by Phil Mann
There’s a lot going on this week.
Let’s take it day-by-day.
On Friday, the Visiting Filmmaker
Series brings in Kevin Hanlon, the director of the new documentary BILL
W., about Bill Wilson, the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. Wilson
was a modest man, committed to the low-profile ethos of AA, refusing even an
honorary degree from Yale. But Time Magazine named him one of the most
influential men of the 20th Century, for his role in creating a
program that has provided a lifeline for millions and spawned imitators for
other addictions.
The film, eight years in the making,
is full of recovered images and footage of Wilson, and captures the history of
the program as well as his contributions. “Laudatory but never simplistic, Bill W. is a thoroughly
engrossing portrait of Wilson, his times and the visionary fellowship that is
his legacy.” (Sheri Linden, L.A. Times)
Mr. Hanlon will attend the 6:45PM show
on Friday, and take questions afterward. The movie will be running all week.
Also opening Friday is DARK
HORSE, the latest from provocative filmmaker Todd Solondz. He’s known
for his dark comedies, about sweet characters like pedophiles (Happiness, Life During Wartime). As he
puts it: "There's good
laughter and bad laughter. As long as they're not laughing at the expense of
any of these characters, it's OK. My films are comedies, but they're sad
comedies …." By that
standard, Dark Horse is a barrel of
laughs. The main character Abe (Jordan Gelber) is a 35-year-old loser living at
home and working in his father’s office, while fantasizing about action figures.
His parents, played by Christopher Walken and Mia Farrow, are a couple who make
you understand why he might be messed up. But he thinks he’s found his true
love in Miranda (Selma Blair) a depressed, affectless creature who doesn’t know
how to say no. He wants to marry her and bring her home to live in his room.
“Solondz’s
most waywardly endearing film — his gentlest triumph.” (Richard Corliss, Time
Magazine) “Dark Horse is irritating, baffling, disturbing and hypnotic.” (Colin
Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune)
Saturday
brings two Special Event films.
In the morning,
at 10:30AM, it’s the Kids $1 Movie Club with BLACK STALLION (1979),
the quintessential boy and his horse film. “When I search my brain for the perfect family
movie to please all ages, one of the first titles that always comes to mind is
1979's fantastic adventure, The Black
Stallion." (Michael Booth, Denver Post) With Mickey Rooney as the wise
old horse trainer, even grandparents will be able to indentify.
If this is too refined for you, at noon you can slide over to the August Creature Feature, ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES (1960). Produced by the cheapie horror film master, Roger Corman, it’s drive-in theater nostalgia.
On Monday, the Everything ‘80ties Classic Series features FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH (1982), the original high-school scorcher, starring Jennifer Jason Leigh and Sean Penn, among others.
And on Wednesday, there’s Cinema and Cuisine, a special fund-raiser and screening of JULIE AND JULIA. It’s for the benefit of the American Cancer Society, which selected the film as a tribute to writer/director Nora Ephron. Free food, silent auction and more. Tix only $20.
Meanwhile, the regular movie schedule
rolls on, with BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD, SAVAGES, TED, and
BRAVE (in 3D), all held over.
Full info and schedules at TropicCinema.com or TCKW.info
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