We still love you too Joe Camel

It's that most wonderful time of the year. I hope all our readers are ready for the holiday, and excited to spend time with friends, family, and the like. Our son has had me calling Santa nonstop, but not to ask for more presents, for some reason to take them back. Maybe it's the start of a new tradition, where we do the returning before Christmas. I know a semi-lost tradition for Lawren's family was going to the movies on Christmas day, so if you're looking for a new one of your own to start, I can't think of a better place to go than a cute little arthouse on 4th street in downtown Winston-Salem. We're excited to be open for the holidays, still sharing the beautiful chaos that is Black Swan and opening the film I Love You Phillip Morris.

Before the town of Joe Camel gets bent out of shape, this isn't a documentary about the Marlboro man, although the lead character may have his cool and gumption. I Love You Phillip Morris is the improbable but true story of a spectacularly charismatic conman's journey from small-town businessman to flamboyant white-collar criminal, who repeatedly finds himself in trouble with the law and on the lam, brilliantly escaping from the Texas prison system on four separate occasions - all in the name of love. Jim Carrey is the conman who falls for Phillip Morris, played by Ewan McGregor. To put a pretty little bow on the Christmas theme, the movie was written and directed by John Requa and Glen Ficara, who became famous for Bad Santa.

Part of the entertainment from watching this film is knowing there was a guy out there who did in fact do this. Peter Travers of Rolling Stone agrees in his review, calling the movie "all over the place. But it's also outrageously funny." Check out the trailer below:

Just your typical love story, right? We're skipping our normal 12pm shows on Saturday so everyone can enjoy present unwrapping in peace, but it's a normal day after that. If it's not a white Christmas, at least come to a/perture for a black and white Christmas!

Happy holidays everyone!

Like this (thumbs up)

If there's one thing I'm actually given credit for (still on rare occasions), it's my impeccable timing. Once again, I'm delivering here for you when we open The Social Network this Friday. Now this is a movie that has been out there for a little bit, and it's safe to say a few people saw it back then, but it's the last movie Lawren and I went to see at a place not called a/perture cinema. So when we were given the chance to show it, we jumped on it. And what happens after we announce it? Six golden globe nominations, including best drama, best actor and supporting actor, best director, and best screenplay. Oh, and Mark Zuckerberg is now Time's "Person of the Year." All because we booked the film. Christmas we'll put the theory to the test when we open Carrot Top's new movie...crap, my wittiness has been absconded just by typing the evil red head's name.

Wait a second, he looks a little like Jesse Eisenberg, no? The hair at least. Few people know this, but Carrot Top invented Myspace. That explains a lot.

So everyone knows that The Social Network is Ben Mezrich's adaptation of the story of how Facebook was founded. So is it all completely factually accurate? Probably not. Is it a great film? Absolutely. And it features a score from Trent Reznor (also a Golden Globe nominee - when did anybody think they would read that?). Here's the trailer:

Few things are creepier than a chorus of kids singing Radiohead. Now go become our fan on FACEBOOK!

Bring on the SWAN

With the tame and family-friendly UNCSA production of The Nutcracker having just excited after another crowd-pleasing run, it's time to bring on Darren Aronofsky's interpretation of Swan Lake, otherwise known as (dum, dum, dum)... BLACK SWAN!!!

Many of you have been waiting patiently for this film and we are so excited that our release date was bumped forward a couple of days and will be hitting our screen this FRIDAY (12/17). It is worthy of the wait as evidenced by the numerous Golden Globe nominations it picked up early this morning...

BEST PICTURE

BEST ACTRESS - NATALIE PORTMAN

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - MILA KUNIS

BEST DIRECTOR

Not to mention AFI picked BLACK SWAN as one of the ten best films of 2010! In case you have missed all of the buzz and the increase in TV trailers over the past week (since the film blew the pants of NY and LA), here is a brief synopsis:

Nina (Natalie Portman) is a ballerina in a New York City ballet company whose life, like all those in her profession, is completely consumed with dance. She lives with her obsessive former ballerina mother Erica (Barbara Hershey) who exerts a suffocating control over her. When artistic director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) decides to replace prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Winona Ryder) for the opening production of their new season, Swan Lake, Nina is his first choice. But Nina has competition: a new dancer, Lily (Mila Kunis), who impresses Leroy as well. Swan Lake requires a dancer who can play both the White Swan with innocence and grace, and the Black Swan, who represents guile and sensuality. Nina fits the White Swan role perfectly but Lily is the personification of the Black Swan. As the two young dancers expand their rivalry into a twisted friendship, Nina begins to get more in touch with her dark side - a recklessness that threatens to destroy her.

Check out the trailer below:

Another bonus, for those of you out of school or taking a holiday vacation, we've added in a matinee to our schedule for Monday thru Thursday of next week (12/20-12/23) AND we will be open both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Check out our website for our holiday showtimes!

Tamara who? Tamara DREWE!

Get ready for a romp in the British countryside! Along with the seriously dramatic Client 9 and Fair Game, we will be screening Stephen Frears' riotous new comedy Tamara Drewe. Tamara Drewe is based on the graphic novel by Posy Simmonds, a famous cartoonist across the pond.

