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Click on the title for details. |
DECEMBER 12 - DECEMBER 18, 2006
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DECEMBER 12 - DECEMBER 18, 2006 |
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A TOUT DE SUITE (dir: Benoît Jacquot, Not Rated) – This homage to French New Wave Cinema copies the fast and loose black & white photography and jumpy editing, and features Isild Le Besco, France’s answer to Scarlet Johansson, as the requisite fetishized female object. |
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THE ARCHITECT (dir: Matt Tauber, R) – Anthony LaPaglia and Isabella Rossellini star in this drama about a joining of families that could lead to a better life for the residents of some Chicago projects. Chicago invented The Projects. Did you know that? | |||
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BARNYARD (dir: Steve Oedekerk, PG) – Proving that no American is too young to love frat boy humor, BARNYARD promises a house party for the whole stupid family. |
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CHAOS & CADAVERS (dir: Niklaus Hilber, Not Rated) – Rik Mayall, aka DROP DEAD FRED, aka that punk fascist from THE YOUNG ONES, plays a wacky mortician. We can’t think of a better reason to see this British black comedy. | |||
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THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (dir: David Frankel, PG-13) – Obviously you’re going to watch this because you think Meryl Streep as high-power fashion tyrant abusing an ultimately triumphant Anne Hathaway equals devilishly funny. Just keep in mind, though, when everyone else wants to rent it on Saturday, you’re probably wrong. |
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^4 (FOUR) (dir: Ilya Khrjanovsky, Not Rated) – If you’re like me, you like your art films disturbing, enigmatic and Russian. That’s why you and I are watching 4 tonight. | |||
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THE HOUSE OF SAND (dir: Andrucha Waddington, R) – Hopefully this visually stunning Brazilian film about two women stranded in the desert is better that manipulative piece of Hollywood-ish clap-trap CENTRAL STATION that brought this movie’s star, Fernanda Montenegro, so much international attention. |
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ICE BLINK (dir: Gregory Roscoe, Not Rated) – A family of five decides to live on a sailboat in the Arctic in this uplifting and picturesque documentary. Unfortunately, the father doesn’t go on a Harrison Ford-style rampage like at the end of THE MOSQUITO COAST. Bummer. | |||
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LEFT LANE: ON THE ROAD WITH FOLK POET ALIX OLSON (dir: Samantha Farinella, Not Rated) – If you care about the world and words like “progressive folk poet” and “queer activist” don’t freak you out, then check out this road trip documentary about Howard Zinn’s favorite trouble-making global patriot, Alix Olson. |
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LIES & ALIBIS (dir: Matt Checkowski / Kurt Mattila, R) – Our beloved Steve Coogan tests our devotion with this lame romantic comedy about grifters, also starring Rebecca Romijn and slew of well-known B-listers. | |||
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LOVING ANNABELLE (dir: Katherine Brooks, Not Rated) – Forbidden love between a Catholic school girl and her (female) teacher? Been there; done that. Now, if only the teacher was a nun, then we’d be approaching the Bart & Greg’s required shock quotient. |
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MATERIAL GIRLS (dir: Martha Coolidge, PG) – This is exactly what you wish would happen to the Olson twins or the Simpson sisters or Paris and Nicole: take away their money and have them learn about what’s really important in life. Only I’ll bet by the end of this we learn that the Duff girls still suck. | |||
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MOZART AND THE WHALE (dir: Petter Næss, PG-13) – Beautiful actors Josh Hartnett and Radha Mitchell pretend to be autistic and in love. I bet they’re convincing. |
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NOW YOU KNOW (dir: Jeff Anderson, R) – If there’s anything that irks us more than a new Kevin Smith movie, it’s a sub-Kevin Smith rip-off written and directed by one of his stars (Randall from the CLERKS movies) in order to cash in on his brand name. | |||
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THE PET (dir: D. Stevens, Not Rated) – Thank you, TLA films, for bringing us this meaty slice of master/slave erotica reminiscent of 70s exploitative eurosleaze. Keep it coming. |
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THE RON CLARK STORY (dir: Randa Haines, Not Rated) – It’s a good thing Matthew Perry’s recovered from his nose-candy addiction in order to play a small-town teacher transplanted to Harlem. Heart-warming. Inspirational. Nauseating. | |||
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SIN DESTINO (dir: Leopoldo Laborde, Not Rated) – 50 years after Bunuel’s masterpiece LOS OLVIDADOS comes this sleazier, more explicit update about homeless Mexican boys who will do anything, and anyone, to survive in the slums. |
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SPIVS (dir: Colin Teague, Not Rated) – I guess we’ve had a little respite from slick, overly clever British gangster flicks. Time for a new one, starring everyone’s favorite hobbit on a desert island: Dominic Monaghan. It doesn’t look too good, but I bet they talk funny. | |||
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#TALLADEGA NIGHTS: THE BALLAD OF RICKY BOBBY (dir: Adam McKay, Unrated) – Will Ferrell, at his funniest, takes on Ali G’s Sacha Baron Cohen. Nothing will make NASCAR seem more appealing, ever. |
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TO THE LEFT OF THE FATHER (dir: Luiz Fernando Carvalho, Not Rated) – It took five years for this shocking family drama from Brazil with a devoted cult following to finally arrive on US soil. See if you agree with all the IMDB users who call this 3 hour poetic tour de force the best movie they’ve ever seen. | |||
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WORLD TRADE CENTER (dir: Oliver Stone, PG-13) – A French bedroom farce with wacky CGI fish. Oh, wait, no. This is the one about courageous men with mustaches. |
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THE YOUNG, THE GAY & THE RESTLESS (dir: Joe Castro, Not Rated) – This latest gay sex comedy spoof will leave audiences on the edge of their seats, holding their bellies from gut-wrenching laughter, and thrilled not to have missed having their minds blown. That’s what the box says anyhow. | |||
| # = Michelle's pick of the week ^ = Bart's pick of the week | ||||||