Movies This Week

With aGLIFF going strong through Sunday, and it being Pride weekend, there are a lot of film options this weekend that by for and about LGBTQIA friendly topics. If you're up for a sing-along tonight, Alamo Drafthouse is screening all of the best divas, gay icons, and camp classics they're titling Way Gay, which promises to be a lot of fun. But I personally recommend the aGLIFF Centerpiece Film Mangus! (pictured above), which happens to have been filmed near Dallas, and also happens to be followed by the Majestic Dance Party at the Paramount.

Former aGLIFF Programming Director Lisa Kaselak's documentary about the "Texas Cupcake Controversy" is kicking of the Reel Policy film series Thursday at the Center for Health and Social Policy (part of UT's Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs). Let Them Eat Cake follows the implementation of a Texas policy initiative to ban junk food in public schools. More information about the screening is available on Facebook. Kaselak will be in attendance for a discussion following the film.

If you haven't had a chance to see Slacker 2011 yet, it's playing on Sunday at Alamo Drafthouse Village. Later this week you can also see the comedy classic Gentlemen Prefer Blondes on Thursday at Blue Starlite Mini Urban Drive-in. And oh yeah, there are new releases in town, too.

Movies We've Seen:

Contagion -- Steven Soderbergh, the director behind The Girlfriend Experience and Ocean's Thirteen now brings us up close and personal with a deadly pandemic ... and a stellar cast. Elizabeth says in her review, "No one is going to contest the pedigree of the cast in this thriller. However, such a large number of actors creates a challenge to get too invested." (wide)

Echotone -- Austin as the "Live Music Capital of the World" is captured through musicians' eyes by Austin filmmaker Nathan Christ. The documentary has a special run at Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar Sunday through Tuesday. Read Debbie's AFF 2010 review for more.

Higher Ground -- Vera Farmiga's directorial debut embodies the faltering journey of someone trying to embrace faith despite undergoing a spiritual crisis. It may not top your best of the year list, but it will get you talking and thinking. Read my review for more. (Regal Arbor, Violet Crown)

We'are at that strange point in the cinematic year, a sort of dead calm before the contenders for awards get released. But that doesn't mean there isn't anything going on this week. Tuesday is a particularly tough day for Austin cineastes as there are three don't-miss events kicking off. 

I seriously want to clone myself just for Tuesday. aGLIFF starts that night, and it looks like another stellar year, with Texas representing (seriously, Cancerpants has to be the best-named film this year, and it's an Austin film).  The (free!!) Community Cinema series starts Tuesday at Austin Public Library with Peace Unveiled, an episode of the PBS series Women, War & Peace that doesn't air until October. And Austin Film Society's latest Essential Cinema series "Days and Nights of Being Wild:  Hong Kong New Wave" begins that night too with Wong Kar-Wai's Days of Being Wild (pictured above). I don't get to Essential Cinema screenings enough, and Wong Kar-Wai is such a strong director (FYI: one film in the series was produced by University of Texas graduate Tsui Hark).

Movies We've Seen:

The Debt -- Add this one to your "must-see" list, as Don says, "The Debt is a slick, smart and thought-provoking thriller with much to say about the sometimes fine line between fact and fiction" in his review.  (wide)

A Good Old Fashioned Orgy -- When I first heard about this movie, I kept confusing it with Cummings Farm, but it's just not the same, and unfortunately A Good Old Fashioned Orgy lives down to expectations. Read my review for more. (*wide)

Seven Days In Utopia -- Robert Duvall and Lucas Black previously worked together in Get Low. Now they're back the Texas-filmed Seven Days In Utopia. Debbie says, "The wholesomeness of this movie makes for a family-friendly outing..." and a whole lot more. Read her review for more. (Cinemark Tinseltown 17, Regal Gateway)

So we've broken the record for most 100-plus degree days in a year. If you're like me, your electric bill is astronomical. So like me, you're looking for ways to cool off, which usually involves going out to the movies.

This weekend, Austin has several great options for special film events. Tonight, the Long Center Cinema series is screening the recently restored Metropolis (remember in 2008 when more than 20 minutes of lost footage was found)? Saturday is the Night of the Bat at the Paramount, complete with Adam West and Batman (1966), which just happens to coincide with the 7th annual Bat Fest (surprise). This was a big hit last year, and it should be a lot of fun. And there will be an Adam West Photo Booth with photos taken by Annie Ray.

