Weekend Movie Forecast: <em>X-Men: First Class</em> Vs. <em>Submarine</em>
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<p>Dude, chill with the <em>Call of Duty</em> for a bit. Boner got the tickets for <em>X-Men: First Class</em>! We're all meeting up at Union Square at 7, but Ronnie said he's gonna be chillaxin' there early if we wanna blaze first, so we should probably get there early. Dude, this movie looks sick! That dude who plays Magneto is badass. I hear he knocked up Lenny Kravitz's daughter on the set or somethin'. Man, I cannot <em>wait</em> to see this. Ronnie's been bitchin' that they changed too much from the comic but whatev's. As long as it's better than that Wolverine movie I don't care, 'cause that sucked major ass.<br/><br/>People are really loving these superhero movies nowadays, which probably implies something about the state of our society, but before we start calling it the <em>zeitgeist</em>, we should probably just enjoy it. Reviews have been mostly positive, with Tasha Robinson at <a href="http://www.avclub.com/articles/xmen-first-class,56961/">The A.V. Club</a> saying: "Vaughn and company navigate the complications of all their stories by breaking the movie down into a few heavily underlined, well-established X-Men themes, particularly adolescent confusion and self-rejection (clarified and externalized through physical deformity and accompanying immense power) and the difficult decision of whether to strike back against a harshly judgmental world, rally to improve it, or try to integrate quietly into it.<br/><br/>"<em>First Class</em> embraces a few embarrassing clichés: the few non-Caucasian characters are all dead or evil by halfway through the film, and a handful of already-ridiculous lines get infused with operatic, laughable portent that clash with the movieâs otherwise more humanistic take on the superhero genre. But <em>First Class</em> largely does what it sets out to do, by turning out another crowd-pleasing comic-book film designed to bring in new fans while gratifying the old ones."</p>
<p>Some of you might be familiar with the work of Richard Ayoade, and chances are, if you're familiar with Ayoade, you're probably a fan. He has the potential to be the next big comedy export from across the Atlantic, much like Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, and Ricky Gervais were before him. Ayoade is known for being both an actor and writer of cult television shows <em>The IT Crowd</em> and <em>The Mighty Boosh</em>. Today his first feature length film <em>Submarine</em> comes out, and there are lot of excited enthusiasts out there. <em>Submarine</em> is a coming-of-age film that follows 15-year-old Oliver Tate, who has taken it upon himself to save his parents marriage and lose his virginity by his next birthday. It's being compared to the works of Wes Anderson and Hal Ashby, but in a good way. The plot is really simplistic, so it is recommended that you watch the trailer to get an idea of the stylistic direction, if you're interested in seeing it.<br/><br/>Reviews have been very good, with Sam Adams from <a href="http://newyork.timeout.com/arts-culture/film/1488989/submarine">Time Out New York</a> saying: "Richard Ayoadeâs first feature is too harsh and melancholy to be called nostalgic, but it feels as if itâs filmed through a hazy curtain of misty-eyed memories.<br/><br/>"But itâs hard to think of another film thatâs so true to the minor catastrophes of the formative years while showing so little interest in mere realism. The balancing act between self-awareness and sentiment is a dangerous one, yet Ayoade never puts a foot wrong. <em>Submarine</em> may not be epic cinema, but in a modest way, it's close to perfection." </p>
<p>Famous for his music videos for Air, Pulp, and Jon Spencer Blues Explosion (and for being married to Miranda July), Mike Mills follows up his decent <em>Thumbsucker</em> with his newest film <em>Beginners</em>. The film follows Oliver (played by Ewan McGregor) who discovers that his terminally ill father (Christopher Plummer) is gay and has a young lover. What?! Well, you know what they say: "all cats are gay on their deathbed." Seriously though, a movie like this depends almost entirely on the acting and writing, and with Plummer and McGregor cast, it could turn out to be a good one.<br/><br/>Reviews have been very good, with Manohla Dargis from <a href="http://movies.nytimes.com/2011/06/03/movies/beginners-with-christopher-plummer-and-ewan-mcgregor-review.html?ref=movies">The New York Times</a> saying: "There is all manner of love crisscrossing through <em>Beginners</em>, connecting mothers and fathers, parents and children, sons and lovers, men and their dogs. The love feels heartfelt but itâs difficult loving other people (the dog has it easy), a hardship thatâs evident in the happy-tearful faces, the tentative touches and searching glances that make this movie, or maybe all its yearning, so appealing.