THE WEEKEND WARRIOR August 23, 2024
THE CROW, BLINK TWICE, STRANGE DARLING, GREEDY PEOPLE, THE FORGE, PLACE OF BONES, THE KILLER, BETWEEN THE TEMPLES, AND MORE
If there’s been one thing that’s been consistent in the 23 years I’ve been writing about the box office and reviewing movies: August comes along, and the summer is suddenly over within a matter of weeks, even as September often sees the release of bigger movies (as will be the case this year with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice).
One might assume that the big release of the weekend is The Crow, but that might not be the case as the long-in-development and often-troubled attempt to reboot the popular 1994 dark comic book action movie looks like it might end up way below expectations, something you can read about over at my Gold Derby weekend preview. (I should also note that this week offers mostly R-rated movies, as studios don’t seem to be shying away from that rating, as much as they used to.)
THE CROW (Lionsgate)
Bill Skarsgård plays Eric Draven in this modern-day reboot of James O’Barr’s comic about a man who is brutally murdered along with the love of his life, Shelly, played here by FKA twigs, but he finds a way to come back from the afterlife to get revenge.
Mini-Review: I decided not to watch the original 1994 The Crow before watching this modern-day reboot. I’ve seen it enough times, and I’m actually familiar with the comic books that I didn’t have to negatively impact my viewing of this reboot, directed by Rupert Sanders (Snow White and the Huntsman, Ghost in the Shell). Actually, I never even saw the trailer for this version, despite going to many movies and always going early to see trailers.
Anyway, if you know the general plot from the 1994 movie, then this one is basically the same, other than some of the specifics, like the fact that Eric and Shelly meet each other while in a rehabilitation center. Covered in tattoos, Eric clearly has issues from childhood, but Shelly seems to be there merely in hiding from a bunch of criminals trying to get some incriminating video off her phone. They fall madly in love and become instant soulmates, but when the criminals finally catch up, they kill both Eric and Shelly… except that Eric ends up in some form of purgatory where he encounters Sami Bouajila’s Kronos, who tells him that to get Shelly back, he must kill everyone responsible for her death. And that’s exactly what Eric does, learning that he’s now much harder to kill and injure.
Like I said, it’s generally the same plot except that it’s approached in a very different way with so much more time spent with Eric and Shelly, and the movie taking its sweet time to explain exactly why Shelly and her friends were being chased and who all those other characters are. Apparently, one of them is Shelly’s mother, but again, it’s not clear why she seems to be helping the bad guys. A movie like this should definitely not be that complicated.
When Danny Huston shows up on screen, he is so obviously the main villain of the piece, some guy named Vincent, whom we learn very little about, including what his connection is to Shelly. He also has this weird power where he talks into people’s ears, and they do bad things to themselves and others. Not quite sure what the point of that is, other than to have a powered foe for Craven once he gets his powers, but Huston’s character really feels like “stock bad movie supervillain” that we’ve seen so many times before. (I honestly can’t remember if there was a similar villain in the original movie.) Huston does very little to make Vincent stand-out as a villain, and not having a strong bad guy hurts the movie maybe more than anything else, even once they do face off.
Eventually, this one veers more into John Wick territory, in terms of the action, with a lot more guns and swordplay and CG blood, and that aspect does offer a few key action moments, like a scene at an opera house where Eric gets closer to the people responsible for Shelly’s death, systematically killing them all. It’s also nearly an hour before he dons his trademark black leather trenchcoat, and the distinctive black facepaint, which is sure to frustrate those who are so familiar with that image of The Crow. Instead, Skarsgård spends a lot of the movie shirtless, for the ladies, I guess?
As far as the look of the movie, Sanders has always been known to lean towards the stylish side of things, maybe due to his background making commercials. In this case, that stylishness is quite inconsistent, where there are some scenes that look amazing (such as the purgatory with seemingly hundreds of crows), and others that just don’t look like they’re part of the same movie. It’s not a case of bad visual effects or anything like that, just decisions in the production design and costumes that create a somewhat schizophrenic color and lighting scheme.