Tamara Drewe is a witty modern take on the romantic English pastoral of Tom Hardy, but the present-day English countryside—stocked with pompous writers, rich weekenders, bourgeois bohemians, a horny rock star, and a great many Buff Orpington chickens and Belted Galloway cows—is a much funnier place. When Tamara Drewe sashays back to the bucolic village of her youth, life for the locals is thrown upside down. Tamara—once an ugly duckling—has been transformed into a devastating beauty (with help from plastic surgery). As infatuations, jealousies, love affairs and career ambitions collide among the inhabitants of the neighboring farmsteads, Tamara sets a contemporary comedy of manners into play using the oldest magic in the book—sex appeal. Having seen this film a few months ago in Toronto, it really is quite amusing. For more insight into director Stephen Frears (My Beautiful Laundrette, The Queen, High Fidelity) and his take on Tamara Drewe and filmmaking in general check out this interview in FilmIndependent.

Trailer below:

We're continuing our fired up streak...

It seems like we've been on a string of movies that tell a good story, but leave you a little angry afterwards. Waiting for Superman, Inside Job, Fair Game, and now we can add Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer. Documentary specialist Alex Gibney, who gave us Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room and Oscar winner Taxi to the Dark Side has hit another home run here. Opening Friday for an abbreviated term, just like Spitzer's stint as governor, we'll have to say goodbye to this one on Sunday. We've timed the run to coincide with the amount of time call girl Ashley Dupre was actually relevant. Obviously Mr. Spitzer has no one to blame but himself for his problems, but Gibney's story makes some observations that are a little more than just fishy. This movie is on the short list for the Best Documentary Oscar, and Amy Biancolli's review in the San Francisco Chronicle makes me think Gibney could get his third nomination. Check out the trailer below.

Are movie titles really fair game?

Wow. If you could only see through your computer screen and truly picture the excitement as I write about the next movie coming to a/perture. How often do you get a movie that is so socially relevant and buzzed about like Fair Game? Throw on top of that the film is celebrating its 15 year anniversary of proving that Cindy Crawford was just a pretty face and Billy Baldwin had more up his sleeve than Sliver....wait a second, Lawren's trying to tell me something. What do you mean there are two movies called Fair Game? Isn't there some sort of rule that once a movie reaches a certain level of awesomeness, no one else can use that name? I'm working on a script right now, then. My movie is going to be called Star Wars. I can almost hear George Lucas's lawyers stampeding across the central United States to ring my doorbell right now.

Well, putting that minor embarrassing confusion aside, it does appear that the 2010 version of Fair Game is actually more socially relevant, given the hubub around this whole WikiLeaks thing, and a far superior movie (2010 - 80%, 1995 - 13% on Rotten Tomatoes...ouch). Naomi Watts plays outed CIA operative Valerie Plame, revealed by officials looking to discredit her husband Joe Wilson (not the "YOU LIE" one, but a former diplomat) played by Sean Penn. Yeah, I guess that cast is better than Baldwin-Crawford. Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post is a fan of how the story is told, more of a look at the toll Valerie's work takes on their marriage and home life instead of a blow 'em up spy affair, that director Doug Liman is more well known for (The Bourne Identity and Mr. & Mrs. Smith). In her own words..."Quality-starved audiences should flock to it, if only to ensure more of them get made." Methinks Ms. Hornaday would not have said the same about the previous one. Trailer below:

Hornet's Nests

So we've recovered from over-stuffing ourselves with turkey and are now knee deep in The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest. This is the last film in the Millennium trilogy and I'll admit it is somewhat bittersweet. We have had such a great time showing all three of the "Girl" films. These films are like the Indiana Jones series for arthouses. If you've joined us for the first two films, please make time to come see this last one (at least as of now, maybe a fourth book will materialize one of these days). If you haven't seen the first two yet, you still have time to stop by a redbox. It will be showing through Thursday, December 9. Here is a brief synopsis of the film:

In this last installment, Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) lies in critical condition, a bullet wound to her head, in the intensive care unit of a Swedish city hospital. She’s fighting for her life in more ways than one: if and when she recovers, she’ll be taken back to Stockholm to stand trial for three murders. With the help of her friend, journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist), she will not only have to prove her innocence, but also identify and denounce those in authority who have allowed the vulnerable, like herself, to suffer abuse and violence. And, on her own, she will plot revenge – against the man who tried to kill her, and the corrupt government institutions that very nearly destroyed her life.

Check out this great interview from Charlie Rose with lead Noomi Rapace:

And Mark Burger from Yes! Weekly says you won't be disappointed in how the film series wraps up.

S..T..O..N..E

For a town geographically removed from movie making hubs New York and LA, Winston-Salem has its fair share of connections to the industry. In our short time being open we’ve been lucky enough to screen movies like Wesley, Burzynski, and Get Low for full theatrical runs. But if you’ve been to a/perture chances are you’ve shared an armrest with the person responsible for scribing the film we’re opening tomorrow. Angus MacLachlan gets to show his latest work Stone in his hometown and we’re proud to be the ones showing it.

Normally I’d try to arrange some sort of cutesy Q&A for the blog, but Angus has already done us one better and offered to take your questions himself, this Friday at 8pm and again on Saturday at 5:30pm! Here’s where I’ll offer my advice on interviewing, whether you want to hear it or not. The most important thing (besides seeing the movie) is doing your homework. I’ve cliff notes’ed some recent articles and reviews below for your benefit. After reading that last sentence, my third piece of advice would be to not try to make nouns verbs when asking a question. Tickets are already going fast for these showings, but if you can’t make it to one of the Q&A sessions, you owe it to yourself to see this movie anyway. Who knows, next time you come see a movie you might have to step over Angus to get to your favorite seat, and what better time to ask him where his talent comes from to be able to write two scripts that have helped some leading ladies become even more relevant in the film world (Amy Adams for Junebug and Milla Jovovich in Stone). Never mind the whole working with DeNiro and Ed Norton thing. Trailer and links below:

Mark Burger interview and review

Tim Clodfelter interview

Roger Moore interview in today's Relish!

the film that cost over $20,000,000,000,000 to make

Seems as though it’s time for Jack to set sail, while the waiting continues for the ten of you who haven’t seen Waiting for Superman to do so. In all seriousness, we’re thrilled at the reaction the movie has been getting, and hope it has helped spur some interesting discourse about the education system, both about what is going right and what we can work on improving. Along those same lines, we have another documentary about another crisis, which I might argue is just as important for people to see and understand.

