Austinist: New Movie Releases: Baghead, The Happening and More!

seth

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:47:08 -0600

Put me down as your plus 1 for the Hellboy 2 press sneak preview and I'll be there with bells on. Seth

oh steph

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 16:14:07 -0600

Seth - you're my favorite. Let's go get a beer. I'll buy. - Steph

davetx

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 16:05:30 -0600

I thought Mr. Night went downhill fast after his film about the kid who sees dead people.

lukequinton

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 15:45:39 -0600

Hey, meb, Yeah, the consensus for the film has definitely followed yours. The peoples is hatin' on it pretty good (check out rotten tomatoes). This time, though, it's not just the critics, it seems like regular viewers are starting to get kinda done with the Night. Critics destroyed The Village, because they felt it manipulated, and really didn't like Lady in the Water, but I think audiences were happy enough. This time, it sounds like things are different.

meb

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 15:13:59 -0600

Enough about Baghead. I can't believe no one's commenting on the mess that is "The Happening." I WANTED to like this movie, but I'm here to tell you it might be the worst movie I've ever had the displeasure of viewing in a theater. The plot line is thin, it was completely mis-cast and it's really graphic in a bad way - like to make up for the fact that it sucks. Be warned - stay away!

seth

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 12:02:41 -0600

Steph, If you are so confident that passes work well for SXSW, I challenge you to attend SXSW 2009 with a pass only. Refuse all badges offered to you for free by Louis Black. Then tell me about all the awesome movies you saw. Seth

oh steph

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 08:58:14 -0600

Yeah, but keep in mind that they only had one official screening of Baghead during SXSW and that the film was made by hometown favorites, which is what made the screening so difficult to get into. I mean, I had a badge and didn't make it in, so I think this is an isolated case. There were tons of films that I went to where not only did everyone who wanted to see the film get in, but there were still empty seats. Plus, the Alamo had a special sneak screening of Baghead on the first Friday of south by, and all you had to do to get in was go pick up a ticket at the Jackalope from a guy wearing a bag on his head. Still, I think that seeing the film out a Star Hill Ranch was probably more fun than either of those screenings, and it only cost $7 for AFS members (yearly membership cost $30, y'all!!!) and you got a s'more with that ticket price. Mmmm.

seth

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 07:45:13 -0600

I went to the Alamo Roadshow Premiere last night because there were too many stinking badges for me to see it with a Film Pass at SXSW. Amen. If you don't drop $300 on a film badge, you can't see anything you want at SXSW Film. If you do drop $300 on the badge, then you're paying like $15 or more dollars per movie you watch. And half are gonna be klunkers. So you're screwed however you approach SXSW Film as a fan. Seth

ConanTheLibrarian

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 18:13:17 -0600

I went to the Alamo Roadshow Premiere last night because there were too many stinking badges for me to see it with a Film Pass at SXSW. I splurged for the VIP seats after reading the dinner menu. With the quality of the food, and the endless glasses of wine with each course, and the seats with cushions at the prime viewing area, it was a good deal. I thought BAGHEAD was pretty good. While not levitating like when I first saw HALLOWEEN, they did surprise me a lot of times. And I didn't figure out the big Plot Twist until 60 minutes into the film. It was the first time I had seen Greta Gerwig on the big screen, and her Michelle captured my heart. I like Mark and Jay as film makers. On shoestring budgets, they come up with sharp-looking relationship flics. The key to DuplassDuplass, Kellner Brothers, and Joe Swansberg films are the use of people they know who can be let loose in improvised different endings allowing the minimal crew to film on the fly. They even ask the extras for suggestions and give them lines if they are good 'uns. They want me to say BAGHEAD is a work of utter genius, but GLORY AT SEA it ain't. It is a work by Utter Geniuses. And thank you Matthew for not bringing Mumblecore into the review.