FIRST REFORMED (Rescheduled from Apr 15)

Paul Schrader’s late-career opus, FIRST REFORMED, found the veteran filmmaker reinvigorated and finally earned him his first Oscar nomination (for his screenplay). A gonzo take on Bergman’s WINTER LIGHT, this thought-provoking, complicated, and frequently outrageous film asks huge questions, allows them to marinate, and then dips out, leaving the audience to answer the questions it poses for themselves. Ethan Hawke, Amanda Seyfried, and Cedric the Entertainer give three difficult, intense performances, and Schrader takes huge risks that all add up to hugely satisfying sensation.

Paul Schrader is a filmmaker best known for writing such classics as TAXI DRIVER, RAGING BULL, and THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST as well as directing (and in most cases writing) BLUE COLLAR, AMERICAN GIGOLO, CAT PEOPLE, MISHIMA: A LIFE IN FOUR CHAPTERS, THE COMFORT OF STRANGERS, AFFLICTION, and FIRST REFORMED, among many others.

Benjamin Rodriguez, Jr. is an editor best known for his collaborations with Paul Schrader on such films as DOG EAT DOG, FIRST REFORMED, THE CARD COUNTER, and MASTER GARDENER.