Shout it loud and clear

To be honest, when Lawren told me we were opening Today's Special on April 1st, I thought she was either a little off her rocker or that this was some lame attempt at an April Fool's joke. Sure I would love to see the resurrection of the childhood show that paved the way for the hit movie Mannequin and taught me wonderful life lessons from a guy in a plaid hat and a puppet security guard.

Then I learned Today's Special is actually a movie about a chef, who happens to be Indian, but has no desire to cook Indian food. When his father has a heart attack, the struggling family business needs his help and he is forced to reach for the masala. Another comedy, with The Daily Show veteran Aasif Mandvi playing the son, Samir. I was just happy to see Ajay Naidu, who played Samir in Office Space working again. Then I was sad for Hollywood and my people that every major character in films had to be named Samir. Good news is that this is another light-hearted, easy to digest film (unlike the chicken vindaloo I had the other week) that this Hollywood Reporter critic believes you must see. Check out the trailer:

Two-thirds of our staff has already requested the week off to hit the Indian buffet after watching that trailer.

L'illusionniste

Today's blog was appropriately contributed by Genevieve..l'artiste...

If you found the visual storytelling and colorful characters of The Triplets of Belleville to be a nice departure from the highly-polished look of today's CGI animation, you will definitely want to catch The Illusionist. If you haven't seen Triplets and desperately need a break from the typical animation formula, you too will definitely want to catch The Illusionist.

Director Sylvain Chomet delivers an impressive visual follow-up to his earlier work in this stunning film, again not following a formulaic method of storytelling. One of the most amazing qualities about The Illusionist is the way that the scenes are at once still works of art on their own, yet at the same time, they wordlessly tell the story of an aging magician and a young fan who becomes his ward. As a French film set in France and Scotland, there is very little use of dialogue--indeed no subtitles at all. Perhaps in homage to Chaplin's Modern Times, Chomet's magician bumbles through various jobs in order to buy his young friend the things she sees in storefront windows. The characters they encounter are wildly entertaining, but also laced with a dark realism that you just don't get from Disney. Although tinged with this French existentialism, the combination of beauty, humor and reality communicated through animation is startling--and not to be missed.

Rated PG for 'mild thematic elements & smoking,' this film offers something for people of all ages, and I look forward to discussing it with young fans over the next week. (I am seriously dying to get a 5 year-old's reaction to this film!) It's spring break and there are weekday matinees just for you all! Check out the trailer:

It's so hard to say goodbye...

So it's here. The day some of you thought may never come. We say "cheerio" to The King's Speech. Obviously, a lot of mixed emotions here. I have to imagine it's kind of like my parents felt when I left for college - proud of what I'd accomplished, and so used to having me around, but on the flip side, PARTY cause I was out. The only way to properly move on is with a Boyz II Men video...

Oh yeah, I guess Another Year is moving on, too, which means we have two new movies opening this Friday! And in another twist, both are actually comedic in nature. So brush off that St. Patty's Day bender with some laughs by enjoying either Cedar Rapids or Barney's Version. Ed Helms stars in the former as an insurance agent at a convention in the wonderful town of Cedar Rapids. John C. Reilly, Anne Heche, and Isaiah Whitlock, Jr. round out the cast which after typing that I can't imagine why you wouldn't want to see this. Check out the trailer and the review from its premiere at Sundance:

On the other screen, Paul Giamatti shows why he won a Golden Globe in Barney's Version, as he tells his life story and ultimately falls in love at his second wedding (but not to the second wife!). Dustin Hoffman co-stars in this Canadian film. Why do I point out that it's Canadian? Because we all know Americans laugh at everything that is Canadian, eh? I kid, I love our neighbors up north. Another trailer and review...

Bring your four leaf clovers

You know, it's the little things in life that make it all worthwhile - in this case, quite literally, as a deadly little leprechaun graces our screen at a/perture in honor of St. Patrick's Day. What better way to start off your night of celebrating a traditional religious Irish holiday that's become a celebration of all things green here in the states? As your curator takes a break from "films" and watches Jennifer Aniston in The Switch, I'm amazed at how far Ms. Aniston has fallen. I tried to find a review of this movie, but when every one is from a site called "craptastic movies" or "b-movies" and the like, you know no reviewer will do this film justice, and you just have to see it to appreciate it. They wouldn't have made five more (yes, there are five others) if it wasn't quality. For your enjoyment, the trailer for one of my favorite worst movies ever.

