Santa Cruz Good Times

Friday
May 24th
Text size
  • Increase font size
  • Default font size
  • Decrease font size

Film, Times & Events: Week of July 26th

Thursday, 26 July 2012 00:00 GT_Staff Film - Reviews and Times
 E-mail

film_guide_iconFilms This Week
Check out the movies playing around town.
With: Reviews THE DARK KNIGHT RISES,
Movie Times click here.
Santa Cruz area movie theaters >

.
.
.
.
.
.
.

New This Week

film intouchables
THE INTOUCHABLES 
In this cross-cultural French comedy drama, a wealthy, middle-aged Frenchman rendered quadriplegic in a paragliding accident hires a younger man from a different race, culture, and neighborhood to be his caretaker. Francois Cluzet (Tell No One) and Omar Sy star for directors Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano. (R) 122 minutes. In French with English subtitles. Starts Friday. Watch film trailer >>>

 

film stepup
STEP UP REVOLUTION
Expect more hoodies, baseball caps, and flying tennies in this fourth installment of the dance franchise when a sexy new girl in Miami teams up with a local flash dance mob to stop a developer from bulldozing a historic district. Kathryn McCormick, Ryan Guzman, Cleopatra Coleman, and Misha Gabriel Hamilton star; Scott Speer directs. (PG-13) 97 minutes. Starts Friday. Watch film trailer >>>

film trishna

TRISHNA
Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire) stars in director Michael Winterbottom's sensual adaptation of Thomas Hardy's 19th Century novel of gender and class, Tess of the d'Urbervilles. In a story updated to modern-day India, Pinto plays a young woman whose father loses his job; to support her family, she goes to work for a handsome, predatory benefactor/boss (Riz Ahmed) who whisks her off to Mumbai—where her life becomes conscripted by the demands of family responsibility, sexual politics, and conventional morality. (R) 117 minutes. Watch film trailer >>>

film watch


THE WATCH
Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill, and Richard Ayoade star in this sci-fi buddy comedy as four suburban dads in the Midwest who form a neighborhood watch group to get out of the house once a week, only to find themselves on the front lines when outer space aliens start taking over the town. Rosemarie DeWitt and Billy Crudup co-star for director Akiva Schaffer. (R) Starts Friday. Watch film trailer >>>




 

Film Events

SPECIAL EVENT THIS WEEK: LOU HARRISON: A WORLD OF MUSIC Santa Cruz's own late, much beloved, visionary musical genius, Lou Harrison, takes centerstage in this thoughtful biography of the man and his music by longtime friend, Eva Soltes. Harrison and his longtime partner Bill Colvig discuss their lives and times with open honesty, with musical commentary provided by the likes of Merce Cunningham, Terry Riley, and Michael Tilson Thomas. (Not rated) 92 minutes. Q&A to follow with filmmaker Eva Soltes. At the Del Mar, Monday only (July 30), 7 p.m.

SPECIAL EVENT THIS WEEK: BILL W This new documentary produced and directed by Kevin Hanlon and Dan Carracino explores the life and legacy of William G. Wilson, co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. Using archival video and audio, interviews, and select re-enactments, the filmmakers chart Wilson's life from a down-and-out drunk on the brink of death to a pathfinder helping others kick their addiction. (Not rated) 104 minutes. Q&A to follow with producer/director Dan Carracino. At the Nickelodeon, Tuesday only (July 31), 7 pm.

CONTINUING SERIES: MIDNIGHTS @ THE DEL MAR Eclectic movies for wild & crazy tastes plus great prizes and buckets of fun for only $6.50. This week: DIRTY DANCINGNice, privileged Jewish girl Jennifer Grey and sexy, blue-collar dance instructor Patrick Swayze bust some moves in the Catskills, ca 1963, in Emile Ardolino's dance melodrama from 1987. (PG-13) 100 minutes. (★★1/2)—Lisa Jensen. Fri-Sat midnight only. At the Del Mar. 


