KCUR prides itself on the breadth of our coverage, but Up To Date's indie, foreign and documentary Film Critics are really pushing the envelope with this weekend's recommendations. From the slow creep of Nazism in the 1930s to the partition of India to a shoemaker whose name is regularly dropped by fashion editors, movies stars, and rappers alike, this batch of movies is all over the map. We'll leave it up to you to find a through line.
Cynthia Haines
13 Minutes, R
- It's 1939 and Georg Elser, played by Christian Friedel, has just attempted an assassination of Adolf Hitler — and failed. Through Elser's torture by German authorities and flashbacks, tentative answers are presented to the question, "Why did no one stop the Nazis?"
Stronger, R
- The tragic story of Jeff Bauman, who lost both his legs below the knees in the Boston Marathon bombing, is brought to life in a powerful performance by Jake Gyllenhaal, who is at once contentious, fatalistic, flawed and inspirational.
Manolo: The Boy Who Made Shoes for Lizards, Not rated
- An affectionate biography of quite possibly the most famous cobbler ever by longtime fashion editor Michael Roberts, who also happens to be Mr. Blahnik's friend. It's an affordable option for fans who can't afford a pair of Manolo's $1,000 "creatures."
Steve Walker
Manolo: The Boy Who Made Shoes for Lizards, Not rated
- In the tradition of cheeky fashion documentaries like Unzipped and The September Issue, Anna Wintour, Paloma Picasso, and Rihanna, among others, celebrate Manolo Blahnik, considered by some as the greatest shoemaker of the 21st century.
13 Minutes, R
- In this intensely paced true story from Germany, a Resistance fighter behind a failed assassination attempt on Adolph Hitler is captured and holds tight to his disdain for his fellow countrymen's embrace of Nazism.
Viceroy's House, Not rated
- Charged in 1947 to oversee the dissolution of British rule over India, "Dickie" Mountbatten (Hugh Bonneville, Lord Crowley of Downton Abbey) sees savage rifts between the Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims played out among his palace staff.
