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Click on the title for details. |
NOVEMBER 14 - NOVEMBER 20, 2006
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NOVEMBER 14 - NOVEMBER 20, 2006 |
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ACCEPTED (dir: Steve Pink, PG-13) – Weedy Justin Long from WAITING stars as a scholastically challenged young man who decides to start his own college in this comedy described as “this generation’s ANIMAL HOUSE.” In reality it’s probably just a poor man’s OLD SCHOOL. |
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^BLOOD TEA AND RED STRING (dir: Christiane Cegavske, Not Rated) – This disturbing stop-motion animated fairy tale about aristocracy among rodents will immediately draw comparisons to Jan Svankmajer’s creepy style. A slew of international awards and its mind-boggling 13 year genesis demand a fair shake. | |||
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BROTHERS OF THE HEAD (dir: Keith Fulton / Louis Pepe, R) – Shot in documentary style, BROTHERS OF THE HEAD purports to be the true tale of conjoined twins who became rock stars in the British glam rock scene of the 1970s. That it’s all a put-on only adds to the fun. |
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THE DA VINCI CODE (dir: Ron Howard, PG-13) – I shut it off after half an hour. But I think the code is something like: bad casting + cliché-ridden plotting - common sense = I’m watching LASSIE instead. | |||
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DARSHAN: THE EMBRACE (dir: Jan Kounen, Not Rated) – This documentary takes a look at Amma, one of India’s most celebrated spiritual guides, known as “the hugging saint.” Her fights for peace and against poverty and illiteracy have earned her props around the world as well as the love of a billion or so people. |
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49 UP (dir: Michael Apted, Not Rated) – Micheal Apted once again fills us in on the last seven years in the lives of several now middle-aged Britons. If you’re unfamiliar with this series, use this as a jumping off point and see why Roger Ebert says “the UP series is on my list of the ten greatest films of all time.” | |||
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FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST THE MOVIE: CONQUEROR OF SHAMBALLA (dir: Seiji Mizushima, PG) – I have no intention of asserting enough effort to figure out what this anime is about, but I’m sure glad it’s here so people will stop bugging me about when it’s coming. |
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THE GROOMSMEN (dir: Edward Burns, R) – Another Edward Burns directorial effort only two weeks after the release of LOOKING FOR KITTY? Is this just my personal nightmare or a sign of greater impending doom? | |||
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HATE CRIME (dir: Tommy Stovall, R) – A gay couple’s idyllic suburban life is disrupted when the son of a fundamentalist preacher moves in next door and makes it clear that he believes they’re heading straight to hell. |
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JOHN TUCKER MUST DIE (dir: Betty Thomas, PG-13) – When a hunky high school lothario’s various girlfriends discover his deception, they team up to ruin his life. Get your tweens hooked on the zesty satisfaction of revenge today! | |||
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JOYEUX NOEL (dir: Christian Carrion, PG-13) - This true story of French, German and English soldiers holding a truce to celebrate Christmas Eve in 1914 has inspired audiences around the globe. And that’s the true power of cinema, isn’t it? To give people hope by presenting irrelevant trivialities while ignoring that 11,000,000 people went on to die in that war. |
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LASSIE (dir: Charles Sturridge, PG) – Family movies that don’t treat children like morons are rare; ones that are able to entertain adults too are rarer. Add a prestigious cast including Peter O’Toole, Samantha Morton, Peter Dinklage and John Lynch and we’re dealing with a seriously classy kids movie. And that dog is way smarter than anyone involved in the creative process behind THE DA VINCI CODE. | |||
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LEONARD COHEN: I’M YOUR MAN (dir: Lian Lunson, PG-13) – The fact that most people’s closest encounter with Leonard Cohen is Rufus Wainwright’s rendition of “Hallelujah” in SHREK proves the universe is unjust. In this portrait/tribute concert, fans like Nick Cave, Bono and Antony of Antony and the Johnsons literally sing his praises. |
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POSTER BOY (dir: Zak Tucker, R) – A college student must stay in the closet for the sake of his right-wing senator father’s career. All that changes when he starts dating a liberal activist who’s secretly intent on ruining his father’s re-election campaign. | |||
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SOPHIE SCHOLL: THE FINAL DAYS (dir: Marc Rothemund, Not Rated) – Julia Jentsch, from THE EDUKATORS, stars as Germany’s most famous anti-Nazi heroine. This tightly wound history lesson plays out with the suspense of a Hitchcock film, even though it’s utterly apparent doom is inevitable. |
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STOLEN (dir: Rebecca Dreyfus, Not Rated) – Blythe Danner and Campbell Scott narrate this documentary about the largest art heist of modern times, when thirteen priceless paintings were stolen from a Boston museum in 1990. | |||
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*STRANGERS WITH CANDY (dir: Paul Dinello, R) – Nearly everyone from Comedy Central’s twisted sitcom returns for this sloppy and loveable feature-length prequel. Creators Amy Sedaris, Stephen Colbert and Paul Dinello proudly admit in the commentary that they ran out of ideas at about the halfway point. |
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TALES OF THE RAT FINK (dir: Ron Mann, Not Rated) – The director of popular documentaries GRASS and GO FURTHER now takes on Ed “Big Daddy” Roth, who I guess is some kind of big wig in the world of car customizing. | |||
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WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR? (dir: Chris Paine, PG) – Conspiracy theorists will love this documentary that frighteningly portrays the sinister collusion between politicians and the oil and auto industries that squashed any chance for an alternate energy vehicle to make in-roads into our gas-addicted lives. | |||||
| * = Greg's pick of the week ^ = Bart's pick of the week | ||||||