Movie buzz: Lee criticizes 'Django'
WHO Quentin Tarantino
THE MOVIE "Django Unchained"
THE DEAL Spike Lee publicly called this slavery-themed spaghetti Western "disrespectful," but Tarantino clearly has his supporters. According to The Hollywood Reporter, director Antoine Fuqua defended Tarantino while visiting the 17th Capri, Hollywood Film Festival in Italy Sunday. "I don't think Quentin Tarantino has a racist bone in his body," Fuqua said. "Besides, I'm good friends with Jamie Foxx" -- who plays a former slave in the film -- "and he wouldn't have anything to do with a film that had anything racist to it." Tarantino will accept a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Rome Film Festival Friday.
THE MOVIE "Let My People Go!"
THE DEAL In this multinational, gay romantic comedy, a misunderstanding leads a Jewish immigrant (Nicolas Maury) to break up with his Finnish boyfriend (Jarkko Niemi) and return to his meshuggah family in Paris. The film has screened at several festivals, including the Hamptons International Film Festival and the Montreal World Film Festival. Mikael Buch, the director and co-writer, is scheduled to appear at the screening.
INFO Thursday night at 7:30 at Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington. Tickets are $15. 631-423-7610; cinemaartscentre.org
WHO Naomi Watts
THE MOVIE "The Impossible"
THE DEAL This drama, about a family torn apart by the 2004 Asian tsunami, seems as determined as its characters. Before its Dec. 21 release, Watts raised the movie's profile by earning a Golden Globe nomination for her portrayal of a mother searching for her children. That and some positive reviews helped the film earn $138,750 its second week, according to TheWrap.com. "The Impossible" has earned $52 million in Spain, home of director J.A. Bayona and the real-life family on which the story is based. It opens nationwide, including at local venues, Friday.