CONTINUING SERIES: FLASHBACK FEATURES Oldies and goodies on Thursday nights at the Cinema 9, presented by your genial host, Joe Ferrara. $5 gets you in. This week: GHOSTDeath doesn't quite part Patrick Swayze as the ghost of a murdered man and Demi Moore as the fiancée he leaves behind in Jerry Zucker's appealing 1990 fantasy. The mystery plot is completely obvious, but the romance is irresistible. (PG-13) 127 minutes. (★★★)—Lisa Jensen. Thursday only (July 26), 9 p.m., at the Cinema 9. 


CONTINUING EVENT: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE MOVIES This informal movie discussion group meets at the Del Mar mezzanine in downtown Santa Cruz. Movie junkies are invited to join in on Wednesday nights to discuss current flicks with a rotating series of guest moderators. Discussion begins at 7 pm and admission is free. For more information visit www.ltatm.org.

Movie Times click here.

Now Playing

THE AMAZING SPIDER MAN With his goofy, youthful sense of righteousness, Andrew Garfield pumps fresh new spider venom into the role of teenage Peter Parker in this new reboot from director Marc Webb (500 Days of Summer). It's an origin story in which the teen science nerd and shutterbug investigates the skullduggery his parents were up to at the time of their mysterious plane crash; the trail leads to his father's former partner (Rhys Ifans), a scientist whose work in inter-species genetics turns him into the maniacal evildoer, The Lizard. Meanwhile, spider-bitten Peter faces more than the usual teen identity crisis trying to take responsibility for his new web-slinging powers. Neither Garfield nor designated girlfriend Emma Stone look like high school kids, dubious plot holes include Peter wandering behind the scenes at a top-secret facility unnoticed, and a sterile, high-tech lab set up in a sewer, and too often in the web-slinging scenes, the CGI Spidey gets lost in all the flash and dazzle of the cityscapes. But Denis Leary does a wry turn as the police chief, and the movie scores points for exuberance. (PG-13) 136 minutes. (★★★)—Lisa Jensen. 


BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD Rarely has a coming-of-age story been told with such engrossing originality as in this remarkable first feature from Benh Zeitlin, infused with elements of fairy tale, folklore and magic realism. At it's center is a tiny dynamo named Quvenzhané Wallis, the non-professional actress who stars as a philosophical six-year-old girl living with her volatile Daddy in the Southern Delta when a giagantic storm throws Nature out of balance. Wallis is onscreen in every scene, and we never get tired of her poignant, expressive little face. In a story brimming with themes and metaphors, it offers a compelling portrait of a marginalized lowland community coming together with quiet resolve in the face of catastrophe. But it's the child's viewpoint—an irresistible mix of awe, trepidation, and grit—that makes the film so special. (PG-13) 91 minutes. (★★★1/2) —Lisa Jensen. 


THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL The perfect antidote to the summer blockbuster season, this is a wistful, humorous, grown-up story of love, loss, family, identity, and the ever-present whooshing of time's wingéd chariot. Its splendid ensemble cast play Englishmen and women of a certain age, gobsmacked by circumstances, who decide to "outsource" their retirement to sunny, inexpensive India. Adapted from the novel, "These Foolish Things," by Deborah Moggach, It's directed with quiet affection and precision by John Madden (Shakespeare In Love; The Debt.) The plotlines are fairly predictable, and it all relies a bit much on inspirational messaging, but it's still an enormous pleasure to watch pros like Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, and a deliciously acerbic Maggie Smith. (PG-13) 124 minutes. (★★★) —Lisa Jensen. 


BRAVE So many fairy tales feature a wicked stepmother, or negligent parents, it's refreshing to see one devoted to the loving, if sometimes fraught relationship between a mother and daughter. Underlying the magic, adventure, and comedy in this Disney- Pixar collaboration is a family tale in which a girl's best friend proves to be her mother—and vice-versa. That rare Disney cartoon spun from a completely original story (by co-director Brenda Chapman), it's the first "Disney Princess" movie that doesn't feature a romantic interest. Feisty, appealing young Scot Merida isn't waiting for her prince to come; she's too busy finding herself. Kelly Macdonald, Emma Thompson and Billy Connolly provide lively voices, and the feminine/feminist viewpoint gives the story a cheeky, modern YA vibe. (PG) 93 minutes. (★★★1/2) —Lisa Jensen. 


