movies this week: my sister got lucky

How can you tell my sister has a boyfriend? Because she didn’t realize that Ocean’s Twelve is opening this weekend.
If you know about my sister’s fervent and devouring love for everything even remotely related to George Clooney, you realize something major had to distract her. Like a real-life person to dote upon. I mean, she even saw the remake of Solaris, just to get a good look at Mr. Clooney’s bare ass. (She says no one’s ass was worth sitting through that movie.)
Her new boyfriend is a film geek, which amuses me to no end. My sister, whose favorite movies include Ever After and 10 Things I Hate About You (nothing wrong with those, either), has been calling me up to tell me they just saw Being There, or Blood Simple, or Adaptation. She liked Adaptation but I believe she fell asleep during Being There, much to her new guy’s disappointment.

He gave her a DVD of Network for her birthday. I’m hoping this guy sticks around for awhile.
Anyway, while she’s off learning about the films of Atom Egoyan (hee), I will take over at least a portion of her George Clooney fixation. He looks better in a tux than any other actor currently in films. He uses his smile perfectly, in a way that reminds me of James Coburn a little, although no one will ever come close to Coburn’s amazingly dangerous smile. And despite the way he looks in a tux, Clooney is at his peak of attractiveness when he’s grimy and sweaty and all roughed up, like in Three Kings or Out of Sight. Ahem. Excuse me while I fetch a glass of ice water.
Other movies are opening this weekend, and there are some other actors in Ocean’s Twelve whom I am sure will add some interest. I am pleased to see that Catherine Zeta-Jones has joined the cast from the original movie. I always like seeing her onscreen. Did I mention how entertaining she and George Clooney were together in Intolerable Cruelty?
Yeah, I know. Other movies. One even has Johnny Depp in it, who has his own appeal. Okay, okay. But really, we could make a weekend of it, and rent From Dusk Til Dawn and O Brother, Where Art Thou and Confessions of a Dangerous Mind and … no, not Return of the Killer Tomatoes. Get real.
New movies in Austin this week:
Blade: Trinity—I don’t know if the filmmakers or producers of this movie intended to remind people of the Matrix series by using the word “Trinity” in their title. The visuals in both series look the same to me. And quite frankly, this movie is about as appealing to me as the third Matrix movie was—not at all.
Finding Neverland—Johnny Depp has played so many interesting—and sexy—characters. This time, he plays J.M. Barrie, author of Peter Pan, who is inspired by a family of young boys and their mom, played by Kate Winslet. Dustin Hoffman and Julie Christie also have roles. This looks like something I’d like to see, even though I have never been much of a Barrie fan. Definitely a Johnny Depp fan, though.
Ocean’s Twelve—I am intentionally not reading about this movie because I want to be surprised. If it sucks, for heaven’s sakes don’t tell me. I hope it doesn’t suck, because I am in just the right mood for a good caper movie.
Overnight—The documentary about writer-director Troy Duffy (The Boondock Saints) has finally reached Austin. This is not one of those upbeat success stories about how a bartender made good in Hollywood. Rumor has it that the movie actually makes you sympathize with Harvey Weinstein.
Rosenstrasse—Margarethe von Trotta directed this film about a woman who travels to Germany to learn about her mother’s Holocaust-era past, a story that is told in flashbacks. Obviously not a caper film.
Notable events/revivals in Austin:
Goya in Bordeaux—Playing at Alamo Downtown on Tues. 12/14 as part of Austin Film Society’s “Besides Almodovar” series on Spanish directors. This 1999 bio of painter Francisco Goya is directed by Carlos Saura. George Clooney does not appear in this film.
Keoma—Playing at Alamo Downtown on Wed. 12/15 with a Spaghetti Western Feast special. This movie, which stars Franco Nero, was made at the very end of the spaghetti Western era and I hadn’t heard of it before.
The Mr. Sinus Christmas Show—Playing at Alamo Downtown throughout December. The Christmas show isn’t one movie, it’s a number of bizarre holiday-related clips. They also serve milk and cookies. Definitely worthwhile.
The Rugrats Movie—Playing at Lakeline on Sat. 12/11 at 10 am, for free. One of Regal’s “Free Family Flicks.”
Rushmore—Playing at Alamo Downtown on Mon. 12/13 ($1 admission) and Wed. 12/15. I really liked this movie. If you haven’t seen it, go. Go. Wes Anderson’s new movie won’t hit Austin until Christmas, so if you need a fix, here’s your chance.
At home, we continue to have Seconds and Gods and Monsters waiting to be viewed. We also rented the recent remake of The Ladykillers, which I am interested to see because the Coens directed it.
I am working on reviews for these movies: Lightning in a Bottle, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, If You Could Only Cook, The Getaway, Muriel’s Wedding, and Quills. This list didn’t change at all from last week. Very sad.
My sister has more definite movie-watching plans for this weekend. Her boyfriend seems entirely uninterested in George Clooney films, and wants her to watch Wings of Desire with him. Ah, love.