The two things I remember clearly from the ‘90s The Crow was that it looked fantastic, but it also had an equally great score, which included The Cure’s “Burn,” which didn’t appear on any of their albums for years. The Crow reboot also goes out of its way to create a suitably Goth soundtrack with the likes of Joy Division and others, but also a fantastic score by Oscar-winner Volker Bertelmann (All Quiet on the Western Front), so that’s one for the plus column.
The Crow isn’t necessarily bad, as much as it’s different, being more of a cross between Joker and John Wick than anything resembling the 1994 movie. It isn’t the worst thing I’ve seen this year (or even this month), but it’s hard to imagine that such a bland remake might have a similar effect with younger Goths, as the original did thirty years ago, and it’s doubtful true fans of the original movie or comics will appreciate this very much either.
Rating: 6/10
BLINK TWICE (Amazon MGM)
Zoë Kravitz makes her directorial debut with this darkly comic thriller starring Channing Tatum as tech mogul Slater King, who is quite notorious for the debaucherous parties he throws on his private island. Friends Frida and Jess (Naomi Ackie and Alia Shakwat) are catering servers who crash a fundraising gala where they end up meeting Slater, who invites them to one such party, particularly interested in Frida. Once they get there, they being mingling with Slater’s wealthy friends, but nothing is what it seems, as the friends discover far more nefarious things at play.
We have two general themes of the movies released this week: Reboots of popular genre movies of the past and original genre movies that have so many unique twists that we have to be careful about how much we say about them. For example, even the original title for this movie from Zoë Kravitz might be considered a spoiler for what happens in its third act.
It starts out simple enough, in the vein of The Menu or Glass Onion, in this case being about these two young female friends, both poor gig workers apparently, who are pulled into a different lifestyle surrounded by the idle rich, and pretty women in bikinis who just want to smoke blunts and party, even as strange things are happening around them.
Although Channing Tatum is great as Slater King, it’s a decidedly darker role for him, though still one where his unmistakable charm still shins though. Watching Namoi Ackie in this movie, it’s hard to believe this is the same actress who played Whitney Houston in the severely-underrated I Wanna Dance With Somebody, since she’s a great foil and romantic interest (of sorts) for King. Another standout is Adria Arjona, who plays such a different character than the one she played in Richard Linklater’s Hit Man that I didn’t recognize her. She’s great as one of the rich celebs Frida teams up with to determine what’s really happening on the island.
In fact, the entire cast is just great, and it’s nice to see vets like Christian Slater, Geena Davis, and Kyle MacLachlan mingling with the younger pretty things with whom King surrounds himself. Oh, and Haley Joel Osment is also in the movie, looking so much like Paul Walter Hauser, that I thought it was Hauser. Simone Rex plays a bit of a douchebag. What a surprise.
When things are eventually revealed towards the second act, that might be make or break for some, though it does lead to some terrific third act blood-letting that earns the movie its already-deserved R-rating.
Overall, this is just a fantastic, head-turning debut by Zoë Kravitz as a director, because maybe we haven’t really seen what she’s capable of as a filmmaker compared to her work as an actor.
Rating: 7.5/10
STRANGE DARLING
Another great genre film this weekend (and what is essentially this week’s “Chosen One,” because it is in fact the best thing I’ve seen opening this week) is this new movie from JT Mollner (Outlaws and Angels), starring Kyle Gallner and Willa Fitzgerald, as “The Demon” and “The Lady” respectively. As opening title sets up a movie about a serial killer that goes into many quite unexpected directions, it’s impossible to say too much about the movie without ruining its twists and turns.
That makes the movie really difficult to review, that’s for sure, though this is such an original take on the serial killer movie we’ve seen so much over the last few decades that it really stands out, and I’ll do the best I can to avoid spoilers.
I can say that the film begins with Willa’s character being chased by Gallner’s. Besides proclaiming that the entire film was shot on 35mm, it also announces that it’s a story told in six parts… though you’re not going to get those six parts in actual chronological order. That’s primarily what makes Strange Darling so interesting and what separates it from other serial killer or even slasher movies, but another thing that makes it different is that it’s very much a two-hander, even with small appearances by the likes of Barbara Hershey and Ed Begley, Jr.