THE DARK KNIGHT RISES Reviewed this issue. (PG-13) 164 minutes. (★★★) 


ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT When a cataclysm upsets their natural world and ther polar ice cap is set adrft, prehistoric adventurers Manny, Diego, Sid (and Scrat) sail the high seas, encountering sea critters and pirates. Ray Romano, John Leguizamo ad Denis Leary return as the principal voice cast. Guest voices are provided by Queen Latifah, Jennifer Lopez, Joy Behar, Wanda Sykes, Peter Dinklage, and Nicki Minaj. Steve Martino and Michael Thurmeier direct. (PG) 87 minutes.

MAGIC MIKE So very Steven Soderbergh and also so very surprising. Judging by the previews, you would think this film is another Hollywood cookie-cutter comedy. But it’s not. And the dialogue and pace of the film immediately assure you of that from the get-go. Channing Tatum plays a man who moonlights as a male stripper—culling from his own life experience. He’s the mentor to new kid, Alex Pettyfer, who, emits about as much charm as a tired hounddog—the man is horribly miscast. Matthew McConaughey also stars as the leader of a male posse of strippers. The film could use even a little more depth—although the kind you find here does lure you in—but it eventually stumbles and feels like a latter day Flashdance by way of a more mature Showgirls. Still, hats off—or is that thongs?—to Soderbergh and company for keeping us interested in more than the guy’s flesh here. (R) (★★1/2) —Greg Archer. 


MOONRISE KINGDOM This could be Wes Anderson’s (Rushmore; Fantastic Mr. Fox) to date. it’s a quriky little love story revolving around two 12-year-olds and boy, does it have a lot of heart. Set in 1965 in a sleepy New England coastal community, the two young ones run off together. Meanwhile, the entire town is tossed into an upheaval trying to find them. Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, and Jason Schwartzman all co-star. Willis plays the island cop; Norton a troubled scout master and Murray/McDormand the young girl’s mother. Newcomers Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward so beautifully inhabit their roles that you don’t want them to leave the screen. Anderson also co-wrote this outing, which, could turn into one of the summer’s more memorable offerings. (PG-13) 97 minutes. (★★★1/2) —Greg Archer. 


SAVAGES Oliver Stone delivers a powerful film with this drug thriller about two successful pot-growers who are forced to go up against an even more powerful, downright viscious Mexican drug cartel when their mutual girlfriend is kidnapped. Aaron Johnson and Taylor Kitsch are engaging as the leads Blake Lively does well, too. Benicio Del Toro—always a pleasure to watch because his acting is seamless—stands out as the right-hand man of drug queen Salma Hayek, who turns in one of the best performances of her career. John Travolta also stars in this gritty, suspenseful ride. (Take note: explicit scenes of violence.) (R) (★★★1/2) —Greg Archer 


TAKE THIS WALTZ Is there something innately unsatisfying about married love? There are moments of insight and feeling in director Sarah Polley's second feature, thanks to (yet) another exceptional performance by Michelle Williams, and fine support from Seth Rogen as her stable hubby, and Luke Kirby as the sexy new neighbor she's drawn to. But Polley can't quite seal the deal, plotwise. William's overly scripted (yet underdeveloped) character has little motivation beyond giddy impulse. Polley seems to believe the five-year-itch cycle she describes is so universal, it doesn't require any kind of deeper exploration. (R) 116 minutes. (★★1/2)—Lisa Jensen. 


