Movies This Week

Didn't make it to the special screening of Iron Man 2? You still have a week to see what the fuss is about, but this is probably your last week of non-blockbustery summer film openings for a while. And thanks to strong box office at Alamo on South Lamar, you have another week to catch Best Worst Movie.

Furry Vengeance -- This poorly named comedy pits nature versus suburbs... but unlike Over the Hedge's slickly funny animation, this uses animatronics and Brendan Fraser. (wide)

The Good, The Bad, The Weird -- Emphasis on "weird," this Korean western (you read that right) is so memorable that a sleep-deprived gal stuck in the front row during an sold-out Fantastic Fest 2008 screening was absolutely riveted. It's one of the most fun films you'll see this year.  Set in 1940s Manchuria, three rivals fend off the Japanese Army, Chinese bandits and each other while seeking a treasure map. The Good, The Bad, The Weird is by the guy behind Two Sisters but this is a comedy. You know you have to see it. (Alamo Lamar)

House Full -- Bollywood comedy about a polygamist juggling three wives. (Cinemark Tinseltown 17)

I just realized how busy I've been lately -- one Netflix disc has been sitting by my TV for nearly two months. This week isn't any different, as it's Cine Las Americas time. Hope you get a chance to check out the diverse fare the film fest is showing at the Metropolitan, Alamo on South Lamar and the Mexican American Cultural Center. If you can't make it there, here are the new releases in Austin this week.

The Back-up Plan -- Biological-clock sitcom with J Lo and Alex O'Loughlin, full of poop jokes and baby doll dresses.  And that's the nicest thing I can say about it. Read my review for more, and don't hold it against Michaela Watkins, who's wasted in her role. (wide)

Best Worst Movie -- Troll 2, arguably the worst movie ever made, has become a beloved cult classic.  Watch this tale about enthusiastically loving something by celebrating its flaws, and the delusions of those who can't see said flaws. Oh, and let's not forget Austin's own Zack Carlson's related tattoo.  There's also a party at The Highball for it this weekend. Read my review for more. (Alamo Lamar) 

It's only mid-April, but the first blockbuster hopeful has arrived, with SXSW 2010's Opening-Night film Kick-Ass expecting to kick some box-office ass this this weekend. Officially the summer blockbusters aren't opening til May, but something tells me that Kick-Ass, a very well-named film, is going to leave some lasting impressions at the box office. 

The Art of the Steal (pictured above) -- In 1922, The Barnes Foundation was scorned as a repository of  "horrible, debased art" but after the turn of the millennium, the collection of Renoirs, Cezannes, Matisses, Picassos, Modiglianis and Van Goghs are the subject of a "rancorous" court battle.  This wasn't on my radar, but the synopsis certainly caught my interest enough to be willing to sit in Austin's least comfortable theater to see it. (Dobie)

City Island -- Andy Garcia is a corrections officer secretly studying to be an actor, whose life and that of his family change when Steven Strait's ex-con enters their lives. Debbie has the full scoop in her review. (Arbor)

I love it ... bluebonnets in full bloom and all the pollen your sinuses can hold. At least the weather's been pretty summery. But it is kinda warm; I found that out when my AC was on the fritz last weekend. But it's all better now, and I'm ready for some more movies, how about you?

The Black Waters of Echo's Pond -- Friends on holiday on a private island ... you know there's a horror element that has to come into play here, right?  With a title like that, it's fully embracing the B-movie elements, but with a small distributor, we didn't get a chance to see it before it found a theater. Starring Robert Patrick. (wide)

Ca$h -- Sean Bean helmer about a guy recovering what's unlawfully his. This one has a bigger distributor but it didn't screen in advance either. (Cinemark Tinseltown 17)

Date Night -- A too-comfortably married couple on the date night from hell, starring Tina Fey and Steve Carell. It could have been great, but gets the Hollywood "make it funnier" treatment. Read my review for more. (wide)

I'm channelling Lily von Shtupp right now, I swear. SXSW is exhausting enough, but trying to wrap it up ... I'm beat. Good thing there's all this gorgeous weather right now, huh?  If you need to get out of the sun because you forgot your sunscreen, there's a lot out there:

Clash of the Titans -- I skipped the screening because I'm still recovering from (and writing about) SXSW, but I'm sad I missed it because of all the snarky tweets ranting about the bad retrofitted 3D.  Debbie can tell you more, so read her review.  (wide)

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo -- This SXSW 2010 film from Sweden (pictured above), based on a murder mystery novel by Stieg Larsson, is long at 152 minutes. If I weren't so tired, I would've gone to the press screening earlier this week. It looks like it's the first film in a trilogy. (Arbor)

There is life after SXSW, and it looks like a lot of movies waited until our attention wasn't drawn to the fest. Several films are opening this week, so you have plenty to choose from.