Inside Job tells the story of the financial crisis that has impacted each and every one of us, and explores the root causes. And I have the chance to say something I’ll probably never get to say again – we’re opening a movie starring Matt Damon! Okay, he just narrates, and I can neither confirm nor deny he breaks out a “How bout dem apples?” in a heavy Boston accent. Everybody has heard of the evils of credit default swaps and derivatives, but after seeing the movie, you can understand what you’ve been cursing for the past three years (your curator, with an MBA, can be included in that group, as she had her aha moment after seeing this film). Critics are in agreement that it’s educational and won’t put you to bed like that Intro to Accounting class did back in college. Mark Burger from Yes!Weekly thinks it may be the scariest movie all year and our local Relish says "You may think you don't want to see this. But you should."

Also, a friendly reminder that our run of movies for 6 Days in November sponsored by Suntrust starts up on Tuesday. Here’s a refresher of the schedule.

Tuesday, November 16 - OBJECTIFIED - 8pm - all tickets $10

Wednesday, November 17 - A New Dance for America - 3pm - all tickets $6.50

Thursday, November 18 - Tall: The American Skyscraper and Louis Sullivan - 3pm - all tickets $6.50

Friday, November 19 - Visual Acoustics - 3pm - all tickets $6.50

Saturday, November 20 - Patty: This is My Normal - 5pm - free

Sunday, November 21 - Movies by Movers - 8pm - all tickets $5

More big news coming soon…

Once, Twice, Three times a naming

Is there anything cooler than a three named actor? Once you enter that pantheon, there is no escape. Nobody calls James Earl Jones "Jimmy" or "Earl". You have to say all three names. Billy Bob Thornton. Thomas Haden Church. Mary Louise Parker. Neil Patrick Harris. Phillip Michael Thomas aka Tubbs. I defy you to just say one of those names in-between each period alone. That last guy made it work with three first names. Friday we invite in the other trifecta'd Phillip. Mr. Seymour Hoffman. Mr. Phillip Hoffman. Mr. Hoffman. It just doesn't work!

Adding "Director" to his list of achievements along with damn fine actor, Phillip Seymour Hoffman's film Jack Goes Boating tells the story of Jack, the limo driver, as he pursues a relationship with Connie (played by Amy Ryan). Equal parts quirky, awkward, and real, the story becomes that much more believable because of the talent of the actors. Ty Burr of the Boston Globe says in his review "To appreciate Jack Goes Boating, you have to be a fan of Philip Seymour Hoffman, the indie-rock band Grizzly Bear (whose songs are all over the soundtrack), or warmhearted, working-class dramas like the 1955 Oscar winner Marty." I say if you don't like all three of those, you're not really American. Take that post election world. Enjoy the trailer, then come on down and enjoy the movie this Friday.

Zombie Fever

We have made so many announcements this week, my head is swimming. But we still have one more item to plug. For the next six Sundays at 10pm, the zombies from AMC Television's new series The Walking Dead will be taking over. We've had so much fun showing one-off tv shows that we just couldn't pass up the opportunity to air a complete series. (It helps that it is on Sunday night and doesn't conflict with our regular film programming). Not to mention The Walking Dead has a film connection...it was written and executive produced by Frank Darabont...the man behind The Shawshank Redemption. Check out the review in the Wall Street Journal.

So to really go all out in honor of The Walking Dead we've got some things up our sleeve and I'll let you in on a few:

1.) Dressing up as a zombie is highly encouraged. Check out the photo below of the staged zombie invasion in London for ideas...

Even better...check out the photo of our staff decked out as a/perture zombies...

2.) For those diehards who are able to visit us for all six episodes....there will be a reward. We've created a special punch-card and if you visit our concession stand for a treat each Sunday you will get "punched." If you get all six punches, you will receive a gift card for two movie tickets, a large popcorn and two fountain drinks!

3.) Following episode 5 (November 28), we are excited to be hosting our very first ever skype q&a with former Winston-Salem resident Jeryl Prescott Sales who has a recurring role as "Jacqui" in the series. Check out our friend Tim Clodfelter's interview with Jeryl here.

4.) Ssalefish Comics is providing us with coupons to give away and a prize for the best dressed zombie (10/31 only). We'll also have some issues of the first comic in The Walking Dead series for sale.

5.)????

Hope to see your zombified face soon!

these guys said it all when they said it...

intrigued...click here

It's just too heavy for Superman to lift

As the father of a now three year old who has already been forced to think about where his kid is going to school, I feel pretty fortunate to have some good options here for Jake in our fair city. The documentary opening up this Friday at a/perture chronicles some kids whose opportunities could be determined by the drop of a ball. Waiting for "Superman" is the latest documentary from Davis Guggenheim, who last got the nation riled up about the environment in An Inconvenient Truth. "Superman" explores the current state of the public education system in the US, and how it is affecting our children.

