Those mother-bleeping snakes. That mother-flipping plane. You know what we're talking about. This weekend marks the premier of the film that blog buzz built, Samuel L. Jackson's action adventure Snakes on a Plane. Hopefully it will be as cheese-tastic as it seems from the trailers and the title. However, whether you're first in line tonight at a midnight screening or not, there's still loads coming up to see at the movies.
As for the other major releases, Justin "the Mac guy" Long opens his own underachieving institution of higher learning in Accepted, and former tween superstar turned hipster deejay Hilary Duff takes on the spoiled socialite schtick in Material Girls. Both flicks looks pretty silly but with a huge tub of popcorn next to you, will it really matter?
There's a few smaller art house flicks worth looking into coming out as well. Edward Norton looks menacing with his bushy goatee in the period romantic drama The Illusionist, opposite Jessica Biel and Paul Giamatti. Will Norton be able to make your $10.75 disappear? Even if you're not a huge Charles Bukowski fan already, Factotum is probably Matt Dillon's best performance to date. He plays the Bukowski alter-ego Henry Chinaski, a hard drinking, womanizing, down and out dude flitting from one short term job to the next. Lili Taylor plays his old lady, and the two of them are so wonderfully crusty they're almost painful to watch. It's not a happy film, but it's very well acted and composed.
In conjuction with the Woodstock Film Festival's Woodstock in the City, Makor will be hosting an advance screening tonight of Maggie Gyllenhaal's new movie, Sherrybaby. Gyllenhaal plays a woman recently released from prison who's trying to reconnect with her daughter while staying sober. Writer/director Laurie Collyer will be on hand for a Q&A following the 7:30 pm screening and there's a reception as well.
If you saw last year's Ong-bak, you know that Thai action star Tony Jaa kicks some serious ass. His new movie, The Protector comes out next weekend but he'll be in town for a few events prior to promote the flick. At the Museum of the Moving Image on Sunday, Jaa will perform live at 1:30 pm and then a screening of his film will start at 2 pm. Afterwards, he'll be available for an audience Q&A. Jaa will also be appearing at the Wat Gym on Tuesday, Aug. 22 at 6 pm to sign posters and hopefully give a live Muay Thai boxing performance.
The LIFT Project, a two week intensive filmmaking program for underserved teenagers in New York, will have a premiere of their participants current works at Lincoln Center this Monday, Aug. 21. This is the third year local kids armed with digital cameras created documentary and narrative works expressing their experiences. A reception begins at 7 pm and the films start at 8 pm.
Finally, a Gothamist Oscar Buzz Film Head's Up. Every year starting in September, the Filmmaker Symposium at Anthology Film Archives screens the big name movies in the running for the end of the year awards in a 10 week series. They also invite the filmmakers for post screening Q&As. This year's line up includes such buzz worthy flicks as The Fountain, The Good German, Fur, Babel, The Departed and many more. Salivating yet? However, ticket blocks need to be reserved in advance, so head over to Privatescreenings.org for more info.
Gothamist Pick:
The Hustons are one of American cinema's most illustrious and prolific clans. The Museum of Modern Art is putting on a series of films called "The Huston Family: 75 Years on Film" highlighting their contribution which starts this weekend and runs through mid September. "This retrospective demonstrates the intertwined nature of the Hustons’ careers and highlights their range and influence throughout virtually every genre of narrative cinema," according to MoMA. This program kicks off with a bang, The Treasure of Sierra Madre from director John on Friday night and then Prizzi's Honor starring daughter Anjelica and directed by father John on Saturday. Ms. Huston will be on hand to introduce the film Friday night at 5:45 pm.
