Right after the Golden Globes, and already with our eyes in the Oscars, we leave you with a selection of the films premiering this week at Portuguese theaters:
Little Men, Ira Sachs (USA, Greece)
Synopsis: When 13-year-old Jake's (Theo Taplitz) grandfather dies, his family moves from Manhattan back into his father's old Brooklyn home. There, Jake befriends the charismatic Tony (Michael Barbieri), whose single mother Leonor (Paulina Garcia), a dressmaker from Chile, runs the shop downstairs. Soon, Jake's parents Brian (Greg Kinnear) and Kathy (Jennifer Ehle) -- one, a struggling actor, the other, a psychotherapist -- ask Leonor to sign a new, steeper lease on her store. For Leonor, the proposed new rent is untenable, and a feud ignites between the adults. At first, Jake and Tony don't seem to notice; the two boys, so different on the surface, begin to develop a formative kinship as they discover the pleasures of being young in Brooklyn. Jake aspires to be an artist, while Tony wants to be an actor, and they have dreams of going to the same prestigious arts high school together. But the children can't avoid the problems of their parents forever, and soon enough, the adult conflict intrudes upon the borders of their friendship.
Miss Sloan, John Madden (France, USA)
Synopsis: In the high-stakes world of political power-brokers, Elizabeth Sloane (Jessica Chastain) is the most sought after and formidable lobbyist in D.C. Known equally for her cunning and her track record of success, she has always done whatever is required to win. But when she takes on the most powerful opponent of her career, she finds that winning may come at too high a price.
Live by Night, Ben Affleck (USA)
Synopsis: During the Prohibition Era, in the United States, Joe Coughlin – prodigal son of a Boston Police lieutenant, becomes a dealer of alcoholic beverages and, latter, an important gangster. However Joe isn’t that bad; in fact, he isn’t bad enough for the life he chose. Unlike other gangsters, he manifests a sense of justice and a good heart, two thing that make him vulnerable, both in businesses and love.
