Hey, all. Mike here with the rest of the films to catch in October. I call this the Halloween edition, mostly because all of the films I have an interest and make time to see are horror flicks. There is all The Third Man at Symphony Space and War and Peace at the Film Forum. But I've done the former, and have no time or enough money to take the time to catch it right now. And as for War and Peace, it's 6 hrs, 51 minutes, split into 2 parts, each with separate admission with an intermission for each part. If this sends me to cinephile purgatory, so be it, but no way on God's green earth will i sit through a 6 hr 51 min film. Never mind the chance to catch on two separate days. This doesn't sound like fun, this sounds like homework.
Since these are mostly horror flicks, I don't know a lot of people excited about catching these flicks. Therefore, I've been dreading getting around to putting a list up. But put it up, I will. Here we go:
TIM BURTON'S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS IN 3-D- Sun Oct 21- Thurs Nov 4 in the Ziegfeld at Noon, 2:15, 4:30, 7 and 9:15- and from Sun Oct 21 to either Thurs Nov 4 or Thurs Nov 11 at Regal Union Square Stadium 14 (850 Broadway) at 11am, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11pm(weekends only)- and AMC Empire 25 (W. 42nd st and 8th ave.) at 11AM, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11PM- and UA Kaufman Astoria Stadium 14 (35-30 38th St., Astoria) at 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11- The only film I can imagine most of you are interested in. For the second year in a row, Disney is re-releasing Tim Burton's stop motion animation flick for the Halloween season, in 3-D. I should say that this is Tim Burton's in the sense that he co-produced and created the story; his name alone is why this was made.
I've caught this before, but I don't mind seeing this again. In part, because I know a lot of people who would enjoy this on the big screen who missed the first time, or have never seen it. Now this last thought shouldn't be a shock. Yes, Nightmare is profitable when compared to say, Meet The Robinsons, Treasure Planet, Disney's Atlantis, or everything from Dreamworks Animation that isn't CGI. But compared to Pixar flicks, or Disney's flicks that came out slightly earlier like Aladdin and The Little Mermaid, this is a cult film.
Nightmare might feel sluggish on TV, but on the big screen, it moves quickly. The songs are zippy, Danny Elfman does a terrific job singing as Jack Skellington, and just when it seems like they can't do anything else with the story, the film is over. No major amounts of time-wasting backstory here. And Disney did a terrific job with the 3-D animation. The musical numbers for me, come off best with this process. Hopefully, they'll do with this re-release what they did last year, which was have an old Pixar short converted into 3-D, play before the film. Last year was Knick-Knack; let's see what they do this year.
The best screen to catch it around here is the Ziegfeld, though it's only playing for two weeks. The whole release of this will only be three weeks, so I'm guessing the other locations will have them for that long. Don't know for sure, it's a guess. For those going with me, if it ain't the Ziegfeld, I can get into any AMC/Lowes easily, though the Regal Kaufman Astoria (very close to AMMI) is good for me in terms of easy location. I can't make every date or time, but you tell what you can go for, and we'll work from there. Some showtimes are subject to change mainly on the weekdays.
THE LOST BOYS as its being mocked by The Raspberry Brothers for 6.50- Chelsea Clearview Cinema- W. 23rd and 8th- Thurs Oct 25 at 9- Not one of my favorite films. It is directed by Joel Schumacher after all. Hot teenage vampires in California should sound appealing, and it did to some of my generation, as well as the one or two before me, and the three or four after me, thanks to VHS. It did ok business, but it's place in cinema history's dustbin seems complete.
But as a bad film, it is worth catching, and mocking. Jason Patric and Corey Haim compete for the title of Most Whiny Brother. Kiefer Sutherland is more annoying than scary. There's another Corey in the film, but who cares. Jami Gertz looks pretty, but then she has to speak. And this was not the best follow-up for Dianne Wiest, after her Oscar winning performance in Hannah and Her Sisters (and the less said about her hideous Mia Farrow-esque haircut, the better).
And mocking The Lost Boys is what The Raspberry Brothers intend to do? Who are they? I have no idea. Never heard of them until I looked up the film and time. But if you know TV shows like Mystery Science Theater 3000 or Cheap Seats, then you know what is coming up. Are there films that deserve to be mocked more than The Lost Boys? Yes, but this will do for now. Kind of sounds like the death penalty. Anyway, moving on . . .
CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST- Sat Oct 27 at Midnight- Landmark Sunshine Cinema- Without a doubt, the grossest and goriest film on the list, and it's not even close. This Italian horror film from 1980 (released in the U.S. in 1984 or 85, not sure which), takes an idea later stolen by the makers of The Blair Witch Project, in terms of confusing audience confusion with fact and fiction (no fact, all fiction). All the kind of film Eli Roth and the makers of Saw are probably jealous they were to young to make. A New York professor recovers documentary reels of a crew missing in the jungle. We see what the crew did to the natives and vice versa. Let's just say, the title seems accurate.
The special effects were so realistic, the director ran into problems. One time, he had to go to court to prove it was fake. Another time, he had to bring the actors to a TV show he was being interviewed, to prove they weren't eaten. The animal killings however, were real, which is the main reason why is was banned at varying times, in almost every country it's been screened. The film actually tries to make a statement about the media's fascination with showing violence no matter what the consequences, but the violence and the effects is what this film is remembered. Not for everybody's taste, but if you're game? Get it, cannibal, taste . . . good lord, this list needs a new writer . . .
NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD- Wed Oct 31 at 6 and 8- MOMA- Here's a chance to hunker down on some classic B and W horror. Enjoy George A. Romero's original zombie flick, as it was meant to be seen: at MOMA. At MOMA?!?!? Sure, why not? If they declare this as art, far be it for me to disagree. Just enjoy.
That's all for now. Let me know. Later all.
No comments:
Post a Comment