Movies This Week: The Last Animal Takers
So happy to see Get Low expand to more theaters this week, and Winnebago Man is getting another week at both Alamo Drafthouse Ritz and South Lamar. As a matter of fact, Austin theaters don't have a lot of changes in their arthouse film offerings this week, other than one new movie, and good for them. I was surprised to see Avatar coming back to theaters. Guess it hasn't been such a great summer for big movies if they have to pull that back out, huh? Last week there were a lot of new releases -- this week, not so much.
Animal Kingdom (pictured above) -- Tourism Australia won't be endorsing this gritty, depressing crime family drama about a young man caught between his estranged family and the law co-starring Guy Pearce and Joel Edgerton. Written and directed by David Michod, who wrote the short film Spider that played with The Square earlier this year and at SXSW in 2009. Read my review for more. (Arbor)
The Last Exorcism -- Nearly brilliant thriller with strong horror themes, but ultimately dimished by eventual use of cliched devices, the director of SXSW 2008 selection A Necessary Death brings us another documentary style drama that is sure to get people talking. Read my review for more. (wide)
Naan Mahaan Alla -- Bollywood romantic thriller, and nothing else out there. (Cinemark Tinseltown 17)
Takers -- Robbers versus cops with Chris Brown, Hayden Christensen, Matt Dillon and Idris Elba, and a whole bunch of recognizable names, if not full-blown star power. (wide)
Check out our personal picks below. Don't forget you can always alert us to special screenings, new film series, etc.
Chip -- If there is a just deity, Winnebago Man will be every bit as popular as The King of Kong. It certainly brings just as much humor and pathos to the screen. And it looks like the Alamo just extended its run. Read Don's review for more details.
Debbie -- The Paramount is showing Lawrence in Arabia in 70mm this weekend with three screenings. I'm sure it won't be as exciting as last year's live camels, but you can try out the boxed picnic lunch of either a roast beef or (veggie) caprese sandwich with "sand" cookie - how apropos for a film in the Arabian desert.
Elizabeth -- Starving Art has opened a new "boutique" drive-in theatre on E. Cesar Chavez (part of the East Austin Trailer Park & Eatery) that I'm eager to check out. American Graffiti will be shown there this Saturday and Thursday nights. You can park your car for $10 or sit on the lawn/at a table for free. Only six cars can park, so you might want to reserve a spot. The movie will start around dusk.
Jenn -- I'm resting up this weekend, because on September 7, aGLIFF starts.
Jette -- Did you know that Waiting for Guffman was filmed in Lockhart and Austin? The 1996 Christopher Guest film may be one of the funniest movies to come out of Central Texas and Alamo Ritz is showing it Tuesday night as part of the Celluloid Handbag series. See if you can spot Turk Pipkin in the audition scene.