New Movie Releases!
After a manmade virus wipes out 99% of earth's population and reduces the rest to feral, mutated cannibals, a lone uninfected virologist named Robert Neville (Will Smith) searches for an antidote to the mutant-making disease. But after years spent searching for a cure, loneliness and desperation begin to take their toll on his sanity as the increasingly crafty mutants close in around him.
Despite what the trailers might lead you to believe, this big-budget adaptation of Richard Matheson's post-apocalyptic sci-fi novel is not a blow-'em-up action film. For the most part, it's actually a moody, existential drama. Don't get us wrong--there are some explosions and some effects-heavy monster fights, but the most affecting bits are the long stretches of quiet contemplation that happen in between the CGI budget busters. Where Director Francis Lawrence (whose only other film credit is the 2005 stinker Constantine) succeeds is in his exploration of Neville's slow march toward isolated madness. After all, being the last man on earth can raise some serious questions about the meaning of your existence, and Smith gives the role a brilliantly nuanced treatment.
Unfortunately, the overblown, over-animated monsters aren't nearly as convincing, and as the film builds towards an all-out mutant battle royal, it loses virtually all emotional momentum, turning instead toward bizarre, half-hearted religious allegory. And ironically, the hokey Hollywood ending is so lame and faux-spiritual that it didn't seem to please most of the crowd at the screening we attended. Why do good movies sometimes end so badly?
When cantankerous short-story writer Margot (Nicole Kidman) decides to attend her estranged sister Pauline's (Jennifer Jason Leigh) wedding, things quickly become uncomfortable as sisterly conflicts reemerge and new personalities collide. Jack Black co-stars as Pauline's fiancé Malcolm, a slackerly, Jack-Black-like artist who Margot severely dislikes.
Much drier and darker than Writer/Director Noah Baumbach's debut feature The Squid and the Whale, Margot at the Wedding is an affecting, yet overwhelmingly gloomy study of familial bonds and personal neuroses. Kidman does a near-perfect job as Margot (a character so emotionally volatile that she's almost impossible to like), and Leigh offers a solid counterpoint as a character who seems to find happiness no matter how bad the situation.
The film works best when it explores the shifting definitions of success and happiness; Margot, though financially and personally successful, just can't seem to overcome her jealous insecurity, while Pauline, living in her parent's house with her unemployed fiancé, is ready to make the most of whatever life throws at her. On some level, they hate each other--but as sisters, they're not allowed to hate each other, and it's this setup that yields the most interesting results.
But as more and more bizarre characters are introduced, the movie begins to slide off the rails, bouncing from family drama to quirky comedy with all the grace of a ballerina bear. The supporting characters are so randomly, annoyingly, unnecessarily strange and mean that they sometimes just don't seem real, and at some point it becomes unclear what Baumbach is driving at.
There are a lot of funny moments in Margot at the Wedding (mostly courtesy of Jack Black), and the film will certainly find some fans among folks who like dark, acerbic banter. But ultimately, we're not exactly sure what we were supposed to take away from it. And we're not sure Baumbach knows either.
What Would Jesus Buy?
This Morgan Spurlock-produced documentary follows the exploits of Reverend Billy and the The Church of Stop Shopping Choir as they travel cross-country spreading the gospel of anti-commercialism.
Part road movie, part social commentary, part comedy, What Would Jesus Buy? is a fun watch. Reverend Billy's larger-than-life sermonizing is mesmerizing, and you can't help but admire his commitment and spirit. We had a great time at the film's SXSW screening earlier this year, where Reverend Billy appeared with the entire choir in tow for a post-screening performance.
Don't expect much in the way of actual social criticism though--the film spends more time grandstanding and reiterating than it does contemplating its position. That's not to say that it isn't good--only that it works better as a doc about Reverend Billy than it does as a doc about the commercialization of Christmas. Either way, you'll leave the theatre smiling.
Alvin and the Chipmunks
Hollywood ruins another childhood memory by recreating it in CGI. Early word is actually fairly positive, but come on... did this really need to be made? And are you actually going to pay to see it? Why, Jason Lee? Why?!
The Rape of Europa
This looks awesome. A documentary exploring the theft, destruction and occasional miraculous survival of Europe’s art treasures during the Second World War. If you love art and hate Nazis, this one's for you.
