Movies This Week: Horse Boy, Cold Souls and an Anvil

Isn't it nice to have weather that's not in triple digits?  The weatherman says that while we're going to get more rain, it shouldn't be like the torrents that caused a blackout last weekend.  And plenty of movies to see.

New Releases

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs -- Very kid-oriented;  it gets very repetitive. Still, it has some charm, and kids will likely love it. I think I would have preferred a short-film version.

Cold Souls -- Paul Giamatti stores his soul so he can perform a Chekov play, but there are complications. This metaphysical comedy about consumerism wasn't available for review before opening.

The Horse Boy (pictured above), directed by Austin-area filmmaker Michel Scott, is about a Texas couple who went to great lengths to heal their son's autism, combining their son's love of horses, shamanism and the neurology behind autism.  It recently played for a special screening at Alamo Drafthouse, and opens at the Arbor this weekend. 

Jennifer's Body -- Megan Fox as a demonic cheerleader. Sounds about right. Complete with Diablo Cody dialogue.

Love Happens -- With a title like that, do you need to know the plot? Stars Jennifer Aniston and Aaron Eckhart.

The Informant! is Steven Soderbergh's fact-inspired latest with Matt Damon as an executive whistleblower.  I was too busy to see the advanced screening because of aGLIFF, but with Soderbergh, Damon, Melanie Lynskey and Scott Bakula, it seems like a promising film. 

Personal Picks

Jette: Anvil! The Story of Anvil opens today for daily screenings at Alamo Ritz, and since I missed it at SXSW, I'm hoping to catch this documentary about a metal band with a Spinal Tap-like career. My former colleague James Rocchi called it "a hymn to the human spirit, played loud in power chords."

Jenn: Um. Gee. Fantastic Fest. Duh. 

Debbie: If I can find time before Fantastic Fest starts, I definitely want to see The Horse Boy. The first major Fantastic Fest screening I'm looking forward to is Zombieland with Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone and director Ruben Fleischer in person on Friday, September 25 at the Paramount. General public can purchase general admission tickets from the Paramount here.

Don't forget to check out our Event Calendar for more movies and special events around town.