One thing that I probably can share is that the two characters do have a one-night stand that we witness partway through the film, incorporating some disturbing BDSM that also is not what it seems at first, which is something that can be said about the entire film. In fact, I was almost put off by the hotel room scene, because I’m generally put off when it comes to violence towards women in general, but again… nothing is what it seems. Just remember that… or go into the movie not knowing anything, which is probably better. Why are you even still reading this?
Overall, the film just looks fantastic* and also works so well tonally, with enough interesting turns that I imagine many will want to rewatch this movie. Also, the music is fantastic, both the edgy score by Craig DeLoen, interspersed with beautiful songs by artist Z Berg, her vocals really bringing a lot to the film’s moodier tone. (*I’d be remiss if I don’t mention that veteran actor Giovanni Ribisi makes his feature film cinematography debut on this, work that has already won him an award at a cinematography festival, no less!)
Strange Darling is a film that effortlessly bounds between genres – an action-thriller at one moment, and a romantic drama (of sorts) at others –– but it’s constantly being driven by Mollner’s masterful storytelling and filmmaking prowess, and the notably great performance by Fitzgerald, which is regularly pushed to its limits while pushing the story in turn.
Rating: 8/10
I’ll have interviews with JT Mollner, Giovanni Ribisi, Z Berg, Willa Fitzgerald and more over at Cinema Daily US.
GREEDY PEOPLE (Lionsgate)
Himesh Patel and Joseph Gordon-London play small town Provincetown cops, the rookie Will and the more experienced (and quite corrupt) Terry, who discover a large cache of money after an accidental death that has others in town trying to get their hands on said money. That includes the dead woman’s shrimp mogul husband (Tim Blake Nelson), who had hired a killer so that he can marry his secretary once his wife is out of the way.
This dark crime-comedy is directed by Potsy Ponciroli, who directed a decent indie Western called Old Henry, which also starred Tim Blake Nelson, with this one written by Mike Vukadinovich. The movie starts off with a decent enough set-up as we’re introduced to Will, who has just arrived in town with his pregnant wife, played by the always-great Lilly James, when his first ride-along with his new partner Terry goes horribly wrong. (Terry is too busy hooking up with his married girlfriend, forcing Will to take the call on his own.)
The influence that the Coen Brothers have had on this movie are quite evident. In some ways, it’s a bit tiring to see so many less experienced filmmakers trying to pull off something that the Coens are so masterful at, but never quite achieving anything on the same level. Maybe the closest anyone has come was Martin McDonagh’s Three Billboards… and that ended up winning Oscars, but Greedy People isn’t even in the same ballpark as that.
Each of the characters is introduced slowly with some roles being far more pivotal than others. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is the most entertaining aspect of the film, playing a darker role than we’ve seen him play before – a bit like Channing Tatum’s role in Blink Twice, in fact. What Gordon-Levitt and James bring to the movie is partially why I liked the movie more than I would have otherwise. Simon Rex’s masseur doesn’t have quite as prominent role, and in some ways, he’s better in Blink Twice, even though that’s also a fairly small role.
The last act focuses more on James’ character trying to deduce what has been happening with her husband, and that’s where the movie picks up, but not before a lot of the characters begin dying, including a few that we might actually like. In other words, the film switches gears so quickly from comedy to dark thriller that it might give some viewers whiplash.
Greedy People is mostly a swing and a miss in terms of trying to create a crime-comedy that stands up to other similar ventures. It’s not terrible, but it has problems balancing the humor with the drama, and those tonal issues are ultimately what ruins it.
Rating: 6/10
THE FORGE (Sony/Affirm Films)
One movie this weekend that I don’t plan to review is this new faith-based movie from Alex Kendrick, who has had many faith-based hits with Courageous, Fireproof, Facing the Giants, and Overcomer, none of which I’ve seen but all which did quite well. I expect this one will also do well without spending even a second more thinking about it.
THE BOX OFFICE CHART
Note: Not knowing the theater counts for Greedy People and Strange Darling, it’s hard to know whether they can possibly break into top 10, though they’d have to make $2.5 million or more, which I don’t see happening.