I had an idea for Jake's future - I was going to head up to Atlantic City, heed Wesley Snipes's advice to always bet on black, but take it a step further because 50/50 odds are too good and put my life savings on 26 (happy birthday Jake!) to determine whether or not he gets the opportunity to make something of himself. Sound preposterous? Apparently Bill Gates and Oprah agree, and Guggenheim shares the story of five kids trying to find their future. Michael O'Sullivan of the Washington Post probably captures the urgency of the subject matter of the movie better than I do in his review. Watch this trailer and tell me you don't get a little stirred up from just this snippet:

The movie's title came from a Harlem educator's belief that Superman would fix the problems affecting his area, and while the film leaves one with the impression that we're still waiting, the optimist in me believes we're getting closer. But like any good documentary, this one gets you thinking, and kick starts the discussions that we need to be having, so don't be left out in the cold when the rest of this town is talking about this movie.

s/ix films in s/ix days

We are very excited to announce our participation in the third annual Six Days in November celebration. From November 16-21, Winston-Salem will be the center of cultural and arts activity in North Carolina as we celebrate the themes of arts, crafts and innovation. Six Days will offer more than 165 arts, cultural and cutting-edge technology opportunities in the week before Thanksgiving. Just think, you'll be so busy burning calories jumping from one Six Days activity to another, you can enjoy even more turkey and stuffing this year.

a/perture will present s/ix original and ground-breaking films celebrating the theme of innovation (in addition to our regular film programming):

Tuesday, November 16 @ 8pm - Objectified

presented by DAT'S 10 - Design, Art & Technology Symposium

all tickets $10

Following the 2007 release of Helvetica, director Gary Hustwit has created Objectified as the next film in his trilogy about design. Objectified is a feature-length documentary about our complex relationship with manufactured objects and, by extension, the people who design them. Check out the trailer:

Wednesday, November 17 @ 3pm - A New Dance for America

all tickets $6.50

The story of the life and works of Doris Humphrey (1895 - 1958), a seminal figure in modern dance, is the focus of this 80-minute documentary: A New Dance for America: The Choreography, Teachings and Legacy of Doris Humphrey. Her importance to the development of a uniquely American art form cannot be overstated. She, along with other pioneers (Martha Graham, Hanya Holm, Helen Tamiris and Charles Weidman), changed forever the way dancers move, the way choreography is conceived and the way audiences look at dance.

Following the film, Robert Lindgren, founding dean of the UNCSA School of Dance will lead a q&a session. Mr. Lindgren has enjoyed a distinguished career in the field of dance and it is an honor to have him join us for this screening.

Thursday, November 18 @ 3pm - Tall: The American Skyscraper and Louis Sullivan

all tickets $6.50

It was around the turn of the last century that American architecture suddenly grew up. With the invention of the elevator, plus the development of iron and steel as construction materials, there was nothing to stop buildings from scraping the sky ' "castles in the air," they were called, skyscrapers. But how did you design a skyscraper so as to express its newness, its vertiginous height, its good ol' American know-how? Chicago's Louis Sullivan spent the better part of his career trying to answer that question, and what he came up with is the subject of Manfred Kirchheimer's documentary, Tall: The American Skyscraper and Louis Sullivan.

Friday, November 19 @ 3pm - Visual Acoustics

presented by Leonard Ryden Burr Real Estate

all tickets $6.50

Visual Acoustics celebrates the life and career of Julius Shulman, the world's greatest architectural photographer, whose images brought modern architecture to the American mainstream. Shulman, who passed away this year, captured the work of nearly every modern and progressive architect since the 1930s including Frank Lloyd Wright, Richard Neutra, John Lautner and Frank Gehry. His images epitomized the singular beauty of Southern California's modernist movement and brought its iconic structures to the attention of the general public. This unique film is both a testament to the evolution of modern architecture and a joyful portrait of the magnetic, whip-smart gentleman who chronicled it with his unforgettable images. Check out the trailer:

Saturday, November 20 @ 5pm - Patty: This is My Normal

all tickets - FREE

A 20-minute documentary from local photojournalist Martin Tucker. Patty is a hobo and has been jumping trains alone since she was thirteen. She is a fascinating woman and this film follows her around downtown Winston-Salem as she narrates her views on religion, politics, relationships and most interestingly, jumping trains.

Sunday, November 21 @ 8pm - Movies by Movers

all tickets $5

A collection of innovative shorts featuring the art of movement. Curated and including works by local filmmaker Cara Hagan, founder and director of 87 Dance Productions.

Followed by a q&a will the filmmakers moderated by Cara Hagan.

So there you have it! Hopefully you'll fancy visiting us for one or two or all six of these films. For more information about other 6 Days in November events please visit cityofthearts.com.

the quintessential allen

For all of you who have been waiting patiently for the past 9.5 months for our showtimes to be in print...you are in luck. As of today, October 21, our showtimes are now appearing weekly in Relish. Proof is in the photo below:

Even better, go pick up your own copy because now not only are they available in the Thursday edition of the WS Journal, but they are also available around town throughout the week in very stylish news-racks.

Now to the films...we are holding over It's Kind of A Funny Story and Never Let Me Go for one more week for all of those who haven't been able to make it to a screening yet. On the other screen we are excited to be opening our very first (and hopefully not last) Woody Allen film, You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger. Personally, I am very excited to welcome Woody to a/perture since he is responsible for one of my more recent favorite films..Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

In one sentence You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger follows a pair of married couples, Alfie (Sir Anthony Hopkins) and Helena (Gemma Jones), and their daughter Sally (Naomi Watts) and husband Roy (Josh Brolin), as their passions, ambitions, and anxieties lead them into trouble and out of their minds. Here is a great article in Cinematical about Woody Allen and the review of the film from the New York Times. Check out the trailer below...