TED Brace yourself—it’s actually pretty good. Mark Wahlberg headlines this quirky comedy that comes from the mind of Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy). And the tale about a boy and the childhood teddy who comes to life and accompanies him everywhere well into his adult life is engaging and humorous. MacFarlane also had a hand in the script, and the film’s pace and dialogue are crisp with few scenes feeling wasted at all. Mila Kunis, Giovanni Ribisi (a wonderful performance here), and Patrick Warburton co-star. MacFarlane also provides the voice of Ted. (R) (★★★) —Greg Archer 


TO ROME WITH LOVE There’s a temptation to compare this outing to writer-director Woody Allen’s last endeavor, Midnight in Paris—last year’s movie gem—but that would deflect from the charm and comedy you can find here. It’s a totally different ride yet very Allen-esque in its delivery as it revolves around a group lovers and dreamers in Rome. It’s the latter that takes center stage as much of the film wanders into the allure and romantic nature of Rome and how people tend to get swept away by it. Allen co-stars with Jesse Eisenberg, Ellen Page, Penelope Cruz, Alec Baldwin, and Judy Davis, who’s offered the best lines here. The short vignettes work although the film tends to stumble here and there with its pacing and timing. But aside from that, the performances sparkle and it’s great to see Allen on screen again. (R) 102 minutes. Starts Friday (★★★) —Greg Archer.

Comments (0)Add Comment

Write comment
smaller | bigger

busy
< Prev   Next >
 

Share this on your social networks

Bookmark and Share

Share this

Bookmark and Share

  • Search

    •  

    Free Angela

    Political activist and UC Santa Cruz Professor Emerita Angela Davis commands the spotlight in a riveting new documentary. PLUS:  UCSC’s Bettina Aptheker opens up about the political upheavals of the ’60s and ’70s—and today. Angela Davis is not a human being who can be easily summed up in several sentences or paragraphs—books maybe, but, even then, capturing the political activist, scholar and author in the most comprehensive light is downright complex. That’s because Davis is an undeniably unique political creature, one who should be seen and heard to be fully absorbed and downloaded. Which is what makes Free Angela and All Political Prisoners, the new documentary about Davis and the turbulent political upheavals she faced during the late-1960s and ’70s, so inviting. In it, filmmaker Shola Lynch marks the 40th anniversary of Davis’ acquittal on charges of murder, kidnapping and conspiracy with a historical vérité style of filmmaking to illuminate a side of Davis few may have seen (or can recall), and captures the events that thrust the woman into one of the most fascinating orbits of notoriety and political intrigue of the 20th century.

     

    No Big Surprises

    The highly anticipated draft Environmental Impact Report for desal is finally out. Will it change anything? When scwd2, the group pursuing the proposed joint desalination plant for the Santa Cruz Water Department and Soquel Creek Water District, set up a booth at the Santa Cruz Earth Day festival in 2012, its reception was less than warm. Signature gathering for Measure P, the “right to vote” on desal ballot measure, was in full swing, as were tensions over the controversial project, which would produce up to 2.5 million gallons per day of desalinated water and cost an estimated $100 million. What were representatives of an energy-intensive desal plant doing among the recycling and conservation booths? That was the attitude Melanie Mow Schumacher, public outreach coordinator for scwd2 (pronounced “squid squared”), remembers sensing.

     

    The Maya-Ixil Move Forward

    Local nonprofit works to educate and create opportunity for indigenous communities in Guatemala In an isolated region of the Guatemala mountains called Ixil, the indigenous Maya population was devastated by a civil war between the government and leftist guerrilla factions that spanned 1960 to 1996. During that 36-year war, the Guatemalan military eradicated entire Mayan communities. In what amounted to genocide, soldiers burned Mayan farmlands and homes, raped and tortured the people, and scattered families. By the end of the war, 200,000 Mayans had been killed, 7,000 of whom were Maya-Ixil.

     

    Public Thinking

    Watsonville teens host TEDx event Santa Cruz County is no stranger to the TED brand. TED—which stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design—talks have come to the area through independently organized events 10 times since 2011. This month, the gathering returns to the county with a new twist, thanks to the Watsonville Youth City Council. TEDxYouth@Watsonville, which will take place Sunday, May 19 at the Henry J. Mello Center for the Performing Arts in Watsonville, will feature only speakers younger than 19 years old and will traverse topics from racial stereotypes and renewable energy to traditional Mexican dance.

