This time of the year can be heavy with tradition, but don't let yourself get stuck in the past. This weekend, Up To Date's indie, foreign, and documentary film critics are endorsing several movies that could embolden you to break from the familiar and find your own way in life. During the holiday shopping frenzy, make time to be inspired. Stop by your local theater for a flick with a friend.
Cynthia Haines
Eagle Huntress, G
- A visually stunning documentary set in Central Asia about a teenage tradition-breaker aspiring to become her family's first female eagle hunter.
Moonlight, R
- The story of a young black man struggling to find and accept himself while growing up in a rough neighborhood in Miami.
Manchester by the Sea, R
- A poignant drama starring Casey Affleck, who plays down-and-out janitor Lee. His life is changed when his brother dies and Lee takes over as guardian for his teenage nephew.
Steve Walker
Aquarius, Not rated
- A rich and layered Brazilian film about a woman fighting to keep her apartment as developers scoop up everything around her. Government authorities withdrew its submission as the country's Foreign Film Oscar entry.
The Eagle Huntress, G
- Sweeping cinematography graces this documentary about a 13-year-old girl who bucks centuries of Kazakh tradition asserting that eagle hunters must be male.
Loving, PG-13
- Joel Edgerton and Ruth Nega give performances of subdued intensity as the interracial couple whose marriage led to the Supreme Court's decision to legalize such unions.
