We’re getting to the part of the summer when all the big blockbusters have come (and most have also gone) and the shit Hollywood sends into wide release is … well … shit. This weekend, the entire nation will get a chance to decide which movie is scarier: Exorcist: The Beginning from director John Frankenheimer Paul Schrader Renny Harlin whose work just oozes subtlety, or, um, something; and Without a Paddle from comedy directing genius (or something) Steven Brill, who shares Harlin’s talent for never going over-the-top … or something.
If you’re ever going to choose a week to support independent cinema, this might as well be it. I’m actually looking forward to next week when the long awaited Hero starring Jet Li finally hits theaters in NY and LA. Meanwhile, Garden State (about which I will be posting something soon, I swear) opens a bit wider this weekend, and should absolutely be seen if you haven’t yet. I’ve also heard very good things about Mean Creek from first-time director Jacob Estes starring Rory Culkin in yet another tale about the cruelty of teenagers; and Nicotina, a popular Mexican film starring Diego Luna (Y Tu Mamá También). Also notable, but in very limited release, is Bright Young Things, an adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s “Vile Bodies.” Think of it as St. Elmo’s Fire, but in 1930s England and hopefully less cheesy.
And last but not least, it may not make $100 Million like Fahrenheit 9/11, but the same man (Robert Greenwald) who made the documentary Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch’s War on Journalism about how “fair and balanced” Fox News Channel really isn’t, made an earlier doc called Uncovered: The Whole Truth About the Iraq War which apparently is a further indictment of the Bush administration’s path to war. That film is getting a new release; unfortunately for us New Yorkers, it will play at the single worst theater in town for actually sitting through a move, The Angelika Film Center. And tonight, Greenwald will be speaking after the 7:55 PM screening. Also opening at the Angelika (and that’s it for this week both nationwide and in NYC) is the Ramones documentary, End of the Century. If you go to the web site (or to the distributor’s, Magnolia Pictures), you can see when it might open in a city near you.
Also if you’re in New York, don’t forget that Luchino Visconti’s masterpiece The Leopard has one more week at Film Forum, and two highlights of the Anthony Mann series — the brilliant films noir T-Men and Raw Deal — play the Walter Reade over the weekend.
Out of Focus 