     

    Transoceana

    Danny Moriarty’s musical influences have been known to impact his life beyond his local rock band, Transoceana. “I went through two periods,” confesses the singer, guitarist and songwriter. “I borrowed Bono’s mullet look from the ’80s for a while, and then I dressed like I was from the ’70s and had big hair like Jimmy Page.” Bono and Page are also symbolic of Transoceana’s evolution as a band during their three years together.

     

    Cruzin’ for Inspiration

    Former resident pays homage to Santa Cruz with locally shot thesis film When he left Santa Cruz for the University of Southern California’s graduate film program in 2010, Christopher Guerrero had completed the film major at UC Santa Cruz in 2008 and worked on campus in the film and digital media department. It wasn’t until he headed south, that Guerrero began to reminisce about the coastal town. “It was really really hard when I moved to L.A., to acclimate and find friends,” he says, adding that—counter to the philosophical, conversational culture of Santa Cruz—he found nowhere in his new town where he could simply sit and talk about life with someone. “I didn’t really realize why I love [Santa Cruz] so much until it was gone.”

     

    Beck to the Future

    In celebration of Beck’s solo acoustic show at The Rio, GT explores Song Reader, the alternative rock icon’s most ambitious interactive art piece yet. Here’s an odd little paradox of the digital revolution: The more sophisticated our technology gets, the more our musical milieu begins to resemble that of a bygone era, when song ideas were passed around from musician to musician, perpetually taking on new twists. Dozens of different YouTube users might try their hand at setting somebody’s rant about cats or double rainbows to music, or you might hear the Belgian musician Gotye turning the many and varied covers of his song “Somebody That I Used to Know” into a virtual orchestra (see below).

     

    Growing Berries Without Bromide

    Researchers test a new alternative to a controversial chemical The scarecrows perched in Santa Cruz strawberry fields do little to scare away the birds, much less the insects and fungi harbored in the soil. Everything likes to eat strawberries, which makes growing them a risky business. This predicament led UC Santa Cruz professor Carol Shennan to take an unconventional approach to pest management. Nine years ago, the fatal plant disease Verticillium wilt was wiping out strawberry plants at the university farm. Chemicals hardly phase the pathogen, and Shennan saw little improvement with crop rotation, which is typically used to treat infested fields. A visiting plant pathologist from the Netherlands recommended a little-known organic technique called anaerobic soil disinfestation, and, with so few other options, Shennan decided to give it a try. 

     

    Uniting All That Has Been Separated

     

    Legal Battles Drag On

    More than a year after the 75 River St. occupation, four defendants remain embroiled in ongoing case  More than a year and a half since a group occupied the former Wells Fargo building on River Street in an act of protest, felony charges linger on for four of the original defendants and a trial may be imminent. Gabriella Ripley-Phipps, Brent Adams, Cameron Laurendeau and Franklin Alcantara were scheduled to begin trial May 13 in connection with the late 2011 protest. That trial now has been pushed back to September due to scheduling conflicts. The four face a felony charge of vandalism and a misdemeanor for trespassing.
    GTemail_tileTomorow's GTW Today.
    Sign up for Tomorrow's Good Times Today
    Upcoming arts & events

    Latest Comments

     

    The Pleasure of Süda

    Süda is a happening place. As my friend Jan and I were enjoying dinner, every table in the restaurant filled up and nearly all the outdoor seating was occupied as well. Located in the Pleasure Point area, Süda is a magnet for just about everybody hanging out in that neck of the woods.

