movies this week: the early edition

I’m writing this on Wednesday night, earlier than usual. That way, if I end up looking like Vincent D’Onofrio in The Salton Sea after I leave the doctor’s office tomorrow, at least I won’t have to worry about this one thing.
August is traditionally a cinematically lackluster month. The real blockbusters start earlier in the summer. August is a time for the Films of Desperation: the pseudo-blockbusters that studios hope and pray you’ll go see because they’re new and hyped and you already saw all the good movies. Or else they’re hoping you’ll go see anything to get out of the nasty hot weather. Even the selection of movies at the Paramount isn’t as good as the lineup in June or July.
Sometimes, if you’re lucky, you can find a few good independent movies that couldn’t quite wait until the end of the year. Cross your fingers.

New movies in Austin this week:
Exorcist: The Beginning—As with last week’s Alien Vs. Predator, critics were not able to screen this movie before its opening. However, I don’t think this movie will draw people purely on the basis of its title. I think most people are tired of Exorcist rehashes. I will be interested to see if I’m right when the box-office numbers roll in.
LA Weekly online has a fascinating article on the way in which this movie was shot … and reshot. I would actually be interested in seeing the Paul Schrader version sometime, if it does end up on the DVD.
Garden State—I have been waiting for this movie to hit Austin. I have heard nothing but rave reviews. It sounds like the sort of thing I might like. I might even brave the scary Dobie parking lot for it. I hope the Dobie keeps it longer than a week.
Grand Theft Parsons—Opens on Friday at Alamo Village. They’re having a premiere on Friday night with live music paying tribute to Gram Parsons. I’m hoping I can go. This movie sounds like a lot of fun. I like clever movies that center around corpses. Hope this one is clever and not lame.
Open Water—Woooooo, it’s based on a true story so you know it has to be good, right? Maybe it’s the real-life basis or something, but this sounds pretty dull to me. If I wanted to watch people adrift in the ocean, I’d rent Hitchcock’s Lifeboat.
Without a Paddle—I am so happy this movie is opening this weekend, because it means I won’t have to watch those horrible, annoying, sexist TV commercials for it anymore. I liked Steven Brill back before he directed anything and was just the guy who played the barfly at The Library in sex, lies, and videotape, but there isn’t a thing he’s directed that I can stand.
Notable revivals in Austin:
Control Room—Playing Tues-Thurs. at Alamo downtown. Friends have been urging me to see this documentary about Al-Jazeera’s coverage of the war in Iraq. I’ll probably wait for DVD, though. Or later. It’s difficult for me to get into the right mood for political documentaries.
The Godfather, Parts I and II—Playing Sun. and Mon. at the Paramount. Take advantage of an opportunity to see these movies in a theater. They’re showing back-to-back on Sunday with a dinner break between them. Well worth having your butt ache from being parked in a theater seat for so long.
Saved!—Playing Monday and Tuesday at Alamo downtown. This is the cute little movie poking gentle fun at Christian teenagers. I haven’t seen this movie but it’s only $1 admission on Monday.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre—Alamo’s Rolling Roadshow is doing a big event for this movie on Saturday near the house where the original movie was filmed.
I currently have three rental DVDs in the house: Hellboy, Gregory’s Girl, and Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. How’s that for a combination? My very sweet and generous boyfriend also gave me a DVD of Bubba Ho-Tep, which I had been wanting to see again. And I’m hoping to persuade him to watch Charade with me soon, now that I have it on DVD. So much to watch without even going to a theater! But I’m hoping I get out this weekend to see something, as long as it doesn’t involve gags about Seth Green and women’s leg hair.
Thursday addendum: In memory of Elmer Bernstein, who died this week, why not watch a movie no one seems to be mentioning in news stories about him? A very funny movie with a serious score—that would be Animal House.