To Rent This Week: 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days

Hallie Borden tells us why we should add 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days to our rental list...If we can handle it...

4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days has officially risen to #1 on my list of the most disturbing films I’ve ever seen (and bumping Audition to #2 is not easy). Set in Romania during 1987, 4 Months tells the story of a young woman trying to have an illegal abortion. Her friend, Otilia goes to tremendous lengths to help her, and the two undergo a troubling and traumatizing journey over the course of a day.

This is not an enjoyable film by any means. It is pure torture to watch, and you feel a constant pang of guilt, supplemented by periods of disgust and anger. The characters are undoubtedly complex, although we know so little about them that the actions of one day come to define them. This is likely how they feel, too.

While not enjoyable, it is uniquely brilliant. Director Cristian Mungiu lets a static camera sit in on long periods of dialogue where nothing much happens, enhancing the voyeuristic feel, and creating an anxious frustration in the already unsettled audience.

If you don’t mind the few days following the film being tainted with overwhelming discomfort and despair, 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days should top your rental list this week.

Second Thoughts on H2

"Halloween II is either a work of jaw-dropping, unhinged genius, or the most moronic horror film since Ernest Scared Stupid. It may be the effort of a true terror visionary, but this is one auteur who clearly needs his cinematic meds. Fusing references as diverse as David Lynch, Lucio Fulci, and the grindhouse films he grew up loving, this is unmistakably a very personal project. Free from the mandates of studio and suits, it's as if Zombie simply opened up his skull and let every fright flick he's ever seen come pouring out of his brain -- unfiltered, unfocused, and unfathomable."

Bill Gibron penned an interesting, evenhanded review of Rob Zombie's latest, Halloween II over at Filmcritic.com. I'm a long champion of Zombie's work--he's one of a few modern horror directors with a deep understanding of the genre's history, from both cinematic and fanboy perspectives--but I must admit initial apprehension upon hearing of his second foray into the Halloween franchise. I'm definitely looking forward to checking it out now (as well as his rumored future project--a remake of The Blob).


- Phil Morehart

They're Baaaaack?

Rumors abound that this odd clip that recently popped up on Youtube is a part of the viral marketing campaign for the next Cloverfield film. I'm skeptical...

Thoughts?


- Phil Morehart

They're Coming for You, Michael Bay

Not surprisingly, this clip is better than Transformers 2.

- Phil Morehart

Facets' Bitch of the Week: The Pint-Sized Edition

Parents, please, for the love of everything, if you're planning an evening out at your local cineplex, art house theater, wherever, LEAVE THE KIDS AT HOME. Please.

Your three-year-old doesn't want to see District 9. She does want to run around the theater and make as much noise as possible, distracting all around. And your newborn doesn't want to see the new Harry Potter film. AT ALL. It does want to cry, though, making the film impossible to hear.

Now, the children are not entirely at fault here. Kids will be kids. But you, dumb parent, should know better. If you want to go to the movies, you have two options: control your kid or leave them at home with a babysitter. If you can do neither, you forfeit your movie-going privileges until you can. Sorry, but thems the breaks.

Coming next week: Quiet with That Popcorn, Mouthbreather, or: The Birth of the Anti-Movie Theater Concessions Movement


- Phil Morehart

*image shamelessly stolen from unrealitymag.com.

Celebrating Burroughs: "Naked Lunch" at 50

This Friday, August 28 kicks off an exhibition of rarely seen artwork by legendary Beat writer William S. Burroughs at Th!nk Art Salon (1530 N. Paulina), as Chicago joins the worldwide celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of his groundbreaking masterpiece Naked Lunch.

The exhibition runs through September 15, and Friday's launch party is to my mind the "must attend" cultural event of the year. A benefit in support of post-production for the documentary William S. Burroughs: A Man Within (trailer here), the night will be hosted by its narrator Peter Weller, beloved to both Burroughs and David Cronenberg fans as "Bill Lee" in the latter's filmic adaptation of Lunch.

Also in attendance will be a veritable "who's-who" of Beat scholarship and friends, collaborators, and contemporaries of Burroughs including legendary poets Anne Waldman and John Giorno, Warhol superstar Penny Arcade, longtime manager and estate executioner James Grauerholz, and the indefatigable Hal Willner, the mastermind behind the essential albums Dead City Radio and Spare Ass Annie, which married Burroughs' spoken word to musical backing from musicians ranging from John Cale to Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, Donald Fagen to Sonic Youth (who also score Man Within).

Tickets for the opening are $75 at the door or $60 in advance at the website of the Chicago International Music and Movies Festival, co-sponsor of the event along with BulletProof Film and Stop Smiling magazine, who will be hosting an after party for $10 (free for opening ticket-holders) at 1371 N. Milwaukee Ave.