1. Alien: Romulus (20th Century/Disney) - $19 million -55%
2. Deadpool and Wolverine (Marvel/Disney) - $16.5 million -45%
3. It Ends with Us (Sony) - $13.6 million -44%
4. Blink Twice (Amazon MGM) - $10.2 million N/A
5. The Crow (Lionsgate) - $7.8 million N/A
6. Twisters (Universal) - $6.5 million -35%
7. The Forge (Sony/Affirm) - $5 million N/A
8. Coraline (LAIKA/Fathom) - $4.8 million -50%
9. Despicable Me 4 (Universal) - $4.4 million -30%
10. Inside Out 2 (Disney/Pixar) - $2.5 million -29%
PLACE OF BONES (The Avenue)
In this Western directed by Audrey Cummings and written by Richard Taylor, Heather Graham plays Pandora, a mother with a teen daughter, Hester (Brielle Robillard), who find an unconscious man named Calhoun (Corin Nemec) outside their home. Bringing him inside to help him heal, they end up drawing the attention of criminals looking to find him and the money he stole.
I was a little tentative about this one, partially because we’ve seen so many mediocre Westerns in recent years, but also, I have a long history of hating Heather Graham as an actress. I’m sure she’s a nice person, and she’s quite pleasant to look at, but I’ve never really seen her in anything since Boogie Nights (a personal favorite) that makes me think she’s a good actor. Fortunately, the role of Pandora in this film from a relatively prolific filmmaker (who I never heard of) is a good one, well-suited towards Graham, and she gives a strong but suitably subdued performance.
I’m sure those who don’t like the Western genre won’t care for this one either, because there are so many tropes that have become quite overused, but the pacing and tone of this one generally seemed to work, as the film alternates between the two women and their “ward” and the men out looking for them. (Maybe it isn’t too strange, but there are three films this week with a lot of people trying to get their hands on money.)
Cummings is a capable filmmaking doing decently with a cast mostly made up of unknowns, though really, Graham, Robillard, and Nemec are the standouts for sure, as their scenes really keep the tension going. The movie also offers quite a few twists and surprises on the usual Western clichés, including one particularly dark twist that fits well with some of the other genre films out this weekend.
Place of Bones may be for the most diehard Western fans above anyone else, but it’s the first movie starring Heather Graham that I’ve liked in a very long time, and it gets points for that above anything else.
Rating: 7/10
BETWEEN THE TEMPLES (Sony Pictures Classics)
Jason Schwartzman and Carol Kane (who just made an appearance at Metrograph for their series on her work) star in Nathan Silver’s comedy about a cantor who takes in a significantly older Bat-mitzvah student, Carla, who happens to be his high school music teacher, and the two form a fast friendship.
I’ve already reviewed this movie when I was at Above the Line, and I really hated it for reasons you can read there. I believe that Sony Classic is giving this a moderately wide release this weekend, but honestly, I have no idea.
THE KILLER (Peacock)
John Woo returns with a remake of his own 1989 movie starring Chow Yun-fat, this one starring Nathalie Emmanuel from the “Fast and Furious” movies as Zee, an assassin who accidentally blinds a singer during one assignment. Omar Sy plays a French police officer inspecting a series of murders that puts him into contact with Zee.
This is now playing on Peacock, and you can read my interview with Ms. Emmanuel and Omar Sy over on Cinema Daily US.
Mini-Review: Like with The Crow, I decided not to watch the original John Woo movie before watching this remake, reboot or whatever you want to call it. In some ways, it’s a literal remake since it’s the same general plot of Woo’s 1989 movie with Chow Yun-Fat replaced by Nathalie Emmanuel, and the story moved to modern-day Paris.
Woo has said that he’s never made a movie with a female lead, which is somewhat surprising, but Nathalie Emmanuel ably steps in the role while bringing a very different dynamic, especially when she gets into a shootout that blinds singer Jenn, who knows a little about the heroin trade that Sy’s Officer Cey is investigating, on top of a number of murders that point back to Zee.
