I get so anxious about seeing all the movies I want to see and new ones are opening and most of them don’t look all that appealing to me, which is good because I’m still trying to figure out what we can fit into this weekend what with the Netflix rentals pouring in and some friends wanting to go to the “surprise” film at Mr. Sinus and if it’s the film I think it is, I’m dying to see what they do to it, and then there’s Fanny and Alexander at the Paramount that I know I ought to see but I’d much rather see The Incredibles but should we see it at Alamo Village, which I love but isn’t the greatest theater to see a big blockbuster-ish movie, but on the other hand won’t have any kids there, or do we force ourselves to deal with commercials and rude crowds so we can enjoy the perks of a bigger theater, and maybe we should wait until they add an outtakes reel anyway, plus everyone’s been telling me I must see Sideways and heaven only knows how much longer Dobie is going to show it, considering they took out Stage Beauty after only a week and are bringing back, I cannot believe this, Napoleon-fucking-Dynamite, instead of showing Kinsey or something new, for which I think they ought to lose their arthouse theater status, since they’re not even showing Undertow, which was written by an Austinite, but I’d have to go to Arbor Great Hills to see it, which I confess I haven’t been to since it reopened and I really should go even though their pre-show “The 2wenty” gives me migraines, not to mention that I’m trying to catch up on a particular film genre I’ve been neglecting and will have to go to Vulcan Video to rent those films and I’ve been spoiled by a mail-order DVD rental service where I do not have to speed across town at 10 pm to return a movie that I finished watching about 5 minutes earlier because I realized it was due back in the store, and hell, let’s face it, what a large part of me really wants to do is forget all this and just watch Shaun of the Dead again. Mmmmm. Zombies.
New movies in Austin this week:
After the Sunset—Okay, why would you release a movie with this title in the same year as Richard Linklater’s Before Sunset? Because you want to confuse me? This looks kind of like a heist movie except, um, not very interesting. The director, Brett Ratner, is best known for the Rush Hour movies. The writer’s only credit seems to be the TV show “Weakest Link.” Looks weak to me.
Being Julia—Based on Somerset Maugham’s book Theatre. Lovely supporting cast, including Michael Gambon and Rosemary Harris. It’s about a theater company in 1930s London and all their personal drama. Doesn’t look bad at all, but I’m not sure I’ll remember it’s around.
Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason—V. unimpressed with the book sequel to Bridget Jones’s Diary, and didn’t much like the movie adaptation of the first movie, either, although I thought Renee Zellweger and Hugh Grant were v. good. That doesn’t mean I won’t see this movie, but it’s not very high on my list. Presuming they won’t be very faithful to the book, particularly the bits with Colin Firth (since he is actually acting in this movie). Too bad, the Firth stuff was my favorite part of the book. V. much hoping they’ll leave out the Thai prison thing.
(Read this low culture entry for a good reason not to do the Bridget thing.)
Lightning in a Bottle—Filmmaker Antoine Fuqua’s latest movie is a documentary on American blues musicians. Definitely a change of pace from King Arthur and The Replacement Killers, two of Fuqua’s other films.
The Polar Express—The book is lovely. The trailers repelled me. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, who once upon a time directed Who Framed Roger Rabbit? but hasn’t done anything I’ve wanted to see since then.
(Okay, that is not strictly true. I wanted to see Death Becomes Her, and I did, and I was terribly disappointed. Haven’t seen any of his movies after that one.)
People who have seen this film keep remarking that the eyes of the 3D animation characters look very zombie-ish. I would love to see George A. Romero use this filmmaking technique.
Seed of Chucky—Yeah, whatever.
Undertow—The latest film directed by David Gordon Green (George Washington, All the Real Girls, but not A Confederacy of Dunces). Written by Austinite Joe Conway. Jamie Bell, who played the title character in Billy Elliot, and Dermot Mulroney, star. The movie has been described as Southern Gothic, which is fun for the whole family.
Notable events/revivals in Austin:
The Big Lebowski—Playing at Alamo Downtown next Thurs-Sun. 11/18-21. The Dude abides.
Fanny and Alexander—Playing at Paramount on Saturday 10/13. This is a restored print. I haven’t ever seen this movie so I ought to go, but I have to be in a certain kind of mood to watch and appreciate a Bergman film.
Only Angels Have Wings—Playing at Alamo Downtown on Tuesday 11/16 as part of the Jean Arthur retrospective from Austin Film Society. I have been wanting to see this 1939 movie practically since high school, and never have, so I am planning to go. Directed by Howard Hawks, stars Arthur and Cary Grant.
Psycho—Playing at Alamo Downtown on Sat. 11/13 at 11 pm. This is part of the New Yorker College Tour programming that also showed The Lady Eve earlier this week. Admission is free. I do feel I should warn you that The Lady Eve was a DVD projected on the big screen and that’s probably what they’ll do with Psycho too. (Not that this was bad, but it was unexpected.)
At home, we have The Philadelphia Story and Seconds, and Gods and Monsters is supposed to arrive tomorrow. As I might have mentioned earlier, I would like to see some movie in a theater this weekend.
I still have to write reviews for these movies: Fast Times at Ridgemont High, If You Could Only Cook, The Getaway, Muriel’s Wedding, and Quills. Plus I would like to write something about seeing The Lady Eve again and getting to hear Anthony Lane.
So much to see. So much to write about. So little time.
I’d recommend seeing “The Incredibles” at Highland 10. They have stadium seats and no ads before the previews. I went there to see the film last Saturday and the families were so spread out in the theatre, the kids didn’t bug me. Showings there very rarely fill the theatres, and it’s cheaper than Gateway!
V. harsh (though at times confusing– hard to tell exactly who the reviewer is so angry with) of B. Jones 2 in NYTimes this morning. For what it’s worth, the same reviewer also wrote what is surely the only review of Polar Express to feature the word “scrotum,” so I love her.
I read that Polar Express review too. I loved the bit you mentioned. I would have linked to it, but NYT articles require registration (or bugmenot) and also don’t stick around long. I’ll have to go find the Bridget Jones 2 review.
Elizabeth, I always forget about Highland, even though a friend of mine loves it and tells me it’s been renovated and is quite nice now. Perhaps this is a good opportunity to try it out. Thanks!