     

    The Power of Conversation

    Local author Cecile Andrews emphasizes importance of community engagement in newest book Cecile Andrews, author of the new book “Living Room Revolution: A Handbook for Conversation, Community and the Common Good,” probably wouldn’t get along too well with Larry David’s character from HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, known for hiding his face and avoiding communication with anyone he runs into on the street. Andrews is a longstanding part-time Santa Cruz (part-time Seattle) resident who says something that’s struck her about this town over the years is people's willingness to participate in a practice she’s dubbed the “Stop and Chat”—which is exactly what it sounds like.

     

    What do you know about Monsanto?

    Santa Cruz | Self Employed  

     

    Best of Santa Cruz County

    The 2013 Santa Cruz County Readers' Poll and Critics’ Picks It’s our biggest issue of the year, and in it, your votes—more than 6,500 of them—determined the winners of The Best of Santa Cruz County Readers’ Poll. New to the long list of local restaurants, shops and other notables that captured your interest: Best Beer Selection, Best Locally Owned Business, Best Customer Service and Best Marijuana Dispensary. In the meantime, many readers were ever so chatty online about potential new categories. Some of the suggestions that stood out: Best Teen Program and Best Web Design/Designer. But what about: Dog Park, Church, Hotel, Local Farm, Therapist (I second that!) or Sports Bar—not to be confused with Bra. Our favorite suggestion: Best Act of Kindness—one reader noted Café Gratitude and the free meals it offered to the Santa Cruz Police Department in the aftermath of recent crimes. Perhaps some of these can be woven into next year’s ballot, so stay tuned. In the meantime, enjoy the following pages and take note of our Critics’ Picks, too, beginning on page 91. A big thanks for voting—and for reading—and an even bigger congratulations to all of the winners. Enjoy.  -Greg Archer, EditorBest of Santa Cruz County Readers’ Poll INDEX | Shops | Food & Drink | Arts & Entertainment | Health & Fitness | Professionals | The Rest |

     

    Poetic Cellars

    Poetic Cellars makes the most romantic wines. With a verse or two of beautiful poetry on every label, mostly poems of love and romance, this is the perfect wine to open up over dinner with your sweetheart. I particularly love winemaker Katy Lovell’s Syrah ($28) with its voluptuous velvety textures and dark fruit flavors.

     

    The Gypsy

    French-born jazz vocalist Cyrille Aimée lives for musical freedom and improvisation Cyrille Aimée is a musical gypsy. Her sound incorporates elements of Latin American, American, Brazilian and other styles of jazz, she has recorded albums as a duet with Diego Figueiredo, she currently performs with the Surreal (same pronunciation as her first name) Band, and she is working on a new album with yet another band. As it happens, Aimée can actually blame gypsies for her love of jazz. “I grew up in Samois-sur-Seine, which is a little town in France where Django Reinhardt used to live,” she says. “Every year they have the Django Festival in his honor, and so gypsies from all parts of Europe come and honor him and play guitar. I started hanging out with the gypsies and became obsessed with their music, their way of living, their freedom. What drew me to jazz music was the freedom of it, all the improvisation, and the fact that it’s a style of music that is constantly changing.”

     

    May Day in the Alps

    When my daughter returns to Santa Cruz from her new home in Los Angeles, she comments on how quiet it is here. It was even more so during a trip to Ben Lomond, when we set out for a sample of her second favorite macaroni and cheese. Sitting at the front of the Tyrolean Inn restaurant, the green tarp with plastic windows kept out the chill as well as the noise of an occasional passing car. A new draft beer celebrating the German spring, Maibok ($6) was refreshing, served in a hefty glass stein, but specialty cocktails are unique as well.

     

    Exposed

    David Cay Johnston’s new book explains how big companies rob us blind In his late teens David Cay Johnston started to ask questions. “Why do we have these guys in uniforms with guns driving around in cars all day?” “Why is the Santa Cruz County Courthouse being built in such an unusual shape?” He wrote an article, while still living in his hometown of Santa Cruz, proving that the off-kilter courthouse building, which officials had promised would save money, actually cost more than a conventional building.

     

    What are you a total sucker for?

    A cold beer after a long bike ride, gossip, and fighting over politics. Kyle McKinley Santa Cruz | Lecturer