The plot is a bit too complicated with way too many bad guys, some who mysterious vanish after a single appearance, but it really becomes more about the relationship between Zee and Cey, which is beautifully enhanced by unmistakable chemistry between Emmanuel with Sy. Less convincing is the wonky Irish accent taken on by Sam Worthington as Zee’s handler, but that’s only a minor bother that doesn’t take too much away from everything else. When Zee takes Jenn in and makes it her job to
Most of all, this is a John Woo movie, and as with his best films, it’s very much about the stylish way he shoots action sequences with a nice mix of shootouts and car chases that rarely let up for very long. Honestly, having not seen the original The Killer in so long, I’m not really sure if any of the action beats are direct repeats from that or if Woo has used his decades of experience to up his game there, too. Make no mistake that Woo has made a big-budget action film, one that feels more European than Hollywood, although I wasn’t that crazy about the movie’s unrealistic-looking CG blood, which sometimes detracted from the kills. Surprisingly, Emmanuel gets into some really physical action scenes, as well, not just shooting guns, but actual fighting, and Woo is still the master at creating tension and excitement that rarely lets up. (It’s helped greatly with a terrific score by Marco Beltram that’s well suited for
I do wish that this got a theatrical release, rather than just streaming on Peacock, but it’s significantly better than many of the respective Netflix-made action movies, maybe because Woo knows how to film action and how to avoid some of the pitfalls of working from a script that might not be that strong.
I’m absolutely delighted to say that John Woo is back in fine form, and he’s found a truly bad-ass leading lady in Nathalie Emmanuel as the title assassin, to the point where I’d love to see her do more of this kind of thing with Sy.
Rating: 7.5/10
THE SUPREMES AT EARL’S ALL YOU CAN EAT (Searchlight Pictures)
Streaming on Hulu this Friday is this movie directed by Tina Mabry, starring Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Sanaa Lathan, Uzo Aduba, Mekhi Phifer, Julian McMahon, Vondie Curtis-Hall, and Russell Hornsby. I wish I could tell you more, but I wasn’t able to get a screener in time, so the best I can do is to copy/paste the synopsis from IMDB, which says that it: “Follows a trio of best friends known as "The Supremes" who, for decades, has weathered life's storms together through marriage and children, happiness and blues.” I guess I’ll have to watch it on Hulu sometime, but I’m only going to if this isn’t another The Fabulous Four or Summer Camp.
I’LL BE YOUR MIRROR (Strand Releasing)
Opening at the IFC Center in NYC this weekend is the new film from Bradley Rust Gray (who will do QnAs on Friday and Saturday night), which premiered at Sundance about a young woman (Carla Juri) who travels to Japan after the death of her husband where she is comforted by an old friend (Takashi Ueno). When his attention turns to affection, she has to give herself permission to love again.
Other stuff I just didn’t have time to get to:
CLOSE YOUR EYES (Film Movement)
THE OTHER LAURENCE (Yellow Veil)
CATCHING DUST (Vertical)
THE BECOMERS (Dark Star Pictures)
INCOMING (Netflix)
REPERTORY
Recent Oscar nominee, Sandra Hüller, gets a five-film retrospective with “Anatomy of an Actor,” which includes the Oscar-winning film Zone of Interest, and a previous German Oscar selection, I’m Your Man (co-starring Dan Stevens), this weekend, as well as the 2006 film, Requiem, which only plays once on Saturday night.
“Also Starring… Carol Kane” screens Carnal Knowledge (1971) and the holiday clasisc Scrooged (1988) this weekend, as well as repeats of Hester Street and Office Killer.
“In Concert” continues with lots of screenings of the recent 4k restoration of the Talking Heads concert film, Stop Making Sense (1984), but only a single screening of the Lou Reed concert film, Songs for Drella (1982), which reunited him with John Cale from the Velvet Underground. Director Ed Lachman will be doing a QnA on Saturday after that screening. It’s also screening the 1988 Tom Waits concert movie, Big Time.
“Bad Trips” continues with a bunch of screenings of John Boorman’s classic thriller, Deliverance (1974), starring Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight, Ned Beatty, and Ronny Cox. It’s screening in 35mm so if you haven’t seen it, this is a great chance.
