tumbledry

Beginning the Summer Movie Season

It’s a sad weekend at the movies when we’ve got the formulaic What Happens in Vegas (40 at Metacritic) and what is apparently the really shiny turd of Speed Racer (36 at Metacritic)… and not much else. I wouldn’t condemn either of these films before seeing them, but things are not looking up. For those looking to see a good film, here are some I’ve been hoping to catch (all on limited release):

Persepolis

Persepolis is the poignant story of a young girl in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. It is through the eyes of the precocious and outspoken 9-year-old Marjane that we see a people’s hopes dashed as fundamentalists take power—forcing the veil on women and imprisoning thousands. Clever and fearless, Marjane outsmarts the “social guardians” and discovers punk, ABBA, and Iron Maiden. Yet when her uncle is senselessly executed and as bombs fall around Tehran in the Iran/Iraq war, the daily fear that permeates life in Iran is palpable.

The Savages

The Savages is an irreverent look at family, love and mortality as seen through the lens of one of modern life’s most bewildering and challenging experiences: when adult siblings find themselves plucked from their everyday, self-centered lives to care for an estranged elderly parent.

Up The Yangtze

In China, it is simply known as ‘The River.’ But the Yangtze—and all of the life that surrounds it—is undergoing an astonishing transformation wrought by the largest hydroelectric project in history, the Three Gorges Dam. Chinese-Canadian director Yung Chang returns to the gorgeous, now-disappearing landscape of his grandfather’s youth to trace the surreal life of a “farewell cruise” that traverses the gargantuan waterway.

Plus, there are some wide release movies on the horizon that could be good…

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Nils

I am nervous about the new Indy film, but I think Dark Knight is going to be my favorite movie of the summer. It looks sooo dark and moody, and the performance from Ledger looks amazing (atleast from the trailer). Oh, and can I take a moment on this soapbox and sincerely and highly recommend The Diving Bell and the Butterfly to everyone. By far the best film of 2007 in my opinion, read reviews and a synopsis at Metacritic.

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