Weekend at the Movies

Summer continues with another huge blockbuster. Luckily, we’re in New York, so we’ve got plenty of options.

Angels & Demons: Ron Howard confuses me. He used to make great shitty movies, like Backdraft and Willow. Then he made shitty “good” movies like A Beautiful Mind and Cinderella Man. He also narrated and produced what is possibly the greatest television show in history. And now he’s spending his time adapting the most read (and criticized) novels in history. I have not read either novel, nor did I see The Da Vinci Code, so I’m probably not the best authority on this. I’m sure it’ll be entertaining, but judging by the reviews that are coming in, you might want to see Star Trek again instead. It’s playing at the Pavilion, United Artists on Court Street and Cobble Hill Cinemas (so is Star Trek, mind you).

The Brothers Bloom: The guy who made Brick is now switching from gumshoe detective stories to good old fashion crime capers. Although the movie itself looks a little too silly and quirky for its own good (the trailer makes it seem like Wes Anderson directing Ocean’s 11), I’m sure it’s still worth checking out. Brick was one of my favorite movies of whatever year it came out and has found its way into my personal DVD collection. Whether or not this ends up being a half as good, I think director Rian Johnson still has a great career ahead of him. It’s playing at the Angelika. Of course.

Big Man Japan: This is my pick of the week. A man can grow up to several stories high, and thus decides to defend his native Japan from weird monsters. The special effects look corny but hilarious, in a Stephen Chow kind of way. This looks like a lot of fun. Check out the trailer. It’s playing at Cinema Village.

Management: This movie looks painfully stupid. Steve Zahn falls in love with Jennifer Aniston (as people do) and then…becomes her stalker? Because that’s quirky and charming? I think that’s pretty much the plot. Woody Harrelson, who is always good at playing a tool, looks like he might be the saving grace of the film. It’s playing at BAM, weirdly enough.

Daytime Drinking: Apparently in some parts of Korea there are rules about drinking. For example, you can’t turn down a first drink. Also, you always have to accept a drink from an elder. Daytime Drinking is about a depressed man who wanders into one of these areas and has a perpetual hangover. No showtimes are available yet.

Tonight at the Landmark Sunshine you can see a midnight screening of Woody Allen’s Manhattan. Also, the IFC Center in the west village is screening Full Metal Jacket at midnight.