And on Sunday, don't forget the special screening of The Perfect House; that's free, but you can avoid the line if you win reserved seating through the Slackerwood contest. It's a great way to prepare for Fantastic Fest.

Movies We've Seen:

Colombiana -- Mike's review won't be up until tomorrow, but he's teasing us by saying, ""Colombiana is 10 lbs of The Fifth Element in a 5 lb bag. This violent flower is covered in Luc Besson's stench but lacks the humor and quality of storytelling that made his previous work such a hit." (wide)

Don't be Afraid of the Dark -- Having Guillermo del Toro as screenwriter is a big draw for any sort of horror film, and Rod says, "There are some truly creepy and scary parts of Don't Be Afraid of the Dark." Read his review for more. (wide)

Senna -- J.C. De Leon says in his review, "Senna may not spark any future interest in watching Formula One racing, but you'll be sorry you didn't know more about this legendary icon during his prime." (Regal Arbor, Violet Crown)

As the summer movie season draws to a close and schools start up again, we still have some very good new movies opening in Austin this week, both indies and Hollywood films.

In addition, Texas Filmmakers Production Fund panelists are in Austin this weekend and Austin Film Society is hosting screenings of their films. On Sunday night, you can see a selection of short films from Barry Jenkins, followed by Ian Olds' documentary Fixer: The Taking of Ajmal Naqshbandi. AFS is also bringing Josh and Ben Safdie to town to screen Daddy Longlegs on Monday night and short films on Wednesday. If you want some classic comedies, the Long Center has a Cult Classics series that features movies such as Animal House and The Princess Bride. But my favorite cult movie of the week is at Alamo's Music Monday: Repo Man. Afterward, go get some sushi and not pay.

Movies We've Seen:

• Conan the Barbarian -- "Stargate Atlantis and Game of Thrones star Jason Momoa lives, loves and slays at the box office this weekend in the gorgeous nonstop action reboot of Conan the Barbarian." Or so Mike tells me. Look for his review this weekend.  (wide)
• Fright Night -- Mike says in his review that although this is a remake of the 1985 film, it's "original, smart, exciting and funny" and one of the most entertaining movies of the summer. It's showing in 3D and 2D -- I've heard the images are a little dark for the 3D to be effective. I've also heard David Tennant is marvelous, but you knew that. (wide)
• The Guard -- Don Cheadle and Brendan Gleeson star in this Irish buddy-cop comedy, and Don says their chemistry and dialogue are the best parts of this slow-paced but rewarding movie. Read his review for more details. (Arbor, Violet Crown)
• The Whistleblower -- Rod came out of this screening pissed off ... not at the movie itself but at the inhumanity so realistically portrayed in it. To find out more, check out his review. (Arbor)

Let's see. We've got one movie about young men preparing for a post-apocalyptic future, one about a couple's last hurrah before they adopt a new family member, one about a man forced to pose as a body double, one about a man forced to rob a bank, one about Mississippi women in the 1960s, and one about the benefits of Auto-Tune.

We've also got lots of special screenings in Austin. Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar will show Fantastic Fest 2010 selection Cold Fish late-night Monday through Thursday. Kyle Newman will be in town for a screening of his film Fanboys, written by Austinite Ernie Cline, on Thursday night at Blue Starlite Drive-In. And Weird Wednesday at Alamo Ritz has an especially good selection this week: The Outfit, an excellent film from 1973, adapted from a Donald Westlake novel and starring Robert Duvall and Joe Don Baker. (I'm already going to be down there to see Slacker ... I should just stick around, now that Weird Wednesday has moved to 10 pm.)

Movies We've Seen:

• Bellflower --Don calls this SXSW 2011 selection "flawed but intriguing" in his review. He also refers to Evan Glodell's movie as "a cross between Max Max and a typical dating-is-hell indie film" -- like me, he favors the visuals and the cars but not the characterizations and acting. Even though I was divided on this movie, it's a great weekend choice. (Alamo South Lamar)
• The Devil's Double -- Dominic Cooper "gives the performance of a lifetime," Mike says in his review, with a dual role as Uday Hussein and his stand-in Latif. (Arbor)
• The Help -- Despite the 2.5-hour running time, Elizabeth says in her review that this movie about Mississippi women and race relations in the 1960s is one of the best she's seen all year. By all accounts I've read, it's worth seeing for Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer alone. (wide)

August is here, which means the summer blockbuster season is starting to wind down. School will start soon and that means the end of many of the series in Austin's Free (and Cheap) Summer Movies, although you can still find plenty of free movie opportunities around town.

