Movies this Week: 500 Days, Aliens and Raiders

Opening this Week

SXSW closing-night film (500) Days of Summer opens today, and it's likely to be the sleeper hit of the summer (pardon the pun). It's the type of romance film that guys really enjoy. I wasn't as impressed with it as some, but it's not a bad film, just makes a few missteps that distracted me. Check out Slackerwood's group review.

Debbie caught G-Force earlier this week, so you can check out her thoughts here.

Jette witnessed The Ugly Truth, and here she is barging in with her reaction:

The Ugly Truth made me realize how sick I am of formulaic romantic comedy. Formulaic dance movies can still have interesting choreography; sports movies often have some fascinating action sequences on the field or in the ring; action films have cool explosions. But the by-the-book romantic comedies offer nothing but attractive stars and sporadic cliched humor. We don't even get witty dialogue anymore.

Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler headline this one: she's a morning-TV-show producer whose show is too tame to get good ratings, he's got a cable-access show about how men are simple and women need to lose weight and stop mentally castrating men and we all should look for lust instead of love. You can see where this is leading.

The movie owes a huge debt to Roxanne, the contemporary take on Cyrano de Bergerac -- the fetching-the-cat scene is almost a direct steal, as is the scene where Heigl goes on a date while wearing an earphone from which Butler is coaching her. But this movie has no whimsical subplots, no Steve Martin, not even any Fred Willard. I liked one scene where Butler explains to Heigl that if she can't love herself (in the sexual sense), she can't expect others to love her ... but the sequence paid off in a ridiculous vibrating-panty bit in which Butler deliberately lets something happen that humiliates Heigl.

So go rent Roxanne instead, or see (500) Days of Summer if you want a romantic comedy in a theater, but skip The Ugly Truth. Or catch one of the fine screenings Jenn is listing below.

Orphan was not available for review before opening this week, but I have to say, Vera Farmiga has already played the mother of a creepy kid, so now she's adopting one? Might be time to try to avoid that role again.

And being a slackery type with an unrepentant love for smaller films, don't forget Moon, The Brothers Bloom, Away We Go, Hurt Locker, and Food, Inc., all of which are still playing around town, and all very worthy of your hard-earned dollars. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is still going to be crowded, so why not enjoy the A/C with these gems? If you like the Arbor, you can catch most of them in the same cineplex.

Friday, July 24

Free Fu Friday at the Alamo Village has Police Story 2, starring Jackie Chan.

The next Fantastic Fest Presents event, Deadgirl, is at Alamo Ritz Friday and Saturday. I wasn't overly impressed with the film as a whole, but there are scenes worthy of horror aficionados' attention, and a new take on the zombie concept.

Master Pancake's take on Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves plays the Ritz in the first of four nights over the next week. It's certainly worthy of a scathing MP show, but they better give Alan Rickman some props --he's not just the only thing worth watching in the RH:PoT, but that film kick-started a maelstrom of crushes that even Snape can't potion away.

If you missed Thursday's Jaws/Jurassic Park double feature at the Paramount last night, you can make up for it tonight.

Saturday, July 25

Alamo Kids' Club (not to be confused with the Alamo Summer Kids Camp) has a special screening of The Absent Minded Professor. Forget the Eddie Murphy chaos, see this classic film with Fred MacMurray and a better class of flubber at the Alamo on South Lamar.

Kids big and small will enjoy the weekend features at the Paramount Summer Film Series: Raiders of the Lost Ark and E.T. - The Extra Terrestrial today and Sunday.

More fun for families: Deep Eddy Pool is showing Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory at 8:30 pm.

Deadgirl screens again at Alamo Ritz.

More Master Pancake Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves

Sunday, July 26

The Alamo Ritz brunch film this weekend is Spirited Away. If you can't make it, it's the Alamo Village's Summer Kids Camp film (Mon-Thurs).

The Ritz also has a two-night special presentation of the Alien director's cut; tonight it's at 10:30 pm. Definitely worth checking out this classic sci-fi horror on the big screen.

More Raiders of the Lost Ark, and E.T. - The Extra Terrestrial goodness at the Paramount.

Monday, July 27

An encore screening of Alien director's cut at the Ritz, but at 7:15 pm for those of us who have to work in the morning.

Tuesday, July 28

Manchaca Branch Library is showing Miyazaki's Castle in the Sky at 2 pm.

Harry Potter fans can finally see the latest installment in IMAX starting with midnight screenings Tuesday night.

Career gals and those who love them will enjoy the next pairings at the Paramount, Nine to Five and Working Girl (Tues and Wed). If you didn't get enough Harrison Ford at one of the four (?!) screenings of Raiders of the Lost Ark over the weekend, there's a great scene of Ford changing his shirt, and his chemistry with Melanie Griffith is worth staying up late to see.

Wednesday, July 29

Alamo Ritz is apparently the place to be this Wednesday, starting with a Know Your Mushrooms feast. It can be totally vegetarian with a simple reservation and email. Know Your Mushrooms is the latest from SXSW favorite Ron Mann, who directed the quirky documentaries Grass and Go Further.

Later, the theater hosts the sold-out Elvira show, with the Mistress of the Dark herself in attendance.

And lastly, a Weird Wednesday edition that looks like it's worth attending by the film title alone, Up Your Teddybear. Add in Julie Newmar, and Wally Cox, the voice of Underdog, Oedipal tendencies, prostitutes and a 350 lb assistant named Skippy in an over the top comedy ... it certainly earns the title of "weird."

But that's just at the Ritz. Yet another Fantastic Fest Presents event is an advanced screening of Thirst. Like all FFP events, Badgeholders get priority seating, but if there are seats left, non-badgeholders can get in. It's the third FFP film to screen in the last week, which is helping Fantastic Fest attendees get even more excited about this year's lineup.

Thursday, July 30

Andrew Shapter's latest film, Happiness Is, screens at Alamo on South Lamar. The follow-up to Before the Music Dies is described as "a cinematic road trip that explores the myths and the truths of the pursuit of happiness in America."

Austin Film Festival presents Blood on the Highway at Alamo Lake Creek with cast and crew in attendance. Free admission for AFF members, $4 for the public.

I'm thinking The Wild One and Easy Rider would've been a better pairing at the Paramount for the ROT Rally weekend, but they're still appreciating bikers by offering free popcorn for those who sport their biker gear.