It's another weak week of film releases as the World Cup continues for England (just about), and congratulations to the U.S. readers for also surviving the Group stages. I have no doubts that Russell Brand will propel him movie to the top of the box office charts, and I only hope he's a less irritating actor than he is a TV presenter/stand-up comic. On the more arty front there are two auteur's synonymous with the 70's who are battling for my endorsement, even though a blogger I trust has panned them both in the comments here, I'm going to pick Tetro as the film of the week.
The Collector
When watching Home Alone I expect you thought that the scenes of slapstick violence meted on the burglars was both justified and hilarious. This film riffs on those elements only using the medium of horror. From the writers (hmm) of Saw IV, V, VI and VII.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
Get Him to the Greek
I have a small problem in recommending this film, partly because Brand irritates me and partly because I haven't seen Forgetting Sarah Marshall, from which the character is spun. Mostly it's because I've heard the majority of the trailer isn't in the film.... I mean really what is the point of a trailer if it doesn't show you stuff from the film. Big mistake.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Tetro
Francis Ford Coppola's second personal project, the first being 2007's Youth without Youth which in turn was preceded by a 7 year hiatus, follows two brothers (Vincent Gallo and Alden Ehrenreich) coming to terms with their destructive relationship with their conductor father (Klaus Maria Brandauer).
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
Villa Amalia
Isabelle Huppert reunites with director Benoît Jacquot for the fifth time, in this story of a pianist (careful) who abandons her life after her partner kisses another woman.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●○○○○○○○
Whatever Works
Woody Allens output continues to be only sporadically entertaining with his first New York movie for 5 years. Larry David fills the Woody role, Evan Rachel Wood (40 years his junior) plays the love interest and the cast is filled by the usual group of stereotypical New Yorkers.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●●○○○○○
When in Rome
I actually quite like the look of this rom-com. Sure I suspect it'll be cheesy and forgettable but the premise of boys being put under a spell when their coins are taken from the Fountain of Love is quite cut, especially when they get as smitten as they are in the trailer, and when one of them is Danny DeVito. Anjelica Huston also gets a role as Kristen Bell's boss so there's a reason for going.
Runs like a Gay Excitometer: ●●●●○○○○○○
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5 comments:
Ben,
Tetro played in one or two theaters in the city (which,as a suburbanite, is often difficult for me to get to). I have missed Coppola's work and was excited to see it. But it came and went in a matter of a few weeks.
Maybe I'll catch it on DVD some time soon.
hey, maybe Tetro became a masterpiece after the first 30 minutes i've watched, who would know... :P
but i strongly, firmly say again WW is Woody's worse, from the 75% movies of him i've seen.
ot: Brazil or the Netherlands are soooo winning the world cup.
OK chaps,
Went to the cinema today and watched these two back to back. As is often the case when you do that one I loved, one I hated. The review for the one I loved on Wednesday.
Like to guess which one?
you loved Tetro.
There is NO human possible way you loved Whatever Works!!! with alllll the ridiculous cliches in it.
Not a difficult one to guess, was it.
I'll also have a review for the turgid mess that was Whatever Works the week after.
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