Author:   Ken Hanke

The Story: An art teacher (Cate Blanchett) becomes romantically involved with a 15-year-old student, providing an opportunity for emotional blackmail by an older teacher (Judi Dench) who's fixated on the younger woman. The Lowdown: What could have been sensationalistic trash is elevated to penetrating observations on human behavior thanks to stunning performances, deft direction and…

Daniel is being presented by the Jewish Community Center, 236 Charlotte Street, at 2 p.m., Sunday Feb. 11 as part of a series of films from the Jewish Heritage Video Collection at UNCA's Ramsey Library. The weekly series will continue with Crimes and Misdemeanors (Feb. 18) and Homicide (Feb. 25).

The Media Arts Project presents Karl Staven Animation on Monday Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. at the Fine Arts Theatre in downtown Asheville.

The Story: A dysfunctional family moves to a sunflower farm in North Dakota only to discover their new home comes complete with hot and cold running ghosts. The Lowdown: Nicely made, but a completely derivative spook show that's ultimately sunk by a silly and incredibly sloppy script.

The Hendersonville Film Society will show O. Henry's Full House at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 11 in the Smoky Mountain Theater at Lake Pointe Landing Retirement Community, 333 Thompson St., Hendersonville. (From Asheville, take I-26 to U.S. 64 West, turn right at the third light onto Thompson Street. Follow to the Lake Point Landing entrance…

The Story: An overbearing -- and apparently mentally defective -- mother (Diane Keaton) attempts to fix up her semi-klutzy daughter (Mandy Moore) with a mate by choosing one from a list of prospects who answer her Internet ad. The Lowdown: By far the dreariest of Diane Keaton's more recent cinematic outings, this movie is an…

The Story: A variety of hit men and FBI agents converge at a Lake Tahoe hotel penthouse in attempts to take out or protect a Vegas headliner who's about to rat on the mob. The Lowdown: Laughably over-the-top violence isn't enough to salvage this clunky, unfunny and tedious attempt at milking laughs out of random…

The Story: A young woman learns much about her late fianc/(c) when she has to piece her life together after he is killed. The Lowdown: An overlong and overly ambitious romantic comedy that isn't unlikable, but is ultimately disposable and forgettable. Playing at Epic of Hendersonville, Hollywood-Regal Cinema 14, United Artists Beaucatcher 7.

Those Who Love Me Can Take the Train is part of a series of Classic Cinema From Around the World being presented at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 2 at Courtyard Gallery, 9 Walnut St. in downtown Asheville (enter at Walnut next to Scully's or at 13 Carolina Lane).

The Story: An itinerant comic book writer falls for a pretty chocolatier in Bucharest, who, unfortunately, is also a werewolf (sort of). The Lowdown: A mind-numbing array of bad ideas are badly executed in this low-wattage horror flick. Playing at Carmike Cinema 10, Hollywood-Regal 14.

Gentleman's Agreement is being presented by the Jewish Community Center, 236 Charlotte Street, at 2 p.m., Sunday Feb. 4 as part of a series of films from the Jewish Heritage Video Collection at UNCA's Ramsey Library. The weekly series will continue with Daniel (Feb. 11), Crimes and Misdemeanors (Feb. 18) and Homicide (Feb. 25).

The Hendersonville Film Society will show Baby Face at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 28 in the Smoky Mountain Theater at Lake Pointe Landing Retirement Community, 333 Thompson St., Hendersonville. (From Asheville, take I-26 to U.S. 64 West, turn right at the third light onto Thompson Street. Follow to the Lake Point Landing entrance and park…

The Story: When the dotty aunt of two sisters dies, the ghost of their mother (who's come back from the dead to take care of the aunt) sneaks into Madrid in the trunk of a car to take a hand in her daughters' lives. The Lowdown:The great fabulist Pedro Almod/>=var returns with another outrageous comedic…

The Story: A young couple on college break pickup a psychotic hitchhiker, and homicidal high jinks ensue. The Lowdown: A young couple on college break pickup a psychotic hitchhiker, and homicidal high jinks ensue.

The Jazz Singer is being presented by the Jewish Community Center, 236 Charlotte Street, at 2 p.m., Sunday Jan. 28 as part of a series of five films from the Jewish Heritage Video Collection at UNCA's Ramsey Library. The weekly series will continue with Gentleman's Agreement (Feb. 4), Daniel (Feb. 11), Crimes and Misdemeanors (Feb.…

The Story: In 1944 Spain, a young girl, obsessed with fairy tales, travels with her pregnant mother to be with her stepfather, a fascist captain in Franco's army trying to quell a liberal uprising in the mountains. There she finds an imaginary world that both counters and mirrors the horrors around her. The Lowdown: Guillermo…

Goodbye, Lenin! is part of a series of Classic Cinema From Around the World being presented at 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 26 at Courtyard Gallery, 9 Walnut St. in downtown Asheville (enter at Walnut next to Scully's or at 13 Carolina Lane).

y

Back in 1985, Ray Lawrence’s Bliss was the art house sensation. It had created quite a stir at Cannes — as much for the fact that about 400 viewers walked out of the movie in disgust (mostly at the same moment — the film’s notorious “sardine scene”) as from the accolades it drew. No Australian […]

Curse of the Golden Flower is easily the most visually sumptuous film around. It’s also the most sublimely silly one. That’s not to say that it isn’t entertaining, or that it isn’t well made. It is both. It is also one of the most jaw-droppingly spectacular things you’re likely to see. It’s “art fu” filmmaking […]