I haven't been to a press screening in ages as my NYC contact list is woefully undeveloped but then again I don't miss feeling obligated to write about hoe hum movies for free. Thus I found myself watching BRIDE FLIGHT a Dutch film about a foursome who emigrated to New Zealand from The Netherlands in the early 1950s. A noisy critic who was at the screening I attended described it as "Dutch Schmaltz" not a bad thing necessarily. One of the best things about it was the 5 minutes or so of screen time given to Rutger Hauer, also presently appearing in HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN, presumably for more than 5 minutes however. Although there are 3 brides in question and one handsome man, there is no triangle just some dramatic misunderstandings, miscommunications, secrets and lies. Unfortunately, it's a bit shallow in it's exploration of some serious issues, and in the character development generally, nonetheless it's pleasant enough to watch, particularly if you enjoy period costumes and lovely scenery. As for THE DOUBLE HOUR, this is a little Italian film that seems to be slowly gaining traction here in the U.S. It was actually playing at my local 86th street cineplex. It's got all the ingredients of a certain type of neo-noirish romantic thriller. So I can't discuss the plot without giving too much away. I will say that the entire film hangs on the very quietly passionate performances of the leads. An excellent thriller always leaves you wondering exactly what happened and I can certainly recommend this film in that respect.