Movies this Week: Saved! by Ugly Marathons

If you haven't bought your tickets for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which Slackerwood already reviewed, you're probably going to have to wait a week, especially if you don't like morning showtimes.

Fear not, folks, you Have Options.

Moon continues at the Dobie and the Arbor, and The Hangover is still holding on despite the summer blockbusters. I haven't seen The Hangover yet, so I might remedy that this weekend. Food, Inc. also continues.

The Texas Spirit Theater over at the Texas History Museum (that's the non-IMAX theater) is showing Just a Little Bit Crazy, a documentary about the annual National Rattlesnake Sacking Championship in Taylor. The film, which played Austin Film Festival in 2004, screens 1-2 times a day all week; check the theater website for details.

The Alamo Summer Kids Camps for this week are Spirited Away at Lamar and Sky High at Village. Kids Camps run Mon-Thu at 11 am. Screenings are free and open to all ages, but you must pick up tickets before entering the theatre, so get there a little early.

Opening this Week
The Merry Gentleman opens at the Arbor. I hate to admit it, I hadn't heard of this one.

Jette pops in with a mini-review:

The Merry Gentleman is Michael Keaton's directorial debut, and the indie drama been making the fest rounds since its premiere at Sundance in 2008. Kelly Macdonald plays Kate, who has left her abusive husband and is trying to start over in a big city full of annoyingly inquisitive people and potential admirers. Even one of the cops investigating a seeming near-suicide she witnessed is sweet on her. At Christmas time, she meets Frank (Keaton), a silent man who gives her space ... but unbeknownst to her, is also a hit man.

Macdonald is strong and compelling, but Keaton's character is a little too flat for me -- I wanted a bit more personality, especially in a film that focuses on character rather than plot. It's beautifully filmed, with some charming moments and a touch of suspense. if you're looking for something very much un-blockbuster-y in theaters, head to Arbor this week and give The Merry Gentleman a try. (Now, back to Jenn.)

Friday, June 17
The Paramount Summer Film Series selections for the evening are The Parallax View and Marathon Man. Is it safe, yet? Probably not, but that's why we like thrillers. While we're talking about the Paramount, congratulations on the theater's Newman's Own food drive -- Austin film lovers, you donated 1,168 pounds of food last week for the Capital Area Food Bank.

If you want to pay for your sneak peeks, The Ugly Truth is playing at "select" theaters around the country tonight, which locally translates to Regal Gateway 16. This "battle of the sexes" romantic comedy stars Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler, so at least there's eye candy. Personally, I'm a little leery of so-called romantic comedies these days, and this one didn't sound too promising until I checked the director's credits. Robert Luketic also directed Monster-in-Law, Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! and Legally Blonde, so there's a good chance it's a decent film. It helps that it's written by women, including two of the writers behind Legally Blonde and She's the Man (the latter of which was recently touted to me as a teenage Twelfth Night).

Saturday, June 18
The Paramount Summer Film Series weekend films are Robert Altman's Nashville and Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather. These are two iconic films by American masters that all cinephiles with any self respect must see. You'll probably see me, as I'm ashamed to say I haven't seen Nashville.

Sunday, June 19
Hey Homo! presents a special brunch with indie fave Saved! at Alamo Ritz. Jena Malone is a good, christian girl whose accidental pregnancy after trying to "save" her gay boyfriend wreaks havoc at her fundamentalist school, putting her at odds with a creepy Mandy Moore. It has a great cast, including a sardonically funny Macaulay Culkin, indie-film staple Martin Donovan, Patrick Fugit, Heather Matarazzo and an unforgettable Eva Amurri.

The Austin Film Festival/Blanton Museum New Directions Summer Film Series is presenting locally made Shotgun Stories at 3 pm. Starring the up-and-coming Michael Shannon (Bug, Revolutionary Road), pictured above, this first-time feature from director Jeff Nichols won the Narrative Feature Film Award at AFF 2007.

The Godfather and Nashville continue at the Paramount.

Visioneers is sold out, so I hope you already have your tickets.

Monday, June 20
Björk isn't my style, but if she was, I'd have to catch Music Monday at Alamo Ritz this week, which features her peformance movie Voltiac. The Alamo gang describes the film as a "multi-media document of Björk's visually dazzling Volta tour."

Tuesday, June 21
Paramount selections for the evening: M*A*S*H and Catch-22. Enough said.

The Terror Tuesday selection at Alamo Ritz this week is Re-Animator. Classic Terror. On Tuesday. Go, already. And if that isn't enough, Girlie Night is earlier in the evening, with Say Anything. You want Lloyd. And you've had a Joe in your life. You know Joe, he lies when he cries.

Wednesday, June 22

The Central Market/101X outdoor summer film series continues with Iron Man at 8:30 pm at the Central Market on North Lamar. Admission is free; bring a blanket or something to sit on.

The Paramount has encore screenings of Catch-22 and M*A*S*H. You might have had an excuse last night, but not tonight.

Ruiz Library is showing the delightful Coraline for free at 2 pm.

Jette interrupts to point out that she may actually attend Weird Wednesday this week: the midnight film at the Ritz is Robert Altman's 1985 "teen comedy" O.C. and Stiggs, and looks too fascinating to miss. Okay, back to Jenn.

Thursday, June 23
I'm not the biggest fan of Jurassic Park, but it's double-billing at the Paramount with Jaws, which raised the terror bar so high, that for an entire summer with many a Cape Cod beach Saturday, I couldn't go beyond wading levels. Add in the fact that I worked for the guy who played the scoutmaster for a semester's field work, native Texan Rex Trailer, I have strong personal connections to the film.

The Harry Ransom Center's free Orientalist Silents Film Series continues with the 1925 fantasy The Adventures of Prince Achmed at 7 pm.