TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE is undoubtedly one of the most important documentaries of the new year. The film is both a terrifying and enlightening experience for anyone unaware of the state of U.S. military prisons overseas, and writer/director Alex Gibney (ENRON: THE SMARTEST GUYS IN THE ROOM) sat down with us to discuss the making of the documentary and what he most wants audiences to take away from it.

[QUICKTIME http://www.angelikablog.com/_Content/alexgibney.mov 320 257]

TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE opens January 18 @ the Angelika New York. Visit www.angelikafilmcenter.com for more info.

Thankfully, our Oscar contest at the Angelika Plano was not derailed by the writer’s strike, and we are excited to announce the winners! Below are your top 6 picks and the official schedule. Hope to see you there!

1/17 â?? ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOOâ??S NEST
1/24 â?? THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI
1/31 – LAWRENCE OF ARABIA
2/7 â?? ALL ABOUT EVE
2/14 â?? GONE WITH THE WIND
2/21 â?? BEN-HUR

*All shows are scheduled at 7:30pm. Don’t forget to join us at the Angelika Dallas on February, 24 to watch the 2008 Oscars live on the big screen.

TEETH is the story of a young girl who is anatomically…peculiar. Watch the trailer below and be glad that you only need one toothbrush.

[QUICKTIME http://www.angelikablog.com/_Content/teeth.mov 320 257]

TEETH opens January 18 @ the Village East Cinema. Visit www.villageeastcinema.com for more info.

The buzz on Marjane Satrapi’s PERSEPOLIS is growing hourly, and we thought we’d post one last exclusive clip before the movie opens this Christmas Day at the Angelika New York. View the clip below, or visit this post to see the trailer.

[QUICKTIME http://www.angelikablog.com/_Content/CLIP2.mov 320 257]

The Oscars are just around the corner and to get everyone in the mood, the Angelika Plano will be hosting a mini-series of Best Picture winners from the past. But hereâ??s the best part: you choose the films! Here are the rules:

• Voters may vote as many times as they like.
• Voters may vote for up to 3 films at one time.
  
• The poll is active from Dec. 1 through early January.
• Every Thursday weâ??ll eliminate the lowest 5 films and re-post the poll.

Donâ??t be shy. Exercise your right to vote!

[poll=1]

PERSEPOLIS, the Jury Prize winner at this year’s Cannes Film Festival and a Golden Globe nominee for Best Foreign Language film, opens December 25 at the Angelika New York and January 18 at the Angelika Houston.

Widely regarded as one of the best films of the year, PERSEPOLIS is directed by Iranian New York Times op-ed comic Marjane Satrapi, who joins forces with acclaimed French comic Vincent Paronnaud to write and direct the animated and affecting story of Marjane, a conflicted young girl who is coming of age in Iran during the Islamic revolution. The story follows her as she grows into a young woman and poignantly depicts the struggle she and her family face in choosing between her safety and her desire to retain her roots in Iran.

Below is the trailer for the film, as well as an exclusive clip from the film.

[QUICKTIME http://www.angelikablog.com/_Content/Videos/PersepolisTrailer.mov 320 257]

[QUICKTIME http://www.angelikablog.com/_Content/CLIP1.mov 320 257]

Visit the official website here.

Jeff Bridges hit the Angelika Dallas & Plano last week to promote his new film THE AMATEURS. The legendary actor took a few minutes to sit down and chat with us – enjoy the video below!

[QUICKTIME http://www.angelikablog.com/_Content/jeffbridges.mov 320 257]

The Golden Globe nominees were announced yesterday morning, and it looks like the Angelika bookers did a stellar job of selecting the cinema gems of 2007.  Among the nominees for Best Picture were:

• AMERICAN GANGSTER
• ATONEMENT
• EASTERN PROMISES
• THE GREAT DEBATERS
• MICHAEL CLAYTON
• NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
• THERE WILL BE BLOOD

Cate Blanchett, Julie Christie, Jodie Foster, Angelina Jolie & Keira Knightly were singled out in the BEST ACTRESS category, and George Clooney, Daniel Day-Lewis, James McAvoy, Viggo Mortensen and Denzel Washington were noted in the BEST ACTOR category.

For a complete list of nominees, visit Variety.com.

With a title perhaps more suited to a horror film based on a video game, TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE is actually a stunning documentary about what happened to an innocent Afghan cab driver when he became ensnared by US authorities and sent to Bagram, where he was tortured and killed. The ultimate present-day horror story, the film is an important and truly artistic document made by the man (Alex Gibney) who exposed the dark side of American capitalism and the Enron debacle in THE SMARTEST GUYS IN THE ROOM. But at least in that scandal – to paraphrase the bumper sticker â?? â??those guys lied but nobody diedâ?. TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE is a must see for all serious film goers.

TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE opens on January 18 @ the Angelika New York.

The Oscars are just around the corner and to get everyone in the mood, the Angelika Plano will be hosting a mini-series of Best Picture winners from the past. But hereâ??s the best part: you choose the films! Here are the rules:

• Voters may vote as many times as they like.
• Voters may vote for up to 3 films at one time.
  
• The poll is active from Dec. 1 through early January.
• Every Thursday weâ??ll eliminate the lowest 5 films and re-post the poll.

Donâ??t be shy. Exercise your right to vote!

[poll=1]