This rainy weekend will have some folks dreaming to be somewhere else in the world — exploring Japan with a famous artist, wandering the halls of a British High Court, maybe even participating in a Mexican museum heist. Through cinema, you can do all three. This weekend's recommendations from Up To Date's indie, foreign and documentary Film Critics feature several stories that will take you around the globe. Enjoy!
Steve Walker
"Museo," not rated
- Thanks to the thrillingly inventive direction of Alonso Ruizpalacios, this Mexican film about a fumbling student, Gael García Bernal, who organizes the heist of historic artifacts from an anthropology museum is a trippy treat.
"Kusama: Infinity," not rated
- Heather Lenz directs this documentary profile of 89-year-old artist Yayoi Kusama, who has become a pop culture phenomenon in the last decade after being marginalized for years due to her gender, her nationality and her sometimes indescribable work.
"The Children Act," R
- With her marriage in tatters, a stern British judge, played by Emma Thompson in full iron butterfly mode, tries the case of a 17-year-old Jehovah's Witness with leukemia in dire need of the blood transfusion his religion disallows.
Cynthia Haines
"Kusama: Infinity," not rated
- In this documentary, world renowned artist Yayoi Kusama paints a new picture. This one is of her conservative childhood in Japan, her lifelong battle with mental illness and her hard-won fight to become the most popular female artist in the world.
"Museo," not rated
- A true story told with cinematic flare, this tale of a museum heist is a compelling, entertaining and moving portrayl of a small piece of Mexican history. Inspiring scenes combine with captivating characters and, by the end the film, gets away with the best heist of all: stealing your heart.
"The Children Act," R
- Amidst the trials of her own divorce, a British High Court judge faces the trial of her career. She must decide if a young boy's religious freedom is more important than his staying alive.