Coming in the next week...a ton of blogs...lots to announce...

Welcome Back Miss. Mulligan

This Friday, October 15 we are very excited to welcome back Carey Mulligan to the screen. She helped open our doors this past January with her celebrated role in An Education and now she is back with her new role in Never Let Me Go. Carey is joined on screen by Keira Knightley and Andrew Garfield (currently on screen in The Social Network). Even more exciting though is that Never Let Me Go is an adaptation of the novel by one of contemporary fiction's most celebrated authors, Kazuo Ishiguro. The screenplay was adapted by novelist Alex Garland who also just happened to write a little cult classic called The Beach. These are serious credentials here. To top it off Never Let Me Go was directed by Mark Romanek whose previous film One Hour Photo gave Robin Williams the chance to play his creepiest role ever.

So enough with the resume, let's talk about the film itself. Never Let Me Go centers around Kathy (Mulligan), Ruth (Knightley) and Tommy (Garfield), who become entangled in a love triangle complicated by the fact that all three are laboratory specimens, raised in order to provide their organs to severely ill patients. Though it's subject matter is the stuff of science fiction, it is far from it. Never Let Me Go is a beautiful and tragic love story, in the old school sense. Check out the trailer below:

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I was lucky enough to get a ticket to the premiere of Never Let Me Go when I was in Toronto and thought it was one of the best of this year's festival. Andrew O'Heheir from salon.com agrees and trust me he is able to capture his thoughts on paper much better than I.

Help us welcome Carey back!

Indie Heartbreaking Fun Stories

The best part of this past week's Glee (from a non-fan's perspective)...was that this preview came on...

My man crush on Zach has been well documented, so you may be thinking to yourself "why should I trust this dude?" Well, the rest of the world is catching on. Check out USA Today for an article about Mr. Galifianakis. While he's not the focus of the film It's Kind of a Funny Story, I can only hope it will be his Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, convincing the rest of the world he's more than a pager carrying wolfpack of one. If you don't get that joke, stop reading now and watch The Hangover. Seriously, I'll wait...

Alright, as you can see from the trailer, the movie's a look into an overstressed teen, both through internal and external forces, who ends up in a psych ward. Entertainment Weekly's Lisa Schwarzbaum's review gives you a little more insight, and as a movie that Lawren and I were lucky enough to see in Toronto, I have to agree. I never thought I'd see the words John Hughes and psych ward drama in the same sentence, actually making sense. Throw in a score from Broken Social Scene, the protagonist Keir Gilchrist's parents played by Jim Gaffigan and Lauren Graham, Julia Roberts's niece, the daughter of Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonet, and the scribes of Half Nelson, and how can you say no?

But that's not all we have to offer this week. How about Johnny Depp's real life wife, trying to have her pending nuptials sabotaged by a debonair Frenchmen? Keep your undergarments on ladies, Johnny Depp isn't in this movie, but Romain Duris could be a more than capable substitute. Here's the Los Angeles Times review, and the trailer.

Who says indie movies can't be fun and light-hearted?

So long summer...

Now that we have crossed over into October and it looks like the 90 degree days are behind us, I thought it would be appropriate to post some of the extracurricular highlights of our summer.

A visit from Camp Jump Start who enjoyed a screening of The Triplets of Belleville

We had three separate visits from YMCA day camps, below are students from Philo Middle

Our youngest patrons enjoyed Kirikou & the Sorceress

Jigar with director Richie Mehta at the RiverRun & AFI Project 20/20 screening of Mehta's film Amal

It was a great summer and expect this Fall to be even better....

I'm all out of love...

Gentlemen, tired of the movies slanted towards the double x chromosomes your female counterparts have been dragging you too? Me too. Redemption is on hand. This weekend, Guy Pearce is a cop, hunting down the most vicious family since the Tanners from Full House (I stand by my theory that this family was the most evil entity ever...twins who pretend to be one kid? A ventriloquist with a woodchuck? KIMMY GIBBLER?!??!?!) in Animal Kingdom. But wait, ladies, it has Guy Pearce, who's absolutely dreamy (and he's sporting a mustache). Something for everyone! Except your kids, take them to our other studio to watch Mao's Last Dancer. Wait, that does mean we have something for everyone.

This has the feel of another movie we showed a couple of months back, Un Prophete, another gritty gangster movie, that was phenomenal but sparsely attended. I take full blame, but this time it's on you if you miss this gem. The reviews in Relish from the Winston-Salem Journal and Mark Burger in Yes! Weekly agree with me. Don't be left by yourself on the wrong side of the street. See this movie. Preview below:



Air Supply in the previews...another win for both males and females.

Annual pilgrimage to Toronto...

So I have been back from my annual expedition to the Toronto International Film Festival (okay it was only the second time, but I hope to make it yearly) a little over a week and now that I have caught up on most of my emails and cleared my head...I'm ready to get my thoughts down in a blog.

My mom accompanied me for part of the trip and Jigar joined me for a couple of days towards the end. I saw some really remarkable films and had a whirlwind time this year. I was able to meet some other industry folks and do a bit of networking for a/perture. I enjoyed every single minute!

Here are my thoughts in list form, same categories as last year:

Longest time spent in line: 1.5 hours for Dhobi Ghat. Dhobi Ghat is Aamir Khan’s new film and if you don’t know who Aamir Khan is think Tom Cruise on the Indian subcontinent. A mad frenzy of devoted fans greeted Mr. Khan on his arrival…it was pure chaos. My in-laws were super-impressed.