Chloe -- Take a stale marriage and an attractive escort, throw in Liam Neeson, Julianne Moore, and Amanda Seyfried, who headline the cast of Atom Egoyan's latest. Remember Where the Truth Lies? (wide)

Formosa Betrayed -- Inspired by actual events, an FBI agent is entangled in a murder investigation that involves the U.S. State Department, the Chinese Mafia and the Nationalist Chinese Government. The cast includes James Van Der Beek, Wendy Crewson and John Heard. (Galaxy Highland)

I know, I know, it's still SXSW but there are other movies out. And one coming out today just played SXSW. 

The Bounty Hunter -- Gerard Butler is another fractious rom-com, this time as a bounty hunter after his ex Jennifer Aniston. Yeah.  (Wide)

The Cry of the Owl -- Claude Chabrol's latest is a sexual revenge thriller based on a Patricia Highsmith novel.  (Arbor)

Diary of a Wimpy Kid -- Haven't seen it, but love the tagline: "I'll be famous one day, but for now I'm stuck in middle school with a bunch of morons." Chloe Moretz from Kick-Ass is in it, as is Steve Zahn. That makes it worth catching to me. (wide)

That Evening Sun -- SXSW 2009 selection about a southern man dealing with family betrayals and feuding with a neighbor. Starring Hal Holbrook.  (Arbor)

A Prophet -- How do you make a criminal kingpin? The Beat that My Heart Skipped director Jacques Audiard shows us with this simmering tale of a young Arab with nothing and no one who rises to the top despite the odds. An outstanding performance by Tahar Rahim. For more details, read my review. (Arbor)

It is so hard to get excited about movies this week that aren't playing SXSW, but surprisingly, there are still movies opening in town this weekend. And what are they, you ask, for those of you waiting until Tuesday to try to get tickets to SXSW films? Let's see ...

Green Zone -- Matt Damon teams up with director Paul Greengrass again, but instead of Bourne around the globe, it's an intelligence officer in the illustrious Green Zone in Iraq, in the early days of the U.S. occupation of Iraq. Read Debbie's review for more details. (wide) 

Our Family Wedding -- Rom-com star vehicle headlined by Forest Whitaker, America Ferrera and Carlos Mencia.  Apparently the Dads have issues at a biracial wedding. (wide)

Ready for SXSW next week? I'm not. And all these new movies to check out don't help.

Alice in Wonderland -- This 3D mess has a plot as murky as its imagery and plays fast and loose with Lewis Carroll's classic story of the girl who falls down the rabbit hole. More in my review, where for the first time I do not have something positive to say about a Johnny Depp performance.  (wide). 

Brooklyn's Finest -- Another NYC police procedural, with stars like Richard Gere and Ethan Hawke as well as lesser-known powerhouses like Lili Taylor and Brian F. O'Byrne. Elizabeth checked it out for us, so take a look at her review. 

District 13: Ultimatum --  Despite more wire-free stunts of Cyril Raffaelli and Parkour founder David Belle, the sequel to District 13 doesn't even come close to the original. In fact, it actively thwarts suspension of belief. Check out Jette's review this weekend.  (Alamo South Lamar) 

Here are the movies opening in Austin today:

Cop Out -- Kevin Smith's latest didn't screen in advance in Austin. Considering his local popularity, that's surprising -- his last two movies had gala Paramount screenings, in fact. Buzz is mixed about his detective tale, so go check it out for yourself and let us know. (wide)

The Crazies -- Timothy Olyphant may be the star of this reimagining of George Romero's 1973 viral outbreak, but Joe Anderson (Across the Universe) as Deputy Russell Clank owns the film. Not perfect, but very memorable, with some great scene compositions, and I swear they held off the "scared ya" noises for at least a microsecond, making this creepy tale even creepier.  Debbie will tell you more in her review this weekend, and hopefully she'll share some of the Q&A with director Breck Eisner from Thursday night's Austin screening. (wide)