The Paramount Summer Classic Film series is still going strong: this week's selections include Peeping Tom, Playtime and Amarcord. One of my favorite movies to re-watch on DVD, Clerks 2, is screening at Alamo Drafthouse Ritz on Saturday with actor Brian O'Halloran in attendance. Blue Starlite Drive-In is showing Valley Girl on Wednesday and American Graffiti on Thursday. And Cinema East will bring SXSW selection The Dish and the Spoon back to Austin on Sunday night on the French Legation lawn.

One more thing: To prepare us for the Slacker 2011 premiere at the end of this month, Austin Film Society has teamed up with Alamo Ritz for two screenings of the 1991 film Slacker: this Wednesday (8/10) and next (8/17). Some Slacker 2011 filmmakers will show previews of their scenes, and the proceeds benefit the Texas Filmmakers Production Fund. If you haven't been reading our Slacker 2011 interviews, you've been missing a lot of fun.

Movies We've Seen:

• The Change-Up -- Mike says in his review that this comedy about Jason Bateman and Ryan Reynolds "doing a Freaky Friday" is okay but unmemorable, not to mention full of scatological humor. I'm with him on pointing you all at Friends with Benefits instead, which I saw earlier this week and enjoyed very much. (wide)

I'm pleased that one of the movies I've enjoyed most this summer is opening this weekend -- the one with the aliens. No, not the one with the cowboys and aliens, the one with teenage London hoodlums and aliens. In addition to your choice of movies featuring outer-space creatures, you can also enjoy Smurfs and Steve Carell (not in the same movie), and some good indie films.

Of course, as usual Austin has plenty of special screenings going on. On Sunday night, Alamo Drafthouse's Cinema Club brings Bell Book and Candle back to the big screen, followed by a discussion with Austin Chronicle film critic Marc Savlov.On Monday, you can head to the AT&T Conference Center to hear horror writers Tom Holland and Austinite Alvaro Rodriguez take part in an Austin Film Festival Concersations in Film called "Words That Go Bump in the Night." Then on Tuesday, Holland and Rodriguez will hold a Q&A after a screening of the original Fright Night at Alamo Ritz.

Movies We've Seen:

• Attack the Block -- This monster-meets-London-gangs movie won a lot of fans at SXSW and is back in Austin to hopefully win some more. I saw it recently and thought it was a great summer movie. Definitely check it out. (Alamo South)
• Cowboys & Aliens -- Jenn says in her review that the latest film from Jon Favreau (Iron Man) "plods along with too many subplots" and is ultimately disappointing. The movie stars Harrison Ford, Daniel Craig and Olivia Wilde and at least it isn't in 3D. I may drag out my Adventures of Brisco County Jr. boxed set instead.(wide)
• Crazy, Stupid, Love.  --  Steve Carell stars in this romantic comedy that Elizabeth says is neither a chick flick nor a bromance, and doesn't pass the Bechdel test. But she ends her review by noting that the movie may still be good enough for multiple viewings. Directed by the Bad Santa writers. (wide)

A couple of weeks ago, this looked like it would be a drab weekend for new movies: another big dopey comic-book extravaganza (in 3D) and yet another tired romantic comedy. However, it turns out that most of us at Slackerwood have actually enjoyed these films, at least a little, and would recommend them to you. This has been a great summer to learn not to make negative predictions about movies we haven't seen yet.

For those who aren't convinced, Austin once again provides plenty of options. You can head over to Ballet Austin on Sunday afternoon to watch the 2000 film Center Stage followed by a ballet class -- the last in the Ballet Austin/Austin Film Festival series. That night, Cinema East is showing locally shot movie Rainbows End (an AFF 2010 selection) on the French Legation lawn. On Wednesday night, you might like this month's Celluloid Handbag selection at Alamo Drafthouse Ritz: the original Mildred Pierce. Or you could head to the Hideout for Cinema 41's screening of Coming Apart. But what I want to do most is see Paper Moon again in a theater, and the Paramount is obliging me by showing it on Wednesday night as part of a special Iron & Wine presentation.