And let's hope that this Warwick Davis leprechaun isn't the one that made the rounds in Mobile, Alabama a few years ago...

Another Year

If you've seen either of the Diary of Bridget Jones films, then you are probably just as in love with Jim Broadbent, the actor who plays Bridget's dad, as I am. If that's the case, then you should venture down to a/perture this week and catch him in Another Year. Seriously, how can you resist?

Another Year can basically be summed up as a film about a married couple who have managed to remain blissfully happy into their autumn years, who are surrounded over the course of the four seasons of one average year by friends, colleagues, and family who all seem to suffer some degree of unhappiness. It's Mike Leigh's latest effort and Another Year has a similar air of melancholy to his previous films including Grown Ups and Secrets and Lies.

This is how Leigh views his films (pulled from a Salon.com interview back in 1996): "Well, I would suggest -- without being too arrogant -- that what you see in my films you mostly don't see in movies. As a kid in the '40s and '50s, I would sit in movies endlessly -- and that's mostly Hollywood and British films we didn't see any other films -- and think wouldn't it be great if you could see people in films like people actually are."

Another Year was nominated for a slew of awards including an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. Actress Lesley Manville was also critically lauded for her performance. Mark Burger from Yes!Weekly says Another Year is a film to cherish. Check out the trailer:

A rabbit in the hole

So today we add another tearjerker to the lineup for Studio 2...it should be the last one for a bit, so come with your hanky if you're headed to that side of a/perture. When I left the theater after seeing Rabbit Hole, I had a similar feeling as to when I watched Terms of Endearment years ago. The subject matter may be sad, but the film is sprinkled with humor and a "light at the end of the tunnel" kind-of-feeling. Rabbit Hole is directed by John Cameron Mitchell and if you are familiar with his biggest hit Hedwig and the Angry Inch, it's really nothing like it. It's a very personal film. John Cameron Mitchell was attracted to the project because at age 14 he lost his 10 year old brother to a heart problem and he says, "It was a sudden, unexpected event. It defined a family forever and recovering from it was something we're still doing."

Nicole Kidman not only stars in the film but she produced it as well (and she was deservedly rewarded with a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her role). Another tidbit, the film is based on a very successful Broadway play written by David Lindsay-Abaire who also penned the script. Nicole read a review of the play (which happened to produce a Tony Award for star Cynthia Nixon in 2006) and her interest was immediately piqued.

Check out the trailer below and the review from Yes! Weekly.

We've also begun to weave in some amazing StoryLine recordings into our pre-show reel, so come early and listen to a local pair's inspired story of a friendship which grew out of loss.

2011 Oscar Wild Arse Guesses

It's that special night again. When Lawren proves she's a better pontificator of all things gambling related when she destroys me in the 4th annual Lawren vs Jigar Oscar Predictions. Being 0-3 in this event, I've resigned myself to defeat, but Lawren claims this has been the hardest year for her predicting, which I think is just lines so that when she does get them all right she looks even smarter. Check out our picks below, and let us know how you do versus us.




But wait, there's a late entrant into the fray! Our picks have all been proven wrong by Iron Mike.

Oscar Talk with Mike Tyson & Leonard Maltin from Mike Tyson

The Pigeon Whisperer, opening at a/perture on April 31st.

Biutiful..pronounced Beeeuteeful

With only a few days left until the Academy Awards, we hope you've got your ballots ready! (we'll be putting our predictions down and hope to publish them over the weekend) In keeping with our long stretch of showing nominated films, we are pleased to add Biutiful to the mix. Biutiful has garnered a nomination for Best Foreign Language Film as well as one for Best Actor for Javier Bardem's stellar performance. Biutiful is directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu whose previous films include Babel, 21 Grams and one of my favorites Amores Perros. Check out the trailer below...

