Friday, July 29, 2011

Preview: Don't Go Into The House!


Oooooooh. Time for another theme week at The Paramount Theatre.
This time, it's... horror. Thrills and chills, as they say.

Oh, how I could lambast the current state of cinematic affairs when it comes to horror. While at least the Saw movies have finally appeared to run out of steam, there is still a plethora of "horror movies" that are light on terror but are big on gore or cheap scares. Can you believe they're making another Final Destination movie?! And let's be real, the "found footage" subgenre may have been scary when The Blair Witch Project came out, but when the plots now revolve around a hidden lunar exploration, you know Hollywood's slurping the last of the slurpee from the straw.

They can keep all their gimmicks. To me, the scariest kinds of movies are those that get in your head.

Horror week kicks off with two horror classics, featuring ghost encounters of the cerebral kind. In effect, they are haunted house tales. The spookiness you find in these are more intense than any episode of "Ghost Adventures."

There are so many creepy things in The Shining (aside from the overly late 1970s decor) that it's not even funny. This unlikely hybrid of Stephen King's bestseller and Stanley Kubrick's horrific sterility made for the ultimate in the cinema of the unnerving. Jack Nicholson plays Jack Torrence takes a job as a caretaker in a hotel for the winter so he can focus on his writing. HIs family comes along for the ride, and although it's clear they have inner demons of their own, it's nothing compared to what they encounter at this haunted hotel.


The Shining is Kubrick's overt attempt at a horror story, and it's chock full of unsettling imagery. That trademark "sterility" of Stanley's films really is served well here, and the film features some great steadicam work and long shots of desolation and despair. Nicholson's work here is the source of endless imitation and parody, but that's because it's so damn frightening to see his descent into madness. The effects on his loved ones is also startling, from his son's susceptibility to supernatural forces ("REDRUM!"), to his wife's (Shelley Duvall) becoming unhinged in fear. All in all, it's some intense (and deliberately paced) stuff.


The Haunting, based on the novel The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, is a very stylish classic film directed by the great and versatile Robert Wise (West Side Story, The Sound of Music, The Day The Earth Stood Still). Here, a doctor investigates a notorious house with a dark past. Assisting him is a skeptic young man, a mysterious clairvoyant, and a sensitive psychic. Before long, all discover that they are in waaaaay over their heads. Full of terror and boasting a clever array of lens trickery to enhance the disorientation of the paranormal, The Haunting stands a darker and more intellectual horror movie.


Alas, this creepy movie spawned a truly horrible remake in 1999, directed by Jan DeBont (Speed, Twister) and starring Liam Neeson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Lili Taylor, and Owen Wilson (before anyone but Bottle Rocket fans knew who he was). True story: I saw the original with a friend of mine about ten years ago, and they dismissed it as boring (!!). Furthermore, they went on to say that the remake was much better (!!!).


Yeesh. If you need CGI effects as the basis of your scares, then you probably don't have a scary movie on your hands. If Jan DeBont is the director, don't expect a tiny shred of subtlety. A big budget remake does not assure that bigger will be better. No small coincidence, I am no longer friends with this person who preferred the remake.

Sigh. That remake only proves that they don't just even try to make 'em like this anymore. I wish modern audiences had better sensibilities so that Hollywood could stop churning out the crap. There's really no need for the senseless and purely visceral gore fests of today for experiences in fear. Sometimes all you need for a good scare is a cold and dark theater, where imagination can take over... and your heart can pound about the things that go bump in the night.

Showtimes for the films:

The Shining
Tuesday, Aug 2nd
7:00
Wednesday, Aug 3rd
9:10

The Haunting
Tuesday, Aug 2nd
9:40
Wednesday, Aug 3rd
7:00

Final Notes about the screening

Come drink Red Rum and hear Paramount ghost stories from stage before the screening of The Shining!

Double Features:
"When two movies are grouped together under the same thematic heading, one ticket is good for both features when viewed back-to-back on the same day." (cha-ching!)

Parking:
"Hassle-free downtown parking available for $6 at the One American Center for all summer films! Since you’re also supporting the theatre when you buy parking, they're giving you a free small soda each time you park there for a film. Buy online with your film tix and print out your confirmation e-mail or buy directly from the garage attendant (cash only). Attendant will have your soda ticket as well."


Thursday, July 21, 2011

Preview: Sing-A-Long Fun!


The hills are alive... with the sound of Griswold.
Oh wait, that's the spoof from National Lampoon's European Vacation...
Let's try this again.

The hills are alive... with the sound of music.
There. That's much better.

It should only be natural that the revered Rogers & Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music be screened during the Summer Classic Film Series. And so it shall. This 1965 musical stars Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer in this story set in 1930s Austria. Andrews plays Maria, a nun who isn't quite making the grade in becoming a nun. A widower captain (Plummer) then hires her to watch after his "difficult" children, and she (in a fashion only fitting from the woman who played Mary Poppins) eventually charms her way into their hearts. Numerous obstacles rise as Maria and the Captain recognize deeper feelings, including a neighboring nation known as... Nazi Germany. Gulp.


So how about that? A musical classic that can be enjoyed by the whole family. Sounds like a nice, wholesome and benign way to spend an afternoon, no? Oh, but wait (again). There's a little treat I forgot to mention.

One of the screenings of The Sound of Music will be a sing-a-long. That's right. You can warble and yodel like a Ricola commercial to your hearts desire while imaging you're in a Bavarian postcard of musical fun. Rebecca Havemeyer will be on hand to lead the audience in a warm up before the show and give a run down of the actions and use of the interactive goody bag the audience receives. That's right, a goody bag! I hear some folks will even dress up. Your only limit is your imagination. Heck, you can even close your eyes and pretend you're starring in a bizarre mashup of The Sound of Music and "Glee." You don't have to be a good singer (like "Glee"), you just have to be enthusiastic (like "Glee").

It sounds like silly fun, but it's all to assist a worthy cause. The screening benefits the AIDS Services of Austin (ASA), and there is even a special VIP pass you can purchase that includes: pre-party admission with drinks & snacks, premier seating, and free parking. You can purchase that right here.