<br/><br/>"So much of <em>Beginners</em> seems, looks, sounds, feels so hermetically perfect you may long for some air to blow, stir and even mess up its bright Los Angeles homes, the swanky old hotel where Anna stays and all these precious moments. Even so, the movieâs attractions are undeniable, including its narrative design, which seems more complex than it is, but is engaging to piece together." </p>
<p>When most people talk about Godard, they're usually referring to his New Wave films, or to some extent, films of his "revolutionary" period. It is easy to forget, though, that Godard is still around and still making movies. Today his film <em>Film Socialisme</em> comes out, and it's somewhat of a return to form for the 80-year-old filmmaker. The film is essentially an essay on the decline of European Civilization, told in a way only Godard could pull off. Taking place mostly on a garish cruise ship traveling the Mediterranean (with Patti Smith among its guests), Godard embarks on a state of the EU address in a vibrant collage of philosophical musings, historical revelations, and beautiful cinematography. If you're familiar with Godard's work you can probably imagine how crazy this could be. If you feel like you've been watching a little too much TV, you should go out and watch something that'll make your head hurt.<br/><br/>Reviews have been decent, with Keith Uhlich from <a href="http://newyork.timeout.com/arts-culture/film/1488357/film-socialisme">Time Out New York</a> saying: "Artist? Poseur? Genius? Asshole? There are several Jean-Luc Godards on display in the controversial <em>Film Socialisme</em>, which scuttlebutt says might be the French New Wave auteurâs final provocation. This experimental video feature, segmented as a triptych, generated an expected stream of hosannas and damnations after its 2010 Cannes premiere.<br/><br/>"Beyond that, this is Godard in crotchety virtuoso mode, treading through territory that previous works like <em>La Chinoise</em> (1967) and the <em>Histoire(s) du Cinema</em> (1988â1998) have explored with more profundity and far less peevishness." </p>
<p>There are two movies coming out (one today, one in September) that essentially explore the same exact terrain. <em>Beautiful Boy</em>, which is released today, follows a couple whose marriage is on the rocks when they're hit with the news that their son committed a mass-shooting at his college before killing himself. The couple find themselves separated from the rest of the world because of it, and find their marriage troubles taking the backseat to the traumatic situation thrust on them. In September, the brilliant Lynne Ramsay releases <em>We Need to Talk About Kevin</em>, which follows Tilda Swinton attempting to reconnect with her estranged husband (John C. Reilly) after their son goes on a mass-shooting at his high school. Is there a parents-of-mass-murderers sub-genre developing? We certainly hope so! In the meantime you can check out <em>Beautiful Boy</em> or wait it out till September.<em></em>Reviews have been fairly mixed, with Mark Holcomb from <a href="http://www.villagevoice.com/2011-06-01/film/the-aftershocks-of-a-school-shooting-in-beautiful-boy/">The Voice</a> saying: "<em>Beautiful Boy</em> is best in its early, pensive scenes, and its two leads are effective (particularly Bello), if implausibly detached. For his part, director/co-writer Shawn Ku astutely captures how the burden of guilt and avoidance passes back and forth between the Carrolls during their ordeal. But focusing so closely on this relationship finally underscores its artifice; even a sputtering marriage brims with acute details, and this one reveals only broad, actorly strokes.<br/><br/>"While <em>Beautiful Boy</em> is potent and even admirable (setting aside the question of why there are no scenes of the victimsâ parentsâ grief), it ultimately mistakes prim, emotional monotony for gravity." </p>