You can catch one more screening of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? On Thursday night as part of the “Twisted Sister” series, and then the rest of the weekend is dedicated to Brian De Palma’s Sisters (1973), starring Margot Kidder pre-Superman. There’s also a single screening of Alena Lodkina’s 2022 film, Petrol, which I’ve never heard of.
“Ties That Bind: Tales of Madness” also continues with more screenings of Eyes Without a Face, as well as Agnieszka Smoczynska’s 2015 film, The Lure.
“Under the Pavement, The Beach” will show Zabriskie Point one more time next Tuesday, while the never-ending “Summer at Sea” series continues with Jean-Luc Goddard’s 1963 thriller, Contempt, as well as Fellini’s And the Ship Sails On (1983).
“Passages” will screen Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (2010) all weekend. It won the Palme d’Or, and I’ll never understand why.
Shinji Sômai’s Moving from 1993 will also screen a few times this weekend, and I highly recommend that, something you’d know if you’re following me on Letterboxd.
MOMA is starting an impressive new series called “Paramount in the ‘70s,” kicking off with Roman Polanski’s Chinatown (repeated on Sunday) and the 1974 film, The Gambler, on Thursday afternoon. It also will show Sidney Lumet’s Serpico on Thursday and Monday, The Friends of Eddie Coyle on Friday and Tuesday, and of course, The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather Part II (1974) on Saturday and then again next week. A lot of these you may have already seen if you’re in New York and you regularly follow this column, where I cover all of the repertory stuff on any given weekend. The series continues through Sept. 15.
I’m kind of surprised that the “Blackspolitation, Baby!” series hasn’t been extended past Thursday, but you can see a new 4k restoration of Alfred Hitchcock’s Frenzy (1972) starting Friday, and Melville’s Army of Shadows has also been extended for another week. They also will show Victor Erice’s 1973 film, The Spirit of the Beehive on Saturday – it’s sold out – in conjunction with the release of his latest film, Close Your Eyes, which is also playing at the Film Forum starting Friday.
On Friday and Saturday night, just before midnight, you can see Jim Carrey’s The Cable Guy (1996), co-starring and directed by Ben Stiller, on 35mm, as part of the continuing “Defamed to Acclaimed” series, also showing the 2001 Josie and the Pussycats, and Mike Judge’s Idiocracy (2006), also late on Friday and Saturday. The classic Roman Polanski horror film, Rosemary’s Baby (1968), will also be shown nightly at 9:20pm. Caligula: The Ultimate Cut continues to play through the weekend into next week, as does Francis Ford Coppola’s The Conversation, Amadeus, and the animated The Time Masters, so lots of repertory offerings here.
The Paris’ two-week “Big and Loud!” series for the summer begins this Friday with its presentation of films in 70mm, Atmos and “Audio-Obsessive Cinema.” This includes a new 70mm print of Alfred Hitchcock’s overrated Vertigo, as well as screenings of Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind, James Cameron’s The Abyss: Special Edition in Dolby Atmos. Scorsese’s concert film, The Last Waltz, Terrence Malick’s Days of Heaven, Spike Lee’s Malcolm X in 70mm, and much, much more.
Next week, Azazel Jacobs, whose new movie His Three Daughters will play at the Paris in 35mm starting Sept. 6, is programming a number of films screening in 35mm including Peter Hedges’ 2003 Sundance-award winning, Pieces of April, on Monday night with Hedges and some of the cast, including Katey Holmes and Patricia Clarkson, doing a QnA. On Wednesday, he’ll screen John Cassavetes’ Opening Night on 35mm, starring the recently departed Gena Rowlands.
NITEHAWK CINEMA PROSPECT PARK & WILLIAMSBURG
Before we get to this weekend, a quick reminder that next Thursday, Aug. 29, I’ll be introducing a screening of M. Night Shyamalan’s misunderstood classic, The Lady in the Water (2006), so come out and say “hi!”
This weekend at Prospect Park, they’re screening Alexander Payne’s Election, starring a very young Reese Witherspoon, on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. They’re also showing one of my all-time favorites, Billy Wilder’s Some Like It Hot from 1959, same days.