Sing-A-Long movies and Paramount screenings
ASA parties and singing with feeling
Fun times with others more precious than rings
These are a few of our favorite things

When my voice cracks
And the song ends
Then I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel... sooooo bad

Showtimes for the films:

The Sound of Music (NON-Sing a Long)
Saturday, Jul 30th
2:00

The Sound of Music (Sing-A-Long Event)
Saturday, Jul 30th
7:00

Final Notes about the screening

VIP Reception:
ASA Package Purchasers and Paramount Film Fans are invited to a pre-show reception on the Mezzanine Level of the Paramount Theatre. Complimentary drinks and snacks will be provided.

Parking:
"Hassle-free downtown parking available for $6 at the One American Center for all summer films! Since you’re also supporting the theatre when you buy parking, they're giving you a free small soda each time you park there for a film. Buy online with your film tix and print out your confirmation e-mail or buy directly from the garage attendant (cash only). Attendant will have your soda ticket as well."

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Preview: Iron and Wine Presents...


Some may be familiar with Sam Beam as the singer/songwriter known as Iron and Wine. His music is deliberate and contemplative, yet you can feel the emotion behind every chord. I admit to having a passing familiarity with his work, which I heard for the first time in 2004's Garden State starring Zach Braff and Natalie Portman. That song, "Such Great Heights," was part of a stellar soundtrack, and later appeared in a memorable M&Ms commercial. That proved to be just the tip of the iceberg for Beam, who has had music featured in "Grey's Anatomy," "Friday Night Lights," Paul Weitz's In Good Company (2004 film with Dennis Quaid and Topher Grace), Todd Haynes' I'm Not There (the unconventional biopic about Bob Dylan) and even (gulp) one of those Twilight movies.

But don't hold that against him.

Truth is, Sam Beam is somewhat of a modern Renaissance man. A former film studies professor, Beam still is known for his appreciation for the cinematic arts. Heck, the man even was selected by The Criterion Collection to present his personal top 10! He's even dabbled in directing, as he created the swoon-worthy yet torrential music video for The Swell Season's "Slow Rising."


And so, as an extension of his great taste, Iron and Wine has been selected to host a couple of films during the Summer Series. This year, we get to imbibe the cinema of Peter Bogdanovich, whose two films presented here have aged like a fine wine.

Paper Moon was probably the first Bogdanovich film I ever saw, way back during my early teens. A story about a con-man and a young girl (who may or my not be his daughter) during The Great Depression, it features real-life father and daughter Ryan and Tatum O'Neal. Their chemistry, needless to say is stellar. But just as impressive is Madeline Kahn in her role as Trixie Delight, a "harem dancer girl" that eventually tags along. With a name like that, you just gotta be an exotic dancer of some sort, am I right?

The trailer for Paper Moon is a bit unorthodox. Although at times it feels like an outtake reel, it still gives a sense of the movie's vibe and sharp humor.


For her debut performance in this picture, Tatum O'Neal became the youngest Oscar winner in history at age 10. Let me repeat that. Ten. Wow. At age ten I think I was somewhere still walking like an Egyptian and learning how to transform a toy robot into a cassette recorder.

And really, what more can be said about The Last Picture Show? Well, I for one said plenty about it last year. This film is simply amazing and authentic in its emotions. Who knew a story of complacency versus change in a small Texas community would reflect the human condition so strongly? Evidently, Bogdanovich did. The story of a town treading water to avoid drowning in its own malaise is filled with an amazing cast: Jeff Bridges, Timothy Bottoms, Ben Johnson, Cloris Leachman, Ellen Burstyn, Eileen Brennan, Randy Quaid and Cybil Shepard (who never looked more beautiful).


Although captured perfectly here in a fictional Texan town, the loneliness depicted here isn't exclusive to the Lone Star state. Alas, it's definitely an American sensibility as well.

In his prime, Peter Bogdanovich was a young master of capturing sentiments and telling stories about people. And now, 40 years after The Last Picture Show, who better to host these two classics (where empathy and emotion are at play) than Iron and Wine himself, Sam Beam. A man whose music and artistic appreciation both runs deep and rings true. It promises to be an insightful couple of nights.

Like the most affecting of music, the greatest stories can be those where we recognize something about ourselves, and then can reveal the truisms you don't even realize. It's our choice to do with them what we please. Do we allow the narrow views to restrain our spirit like iron shackles? Or, per chance, do we let this new awareness broaden our horizons... letting them mature like that fine wine?

Showtimes for the films:

Paper Moon
Wednesday, Jul 27th
7:30

The Last Picture Show
Thursday, Jul 28th
7:30

Final Note about the screening

Parking:
"Hassle-free downtown parking available for $6 at the One American Center for all summer films! Since you’re also supporting the theatre when you buy parking, they're giving you a free small soda each time you park there for a film. Buy online with your film tix and print out your confirmation e-mail or buy directly from the garage attendant (cash only). Attendant will have your soda ticket as well."


Preview: LIghts! Camera! Music!


We've had some fun partaking of classics from many different varities: dramas, comedies, noir, sci-fi, thrillers and more. But now, it's time for some musicals. So get ready to watch a couple of vintage song-and-dance movies that'll have you humming under your breath and shuffling your feet under your seat.

I saw West Side Story last year for the very first time, and was blown away. The thought of seeing it again on the big screen at The Paramount leaves me ecstatic. It's truly one of the finest musicals ever made, and I wrote on last year's experience here.

The film is easily the most acclaimed musical in motion picture history. Winner of 10 Academy Awards including: Best Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Art Direction, Cinematography, Costumes, Editing, Direction, Score, Sound and Best Picture. At the time, the soundtrack album was also the best-selling album of all-time. Set on the streets of New York City, it's a clever modernized Romeo and Juliet that is far less headache-inducing than anything by Baz Luhrman. It's incredible, it's moving, it's visually stunning... it's West Side Story.


Does it seem a little dated to you? Well, then try this one on for size. It's a later trailer for a DVD release. It showcases much more of the soundtrack and the vibrant visual style, and captures the energy and vibe perfectly.


Just goes to show ya, after 50 years this one is still powerful and amazing.

The second film featured, Swing Time, is a classic from the collaborations of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, whom are still regarded as two of the best dancers in cinematic history. And contrary to what may have been instilled in you since the late 1990s, the title neither refers to The Brian Setzer Orchestra or a Gap commercial.