<p>Gospel music is a tough egg to crack. Some of our country's most beautiful music is placed squarely in the tradition, or directly stems from it. The genre is an interesting one because of how closely it follows the social trajectory of African-American culture. The music evokes everything from slavery to the Civil Rights Movement, all while remaining grounded in Christian ideology (which in itself implicates imperialism and colonialism). It's arguably some of the most beautiful art to ever come out of some of our country's worst evils. Just as interesting is the genre's transition into secular soul music, which divided the community that started it. Some people were outraged when the man who invented soul, Sam Cooke, left the gospel group the Soul Stirrer's, changing songs like "He's So Wonderful" (about the man upstairs) into "Lovable" (a song about a girl). Some would even argue that Marvin Gaye, who was killed by his Reverend father, was killed for slighting his gospel, Christian background. Today, the documentary <em>Rejoice and Shout</em> is released, and it should be very interesting to see.<br/><br/>Reviews have been good, with a glowing review from Stephen Holden at <a href="http://movies.nytimes.com/2011/06/03/movies/rejoice-and-shout-african-american-gospel-music-review.html?ref=movies">The Times</a> who says: "Theologians and clergy members of every religious stripe may debate the existence of God until the cows come home. But as demonstrated by <em>Rejoice and Shout</em>, Don McGlynnâs documentary history of African-American gospel music, reasonable arguments are nothing compared with the power of voices lifted in song to invoke the Holy Spirit. Your religion or lack of one doesnât matter. At some point while watching the film, you may feel that music is God, or if not, a close approximation of divinity.<br/><br/>"Like nearly every other musical genre, African-American gospel is a continuing dialogue between roots on one side and technological innovation and secular influences on the other. What accounts for its integrity? It must be the inviolable core of faith at its center." </p>
<p>Another week, another documentary on the energy crisis. Today's political-fear-doc is <em>The Last Mountain</em>, which follows a group of ordinary Americans fighting a big coal company looking to blow off the top of their mountain. Will this ragtag group of activists be able to fight big business, with their massive profits and ability to buy-off lobbyists and lawmakers? Probably not. But it's nice to see some good ol' fashion rabble-rousing for what's right.<br/><br/>Reviews have been fairly good, with some criticism coming from Sam Adams at <a href="http://www.avclub.com/articles/the-last-mountain,56928/">The A.V. Club</a> who says: "Is there anything more disheartening than a lousy documentary pushing a good cause? Unless youâre one of the 30,000 West Virginians who depends on the coal-mining industry for his livelihoodâor the handful of executives whose job it is to lay off as many of those workers as they can, and remove the labor unions and regulations that might protect themâitâs hard to argue the contention posed in Bill Haneyâs documentary <em>The Last Mountain</em>: that coal mining is an ecological and humanitarian disaster.<br/><br/>"But thereâs something grating about the way <em>The Last Mountain</em> keeps returning to picket-line confrontations between environmental activists, some of whom come from out of state, and the miners who want to know who theyâll work for if the mines shut down." </p>
<p>Making its NYC theatrical premiere at the <a href="http://reruntheater.com/index.php">reRun Gastropub Theater</a> is the film <em>Turkey Bowl</em>. Every summer, Jon (Jon Schmidt) gathers 10 friends together in his adopted city of L.A. to play the Turkey Bowl, a co-ed touch football game that brings a piece of small-town tradition to the urban sprawl, all for the beloved prize...a turkey. The film is only 64 minutes, is in real-time, and is basically all improvised. It sounds like an interesting experiment, and judging from the reactions it got at SXSW and Tribeca, they pulled it off. Go and grab some food and a beer and enjoy a movie that won't test your attention span. </p>
<em>I think people should mate for life, like pigeons or Catholics.</em><br/><br/>Tonight and tomorrow at <a href="http://www.landmarktheatres.com/Market/NewYork/NewYork_frameset.htm">the Landmark Theater</a>, Sunshine at Midnight proudly presents Woody Allen's classic exploration of love, fidelity, and the city: <em>Manhattan</em>. Allen plays a recently divorced, middle-aged television writer whose ex-wife is currently living with another woman while writing a tell-all book about their failed marriage. Meanwhile, Allen is bedding a precocious high schooler, played charmingly by Mariel Hemingway, when he begins an affair with his best friend's ex-mistress. As complicated as that all sounds (and it is), it's all dealt with Allen's trademark humor and sympathetic characters. If you haven't seen it, it's one of the best NYC movies and one of the most beautiful ever.