I don’t normally give this space over to reviewing DVDs, but this new release is something of an historic event.
Author: Ken Hanke
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Grave of the Fireflies
Grave of the Fireflies will be shown at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28, at the Asheville Art Museum.
Ghost Town
The Story: A vile-tempered, mean-spirited dentist finds he can see and converse with ghosts after briefly dying during a surgical procedure. To rid himself of these annoying specters, he agrees to help one of them with some unfinished business. The Lowdown: A thoroughly charming, sweet-tempered romantic comedy/fantasy that strikes just the right tone throughout and…
My Best Friend’s Girl
The Story: A loutish cad who makes a living by horrifying women back into the arms of their ex-boyfriends plies his trade on his best friend's pseudo-girlfriend with predictable results. The Lowdown: Sleazy and crude collide with the dictates of rom-com formula resulting in an indigestible mélange.
Vampyr
Vampyr, part of a series of Classic Cinema From Around the World, will be presented at 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, at Courtyard Gallery, 9 Walnut St., in downtown Asheville. Info: 273-3332.
Toscanini: The Maestro
The Hendersonville Film Society will show Toscanini: The Maestro at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28, in the Smoky Mountain Theater at Lake Pointe Landing Retirement Community, 333 Thompson St., Hendersonville. (From Asheville, take I-26 to U.S. 64 West, turn right at the third light onto Thompson Street. Follow to the Lake Point Landing entrance and…
Frozen River
The Story: In order to better the lives of their families, two women of very different backgrounds team up in an operation to smuggle illegal aliens over the New York-Canada border. The Lowdown: A well-intended lower-depths drama that suffers from melodramatic plotting, but scores enough points on characterization to make for involving viewing.
Igor
The Story: A mad scientist's hunchbacked assistant gets his shot at becoming a full-fledged evil genius when his master blows himself up. The Lowdown: Mildly funny, but nonetheless a flat and derivative kiddie flick with nothing more than a few bright bits.
Cranky Hanke’s Screening Room: ‘The Strange Story of the Little Black Bird’
It was only with the idea of writing this column that I sat through all three versions of The Maltese Falcon in less than 24 hours. For purposes of comparing and contrasting the trio, that’s probably the way to go. For purposes of enertainment, I’d suggest spreading them out a little more.
Uncounted: The New Math of American Elections
Uncounted: The New Math of American Elections will be shown at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18, at the Fine Arts Theatre. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker.
Transsiberian
The Story: A young missionary couple with problems of their own become involved with various forms of intrigue on a train going from China to Moscow. The Lowdown: Less a throwback to old-style thrillers set on trains than a rather grim (occasionally horrific) character study that builds to thriller status in its last third. Worth…
Verdi: Messa da Requiem
The Hendersonville Film Society will show Verdi: Messa da Requiem at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 21, in the Smoky Mountain Theater at Lake Pointe Landing Retirement Community, 333 Thompson St., Hendersonville. (From Asheville, take I-26 to U.S. 64 West, turn right at the third light onto Thompson Street. Follow to the Lake Point Landing entrance…
The Women
The Story: A wealthy New York City society woman divorces her husband over his affair with a salesgirl who works at Saks. The Lowdown: A largely unfunny, ill-advised and completely unnecessary version of The Women that squanders the talent of its cast.
Burn After Reading
The Story: A pair of none-too-bright gym workers come across a CD that appears to contain top-secret CIA information and attempt to blackmail its owner into paying for its return. The Lowdown: The Coen Brothers' latest is a very funny, very mean, very dark farce about humankind's amassed self-centered stupidity. It's frequently hilarious, but it's…
Persepolis
Persepolis will be shown at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, at the Asheville Art Museum.
Bitter Moon
Bitter Moon, part of a series of Classic Cinema From Around the World, will be presented at 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19, at Courtyard Gallery, 9 Walnut St. in downtown Asheville. Info: 273-3332.
Tyler Perry’s The Family That Preys
The Story: Two matriarchs and long-standing friends band together to help prevent their children from destroying themselves and everything the two women have worked for. The Lowdown: A typical Tyler Perry soap opera, with one particularly nasty scene, a few performances far better than the movie and more technical proficiency than usual.
Cranky Hanke’s Screening Room: What really frightens you?
The topics of “what frightens you” (vice presidential candidates aside) and “have you really ever been scared by a movie” came up in conversation last week and I decided to explore it a bit, and at the same time put out a call to readers to offer their own answers.
The Criminal Life of Archibaldo de la Cruz
The Criminal Life of Archibaldo de la Cruz, part of a series of Classic Cinema From Around the World, will be presented at 8 p.m. Friday, Sept.12, at Courtyard Gallery, 9 Walnut St. in downtown Asheville. Info: 273-3332.
Reefer Madness
Walk-In Theatre will present Reefer Madness Friday, Sept. 12, starting at dusk in the parking lot behind Westville Pub. Sponsored by the merchants of the Bledsoe Building. Admission is free. As usual, patrons are asked to leave pets and coolers at home, but to bring lawn chairs.
The Glass Mountain
The Hendersonville Film Society will show The Glass Mountain at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 14, in the Smoky Mountain Theater at Lake Pointe Landing Retirement Community, 333 Thompson St., Hendersonville. (From Asheville, take I-26 to U.S. 64 West, turn right at the third light onto Thompson Street. Follow to the Lake Point Landing entrance and…