Available from Facets:

Naked Lunch (buy) (rent)
William Burroughs: The Final Academy Documents (buy) (rent)
The Junky's Christmas (buy) (rent)
Burroughs (rent)

-Dan Mucha

To Rent This Week: Wendy and Lucy

Hallie Borden tells you why you should rent Wendy and Lucy this week.

The entirety of Wendy and Lucy could easily have been reduced to a three-minute montage and placed in an epic story about the journey into and out of poverty. Thankfully, it wasn’t. Director Kelly Reichardt takes her time with the emotional tale of the homeless Wendy and her dog, Lucy, and the risk pays off. Michelle Williams utters barely any dialogue, yet still manages to give one of the best performances in recent years.

One of the most interesting elements of Wendy and Lucy is its rare ability to offer so little exposition without leaving the viewer lost and confused. We don’t know who Wendy is, or how she got where she is, or why she’s going where she’s going, yet it is impossible not to deeply care about her and Lucy. There no mystery to unravel, so the duration of the film can be spent in the present, experiencing the hard times Wendy has stumbled upon, instead of dwelling in the past, trying to prevent them.

Wendy and Lucy’s quiet presence is remarkably poignant and memorable, and definitely worth renting if you missed it last winter.

You, The Critic

Facets is crazy amped about Roy Andersson's You, The Living, which is screening at the Cinematheque this week and next. If you haven't seen it, you must. Period.

For those who have seen this wonderfully warped dark comedy, what did you think of it? Are you as jazzed as us, or are we off target?

Let us know!

This Week at Facets! August 21-27!

It's laughs all around at Facets this week.

Swedish director Roy Andersson's absolutely brilliant dark comedy, You, The Living, makes its long-awaited Chicago debut at the Cinematheque with an exclusive two-week run! You NEED to see this! Sincerely.

Recommended! "Brilliant" -Chicago Reader

"Somewhere between Kaurismäki, Buñuel and the Far Side cartoons...You won't know whether to laugh or cry" -TimeOut London

"A very funny film--though in the darkest possible way...this is the work of a real original--I might almost say a genius...with a technical, compositional rigour that puts other movie-makers and visual artists to shame" -The Guardian

Trailer!


You, The Living runs Friday, August 21--Thursday, September 3.

On Saturday, Facets Night School gets in on the action with "Fletching Out the Details: Does This Lecture Entail My Dressing Up as Little Bo Peep?," an examination of the 1985 Chevy Chase comedy, Fletch, about a down-on-his-luck newspaperman with a knack for stumbling upon mysteries.

Facets staffer Eric Holst investigates this under-rated neo-noir comedy, from the detailed nuances of director Michael Richie's style to the film's relationship with post-Watergate investigative journalism.

Trailer! Again!


Fletch it all out this Saturday, August 22 at MIDNIGHT! Lecture, screening, discussion--only $5!

For additional info, showtimes, tickets and more on all Cinematheque features, click here.

More Moore

Check out the trailer for Michael Moore's new doc, Capitalism: A Love Story!

The Dark Side of Funny People

Hallie Borden delves into the underbelly of Judd Apatow's newest film. Read on...

Judd Apatow has built a repertoire of remarkable movies that have established him as an auteur of comedy. In many ways, Funny People is similar to his previous work. It maintains that gentle balance of charm and vulgarity that allows it to appeal to a broad range of viewers. It is awkward and lengthy, but rarely boring, and it transcends the standard romantic-comedy genre to be something memorable and lasting.

Unlike his other films, however, Funny People is wildly intricate. Straying away from the high-concept, albeit hilarious films of his past, this one goes so many places it is difficult to tell whether it is rich with complexities or just unfocused. Either way, it could have used a fresh set of eyes in the editing room. Apatow’s tightly-knit crew gets too close to their work to see it clearly. In some ways, it is admirable to blatantly fly in the face of the 90-minute comedy, but in others, it is presumptuous to assume everyone will be amused for nearly two and a half hours. Funny People’s script lacks a natural ebb and flow, and seems to jerk with every plot twist. The casting, however, holds the disjointed pieces together.

Apatow’s usual lineup of actors and actresses fall so deeply into their roles that it is impossible not to be wrapped up in their struggles. Leslie Mann is particularly wonderful as "the one that got away." With more careful work, this could have been a perfect film, but is worth watching even with its flaws, as long as you are prepared for the very dark side of Funny People.

Did You Try Triangle?

Have you seen the Hong Kong heist thriller Triangle, now playing at Facets Cinematheque? Did the pairing of directors Tsui Hark, Ringo Lam and Johnnie To win you over or leave you dry?

We. Want. To. Know!

This Week at Facets! August 15-20!

It's another busy week at the Cinematheque!

A Hong Kong trifecta opens Friday, August 14 with Triangle, a tale of greed, friendship and bank heists from three masters of Hong Kong cinema--Tsui Hark, Ringo Lam and Johnnie To!!