Of all the films featuring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, Swing Time is often referred to as their best dance musical. Released in 1936, it marked the peak of popularity for the dancing duo. The story is about a young man (Astaire) who bumble a wedding and must make $25,000 to make up for his error. Broke and penniless in New York City, he then meets a dance school instructor (Rogers). They eventually form a successful dancing partnership, but let's be honest. Here, the plot is incidental; merely an excuse to see these two dance around each other like orbiting bodies. Director George Stevens smartly allows their dance sequences to be the showcases in the film and they are presented mostly in real time, without manipulation of edits. The results are beautiful to behold.


Swing Time is also notable for the song "The Way You Look Tonight," which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and has been covered countless times since. It's one of a few sequences in the film where Astaire and Rogers practically glide over the floor in such elegance. Once you see them in action, it will be easy to see why, after over 75 years, Fred and Ginger remain the gold standard in dance.

Experience two of the most amazing musical dance films of all time at The Paramount. Even if you normally don't care for musicals, make the effort to check these out. They are two that simply don't want to miss. Musicals can engage you like few other films can. All you have to do is let them into your hearts and minds, let the rhythm surround you, and let the magic sweep you off your feet.


Showtimes for the films:

West Side Story
Sunday, Jul 24th
4:00
Tuesday, Jul 26th
7:00

Swing Time
Sunday, Jul 24th
2:00 7:00

Final Notes about the screening

Double Features:
"When two movies are grouped together under the same thematic heading, one ticket is good for both features when viewed back-to-back on the same day." (cha-ching!)

Parking:
"Hassle-free downtown parking available for $6 at the One American Center for all summer films! Since you’re also supporting the theatre when you buy parking, they're giving you a free small soda each time you park there for a film. Buy online with your film tix and print out your confirmation e-mail or buy directly from the garage attendant (cash only). Attendant will have your soda ticket as well."


Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Preview: The Movie Star, Katharine Hepburn


"I'm a personality as well as an actress. Show me an actress who isn't a personality, and you'll show me a woman who isn't a star."
-Katharine Hepburn

This summer, we've already visited with royalty of cinema; icons of the silver screen like Bogart, Chaplin, Brando, Newman and Audrey Hepburn. But when it comes to the most acclaimed actress in film, the biggest star, few can argue against that other Hepburn. Katharine Hepburn had a career that spanned six decades working with the titans of the industry. Or rather, perhaps I should say that many of the best known names in film worked with a titan like her. A talent that lit up screens and a personality to match her vivacious performances, Katharine Hepburn was truly one of a kind.

She has the most Oscars for Best Actress with 4 wins, and had a total of 12 nominations under her belt. Katharine was known for playing strong-willed characters, and was at her best when she played off a strong male lead. Watching the inevitable clash of characters was always a joy to behold, whether it was dramatic or comedic.

The African Queen is one of the great classics, and is widely seen as the validating film near the end of Humphrey Bogart's illustrious career. Released in 1951 and directed by John Huston, the film also features Hepburn displaying her bossy splendor. She plays Rose Sayer, a missionary alongside her reverend brother in German East Africa at the outbreak of World War I. Bogart is Charlie, their rough-and-tumble supplier. When the mission village is destroyed and her brother is killed by German forces, Charlie helps her bury her brother and begins the task of helping her escape the volatile area in his ship, The African Queen.

Rose, however, has other plans. Evocative of the spunk that so well defines Hepburn, she wants to strike back and convert the vessel into a torpedo boat to attack a fortified German boat. Charlie finds that the passage down a dangerous river is nothing compared to Rose's moxie. Audiences were beckoned to the adventure and the clashing of these two movie stars. Katharine was nominated for an Academy Award as Rose, and despite a treasure trove of performances by Humphrey Bogart over the years, this is the only film that won him an Oscar.


Not that Hepburn wasn't adept at comedy as well as dramatic river adventures.

The comedic banter of Hepburn and Cary Grant may be best known in Howard Hawks' Bringing Up Baby, but they also made a trio of films with director George Cukor around the same time. Holiday is another fine example in the Hepburn and Grant repertoire of witty performances.

It harkens back to a time when romantic comedies were actually both romantic and funny. In Holiday, Grant plays Johnny Case, a man who thinks outside he box and wants to escape the grinds of work to go on an extended holiday. Think of it as a retirement to enjoy one's youth while one is actually, well... young. Naturally, everyone thinks it's a bad idea. Among those trying to dissuade him are his finance and her millionaire father, who want Johnny to settle into their business, but he refuses to yield his ambition to do nothing.

Actually, he does have encouragement from two of the darker sheep in the fiance's wealthy family: her lush brother and a free-spirited sister, Linda (Hepburn). As he gets to know the headstrong Linda, he begins to see that he has more in common with her than his fiance. With her influence, Johnny must decide what path is right for him... and possibly which girl.

Katharine Hepburn was an actress who literally could do anything, over the decades she displayed enormous levels of talent, and she always had personality in spades. She's the grand dame of movie stars, and her level of smart and dynamic female roles opened the doors for actresses everywhere. Without her, we would have no Meryl Streep or Cate Blanchett... or Cate Blanchett winning an Oscar for playing Katharine Hepburn herself. A unique blend of sophistication, intelligence and charm, Hepburn was true Hollywood royalty. Hail to the queen.


Showtimes for the films:

The African Queen
Tuesday, Jul 19th
7:00
Wednesday, Jul 20th
9:00
Thursday, Jul 21st
7:00

Holiday
Tuesday, Jul 19th
9:10
Wednesday, Jul 20th
7:00
Thursday, Jul 21st
9:10

Final Notes about the screening

Double Features:
"When two movies are grouped together under the same thematic heading, one ticket is good for both features when viewed back-to-back on the same day." (cha-ching!)

Parking:
"Hassle-free downtown parking available for $6 at the One American Center for all summer films! Since you’re also supporting the theatre when you buy parking, they're giving you a free small soda each time you park there for a film. Buy online with your film tix and print out your confirmation e-mail or buy directly from the garage attendant (cash only). Attendant will have your soda ticket as well."


Monday, July 11, 2011

Preview: A Very Swayze Weekend


Here's the story,
Of a man named Swayze,
Who made movies that lots of people own.
They weren't great but,
as guilty pleasures, they stood all alone...