On Monday, you won’t want to miss the rock ‘n’ roll classic Detroit Rock City (1999) on 35mm, and then Tuesday is a (sadly sold out) screening of Spike Lee’s Summer of Sam with Michael Imperioli in person, both of these (and Election) part of the Nitehawk’s “The Class of ‘99” series. That continues on Wednesday with an (also sold out) screening of Jamie Babbitt’s But I’m a Cheerleader with a live drag performance.
At Williamsburg, you can see Julie Taymor’s Titus as part of “The Class of ‘99” on Thursday night with Taymor in person. On Friday and Saturday night, you can see The Rage: Carrie 2 (also from 1999), and then on Saturday and Sunday at 11AM, you can see David Fincher’s classic, Fight Club. Lynne Ramsay’s Ratcatcher (also from ‘99) is playing on Tuesday night. On Saturday and Sunday morning, you can bring the kiddies to Honey, I Shrunk the Kids from 1989.
Roman Polanski’s The Ghost Writer is playing again on Thursday night (tonight). Director Daniel Goldhaber will be on hand Friday night for a QnA after his 2022 movie, How to Blow Up a Pipeline, which will also screen on Saturday in 35mm. Also on Saturday, as part of the “Desire and Punishment” series, you can see Michael Haneke’s The Piano Teacher (2001) and Lucrecia Martel’s The Holy Girl (2004), both introduced by filmmaker Amalia Ulman. (The Holy Girl plays a few times next week, as well.) On Monday and Tuesday, you can see Lindsay Anderson’s If… (1968), as part of the same series, and the 1966 classic, The Battle of Algiers, will screen on Tuesday.
Ahead of the new Merchant Ivory doc, the Quad is showing some classic Merchant Ivory films, including Heat and Dust (1983), The Bostonians (1984), and the Oscar-winning Howard’s End (1992). Next week on Tuesday and Wednesday, they’ll screen the doc with director Stephen Soucy and James Ivory in person for QnAs ahead of that film’s official release on Friday, Aug. 30.
Erich von Stroheim’s 1924 silent film, Greed, will play on Friday and Sunday as part of “Silents, Please!” on Sunday with piano accompaniment. Wim Wenders’ 1974 film, Alice in the Cities, will also screen on Friday and Sunday as part of “Queens on Screen.” John Cassavetes’ 1976 film, The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, will screen on Saturday and Sunday, as part of “Phillip Lopate Presents: My Love Affair with Cinema,” as will Lino Brocka’s 1976 film, Insiang, on Saturday wth a book signing and conversation with Lopate. Jim Henson’s The Muppet Movie will screen on Saturday and Sunday afternoon if you’re looking for something to which you can bring the kiddies.
Screening this weekend is Robert J. Kaplan’s Scarecrow in a Garden of Cucumbers (1972) and Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s Querelle (1982).
The 15th Anniversary screening of Henry Selick’s Coraline is playing here and since Fathom Events won’t let you use AMC A-List for this movie, might as well see it here either in standard or 3D since it’s less expensive.
The 1995 anime, Macross Plus, is screening with creator Shoji Kawamori in person, in conjunction with Anime NYC, but no surprise, it’s already sold out.
BAM (BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC)
Screening through the weekend and next weekend is Ivan Dixon’s 1973 film, The Spook Who Sat by the Door, based on the novel by Sam Greenlee.
Screening on Friday night is Jason Reitman’s Juno (2007), as well as John Carpenter’s Escape from New York (1981), the latter as part of a retrospective for composer Alan Howarth, who will be appearing and performing at the Cinema Arts Centre next Friday, August 30!!! Saturday night is the Cinema Arts Centre’s “All-Night Horrorthon,” including The Wraith (1986), The Blob (1988), Fright Night (1985), and more. A great excuse to drive or take the train out to Huntington, Long Island, if you ask me. Miyazaki’s Spirited Away screens twice on Sunday, and on Wednesday, you can see a sci-fi classic in Blade Runner.
Caligula: The Ultimate Cut will continue to play here through the weekend… I mean, it is literally from Drafthouse Films, so of course it will.
Next week is Labor Day, and there are… some movies. Yeah, that’s just the way August goes, folks, but then after that.. September kicks off with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
"Lady In The Water" a "misunderstood classic"?
Ed, you playin'.