Buckets of popcorn consumed: more than last year….in fact some of it tasted like it was leftover from last year.

Coolest Q&As: there were actually a lot more at this year’s festival. Directors and cast were more available and were totally stoked to talk about their films. Here were some highlights:

1.) Tom Hooper, director of The King’s Speech, who brought along Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush…What can I say, The King’s Speech is my pick to win the Best Picture Oscar, so just imagine how excited the audience was and how engaging the talent was as a result.

2.) Stephen Frears, director of Tamara Drewe, who brought along Gemma Arterton and Dominic Cooper. Stephen Frears is perhaps the funniest man alive. He had the audience in stitches. I fantasize about Mr. Frears coming to attend a q&a at a/perture when we open Tamara Drewe.

3.) Never Let Me Go - Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield, author Kazuo Ishiguro, screenwriter Alex Garland (author of a great little book called The Beach) and director Mark Romanek were all in attendance. The film was simply beautiful. I have to admit that I didn’t read the novel, but judging by the audience reaction they really thought the adaptation lived up.

Biggest surprise hit: Dirty Girl – honestly I could just sit and watch this loveable film over and over again. Juno Temple (you may remember her from Atonement) and newcomer Jeremy Dozier play unlikely friends in this quirky love story/comedy/salute to the Midwest in the eighties. Director Abe Sylvia is definitely one to keep an eye on.

Celebrity sightings: So we lucked out this year and got hooked up with an invite to a Fox Searchlight party honoring some of their films…here is just a sampling of who we were in the same room with: Vincent Cassel(swoon), Danny Boyle, Maria Bello, Michael Sheen, Minnie Driver, Tony Goldwyn, Hillary Swank, Andrew Garfield (who you can check out soon in Never Let Me Go).

Best photo-op: my mom at the Fox Searchlight party…don’t we look like celebs

New favorite song: I actually have two favorite soundtracks this year…Submarine, featuring music by Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys & It’s Kind of a Funny Story with some great songs from Broken Social Scene

Number of visits to Starbucks for coffee: at least a dozen

Number of visits to Starbucks for free wifi: none because my iphone was telling me Toronto had “free wifi”…not true…should have stuck with Starbucks

World Premieres: Black Swan…. pretty amazing being there with Darren Aronofsky, Natalie Portman and Vincent Cassel (swoon again). It didn’t matter that we were sitting up practically in the sky watching the film.

Films I hope to bring to a/perture: (click on title for link to film's website)

1.) The King’s Speech – finger’s crossed that it stays in the arthouse circuit!!!

2.) Made in Dagenham – this is just genuinely a fun and uplifting film based on a true story – and I am totally calling Sally Hawkins to be nominated for Best Actress…her performance was pitch-perfect.

3.) Tamara Drewe – don’t really have to hope since we already have it booked for November…did I mention this is an ensemble piece with a great supporting cast?

4.) Dirty Girl – William H. Macy, Mary Steenburgen and Dwight Yoakam are also cast-members.

5.) Beautiful Boy – Maria Bello and Michael Sheen give riveting performances as two grieving parents. The film is by first time director Shawn Ku and at the q&a Maria Bello said that he was honestly the best director she had ever worked with. We saw Shawn Ku on his way out at the airport and he was super nice and humble and just impressed me even more…

6.) SUPER - Rainn Wilson and Ellen Page play superheroes in this dark “live-action” comedy…sold? The animation in the title sequence is a bonus and is brought to you by some of the folks responsible for Yo Gabba Gabba…thank you so much to IFC films for picking up this gem.

7.) Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer – this documentary by director Alex Gibney is insightful, engaging, humorous and above all timely.

8.) 127 Hours – based on the true story of mountain climber Aron Ralston, the man who was forced to self-amputate his arm. Director Danny Boyle and James Franco, who plays Ralston, hold nothing back.

9.) Black Swan – how could I pass up the opportunity (if I am lucky enough) to bring a Darren Aronofsky film to a/perture? Barbara Hershey (star of one of the best films ever made - Hoosiers) is superb in the role of Natalie Portman's mother.

10.) Rabbit Hole – how could I pass up the opportunity (if I am lucky enough) to bring a John Cameron Mitchell film to a/perture? Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart are perfectly cast and have great on-screen chemistry. This film is nothing like Hedwig and the Angry Inch… which really goes to show you how talented Mitchell is.

11.) Life, Above All – this film was just nominated to represent South Africa in the Foreign Language Oscar race. I predict it makes the short-list at least. It takes a real and honest look at how AIDS affects one family in rural South Africa.

12.) It’s Kind of a Funny Story – opening October 8!!!! starring Jigar's man-crush Zach Galifinakis.

13.) Never Let Me Go – opening October 15!!!

Film I will never in a million years bring to a/perture: Julia’s Eyes

Films with the most buzz that I wish I could have seen: Inside Job, Heartbeats, Barney’s Version, Of God’s and Men, Incendies and Blue Valentine... just to name a few...

Proof that Jigar was in attendance....Benihana in Toronto...where Jigar took me for my birthday dinner...

History 101

After four weeks, we will be saying so long to Get Low. We are thrilled to say that Get Low has been our biggest hit so far - thanks to all of you who came to see the film! (Actually, if you happen to read this blog tomorrow, you still have one more chance to see it - LAST CALL Thursday 9/23 @ 5:40).