I don't know about you, but I didn't realize the prevalence of Patrick Swayze fans until he died a couple of years ago. At first I found it surprising, but as I've listened I've discovered that everyone has at least one Swayze film that they simply love. We can talk about Trekkies and Harry Potter fans all we want, but if you want to see a true cult of devoted followers, find some Swayze fans.

What's most fascinating to me is that his fans are comprised from all walks of life. Sure, many of them were swooning young ladies when Dirty Dancing came out, while others found connection with the romanticism in Ghost. Some are adrenaline junkies who obsess over Point Break. I know several who adore his performance in To Wong Foo: Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar, and then there are the legions who love anyone that appeared in The Outsiders. Personally, I was intrigued by his hypocritical turn in Donnie Darko.

But the ones who appear to have the most fun with Swayze's career are those who revel in the films of his that are, well... not so good. And let's fact it, there are plenty of those to choose from, also. Winners like Tiger Warsaw, Next of Kin (where he played a Kentuckian hillbilly with brothers played by Bill Paxton and Liam Neeson?!?), Black Dog and Steel Dawn. They make lemon-flavored moonshine out of lemonade. To me, they are The Swayze Bunch.

The undisputed heavyweight champ of these trashier Patrick Swayze movies is the epic testosterone fest, Road House. Released in 1989, it stars Swayze as Dalton, a virtual jedi master of bouncers who is a consummate professional in a business of drunken brawls. Hired to clean up a rowdy honky tonk bar from hell, he soon finds himself waist-deep in the middle of a a business man's dirty practices, pissed-off henchmen, and the local doctor (Kelly Lynch). Popping up in this movie also are Sam Elliott (as an aging mentor to Dalton) and Ben Gazzara, whose appearance here is a loooong way from the cinema of John Cassavetes.

The movie may well be the crown jewel of awesomely bad cinema. And who can argue when there are lines of dialogue like:
  • "I want you to be nice until it's time to not be nice."
  • "Calling me 'sir' is like putting an elevator in an outhouse, it don't belong."
  • "Pain don't hurt."
  • "You're too stupid to have a good time."
  • "This place has a sign hangin' over the urinal that says, 'Don't eat the big white mint.'"
And several more that I'm just unable to print here. Yes, Road House is a true slice of trashy celluloid with all the subtlety of a roundhouse kick to the face.


Grab a seat, a beer and watch the bedlam cut loose. It won't win any Oscars, but Road House is more than just a regular Saturday night thing.

If you prefer guns instead of hand-to-hand combat, may I interest you in Red Dawn? A 1984 action movie where the Soviet Union and some Sandanisitas invade the U.S. (in a Reagan-era America, mind you) and nuclear war doesn't ensue. Instead, the Russkies casually drop down in Colorado (?!) and proceed to kill or enslave the local populace. It's up to a band of freedom-fightin' teenagers to fight back (um, sure). Led by Patrick Swayze and including Charlie Sheen, C. Thomas Howell, Lea Thompson and Jennifer Grey (basically anyone who wasn't in a Brat Pack or John Hughes movie at the time), the kids practice their right to bear arms and target foreign enemies. A jingoistic and shamelessly manipulative exercise, Red Dawn is an rootin', tootin', shootin' piece of Reagan-era cheese. Loaded like an AK-47, the movie is sure to get the blood pumpin, assuming you can watch it with a straight face. Wolverines!!


For some reason, the powers that be at MGM decided to remake this outside of the context of the Cold War. Yes, these are the same powers that have made such sound decisions that MGM is now mired in bankruptcy. Filmed a couple of years ago, it is currently stuck in a vault somewhere. Starring Chris Hemsworth (Thor) and some other kids I'm not terribly familiar with, this time the invading force is supposedly the North Koreans (snicker snicker). Perhaps next year it will see the light of day, and we can make fun of the remake in a whole new way.

I'll admit that when it comes to an appreciation of awesomely bad 80s movies, I'm more of a Schwarzenegger fan than Swayze. Give me Commando or The Running Man and I can quote in my imitation Austrian accent with the best (worst?) of them. Nevertheless, I must confess I am pumped for this twin bill of Patrick Swayze action. I may not be a life-long member, but I can appreciate the glory of these awesomely bad films.

One day we can all enjoy together,
movies that pack a certain kind of punch.
That these fans,
Are somehow like a family.
In that way we all became the Swayze Bunch
That's the way we all became the Swayze Bunch,
The Swayze Bunch- the Swayze Bunch
That's the way- we became the Swayze Bunch.


That day, my friends, is Saturday, July 16. Join the family and enjoy a very Swayze weekend.


Showtimes for the films:

Road House
Saturday, Jul 16th
4:30 9:10

Red Dawn
Saturday, Jul 16th
6:50


Final Notes about the screening

Double Features:
"When two movies are grouped together under the same thematic heading, one ticket is good for both features when viewed back-to-back on the same day." (cha-ching!)

Parking:
"Hassle-free downtown parking available for $6 at the One American Center for all summer films! Since you’re also supporting the theatre when you buy parking, they're giving you a free small soda each time you park there for a film. Buy online with your film tix and print out your confirmation e-mail or buy directly from the garage attendant (cash only). Attendant will have your soda ticket as well."


By the way, just in case you're wondering what was the best thing Patrick Swayze ever did? Easy. It's THIS.



Sunday, July 10, 2011

Preview: Thrillers and Blondes, Hitchcock & Grace Kelly


"Blondes make the best victims. They're like virgin snow that shows up the bloody footprints."
-Alfred Hitchcock


If you're familiar with the cinema of Alfred Hitchcock, there are a few staples of his films that you are likely familiar with. His most famous is the director's cameo, so well known that it's almost a game for viewers to find Alfred somewhere in his films. Also known to cinephiles is Hitchcock's penchant for using blonde actresses. Just off the top of my head, I can think of: Tippi Hedren, Janet Leigh, Eva Marie Saint, Kim Novak and Ingrid Bergman.

Although many foolishly attribute Alfred's use of flaxen stars as a bizarre fetish of his, but the truth is Hitchcock often said his preference for blondes was from a belief that they were "a symbol of the heroine." He believed that audiences would be more apt to be suspicious of brunettes, and since his career began in the black and white era, blondes merely show up better on film. Of course, Hitch always had a way of making them look great in color, as well. Perhaps of all the actresses, it is Grace Kelly who stands as the most iconic blonde actress from his decades of film. Her natural elegance captivated audiences and elevated her above suspicion. And it looks like Big Al was on to something too. Beginning with Dial M for Murder, the three films they made are among the highest caliber in Hitchcock's filmography.