Our most famous local cinephile, Dale Pollock, believes Biutiful is one of the best films of the year, so check out his Movie A Day Blog to learn why. You can also check out the review in Relish.

The Shorter Oscar Fare

So it's time to roll out the red carpet again and celebrate this year's Oscar nominated films - no not the feature films we have pretty much been celebrating all year long, but the other ones...the really small gems. This Saturday, February 19 and next Saturday, February 26 we welcome back the Oscar nominated shorts - both Live Action and Animated.

As said best by our heroes at THE Alamo Drafthouse Cinema...."Just because they're short doesn't make them any less entertaining, important or meaningful. In fact, one could argue that the short film format actually makes the art of filmmaking a greater challenge, considering the microscopic budgets and the narrative limitations of time. James Cameron had 300 million dollars and 10 years to make AVATAR - these wee gems of the cinema are labors of love, not box office returns. Join us for the rare opportunity to watch the best short films of 2010 the way they were meant to be seen, on the BIG screen!"

So here is the schedule and a brief synopsis of the films:

LIVE ACTION SHORTS - 2/19 and 2/26 at 10:00am (yes, two screenings only!!)

THE CONFESSION; United Kingdom; Oscar Nominee: Tanel Toom. Quiet and sincere, 9-year-old Sam is worried about making his first confession at church. As his conscience is clear, he therefore cannot hope for any relief from the experience. He and his friend Jacob decide to remedy that situation, but their initially innocent prank turns unexpectedly tragic. (26 min.)

THE CRUSH; Ireland; Oscar Nominee: Michael Creagh. An 8-year-old schoolboy is so besotted with his teacher that he challenges her boyfriend to a duel to the death. (15 min.)

GOD OF LOVE; USA; Oscar Nominee: Luke Matheny. Lounge-singing darts champion Raymond Goodfellow finds his prayers are answered -- literally -- when he receives a mysterious package of passion-inducing darts. The catch is that the one woman he loves -- Kelly, a drummer in his band -- is already in love with Ray's best friend Fozzie, the guitarist in the band. But when Ray uses the darts in a loony scheme to resolve this strange romantic triangle, he learns a surprising lesson about unrequited love and discovers his own place in the universe. Romance is in the air in this bohemian charmer. (18 min.)

NA WEWE; Belgium; Oscar Nominee: Ivan Goldschmidt. 1994: There is civil war in Burundi, a small country of Central Africa directly bordering Rwanda. A near genocidal confrontation opposes rebels mainly composed of ethnic Hutus and a national army with a majority of Tutsis. This short film relates a sadly frequent episode of this fratricidal conflict: the attack by rebels of a minivan carrying ordinary citizens. A Kalashnikov bursts out. The bus stops, the passengers get off. An order is barked: "Hutus to the left, Tutsis to the right!" The sorting out begins. But who is a Hutu, who is a Tutsi? This story is entirely based on real people and situations. It was written by a person who has lived in the beauty of Burundi and suffered its horrors. With emotion, suspense and humor it exposes the absurdity of ethnic and racial strife. "NA WEWE" (pronounce "Na wayway") means "You too" in Kirundi. (19 min.)

WISH 143; United Kingdom; Oscar Nominees: Ian Barnes and Samantha Waite. A fifteen-year-old boy with only months to live is granted one wish from the Dreamscape Charity. But David doesn't want to go to Disneyland or meet Gary Neville; what he really wants is an hour alone with a naked woman. (24 min.)

ANIMATED SHORTS - 2/19 and 2/26 at 10:15am and 12:15pm (yes, 4 screenings only!!!) So grab breakfast on the way and bring your kids!

DAY & NIGHT; USA; Oscar Nominee: Teddy Newton. When Day, a sunny fellow, encounters Night, a stranger of distinctly darker moods, sparks fly! Day and Night are frightened and suspicious of each other at first, and quickly get off on the wrong foot. But as they discover each other's unique qualities - and come to realize that each of them offers a different window onto the same world - the friendship helps both to gain a new perspective. (6 min.)