Recommended! "A visual delight" -NewCity Chicago

"A snake's nest of debts, crimes, secrets and duplicity that moves like a rocket, and any fan of Hong Kong Action will adore it" -Cinematical

"Devotees of the genre will no doubt relish contrasting the Hark style with the Lam stamp and the To brand" -The Guardian



Triangle runs Friday, August 14 - Thursday, August 20!

And stay up late with Facets Night School this Saturday, August 15 for "Keep on Truckin': Dysfunctional Family Survival in Terry Zwigoff's Crumb!"

Facets staffer Jenny Grist explores Terry Zwigoff's acclaimed doc on underground comic artist, R. Crumb, digging into the reluctant counter-culture figure's life and work and the effects his family had on both.

"Penetrating, thoughtful, and disturbing...Essential viewing" -Chicago Reader



This Saturday, August 15th at midnight. Lecture, screening, discussion--only $5!!

For tickets, showtimes, additional info and more on all Cinematheque features, click here.

In the News

Alain Resnais and Pedro Almodovar hit the big Apple. -Variety

East Germany's last banned film, Hands Up Or I'll Shoot, recovered. -The Guardian

The Writers Guild of America, West, at odds with the Council on American-Islamic Relations over screenwriting seminar. -New York Times

Breaking zombie news! Romero's new film to premiere at Toronto and one of Facets Features favorite comic books, The Walking Dead, is coming to the screen!

Enter the Imaginarium

The trailer for Terry Gilliam's new film (and Heath Ledger's last), The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is online--and it looks wonderful.

Did You Do the Rumba?

Did Rumba, the new comedy filmmakers Dominique Abel and Fiona Gordon (who also star), make you want to get up and dance or did it keep you in your seat?

Tell us what you thought!!

At the Movies: Redux

The news that Lyons and Mankiewicz were canned from At the Movies resulted in a collective sigh of relief here at Facets. We're not apt to dance on graves, but the duo were quite abysmal to watch. Under their tutelage, the show had unfortunately morphed into yet another example of the dumbing-down of cinema discourse. With the Trib's Michael Phillips and New York Times critic A.O. Scott at the helm, At the Movies will no doubt be steered back to smart, thoughtful film criticism and discussion. We look forward to their debut.


- Phil Morehart

This Week at Facets! August 7-13!

Facets is on fire with music this week!

Put on your dancing and laughing shoes for Rumba, an acclaimed comedy from the minds behind L'Iceberg!

Elementary school teachers by day, Dominique Abel and Fiona Gordon (Rumba's co-writers/directors going by their real first names) are trophy winning tango dancers at night. When their dancing careers are cut short by a car accident, they turn the tragedy into deadpan comedy.

"Like an episode of Sesame Street scripted by Luis Buñuel and helmed by Jacques Tati." -Variety

"Offers gorgeously executed visual jokes by two masters of the form" -TimeOut Chicago

Critics' Choice! "In a comedy market dominated by crudity, sarcasm, and smug pop-culture references, laughs this pure hit like lightning." -Chicago Reader

The irresistible trailer:


Rumba runs Friday, August 7 - Thursday, August 13. For additional info, showtimes, tickets and more, click here.

Facets celebrates the King of Rock 'n' Roll this Saturday, August 8th at midnight with a very special Night School presentation of Elvis 101: How to Appreciate an Elvis Movie.

Author, Elvis scholar, TCM blogger and Facets staffer Susan Doll examines the 1964 musical Viva Las Vegas and explains why the King's movies are unfairly roasted by culture critics, biographers, and others who just don't know their history. The story about why they are so loathed is an interesting example of the cultural biases of the mainstream media.

Check out the smokin' trailer!


Lecture begins at midnight! Only $5! Admission includes lecture, screening, post-screening discussion, an extensive educational pack on the film, and more. Grindhouse trailers and DVD giveaways round out the experience!

Be sure to arrive early!! Susan will sign copies of her new book, Elvis for Dummies, at 10:30pm before the lecture!

For tickets, additional details on the film and lecturer and more, click here.

Coming soon! Triangle, a directorial collaboration between Tsui Hark, Ringo Lam and Johnny To, and a Facets Night School devoted to Crumb!

Viva Las Suzi!

Author, Elvis scholar, TCM blogger and Facets staffer Susan Doll was on WTTW's Chicago Tonight this week discussing her new book, Elvis for Dummies! Check out the interview below and be sure to head to Facets Night School this Saturday, August 8th at midnight where Susan will present the lecture "Elvis 101: How to Appreciate an Elvis Movie," followed by a screening of Viva Las Vegas and a post-screening discussion. Susan will be signing copies of Elvis for Dummies in the Facets lobby starting at 10:30pm, so be sure to arrive early!!!

Are You a Mall Rat?

Share your thoughts on Malls R Us, the acclaimed new documentary screening now at Facets Cinematheque! Did you agree with its take on contemporary mall culture or would you have rather spent that time shopping?

Let us know!