Rear Window was the second collaboration between Hitchcock and Grace Kelly, and it remains one of the greatest thrillers of all time. James Stewart stars as a wheelchair-bound photographer who starts peeping on his neighbors as a way to pass the time. He shares his perceived stories of the people living around him with his girlfriend (played by Kelly), and first it's an amusing pastime. But as he starts to notice some oddities, his mind wonders what nefarious activities his neighbors might be up to. Is it possible that murder can take place next door? The film is vintage Hitchcock, with suspense and thrills ratcheted up to eleven.


Originally released in 1954, the film was re-released a few times and even spawned a television remake starring Christopher Reeve in 1998. A modern take was made in 2007 as Disturbia, a thriller starring Shia LaBeouf as the housebound snooper. And it has clearly influenced scores more, including most of Brian DePalma's career and even The 'burbs, a silly 1989 comedy starring Tom Hanks before he was Tom Hanks.

Kelly's final film with Hitchcock was 1955's To Catch A Thief, where she appeared alongside Cary Grant in a cat-and-mouse thriller. Grant plays a retired jewel thief nicknamed "The Cat," who is enjoying life on the French Riviera when a new series of burglaries occur that have his style. Convinced that The Cat is up to his old tricks, the police come for him. Now on the run, he has to evade capture and trap the copycat thief to clear his name. He acquires a list of probable targets, which include a rich American and his daughter (Kelly). What follows is a fun and sexy ride. Think of Oceans Twelve minus ten people and the messy plot. George Clooney can sometimes come close to emulating Cary Grant, but Julia Roberts could never steal one's heart like Grace Kelly could.


Grant was no stranger to working with Hitchcock, as they had also worked together on four films over two decades. In addition to this one, they also made Suspicion, Notorious and North by Northwest. If Grace Kelly was Hitchcock's ideal leading lady, then Grant was his favorite leading man. Of working with Cary, Hitchcock has stated that "he's the only actor I ever loved." So in many ways, To Catch A Thief stars the royal court of Alfred's films.

Thrills, chills and golden-haired heroines. Now that's an icy cocktail one can enjoy in the heat of the summer. Who better to capture our hearts than the ethereal Grace Kelly? And who better to craft a thriller than the master of suspense himself? It's can't miss entertainment this week from Alfred Hitchcock, the British gentleman who preferred blondes.


Showtimes for the films:

Rear Window
Thursday, Jul 14th
7:00
Friday, Jul 15th
9:15

To Catch A Thief
Thursday, Jul 14th
9:20
Friday, Jul 15th
7:00

Final Notes about the screening

Candy jewelry for the first 100 attendees + champagne specials!

Double Features:
"When two movies are grouped together under the same thematic heading, one ticket is good for both features when viewed back-to-back on the same day." (cha-ching!)

Parking:
"Hassle-free downtown parking available for $6 at the One American Center for all summer films! Since you’re also supporting the theatre when you buy parking, they're giving you a free small soda each time you park there for a film. Buy online with your film tix and print out your confirmation e-mail or buy directly from the garage attendant (cash only). Attendant will have your soda ticket as well."


Saturday, July 9, 2011

Preview: The Subversive Comedy of Albert Brooks


"I've always felt like I work in a small little area that doesn't represent anything like the rest of society."
-Albert Brooks

Despite my long-standing love of cinema, it boggles my mind why some people get swallowed up by Hollywood. Has no one seen Sunset Boulevard!? But seriously, it is so easy to get assimilated by the machine and turned into another cog in the meat grinder out there. Therefore, it's even more amazing when someone inside the system can consistently operate outside the box and never compromise who they are.

This seems to be particularly rare for comedians and comedic actors. I can think of countless formerly edgy performers who settled into "safer territory" as their career went on. Robin Williams, anyone? I mean, Flubber, really? And has Eddie Murphy been funny the past fifteen years or so that doesn't require him to be a talking donkey? The prosecution rests, your honor.

So take someone like Albert Brooks. Ok, let me rephrase that, since there is no one quite like Albert Brooks. He's been excelling as the over-thinking, neurotic yet empathetic guy all his life. I think my first encounter with Brooks' work was when he played the only "normal" character in Taxi Driver. I later recall catching him & Meryl Streep in Defending Your Life, and became a fan of his self-effacing brand of humor. It's safe to say the only step into the mainstream he's taken was in Finding Nemo, where he played a version of the same phobic character he defines so well. Working for Pixar didn't damage his cred at all and, as a result, kids everywhere now know his voice (if not necessarily his name). And let's be honest, you loved Finding Nemo, too. You're smiling right now while thinking about it, aren't you? "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming..."

Born Albert Einstein, he changed his professional name to Albert Brooks because, well, you just HAVE TO when your given name is Albert Einstein. People would be more apt to think you're a physicist than a humorist, right?


Well... Still, changing the name was a smart move.

At a young age, he quit college to focus on comedy and developed a reputation for being a "comedian's comedian," deconstructing the art of humor while still cracking people up. It's this very art of deconstruction that continues into his body of work. Brooks breaks down his character into a shallow and vapid individual to send up that image of the self-absorbed and petty persona that too often defines a true American in our modern world.

Modern Romance is one of the early quintessential Albert Brooks performances, where he lampoons the ideals that supposedly accompany one's love life. You know that saying that you don't know what you've got until it's gone? That's just the beginning in this case. The film is a funny look at a man too consumed with pettiness and jealousy to realize how dependent he is on someone else to make him happy. Sounds familiar? Surely we've all known or experienced such a relationship.

Alas, it was mostly ignored by the public at the box office when it was released in 1981. Perhaps it was just ahead of its time, because the main character clearly has issues not unlike those of our "friends" we commonly read on our Facebook wall or Twitter posts.


Aside from Nemo, Brooks is probably best known from his role in Broadcast News, the 1987 comedy directed by James L. Brooks (Terms of Endearment, As Good As It Gets). A sharp and funny film about television journalism and the difference between style and substance, it features three incredible performances by Holly Hunter, William Hurt and Brooks.