THE GRUFFALO; United Kingdom & Germany; Oscar Nominees: Max Lang and Jakob Schuh. The magical tale of a mouse who takes a walk through the woods in search of a nut. Encountering three predators who all wish to eat him - a fox, an owl and a snake - the plucky mouse has to use his wits to survive, creating an imaginary monster who then turns out to be all too real. The voice cast includes Helena Bonham Carter, James Corden, Tom Wilkinson, John Hurt, Rob Brydon and Robbie Coltrane. (27 min.)

LET'S POLLUTE; USA; Oscar Nominee: Geefwee Boedoe. In the spirit of 50's & 60's educational films, 'Let's Pollute' is a modern satire on how pollution is our heritage and keeps our economy growing strong, while instructing us how to be better polluters for a better blighted tomorrow. (6 min.)

THE LOST THING; Australia & United Kingdom; Oscar Nominees: Andrew Ruhemann and Shaun Tan. A boy discovers a bizarre looking creature while out collecting bottle tops at the beach. Realising it is lost, he tries to find out who owns it or where it belongs, but is met with indifference from everyone else, who barely notice its presence, each unwilling to entertain this uninvited interruption to their day to day lives. For reasons he does not explain, the boy empathizes with the creature, and sets out to find a 'place' for it. (15 min.)

MADAGASCAR, CARNET DE VOYAGE (MADAGASCAR, A JOURNEY DIARY); France; Oscar Nominee: Bastien Dubois. A visual travel journal demonstrating the importance of dance, death, and traditional customs present and vibrant in the Malagasy society. (11 min.)

Additional films in the theatrical program (Not among the nominated)

URS (Moritz Mayerhofer, 10 min.)

THE COW THAT WANTED TO BE A HAMBURGER (Bill Plympton, 6 min.)

For all you parents out there here is a link to the official website and trailers for each of the animated films to find out whether they are appropriate for your child (the shorts are not "officially" rated). According to the official facebook page, the Animated films are deemed KID FRIENDLY while the Live Action are not!

Blue is the new pink to Cupid

As I sat down to write this blog, probably one of the most appropriate commercials flashed up on the screen - Unstoppable. If there was ever a film that I would classify as a train wreck, like the movie about a runaway train aforementioned, Blue Valentine would be it. However, I can promise you that not many films will feel as real to you as this one, unlike the made up holiday coming up this Monday (that comment will cost me an extra dozen roses, thanks for nothing Hallmark). Michelle Williams (rightfully nominated for an Oscar) and Ryan Gosling (unrightfully snubbed for an Oscar) are a couple whose routine has made them forget what brought them together in the first place. However, this movie isn't Just Go With It where Adam Sandler probably realizes he loves his somehow plain looking Jennifer Aniston assistant instead of the ridiculously hot Brooklyn Decker (that one cost me a box of chocolates) that he's created a web of lies for. Blue Valentine is about a romance ending and how they got there. Check out the review that was in Relish this week:

Sounds like a real winner for Valentine's Day weekend, right? I'm actually going to argue that it is, as I told my wonderful and lovely wife after watching. For me, it was seeing some of the little things I was doing (intentionally or not) that mimic'd Gosling's character contributing to driving his girl away that helped me realize what I shouldn't be doing. And I think it works the same way for the ladies, so while depressing to a degree, it makes you realize what you should be doing to prove your love to the person you care about the most, and isn't that what February 14th should really be about? Wow, if that last little bit didn't make up for my anti-Valentine's day comments and discussion of another woman's hotness, I don't know what will. We'll score it back at even now. Check out the trailer and see what you think:

And in our tradition (does two times really make it a ritual??) of screening unconventional romantic movies on V-Day, we're using our strictly platonic partnership with RiverRun, the cineclub to show Oscar nominated documentary Waste Land at 8 pm on Monday. Check out their blog for some more info and go ahead and get your tickets, because every restaurant is already booked. Seriously, you're too late. I've been calling everywhere. Can someone get me a table somewhere? I guess I'm in the doghouse again. Rats.

And icing on the cake...we have blueberry lemonade cakeballs!