Kip Mooney
On The Visit and The Rest Of The Weekend’s New Film Releases.
The Visit.
Director: M. Night Shyamalan.
Writer: M. Night Shyamalan.
Cast: Olivia DeJonge, Ed Oxenbould, Deanna Dunagan, Peter McRobbie.
Playing At: Wide.
Should we continue to give M. Night Shyamalan chances? After a trio of failures (The Happening, The Last Airbender, After Earth), probably not. But here I am just the same, willing to give him yet another shot, because, unlike most found footage films, this one seems to actually be having a bit of fun. Even at his best, Shyamalan never seemed to have much fun. So count me in for this horror flick about kids going to visit their murderous grandparents.
The Perfect Guy.
Director: David M. Rosenthal.
Writer: Tyger Williams.
Cast: Sanaa Lathan, Michael Ealy, Morris Chestnut, Rutina Wesley.
Playing At: Wide.
It’s the sexiest thriller of 1993! But, seriously, this is another ludicrous potboiler with an overqualified cast, like last year’s No Good Deed. Here, Sanaa Lathan plays a woman who ends a troubled relationship and starts up an affair with a new guy. But one of them is definitely going to try to kill her. Which one? I say wait 'til this one's on Cinemax to find out.
90 Minutes in Heaven.
Director: Michael Polish.
Writer: Michael Polish.
Cast: Hayden Christensen, Kate Bosworth, Hudson Meek, Bobby Batson.
Playing At: Wide.
If you've spent any time in a Southern Baptist church, you've heard the story of Don Piper, who was legally dead for more than an hour after a car accident before being revived. He claims he saw heaven during his time out. Now his story is being dramatized for the big screen, riding a wave of Christian box office hits like God's Not Dead and War Room. Hayden Christensen — of all people — plays Piper. I'm hoping there's a little bit of an edge to this version, since director Michael Polish has done some more out-there films like Northfork and Twin Falls, Idaho.
The Look of Silence.
Director: Joshua Oppenheimer.
Playing At: Texas Theatre.
Director Joshua Oppenheimer returns to Indonesia after his devastating Oscar-nominated documentary The Act of Killing, this time to narrow in on an optometrist who confronts the people who slaughtered his family as part of the genocide that took place in 1965 and 1966. This one's not for the faint of heart, but our Angela Jones says it's definitely worth the watch.
Learning to Drive.
Director: Isabel Coixet.
Writer: Sarah Kernochan.
Cast: Patricia Clarkson, Ben Kingsley, Grace Gummer, Jake Weber.
Playing At: Angelika Dallas.
This one's a clear case of a romantic comedy overcoming its cliches with a terrific cast. Here, the lovely Patricia Clarkson plays Wendy, a recently divorced New Yorker who takes driving classes for the first time from Darwan (Ben Kingsley). Will they end up falling for each other? Of course! But it should be a pleasant experience for everyone.
The Second Mother.
Director: Anna Muylaert.
Writer: Anna Muylaert.
Cast: Regina Case, Camila Mardila, Michael Joelsas, Karine Teles.
Playing At: Angelika Dallas.
It’s a rough time for all when Jessica (Camila Mardila) shows up after 13 years to reunite with her mom Val (Regina Case). Val's a live-in nanny for a wealthy Sao Paolo family, and Jessica constantly crosses boundaries between relatives and the hired help, throwing both families into disarray. The film won raves at both Berlin and Sundance Film Festivals and former CT film writer Chase Whale called it one of the year’s best films.
Wolf Totem.
Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud.
Writers: Jean-Jacques Annaud, John Collee, Alain Godard, Lu Wei.
Cast: Shaofeng Feng, Shawn Dou, Ankhnyam Rachaa, Yin Zhusheng.
Playing At: AMC NorthPark.
One of the biggest films of all time in China, Wolf Totem tells the story of a young student who retreats to Mongolia during the Chinese revolution of the '60s. There, he befriends a wolf cub and grapples with his identity.
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.
Director: Frank Capra.
Writer: Sidney Buchman.
Cast: Jimmy Stewart, Jean Arthur, Claude Rains, Thomas Mitchell.
Playing At: McKinney Performing Arts Center.
Showing: Friday, September 11.
Holy cow, does the inaugural McKinney Classic Film Festival have a line-up! No joke: These are all bona fide masterpieces. I've highlighted Mr. Smith Goes To Washington here since it's the only one that doesn't take place in a courtroom. In one of Jimmy Stewart's best and earliest performances, he plays the only noble Senator left, and he filibusters his way into the hearts of the American people after some of his shady colleagues try to discredit his bill. Keep in mind, this was 1939 and people were already fed up with Congress' bullshit. Anyway, the fest runs through Sunday and, on Saturday night, To Kill a Mockingbird actress Mary Badham (Scout!) will be on the red carpet and will participate in a Q&A. Keep your Go Set a Watchman questions to a minimum.
