Jacob Burns

 "Every second Helen Mirren is on-screen in The Last Station is a study in peerless talent." (USA Today)

Helen Mirren and Christopher Plummer, both nominated for Academy Awards for their performances, dazzle in this captivating look at the turbulent final year in the life of Leo Tolstoy. As Tolstoy (Plummer) becomes increasingly radical with age, he decides to reject his vast wealth—much to the dismay of his wife, the Countess Sofya (Mirren). The desperate countess is soon employing every trick she can muster to seduce her husband’s loyal disciple (James McAvoy), the man she blames for Tolstoy’s new will. Much more than a simple period biopic, The Last Station is high drama, filled with intrigue, sensuality, and a classical marital showdown featuring two legends in prime form.

"An exceedingly graceful, beautifully acted production.” (New York Times)

Chekhov’s masterwork about the breakdown of a family held together by a tissue of lies and selfdeceptions is brought to stunning life by Andrei Konchalovsky (House of Fools), directing an all-star cast including Sergei Bondarchuk, Innokenti Smoktunovsky, and Irina Miroshnichenko. NEW 35MM PRINT.

Lee Child, a major figure in the world of contemporary mystery writing, is the hugely popular author of the "Jack Reacher" books, a series of best-selling thrillers much-admired for their tight plotting, lean dialogue, and smart, charismatic tough-guy hero. Mr. Child joins us for a discussion of his work and a screening of a personal favorite, The Day of the Jackal.

Fred Zinnemann’s 1973 film stars Edward Fox as a professional killer hired by a secret French military organization to assassinate Charles de Gaulle. Soon the police learn of the plot from an informer, and the chase is on. Based on Frederick Forsyth’s novel and filmed throughout Europe, this taut, tense thriller features a methodical and fascinating examination of an assassin at work, the suspense continuously building as his day with destiny approaches.

 "Few American actors over the past 35 years have flickered and smoldered with such craft and resilience." (New York Times)

Bad Blake (Jeff Bridges) is a hard-living, fading country star reduced to playing bowling alleys and hoping for complimentary drinks to get him through the night. Overshadowed by a former protégé (Colin Farrell), Blake eventually seeks redemption from a sympathetic and lovely young journalist (Maggie Gyllenhall).Crazy Heart features nuanced, understated performances by Farrell, Gyllenhall, and Robert Duvall—but the real story here is Jeff Bridges. In a career filled with “career performances,” Bridges manages to top himself. Oozing authenticity and gutter charm, Bridges sings and strums his way through a set of original songs and embodies this beat-up country sage with incredible ease. A remarkable turn, it’s no surprise Bridges has been nominated for the Academy Award (Best Actor), alongside fellow Academy Award nominee Maggie Gyllenhaal (Best Supporting Actress).