For his performance as an insecure reporter, Brooks received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor (he lost to Sean Connery in The Untouchables). The film also got nominations in the categories of: Best Actor, Actress, Original Screenplay, Cinematography, Editing and Picture.

Even though Hollywood reflects no part of any real society, that hasn't stopped generations from feeling entitled to a life of privilege, dreaming of being rich and famous for its own sake. After all, we're special enough to get whatever we want, right? What nonsense. Luckily, Albert Brooks understands the absurdity of our self-obsessed culture and keeps holding mirrors to our faces before drawing silly faces on them.

He's not exactly a troublemaker, and he's a far cry from being a revolutionary, but Albert Brooks still cranks out his own brand of subversive humor. Always keen at pointing out the flaws of our system, I think of him as a speed bump on the long and possibly mundane highway of American experience. To use the parlance of our time, Albert keeps it real when so many sell out, and his consistent voice does more than tread water in Hollywood. He just keeps swimming, just keeps swimming... against the current.

Showtimes for the films:

Modern Romance
Tuesday, Jul 12th
7:00
Wednesday, Jul 13th
9:35

Broadcast News
Tuesday, Jul 12th
9:00
Wednesday, Jul 13th
7:00

Final Notes about the screening

Double Features:
"When two movies are grouped together under the same thematic heading, one ticket is good for both features when viewed back-to-back on the same day." (cha-ching!)

Parking:
"Hassle-free downtown parking available for $6 at the One American Center for all summer films! Since you’re also supporting the theatre when you buy parking, they're giving you a free small soda each time you park there for a film. Buy online with your film tix and print out your confirmation e-mail or buy directly from the garage attendant (cash only). Attendant will have your soda ticket as well."


Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Preview: Dystopian Futures



dystopia |disˈtōpēə|
noun
an imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmentally degraded one. The opposite of Utopia.

When it comes to the future, cinema rarely has painted a rosy picture. Quick! Other than Back to the Future Part II, name a movie set in the future where things are bright and sunny? You see, not so easy, huh?

Even when movies show off the projected power of mankind and technology in a depicted future, it always accompanies a darker side of society grown as a result. The earliest example that comes to mind is Fritz Lang's Metropolis in 1927, but perhaps the most referenced imagery of a dystopian future in the past few decades is found in Ridley's Scott's techo-noir Blade Runner in 1982. Close your eyes for a minute. Do you have that imagery in your head right now? Not so pretty, is it? No rose-colored glasses when it comes to these visions of the future.

As Sci-Fi week comes to a close, The Paramount will screen two films with a similar icy view of humanity: Terry Gilliam's Brazil and Robert Altman's Quintet.

Released in 1985 after months of arm wrestling between Universal Studio bosses and Gilliam, Brazil has been hailed as a biting satire set in an Orwellian world. Filled with Terry's trademark cinematography and quirky inventiveness, it paints a view of society as bureaucratic hell. Imagine an agonizing unknown land furnished by a grim Office Depot with a hint of Chapin's Modern Times and you'll begin to get a faint idea.

An embodiment of one man's struggle in a time of paper and inefficiency, Brazil is referred to by Gilliam himself as an entry in his "imagination trilogy," along with similar themed films Time Bandits (1981) and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1989). Here, the man in this house of mirrors is all of us, because who among us hasn't dreamt of soaring free from the red tape that unfortunately binds and restricts our lives? To spread our wings and just... fly.

I know what you're about to ask. If this film takes place in an unknown land... why is named Brazil? Well, it's a reference to the musical piece Aquarela do Brasil, a familiar tune that acts as a theme song throughout the story.


Kinda trippy. Kind beautiful. That's the cinema of Terry Gilliam. All of his films have that signature look, and he dabbled again with dystopian futures with 1995's 12 Monkeys. And to think, he was J.K. Rowling's first choice to direct the Harry Potter movies. How odd and awesome would that have been? Someone get Hermione's time-turner and go back to make that happen.

By 1979, Robert Altman had already established himself as one of America's great directors with his ensemble films MASH and Nashville. But by this time he had also established that he was capable of more eccentric fare, like Brewster McCloud (1970), Images (1972) and 3 Women (1977).

Quintet is a rather literal departure from the warmth found in his other films. Set in a post-apocalyptic ice age, it is a story that unfolds with the rapidity of a glacier. Paul Newman is a man who wanders the desolate frozen landscape and finds a group of hardened survivors who whimsically partake of a deadly game, a kind of ultra-high stakes game of Yahtzee. Boasting an impressive international cast including Bibi Andersson, Fernando Rey and Vittorio Gassman, Quintet remains one of Altman's oddities: definitely overlooked, but perhaps misunderstood as well.


If you come away confused from this one, don't fret. There have been many that have been flummoxed by Quintet. Heck, in one of his recent tweets, even Roger Ebert professes a perplexed attitude.


What one must bear in mind is that sometimes the riddle is not to be cracked. Films of this genre aren't so much foretelling our future, but are a cautionary tale (if not indictment) of our present.

What will your opinion be? Come check the films out and see for yourself. After all, if we're to believe the future as depicted in these movies, we better enjoy our own thoughts while we are still allowed to have them. In dystopian futures, things are often bleakest because the society dictates the individual and "IMHO" is a four-letter word. Let us learn our lessons now. The future's never set in stone, but we can do something before our present sets and becomes an immovable part of our past.


Showtimes for the films:

Brazil
Sunday, Jul 10th
2:00 7:00

Quintet
Sunday, Jul 10th
4:35


Final Notes about the screening

Double Features:
"When two movies are grouped together under the same thematic heading, one ticket is good for both features when viewed back-to-back on the same day." (cha-ching!)

Parking:
"Hassle-free downtown parking available for $6 at the One American Center for all summer films! Since you’re also supporting the theatre when you buy parking, they're giving you a free small soda each time you park there for a film. Buy online with your film tix and print out your confirmation e-mail or buy directly from the garage attendant (cash only). Attendant will have your soda ticket as well."


Saturday, July 2, 2011

Preview: Sci-Fi 25th Anniversaries


Is there anything that can make movie fans feel older than anniversaries of favorite films? I know that for the most part, observing a film's anniversary is merely a marketing ploy for a re-release in theaters or a new DVD/Blu Ray release, but it still has the ability to make one feel damn old.