Don't forget our Guide to Free (and Cheap) Summer Movies for other inexpensive moviegoing options.

Movies We've Seen:

• Captain America: The First Avenger -- I liked this movie more than Elizabeth, whose review will be published Saturday. She says, "While Captain America is a fun summer film, it's not very cohesive or memorable. If you want to see it, find a 2D showing, as the 3D adds nothing to it." I agree about the 3D, but this was my first comic-book adaptation of the summer and I think I picked the best of the lot. (wide)
• Friends with Benefits -- Mike was annoyed that this romantic comedy with Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake screened for press on the same night as Captain America ... and then pleasantly surprised by what he calls "this year's best date movie" in his review. (wide)
• Terri  (pictured above) -- Don caught this movie at SXSW. Check out his review, in which he notes: "A funny and entertainingly odd take on the adolescent (and adult) desire to be accepted, Terri is a modest but finely made film that will ring true with anyone who's ever felt like an outsider looking in." (Arbor)

It's a good weekend in Austin for juvenile films -- and no, I don't mean Adam Sandler fare, but rather movies that appeal to kids of various ages. Grownups who aren't thrilled by the gangs at Hogwarts and the Hundred Acre Wood might want to head over to Arbor or Violet Crown.

If none of the new movies are grabbing you, head over to the Paramount, where they're showing a Katharine Hepburn double feature of The African Queen and the underrated and delightful Holiday, Tuesday through Thursday. Or perhaps you'd prefer The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai at Alamo Drafthouse Ritz on Sunday night.

If you like short films, Austin Film Society is bringing the Texas Filmmakers Showcase to Austin Studios for two screenings Wednesday night. The lineup includes local films The Man Who Never Cried, Sasquatch Birth Journal 2 and short doc Noc Na Tanecku (Night at the Dance); two Dallas favorites from SXSW 2011, Pioneer and 8; and two shorts from the Houston area, Fatakra and LCD Soundsystem - "Home." Find details and buy tickets on the AFS site.

Movies We've Seen:

• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 -- This end to the seven-book and eight-film series is review-proof; you're unlikely to care what I say when my review is published Saturday. I'm glad I saw it but it did feel like one of the weaker movies in the series, focusing more on special-effects spectacle and not enough on the characters we've come to enjoy over the past decade or so. The 3D was unremarkable; save money and go to a 2D screening instead. (wide)
• Winnie the Pooh -- The joke is on Don and me; we thought he should see this movie with the possibility of going all Dorothy Parker in his review. Turns out it's "gentle and charming and funny and warm-fuzzily retro." We're thrilled to have our expectations exceeded. (wide)

It's not a great week for new movies in Austin. The two big Hollywood movies are getting mixed-at-best reviews and only one arthouse film is opening (but it does have Kevin Kline in it). Frankly, I think a better option that would let you enjoy Zookeeper actress Leslie Bibb in a dark comedy about horrible bosses would be Miss Nobody, which played Austin Film Festival last year and is now available on Netflix Watch Instantly.

If none of the new movies grab you, there are not only lots of carryover options from previous weeks but special screenings galore. I am most excited that the Paramount is showing Brazil on Sunday -- twice, although I plan to see it only once. The Paramount also has an Albert Brooks double-feature of Modern Romance and Broadcast News on Tuesday and Wednesday; check their calendar for specifics. And if you're a Sam Peckinpah fan, head over to the Texas Spirit Theater on Wednesday for The Getaway, this month's AFF Made in Texas selection.

Don't forget to check our Free (and Cheap) Summer Movie Guide for plenty of affordable moviegoing options in and around Austin.

What We've Seen:

• Horrible Bosses -- Mike saw this movie earlier this week and says that "Horrible Bosses is the best workplace comedy this decade, joining the ranks of classics like Office Space and 9 to 5." Look for his review this weekend. (wide)
• Queen to Play (Joueuse) -- Don is pleased with the performances in this French film about a woman learning the art of chess (the cast includes Kevin Kline) but says in his review that he finds the pacing a bit slow even for his arthouse tastes. (Violet Crown)
• Zookeeper -- I've never seen Mike so passionately disgusted with a movie -- in his review, he claims that the movie was so terrible it gave him a headache. And that's not the worst thing he says about this Kevin James vehicle in which zoo animals reveal their powers of speech in order to help get James some nooky. (wide)