Movies This Week: April 20-26, 2012

Astute Austinites should avoid most of the major new releases this week (four words: Zac Efron, Steve Harvey) and stick with the arthouse fare and special screenings.

Among the antidotes to the horrors at your local multiplex is the Austin Film Society's Essential Cinema "Seefest Austin: Films of Southeast Europe" series, which continues on Tuesday with a screening of The Way I Spent the End of the World. Set in 1989 Romania before the fall of Nicolae Ceaușescu's Communist dictatorship, this 2006 film follows 7-year-old Lalalilu and his 17-year-old sister Eva, who is charged with a political crime and unjustly sent to a reform school. Vowing revenge, young Lalalilu decides to kill the country's "beloved leader."

The Violet Crown is screening the Dallas-made Wuss on Tuesday, presented by The Show! as part of the Austin Auteurs series. Wuss (pictured above) is the story of a high-school teacher whose students repeatedly beat him up until he fights back with a help from a young girl feared for her family's violent reputation. In her SXSW 2011 review, Jette called Wuss "charmingly disturbing," saying Austin filmmaker Clay Liford "chooses to dig past the obvious, and Wuss becomes a story about a character struggling to deal with a brutal world, when he lacks the necessary thick skin." Liford will attend the screening.

Today's date is 4/20, and those who appreciate the countercultural meaning of 4/20 won't want to miss tonight's screening of Dazed and Confused at Top Notch, where parts of Richard Linklater's classic teen comedy were filmed. Bring your lawn chairs and family (okay, maybe this isn't an ideal family film) and get there plenty early for a good spot in the parking lot. (The film starts at 8:30.) The Notch is offering food specials, and Oat Willie's will be on hand with door prizes. As David Wooderson would say, this event will be all right, all right, all right.

Finally, don't forget that Cine Las Americas starts next Tuesday, April 24, and runs through April 29 with an excellent lineup this year.

Movies We've Seen:

The Lucky One -- In this adaptation of a Nicholas Sparks bestseller, an Iraq War veteran travels to North Carolina to search for the woman he believes was his good-luck charm during his tour of duty. Based on the tepid reviews, viewers may not be the lucky ones. Debbie says, "My suggestion to women is to please leave your men at home and make this a girlie night out." Look for her review this weekend. (wide)

Other Movies Opening in Austin:

Chimpanzee -- The Planet Earth filmmakers bring us this Disney documentary about an orphaned young chimp adopted by an adult male (male chimp, that is, although a male human raising a chimp would be entertaining). (wide)

Last Days Here -- This well reviewed documentary is the story of Bobby Liebling, lead singer of the heavy metal band Pentagram, who battles decades of drug addiction and personal demons. Being a non-headbanger, I don't know the band. But the film looks intriguing. In his Austin Chronicle review, Marc Savlov calls it "deeply disturbing but equally moving." (Alamo Drafthouse Lamar)

Marley – Not to be confused with Marley & Me, this documentary chronicles the life and music of legendary singer Bob Marley. Reviewers are calling it required viewing for Marley fans. Marjorie Baumgarten says the film is "essential viewing for anyone wanting a fuller understanding of popular music in the latter half of the 20th century" in her Austin Chronicle review. (Alamo Slaughter, Violet Crown)

Think Like a Man -- In this romantic comedy, four friends turn the tables on their wives and girlfriends, who have been using Steve Harvey's relationship advice against them. If the horrid preview isn't enough to turn you away from this exercise in sophomoric, clichéd humor, well, enjoy. (Wwide)