Hey, I'm someone who's childhood is rooted in the 1980s, and I don't need the reminders that some of the movies from my youth are now around a quarter-century old. Wait. The Goonies was released 26 years ago? Gremlins was 27 years? E.T. will be 30 next year?!? Even '90s staples are approaching or have passed the 20 year mark. What's that you say? The Simpsons are 22? Aye carumba!

As my generation now gets to be indoctrinated in the marketing of nostalgia, it's time to accept that some of our beloved childhood memories are aging just like the rest of us. As part of Sci-Fi week, the theatre is screening two films that celebrate their 25th anniversary this year: Star Trek IV and Aliens. Can you believe it's been two and a half decades already?

For both, the history of both franchises actually extends farther back.

Despite several ups and downs, Star Trek is still going strong. This year marks the 45th anniversary of the original television series, and they're celebrating in a big way next month in Las Vegas. What happens there stays there, I suppose. But if you're going, be aware that others may have cameras. That's if... uh, you're going to do something foolish...


Convention or not, what's Klingon for "where's my dignity?"

Star Trek was originally a live-action television series broadcast from 1966-69 and an animated series from 1973-74, then re-launched as a film franchise at the end of the 1970s. Despite a lukewarm reception for Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 1979, the film franchise really hit its stride with Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan in 1982 and the blockbuster smash Star Trek III: The Search for Spock in 1984. Since parts II and III were a connected narrative, it was natural for the story arc to continue into part IV. Released in 1986, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home is the completion of this "narrative trilogy" within the franchise.

Star Trek IV is easily the lightest, silliest and most accessible of the series. It remains a bold departure from a series that is always viewed as a bit stiff and self-important (until J.J. Abrams' reboot in 2009, that is). The plot here involves our 23rd century crew rescuing Earth from a mysterious space probe that's wrecking havoc on the atmosphere. Turns out the probe is looking to chat with some humpback whales (extinct in this story since the 21st century). So, the solution is simple. Go back in time to 1986 and bring whales back to sing their whale songs at the probe or something. Logical, right? Right. Wait, HUH?!? Eh, just go with it.

A little preachy in its environmentalism, Star Trek IV is, above all, a good time. Who doesn't want to see Spock ask what exact change is? For McCoy and Scottie to boggle over how to use a Mac? For Uhura and Chekov to look for nuclear wessels? To see Kirk confront someone with this catch phrase?

The movie was very '80s in its sensibilities, and not just because it involved time travel set in the period. The comedy is heavily dependent on that "fish out of water" theme that accompanied successful comedies by studios of the period: Crocodile Dundee, The Golden Child and Coming to America. But for such a serious sci-fi series, it's still remarkable that the studio suits gave director Leonard Nimoy carte blanche. Then again, after part III made beaucoup cash under Nimoy's direction, why not? It's not like the studio wanted them to put Eddie Murphy in it or anything (oh wait, they actually did).

Luckily for all of us, Murphy declined the role planned for him. It's good to know someone learned a lesson from Superman III. Nevertheless, Part IV played it loose and light, and flourished from its bizarre mixture of time travel, hijinks, and humpback whales.


To this day, I know several Trekkies that curse Star Trek IV for being "fun." Can you believe that? The nerve of those filmmakers. Making something lighter and more accessible. How dare they!? (mock gasp) Oh well. Vulcans are like that, I suppose.

Ah, but Star Trek IV isn't the only sci-fi gem celebrating an anniversary this year.



When Alien came out in 1979, it was such a high-end spin on a B-movie concept that no one thought it could ever be matched in its caliber. Few even thought of attempting to make a sequel to it, since Ridley Scott had crafted such a masterpiece of space-gothic horror.

Enter James Cameron...

Cameron, an ambitious young film maker who was creating The Terminator (itself a now iconic sci-fi franchise) at the time, pitched the idea of a sequel that emphasized "terror more than horror." After some years in development, Cameron finally got to craft his own take on the Alien universe. In 1986 his sequel, Aliens, was released.

A direct sequel to the 1979 film, Aliens is still a very different creature than Ridley Scott's masterpiece. It's just as capable as getting your pulse pounding, but this time the thrills come straight from your own adrenal glands. It's a rip-roaring roller coaster that comes out guns a blazin'.

Decades after the events of Alien, a hibernating Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) is found in her escape pod. Debriefed by the company regarding her claims of an encounter with such a strange creature, she's brushed off as a hysteric. However, when contact is lost with a colony on the planet where the alien was found, the Marines are sent in. All of a sudden, Ripley is taken seriously and tags along as an expert. Then all hell breaks loose. It's one of the most visceral thrill rides in motion picture history.

Heck, even the trailer does a great job of getting the blood pumping. So here it is, lean and mean:


25 years later, it's still the tightest movie that Cameron has ever made. Remember when James was capable of consistently making things like this? Now we get pedantic space epics like Avatar, and I'm more than a bit disappointed. I entreat you, Mr. Cameron, to engage more than my eyeballs. Up until the last 20 minutes of The Abyss in 1989, you used to know how. At this rate, I'll be able to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the end of Cameron's true creativity in three more years.

In retrospect, both of these films are remarkable gamechangers in shaping their franchises. Star Trek IV introduced a lighter side to the space epic, albeit one that backfired miserably in 1989 with Star Trek V. Still, the franchise has since proved most successful when balancing comedy, drama and an affable ensemble, as evidenced by The Next Generation cast in their series and subsequent films. For the foreseeable future, I can imagine Trekkies will still argue over who's the better captain, Kirk or Picard? Heck, in a few years there may even be a new argument over who was the definitive James Kirk: Shatner or Pine?

As for the Alien series, well... it was all downhill from here. While I concede that the arguments I hear about the best Alien movie are a matter of taste, they never include parts 3 or 4 in the discussion. David Fincher directed Alien³ in 1992, and it was a notoriously difficult production that yielded subpar results. And as for 1997's Alien: Resurrection? Well, it had Winona Ryder in it, and that's just about all one needs to know to judge that film.