On the other hand, if you are ready for something new, here we go (opening Friday, September 24):

If you have ever dreamed of becoming a spy, were a die-hard Alias fan, or are a history buff, FAREWELL (l'affaire Farewell) should be right up your alley. Farewell is the formerly top-secret true story of two men, a Frenchman and a KGB colonel, who smuggled Soviet secrets to the West and helped, as the film's foreword phrases it, put an end “to a world dominated by two opposing powers.” Todd McCarthy (Variety) said about the film, "Astonishing…like any good thriller, this is the story of deceptions within deceptions. It’s juicy, fascinating stuff." If you need further evidence check out Lawrence Toppman's review in The Charlotte Observer. Are you intrigued? (trying to throw as much spy lingo in here as I can), check out the trailer below:

Farewell will only be screening thru September 30, so don't miss it..but please leave your night-vision goggles at home.

On the other screen we are showing another side of history with MAO'S LAST DANCER - a drama based on the autobiography by Li Cunxin. At the age of 11, Li was plucked from a poor Chinese village by Madame Mao's cultural delegates and taken to Beijing to study ballet. In 1979, during a cultural exchange to Texas, he fell in love with an American woman. Two years later, he managed to defect and went on to perform as a principal dancer for the Houston Ballet and as a principal artist with the Australian Ballet. Mao's Last Dancer is also RATED PG, so moms and dads it is truly a family-friendly film. It screened at RiverRun this past year to rave reviews and Mark Burger agrees in this week's Yes!Weekly review. Check out the trailer below and then save a spot on your calendar to come see the film:

So there you go...hope you're ready for your history lesson.

Green can mean free, too!

Quick - what's more awesome than free movies? Free movies with a little bit of conscience! We were lucky to be approached by Go Expo, happening this Saturday, September 25th at the Benton Convention Center, to program some educating entertainment. Curator Lawren Desai has picked four films that should entertain and give you a little something to think about. No Impact Man and So Right, So Smart will screen at a/perture at 10 a.m., and The Greening of Southie and The End of Suburbia will be showing on the green screen at the Go Expo at 3 p.m. in the upper level of the convention center. More information about all the screenings can be found on the movie portion of Go Expo website, and the trailers are below!

No Impact Man

So Right, So Smart (shown at RiverRun!)

The Greening of Southie

The End of Suburbia

Don't miss out! Did I mention it's all free!

Rock the Docs and the Block

If there's anything I've learned from my almost three year old son, it's that whining, kicking, and screaming can eventually get you what you want. So after a year of repeatedly holding my breath until my face turns blue, Lawren finally agreed to let me accompany her to Toronto for a portion of the trip. Baby steps. I'll work on the whole time next year.

She's been MIA for awhile, but we'll both be back in time for a full slate of movies at a/perture this weekend, as well as our previously mentioned shorts during Rock the Block with Chris Paul. People are loving Get Low and Cairo Time, so if you've missed out don't let these escape without catching them. To bring back the rarer than rare quadruple feature, we've got two documentaries coming in, Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child and Winnebago Man. Both films about interesting people, The Radiant Child is about artist Basquiat, as told by friend Tamara Davis, and Winnebago Man is about reluctant internet sensation Jack Rebney.

Some of you may recognize the Basquiat film, as it has played at a/perture, but as part of the RiverRun International Film Festival. Mary Dalton, head of the Documentary Film Program at Wake Forest University, saw the film then and wrote this review. Local critic Matthew Lucas, who writes for the Davidson County paper The Dispatch, as well as on his own blog (which I highly recommend checking out on a regular basis - he sees A LOT of films), had both docs on his not so mainstream top 10 movies of the summer list. Stephen Holden of the New York Times seems to share in both of our local critic's enjoyment, in his Winnebago review here and his Basquiat review here. As the trailers below confirm, sometimes the truth can be more interesting than fiction.

I should pack now, eh?

Insert joke about time here

After a week of holdovers, Lisbeth Salander must make haste and get ready to kick a hornet's nest, so we bring in Cairo Time to move in next to Get Low. Almost every review I read had to make mention of making time to see Cairo Time, and while true, the cheesiness overpowered my normally sharp wit, resulting in a less than stellar subject. Please forgive me.

Let's focus on the more important thing, the movie, the actors, and the scenery. Like our recent smash I Am Love, the geography and scenery are more than an afterthought, and is almost another character in the story. Bring in Academy Award nominee Patricia Clarkson and Lawren's new crush Alexander Siddig and you just have to make time to see this movie. Drats, I did it too. Here's a review from someone who was able to eschew the cliche, Ann Hornaday of the Washington Post. And the trailer as well.

rtb w a/ptr

So one of the great things about our location on 4th Street is that we get to be front and center for this year's annual ROCK THE BLOCK on September 18. Because we want to celebrate with all the other 29,995 attendees, we are opening up our doors (for a small entrance fee of $1 for adults and $0.50 for kids) and screening two very special shorts, running continuously ...all..day..long (okay maybe just from 11am to 5pm). We hope to get some new folks in the door and provide a respite from all the craziness happening out on the street. Here's the scoop on the films:

short #1: Way Home - a film by Erick Oh

Way Home is a story featuring a fly, a dung beetle, and a farmer. Enough said...this film is animated, kid-friendly and 9 minutes long. To check out the trailer please visit Erick's cool website.

short #2 - Un Certain Regard a film by Geraldine Maillet and produced by Winston-Salem's very own Iana Dontcheva!!!

Un Certain Regard can be summarized in the following way: summertime. a city park. a man locks eyes with a mysterious woman. a seduction game begins, both comic and dramatic. This film is 7 minutes long and though more for adults it is definitely kid-appropriate.

