What, so Cinefranco, Images and “Essential Killing” aren’t enough to keep you busy this weekend? Of course they’re not. You need movies! Half a dozen, at least! And here they are …
“Exit 67”: Director Bastian Jephte offers a Haitian-Canadian spin on “Menace II Society”, with a young gangster (Henri Pardo) trying to do right while living wrong. Rad is unimpressed.
“happythankyoumoreplease”: Apparently tired of waiting for true love on “How I Met Your Mother”, Josh Radnor demonstrates that there is no fate but what we make with this indie tale of New Yorkers looking for their happy endings. Susan’s semi-positive review avoids the “Garden State” comparison — which is more than almost everyone else has done.
“Hop“: Yes, it looks like an unconscionably cutesy animated movie about the Easter Bunny. But trust me — trust me — Tim Hill’s subversive little comedy is much smarter, sillier and flat-out weirder than the marketing would have you believe. Except for Hank Azaria as the inexplicably Spanish-accented bad guy; he’s pretty much what you’d expect, a cross between Agador Spartacus from “The Birdcage” and Bartok the bat. That, the movie doesn’t need.
“Insidious“: “Saw” creators James Wan and Leigh Whannell join forces with “Paranormal Activity” dreadmeister Oren Peli to deliver a very quiet, very measured shocker. The first half is almost excruciatingly good; the second half turns into a clumsy “Poltergeist” knockoff. But oh, that first half …
“The Last Godfather”: Korean actor-director Hyung-rae Shim does his best Benigni as the idiot son of a crime boss (Harvey Keitel — hey, “Life on Mars” got cancelled, guy’s gotta eat) who has to fill his father’s shoes. Apparently this is the Korean version of “Corky Romano”. I’d take that as a warning, myself.
“Monogamy“: Dana Adam Shapiro’s mumblecore drama about a photographer (Chris Messina) who becomes obsessed with a hot blonde subject doesn’t do anything particularly interesting with the material, but Rashida Jones is quietly terrific in a supporting role that should have been much, much bigger.
“La Nostra Vida”: The latest from Daniele Luchetti (“My Brother Is an Only Child”) is a drama about a construction foreman (Cannes award-winner Elio Germano) bent on keeping his splintering family together. Susan thought it was okay; it’s on Netflix now and hits DVD Tuesday, if you don’t feel like leaving the house.
“Source Code“: Jake Gyllenhaal is forced to relive the last eight minutes of a dead man’s life in order to solve the bombing that killed him — while Duncan Jones reprises “Moon” in another sci-fi endeavor that lets him indulge his apparent fascination with isolation and repetition. I liked this one a little better, but it’s still got some massive problems.
“Winter in Wartime”: In the Nazi-occupied Netherlands, a teenage boy is drawn into the resistance when he comes to the aid of a downed British pilot. Susan thought it had its moments, which to me makes it instantly more interesting than “Max Manus”.
And now you know the rest of the story. But never mind all these new movies — you’re coming down to the Underground for that “MacGruber” screening, aren’t you? 7 pm sharp, admission $10, and it’s all for charity. If you don’t attend, Val Kilmer will be ever so cross …