The true seed that sprang from Aliens is, in my opinion, the modern action movie. Jaws may have spawned the modern summer blockbuster, but James Cameron brought guns to the battle and transformed Hollywood action hits into pure boy toy exercises. Alas, no one has reached the apex in mixing interesting characters, thrills and action like Cameron did. He's excelled at making loud and innovative action films, but his figurative children have only succeeded in recreating the sound and fury, signifying nothing. All of you Michael Bays of the world take note, make us care about the characters before blowing everything up.

It doesn't frighten me at all that 25 years can pass in the blink of an eye. In fact, I'm comforted by it. I've lived a heck of a lot since 1986, and look forward to whatever my future may bring. I enjoy that I can be content in occasionally revisiting the past, instead of living in it. Truth is, I still don't feel that old just because these two films are observing 25 years. I say, here's to 25 more. Another quarter century that can be written as we see fit, where we can all live long and prosper.

Showtimes for the films:

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Friday, Jul 8th
9:45

Aliens
Friday, Jul 8th
7:00


Final Notes about the screening

Double Features:
"When two movies are grouped together under the same thematic heading, one ticket is good for both features when viewed back-to-back on the same day." (cha-ching!)

Parking:
"Hassle-free downtown parking available for $6 at the One American Center for all summer films! Since you’re also supporting the theatre when you buy parking, they're giving you a free small soda each time you park there for a film. Buy online with your film tix and print out your confirmation e-mail or buy directly from the garage attendant (cash only). Attendant will have your soda ticket as well."

Friday, July 1, 2011

Preview: Monsters from Beyond


Embrace your inner geek, it's science fiction week!

For goodness sake, stop feeding money to Michael Bay and his silly Transformer exercises. If you simply must geek out at the movies, you have to do it in style at The Paramount Theatre. No crappy emerald CGI suited Ryan Reynolds or Shia LeWhat'sHisName standing next to a new open-mouthed bimbo while rock 'em sock 'em robots carry on. Here, we do things old school. There's plenty to choose from in the realm of sci-fi this week, and it starts with big, bad creatures.

Monsters make for great icons when it comes to sci-fi. There's so many to choose from when it comes to giant critters running rampant across the country or in the city. Most, if not all of them can fall into those "cautionary tales" subgenre of sci-fi. The message is usually "don't eff with mutha nature." And the undisputed heavyweight champs of all these "monsters from beyond" is Gojira. That's Godzilla to you Americans.

Wait. I'm not referring to horrendous incarnation from the 1998 remake by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich, those Independence Day (ID4) guys. That was an awful piece of cinematic trash and a sully to the Godzilla name. Seriously, in all my years I've never met anyone who thought the '98 version was good in any shape or form. That's saying something in a day when trash like Transformers 3 can make $100+ million dollars in its opening weekend. Heck, even Jar Jar Binks must've had fans when he first appeared, right?


No, I'm talking about the real Godzilla. The one that everyone instantly identifies and loves, zippers warts and all.


Made in 1954, it was an impressive undertaking in spite of the limits faced by the film makers. The movie was made quickly to satisfy Toho Studios demand after a previous project fell through. As a result, most everything about the production of Gojira was a happy accident, from the chilling black & white photography (color film rejected by Toho) to the infamous rubber suit itself (stop motion proved too costly). And yet, the film makers carried on...

See the original Japanese trailer here:

The results were gangbusters in Japan, despite many feeling this tale of an atomic monster exploited the real-life horrors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Always eager to make a buck, American producers made a "remix" of the film and released it as Godzilla: King of Monsters! in 1956. Using footage from the 1954 Japanese version, the American release edited in scenes with Raymond Burr, effectively making a whole new film.

When unleashed on American audiences, Godzilla tore it up. The film was a phenomenal success, and helped stamp the monster as a global icon. To this day, Godzilla-mania is everywhere. He's a regular staple of pop culture, and has been featured in books, Saturday morning cartoons, video games, comic books, songs, and even a Nike ad campaign with Charles Barkley!

My personal favorite? This funny cartoon short I remember seeing in my youth:


Ahhh. Good times.

Japan may have the good on the king of the monsters, but they certainly don't have a monopoly on such films. Here in the good ol' U.S. of A., we had our own giant creature film to contend with, 1954's THEM! A movie manifested out of nuclear uncertainty in the early days of the Cold War, the movie is about giant mutated ants that grow from radioactive fallout in the aftermath of New Mexico atomic tests.

Although it may have a slightly silly premise, THEM! is a very well made sci-fi film with solid performances, distinctive special effects, and tight editing. Oh, and who can forget that creepy sound effect for the ants? Seeing this as a youth, nothing stuck with me more than that noise.

A solid money maker for Warner Brothers, THEM! spawned a line of similar "irradiated giant critter" movies: Tarantula (1955), Attack of the Crab Monsters (1957), Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959), The Giant Behemoth (1959), The Killer Shrews (1959), Night of the Lepus (1972), and scores more that were often lampooned on TV's "Mystery Science Theater 3000."

But for now, suspend you inclination to laugh at the somewhat cheesy 1950s sci-fi production values. Appreciate the film as a landmark of science fiction excellence on par with the original verisons of The Thing from Another World and Invasion of the Body Snatchers, two other films that preyed on the paranoia of the Cold War years. Stifle that giggle and allow yourself to get caught up in the terror of THEM!


Bigger than life, badder than bad, and ready to lay waste to the foolish humans who played with atomic power, these monsters have come from beyond to teach us a lesson. SCREAM in fear or ROAR in delight. Experience two of the best from either side of The Pacific this week, and enjoy these sci-fi creature features.


Showtimes for the films:

Gojira (Godzilla)
Tuesday, Jul 5th
7:00
Wednesday, Jul 6th
9:00

THEM!
Tuesday, Jul 5th
9:05
Wednesday, Jul 6th
7:00

Final Notes about the screening

$2 from each ticket for Godzilla will benefit the Japan Red Cross relief fund

Double Features:
"When two movies are grouped together under the same thematic heading, one ticket is good for both features when viewed back-to-back on the same day." (cha-ching!)

Parking:
"Hassle-free downtown parking available for $6 at the One American Center for all summer films! Since you’re also supporting the theatre when you buy parking, they're giving you a free small soda each time you park there for a film. Buy online with your film tix and print out your confirmation e-mail or buy directly from the garage attendant (cash only). Attendant will have your soda ticket as well."