Caught in between Republican and Democratic national conventions during this presidential election cycle, Up To Date's indie, foreign and documentary film critics have a few picks this weekend to help you unplug from the political skirmishes across the nation.
Robert Butler
Wiener-Dog, R
- A dachshund, who is handed over from one oddball owner to another, interrupts the dysfunctional lives of a vet tech, a floundering film professor, an embittered elderly woman and her needy granddaughter.
The Infiltrator, R
- Posing as a sick, money-laundering businessman, a federal agent goes undercover in a drug lord's network and builds a case to indict drug trafficking criminals and corrupt bankers.
Hunt for the Wilderpeople, PG-13
- A New Zealand science fiction film about a rebellious teenager's journey in the wild bush with his illiterate foster uncle.
Cynthia Haines
Hunt for the Wilderpeople, PG-13
- A national manhunt is launched when a defiant city kid, Ricky, goes missing in the woods with his reluctant foster uncle, Hec.
The Infiltrator, R
- Based on a true story in 1980s Florida, a federal agent infiltrates a Colombian drug lord's criminal network and builds a case leading to the convictions of drug lords and the collapse of a bank.
The Music of Strangers, PG-13
- The Silk Road Ensemble, led by stand-out cellist Yo-Yo Ma, follows the ancient trade route linking Asia, Europe and Africa, and orchestrates music with cross-cultural elements.
Steve Walker
Hunt for the Wilderpeople, PG-13
- Accomplished New Zealand film about a troubled teenager and his headline-making adventure with a reluctant foster father.
The Music of Strangers, PG-13
- Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble feature in a stirring, globe-trotting documentary following the great cellist's gathering of musicians from all over the world to create a "universal music language."
The Lobster, R
- Colin Farrell and Rachel Weisz in a dark, absurdist tale about a near future where single people must partner up lest they be turned into animals.
