lopez star in “Bordertown”. The film tells the story of a reporter (Lopez) who is investigating the murders of women in Mexico.

Fay Grim

A woman must track down journals left by her husband which contain deadly information. Parker Posey portrays the title character in “Fay Grim” which also stars Jeff Goldblum and Thomas Day Ryan.

Goodbye Bafana

“Goodbye Bafana” tells the story of a prison guard and how the prisoner he is watching, Nelson Mandela, ultimately impacts his life. The movie stars Joseph Fiennes, Dennis Haysbert and Diane Kruger.

Interview

A journalist finds himself in a predicament when he must interview a renowned starlet. “Interview” stars Steve Buscemi and Sienna Miller.

The Last Mimzy

A brother and sister (Chris O’Neil and Rhiannon Leigh Wryn) discover something unusual with their toys in “The Last Mimzy”. What secrets does it hold? The movie also stars Michael Clarke Duncan, Joely Richardson and Rainn Wilson.

Man In The Chair

Cameron, a troubled teen, has the chance of a lifetime when he meets Flash, the only surviving person who worked on the film Citizen Kane. “Man in the Chair” stars Michael Angarono, Christopher Plummer and Robert Wagner.

Poor Boy’s Game

What will happen when a man returns home after serving a stint in prison for committing a brutal crime? “Poor Boy’s Game” stars Danny Glover and Rossif Sutherland.

Strange Culture

This documentary focuses on the artist Steve Kurtz. “Strange Culture” features Tilda Swinton.

When A Man Falls In The Forest

Sharon Stone stars in “When a Man Falls in the Forest”. This drama tells the story of three men and how they individually deal with problems facing them.

A Film Retrospect…

A number of past films were screened at the Berlin Film Festival. These included some older films as well as recent releases:

- “Bonnie and Clyde” (1967) starring Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway

- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory starring Johnny Depp

- “The Chase” (1966) starring Marlon Brando and Jane Fonda

- “Fast Food Nation” (2006) starring Greg Kinnear

- “Flesh and the Devil” (1926) starring Greta Garbo

- “The Good German” (2006) starring Cate Blanchett and George Clooney

- “The Good Shepherd” (2006) starring Matt Damon, Robert De Niro and Angelina Jolie

- “The Left-Handed Gun” (1958) starring Paul Newman

- “Mickey One” (1965) starring Warren Beatty

- “The Miracle Worker” (1962) starring Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke

- “The Nickel-Hopper” (1926 starring Boris Karloff

- “Night Moves” (1975) starring Gene Hackman

- “Notes on a Scandal” (2006) starring Cate Blanchett and Judi Dench

- “Perfume: A Story of a Murderer” (2006) starring Dustin Hoffman, Alan Rickman and Ben Whishan

- Sideways starring Thomas Haden Church, Paul Giamatti, Virginia Madsen and Sandra Oh