The ancient Greeks divided storytelling into two major pillars: drama and comedy. Thousands of years later, Up To Date's indie, foreign, and documentary film critics continue to apply their wisdom to the movie reviewing process. Whether it's a movie that will leave you crying from laughter or sobbing genuine tears, you won't want to miss these films.
Steve Walker
Band Aid, Not rated
- Having written and directed this exuberantly profane comedy, Zoe Lister-Jones also stars as half of a couple who strive to save their marriage by starting a band and turning their fights into songs.
The Big Sick, R
- This alternately witty and wrenching autobiographical comedy about a Pakistani stand-up comic and a health scare endured by his Caucasian girlfriend stars Silicon Valley's Kumail Nanjiani, who co-wrote it with his wife, Emily V. Gordon.
The Exception, R
- Fueled by ferocious performances by Christopher Plummer and Janet McTeer as Kaiser Wilhelm and his regal wife, respectively, a high-stakes battle between the disgraced monarchy and the Third Reich entangles a sympathetic Nazi captain and a Jewish house servant.
Cynthia Haines
The Tree, Not rated
- Directed by local filmmaker and UMKC professor Stephen W. Pruitt, this film tells the story of an aging widow's spontaneous road trip to visit a childhood friend. Local actress Joicie Appell plays the leading role.
The Exception, R
- A German soldier played by Jai Courtney falls in love with a Jewish maid while investigating the manse of exiled monarch Kaiser Wilhelm II. The romance confronts him with a choice: follow his country or his heart.
Megan Leavey, PG-13
- The true story of a young Marine and her military combat dog, Rex. While deployed in Iraq, an IED explosion injures them both, leading to a heart-wrenching turn of fate.
