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Please note: This screening takes place at the Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90403.
Lone Star (1996)
Chris Cooper plays an easygoing Texas sheriff who discovers unpleasant truths about his town and his own past in this intricately plotted murder mystery. Displaying his usual talent for ensemble characterization, director John Sayles follows nearly a dozen major players (Kris Kristofferson, Frances McDormand and Matthew McConaughey are among the film's many talented actors) as their stories intersect and raise questions about political corruption, multiculturalism, and other contemporary issues.
35mm, color, 135 min. Director/screenwriter: John Sayles. Cast: Chris Cooper, Elizabeth Peña, Kris Kristofferson, Matthew McConaughey, Jesse Borrego.
Limbo (1999)
One of John Sayles’ most haunting films, Limbo is a sublime meditation on the feeling of being stuck in a liminal state, a theme as relevant to the characters as it is to the viewer’s experience. Set in Juneau, Alaska, a town on the edge of civilization surrounded by water and wilderness, the film follows former fisherman-turned-handyman Joe (David Strathairn) and tired lounge singer Donna (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), who strike up a casual relationship to distract themselves from their otherwise dreary lives. Their sudden relationship comes much to the chagrin of Donna’s teenage daughter Noelle (Vanessa Martinez) but all three lives gradually begin to improve—until a forgotten part of Joe’s past reemerges and sets off a dramatic chain of events that leaves them stranded on a deserted island.
35mm, color, 126 min. Director/screenwriter: John Sayles. Cast: Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, David Strathairn, Vanessa Martinez, Kris Kristofferson, Casey Siemaszko.
