June 11, 2003

What to Watch, What to Avoid

As Friday rolls around again, it's time for Cinecultist to weigh in on the weekly batch of cinematic fare Hollywood and beyond is serving up for us. As usual, there is a mixed bag, and CC correspondents would feel remis if they were not to provide proper warning of the almost certain duds that will lurk in your local multiplex. This weekend appears to be the calm before the storm of true summer blockbusters roll in, starting next week with Ang Lee's The Hulk. But here are a few things to catch, and a few to avoid unless paid vast sums of money (preferably in the hundreds of thousands).

WHAT TO SPEND TEN DOLLARS ON
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Film Forum kicks off its Ernst Lubitsch festival this Friday, which lasts until July 3rd. Be sure to catch Lubitsch's tale of two thieves, Trouble in Paradise, showing Friday through next Thursday.


In the limited release category, there are two, albeit wildly different, options.
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Helena Bonham Carter, Olivia Williams (we've missed you since Rushmore!) and Paul "Mr. Jennifer Connelly" Bettany team up in Thaddeus O'Sullivan's The Heart of Me. Bonham Carter and Williams play sisters, one of whom marries Bettany and the other has an affair with him, with the expected dire British consequences. Shocking!

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From Down Under, we have Rachel Grifiths and Guy Pearce in Scott Robert's The Hard Word. Not only is this a gangster film, Aussie style, it boasts two excellent Australians unadorned with fake American accents (though RG plays a believable Yank in Six Feet Under and GP had no problem blending into middle-America in Memento). Accents or no accents, this film looks promising.

AND NOW, WHAT TO WATCH ONLY IF A)FORCED AT GUNPOINT OR B)100 DEGREE WEATHER AND A BROKEN AIR CONDITIONER NECESSITATE IT
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Even though he may vaguely resemble the Indiana Jones we know and love, Cinecultist implores you to stay away from Hollywood Homicide. For reasons unknown (can anyone say money?), Harrison Ford and Josh "Unibrow" Hartnett have teamed up for a lame buddy cop film whose previews make PCC cringe. Sadly, it appears that Han Solo has joined the Dark Side.

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And finally, a movie that can't even manage to have a grammatically correct title, Cinecultist does not recommend Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry met Lloyd. CC correspondents are trying to ignore the fact that a certain Mr. Eugene Levy costars in this disasterous prequel. Perhaps those eyebrows clouded his judgement. Just remember that the original stars, Jim and Jeff, and the original directors, the Farrelly Bros., stayed away from this one. Beware!

Posted by jordan at June 11, 2003 9:27 PM