The Asheville Jewish Film Festival is back with a new slate of six movies that will be shown at Fine Arts Theatre.
Author: Ken Hanke
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Today’s Special
The Story: When an ambitious young chef's father has a heart attack, he finds himself forced to temporarily take over the family's shabby restaurant. The Lowdown: An old-fashioned story that more than gets by on charm and sweetness of nature. Don't let the lack of star power or its unfamiliar title keep you from catching…
Somewhere
The Story: A disaffected movie star suddenly finds himself taking care of his 11-year-old daughter. The Lowdown: After a maddeningly slow start, Sofia Coppola's Somewhere becomes a strangely compelling, if not wholly satisfying work.
Paul
The Story: Two Brit sci-fi geeks find themselves helping an alien escape from the U.S. government. The Lowdown: A genial, casually raunchy and occasionally pointedly satirical comedy about, by, and for sci-fi nerds, but one smart enough not to depend on in-jokes for its laughs. Highly recommended.
Portrait of Jennie
The Asheville Film Society will screen Portrait of Jennie Tuesday, March 29, at 8 p.m. in the Cinema Lounge of The Carolina Asheville and will be hosted by Xpress movie critics Ken Hanke and Justin Souther. Hanke is the artistic director of the Asheville Film Society.
Mystery of the Wax Museum
Not a sequel, but very much a companion piece to Michael Curtiz’ Doctor X (1932), the once-lost Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933) is another two-strip Technicolor exercise in German Expressionist horror with two of the same stars—Lionel Atwill and Fay Wray—and a similar reporter hero, only this time it’s a heroine (Glenda Farrell). This […]
The Desperate Hours
The Hendersonville Film Society will show The Desperate Hours at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 27, in the Smoky Mountain Theater at Lake Pointe Landing Retirement Community (behind Epic Cinemas, 333 Thompson St., Hendersonville).
Cleo from 5 to 7
Classic World Cinema by Courtyard Gallery will present Cleo from 5 to 7 at 8 p.m. Friday, March 25, at Phil Mechanic Studios (109 Roberts St., River Arts District, upstairs in the Railroad Library). Info: 273-3332, www.ashevillecourtyard.com
Cranky Hanke’s Weekly Reeler March 23-29: Somewhere Today’s Special Is a Wimpy Sucker Punch
This week brings us two mainstream offerings—Sucker Punch and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules—and two art titles—Today’s Special (Fine Arts) and Somewhere (The Carolina)—in limited release.
Cranky Hanke’s Screening Room: Countdown to Summer
Officially, it may be that today is only the first day of spring, but the movies—so far as the studios are concerned—have their own idea of time. That’s to say that they’re officially in the countdown to summer mode. This year, it appears that summer—that time when the studios unleash what they fervently hope will be the Really Big Pictures—starts on May 20 with the release of Rob Marshall’s Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, or possibly even on May 6 with Kenneth Branagh’s Thor, though that’s a more dicey proposition.
Cranky Hanke’s Weekly Reeler March 16-22: Last week’s promise made good, plus aliens and lawyers
Last week turned out to be pretty grim indeed. At least this week I know there’s one bright spot, since Cedar Rapids—originally supposed to open last Friday—comes to The Carolina and the Fine Arts this Friday. Also up are the mainstream titles Limitless, The Lincoln Lawyer and Paul. These at least are potentially better than the last week’s rather unfortunate crop.
Cedar Rapids
The Story: Innocent insurance agent Tim Lippe gets a lesson in life at an insurance convention in Cedar Rapids. The Lowdown: By turns raunchy and charming, this unassuming little comedy is a breath of fresh air in its sweet-natured approach to its story and characters. Starts Friday at Carolina Asheville Cinema 14.
Red Riding Hood
The Story: "Little Red Hiding Hood" in Twilight clothing. The Lowdown: Strong contender for dumbest and most unintentionally funny movie of 2011.
Mars Needs Moms
The Story: When his mother is kidnapped by Martians, young Milo has to rescue her. The Lowdown: A one-note premise is interminably dragged out in this unappealing-looking motion-capture kiddie fodder.
The Gay Divorcee
The Asheville Film Society will screen The Gay Divorcee Tuesday, March 22, at 8 p.m. in the Cinema Lounge of The Carolina Asheville, and will be hosted by Xpress movie critics Ken Hanke and Justin Souther. Hanke is the artistic director of the Asheville Film Society.
Close Up
Classic World Cinema by Courtyard Gallery will present Close Up at 8 p.m. Friday, March 18, at Phil Mechanic Studios (109 Roberts St., River Arts District, upstairs in the Railroad Library). Info: 273-3332, www.ashevillecourtyard.com
Santa Sangre
The Thursday Horror Picture Show will screen Santa Sangre Thursday, March 17, at 8 p.m. in the Cinema Lounge of The Carolina Asheville and will be hosted by Xpress movie critics Ken Hanke and Justin Souther.
Fraulein
The Hendersonville Film Society will show Fraulein at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 20, in the Smoky Mountain Theater at Lake Pointe Landing Retirement Community (behind Epic Cinemas), 333 Thompson St., Hendersonville.
Cranky Hanke’s Screening Room: The Continually Surprising Audience
What do Night of the Hunter (1955), Carrie (1976), City Lights (1931), The Hours (2002), Shanghai Express (1932), and The Old Dark House (1932) have in common? Well, nothing really—except that at recent Asheville Film Society and Thursday Horror Picture Show screenings, I spent all but one of those titles standing up. Why? Because there weren’t any seats or even supplementary chairs left and I’m too old to sit on the floor. The only one where I got a seat—The Old Dark House—was a very near thing. I’m not complaining, mind you, but I am on the perplexed side.
Beastly
The Story: A narcissistic high-school jerk is transformed into a "beastly" version of himself and has to find someone to love him for himself to break the curse. The Lowdown: Witless, charmless take on Beauty and the Beast with nearly limitless tedium value.
Rango
The Story: A stranded pet chameleon masquerades as a Wild West hero -- and then has to live up to his story. The Lowdown: Beautifully made, perfectly cast, fast-paced, very funny animated comedy blessed with weird and wonderful invention.