Considering this is the extent of our participation last year,

we've come a long way and we are very excited to be in business for this annual event. Our regular films will pick back up after 5pm on 9/18 so you really could spend all day downtown at RTB if you wanted to. Who knows maybe we can even convince Chris Paul to come check out a flick?

See you on Sept 18!

Make room for The Room

Kristen Bell. David Cross. Paul Rudd. Jonah Hill. Tim and Eric from the Tim and Eric Awesome Show. Winston-Salem, you can join the aforementioned celebrities and the masses of people who have fallen under the spell of the trainwreck awesomeness that is The Room, screening at a/perture this Friday, September 3rd at 10:20 pm. It's like the film version of reading this blog! This event should play more like Mystery Science Theater 3000 than Masterpiece Theater, so come prepared to do a little heckling and just have a good time. Looking for some background and guidelines for watching this? Check out the Entertainment Weekly article about the cult following here, and then head over to The Onion to study up on their viewer's guide. And here's the trailer to help you decide if you're ready.



If you're up to the challenge, advance tickets are available at the box office (regular prices - $8.50 for adults, $7.00 for students/seniors...although by the looks of this, most of those $7 tixs will not be sold to our more experienced audience members...).

Lowdown on Get Low

It seems that the word is already out about our latest film to open, Get Low. You all came out in droves this past weekend, restoring my faith in humanity. The other good thing about this movie...I actually got to contribute something cool - according to Lawren. While I said a few months back that the only thing Dalton, Georgia was good for was carpet, a fellow Catamount has made me a liar. Lori Beth Edgeman has been acting for over ten years (check out her IMDB page), actually has a role in Get Low, and even after reading the blog agreed to do a little Q&A with us.

My little sister is a fellow alumnus of the Dance Theater of Dalton, so I know all too well the annual performance of The Nutcracker, and understand you had the honor of being the first “Clara” in Dalton’s history. Did that experience, along with multiple years of being on stage help light the fire to get into acting?

I grew up on stage, performing at five years old as a singer. Being on stage has just been a part of me for so long, that dancing was just another thing that led me down the road. I ended up in NYC after graduation, thinking I would be a professional dancer, but I realized that it wasn’t going to happen. I came back to Atlanta and pursued college, took some acting classes in between, and worked on that craft. Doors started flying open for me during my first year in acting, and I was able to land a part in a Robert Altman film.

With a steady stream of credits dating back 10 years on your IMDB page, what has been your secret to continually snagging parts?

Steady growth, moments where it’s busier than others, but there are times where I was ready to quit. You have to stick it out there and hope something bites. It’s like a war out there searching for opportunities, you feel like you’re always putting on the battle suit. I am continually looking for opportunities to stretch and grow as an actress.

How do you keep yourself busy when you are not working with films?

I have a wonderful job teaching at the Dance Theater of Dalton, as a jazz instructor for company girls (in middle and high school) and also get to work with the younger girls. I also have a home studio where I do voice and acting instruction two days a week. I’m excited to be able to provide that opportunity in Dalton to kids, as I would have loved to have had that chance when I was younger. Working with kids, I am also able to use my degree in Education.

Any projects in the pipeline that we can get excited about maybe showing at a/perture?

I have a small role in a Robert Redford movie, The Conspirator. I was cast as a southern actress., but ended up being one of the Union supporters, which didn’t really work. Robert Redford came up to me and told me to “lose the accent”. They asked if I could do it, tried, and thankfully pleasantly surprised them, so that was nice.

In 50 words or less, describe the movie Get Low.

Amazing acting, beautiful cinematography, southern movie at its best, nails the understanding of the eccentricity of the characters.

In 10 words or less, convince our readers they should come see the movie this weekend.

Besides the stellar cast, everybody who was part of this film was amazing at what they were doing. Also, it’s a great opportunity to support the south.

I totally went over there – how about this? Because it’s really, really brilliant.

Tell us a little about your character and how she fits into the story.

Lucas Black runs the funeral home with Bill Murray. I play Lucas’s wife, helping to establish his back story as young husband/father. Friends with Sissy’s character as well, help develop that story as well.

I am sure you have been asked a million times now what it was like working with Robert Duvall, Bill Murray, and Sissy Spacek, among others, so I’ll flip it – how do you think they felt about working with you?

Who the heck knows! I hope they enjoyed my company and that I didn’t get in their way. I was amazed at how gracious they were and really sat back and enjoyed their craft.

I saw where you were able to attend the Toronto International Film Festival last year, as Get Low was one of the special screenings (2010 edition coming up in a few weeks!). What was that experience like? Out of curiosity, did your husband get to go? Just wanted a frame of reference for me being left behind (for the second consecutive year).

I was mostly the unknown, everybody was kind and gracious, which they didn’t have to do. I got to experience the parties and the red carpet - it was a fun celebration for all of us. After filming and hanging out in February and March to come together in September, and be bought by SPC a few days later, was amazing and well deserved for everyone. I actually went with my sister-in-law, so no help for you there.

Be honest, do you even remember who I am from Dalton, or did you immediately pick up the phone to get a restraining order when I blindly reached out to you?

I did not get a restraining order, but I did have to look you up. As a senior it's hard to remember the freshman, but when someone says they are from Dalton, I’m ready to help however.

Your thoughts on having a funeral party while still alive?

I think it would be kind of fun! Hope it’s not for Felix Bush’s reasons, but just to get together with all the people you love would be a blast.

Move over Charlie Rose, here I come.