Cranky Hanke’s Weekly Reeler July 11-17: Your Sister’s Continental Drift

Posted on by Ken Hanke

In Theaters

I won’t say this is going to be the shortest “Weekly Reeler” in history, but the fact that all we have is one mainstream title and one art one will factor in. The pickin’s are on the lean side, but, hey, they’re 50 percent higher than next week when no one wants to open anything up against a certain comic book hero.

I’m not really complaining about this, mind you. What it means to me is—wait for it—a weekend off. Well, more or less, since I still have to deal with the Special Screenings, but I don’t have to go see anything—no, not even any press screenings. I don’t think this has happened since…well, I’m not sure I can remember when. Let joy be unconfined! Let there be dancing in the streets, drinking in the saloons, and necking in the parlor! (Bonus points to anyone who knows the source. Googling not allowed.) I’ve been trying to figure out what I can do to celebrate. And the only thing I can think of is to go see Moonrise Kingdom or To Rome with Love again. How sad is that?

As I’ve said elsewhere, I’ve already seen Your Sister’s Sister, the art title that’s opening at The Carolina. The review is in this week’s paper—and trust me, no one was more surprised than I that really liked the film a lot. Check out both the review in the paper and my interview with the film’s director, Lynn Shelton, in the online edition.

Now, about that mainstream movie…

It’s Ice Age: Continental Drift, which I guess is cleverer than Ice Age 4 or Ray Romano Needs Some Easy Money. The truth is I have never seen one of these movies. I tried to watch the first one, but it didn’t take. The first two films were reviewed by Marcianne Miller and Justin Souther just somehow (don’t look at me, I don’t know how it happened) inherited the franchise. It’s just as well, though, because that Scrat creature and his goddamned acorn edges me right toward the homicidal mark. I have a low tolerance for single jokes being beaten into the ground, but I have a high desire to beat the character into the ground. This time it appears that that vermin of indeterminate species has caused the continental drift of the title in his pursuit of his treasured acorn. Now, the last time Mr. Souther reviewed one of these, he prophesied Ice Age 4: A Space Odyssey. He was in error. I hope he has better luck this time. By the way, the IMDb says that if you liked this, you might like Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film Theaters. I am greatly enjoying the idea of parents renting that for their tiny tots.

This week, it’s certainly worth noting that we are losing Hysteria. You have till Friday to catch this and if you haven’t you ought to. Now, we don’t lose Bernie, but it’s as well to comment that The Carolina is splitting it with Prometheus, which suggests that both will fall prey to The Dark Knight Rises next week.

Special Screenings

The Thursday Horror Picture Show is screening the Karloff-Lugosi fim Black Friday (1940) on Thu., July 12 at 8 p.m. in the Cinema Lounge at The Carolina. Ingmar Bergman’s The Passion of Anna (1969) is this week’s offering from World Cinema at 8 p.m. on Fri., July 13 in the Railroad Library in the Phil Mechanic Building. The Hendersonville Film Society is running Gene Kelly’s Hello, Dolly! (1969) on Sun., July 15 at 2 p.m. in the Smoky Mountain Theater at Lake Pointe Landing in Hendersonville. The Asheville Film Society is showing Edward G. Robinson in The Little Giant (1933) at 8 p.m. on Tue., July 17 in the Cinema Lounge at The Carolina. More on all titles in this week’s paper with extended coverage in the online edition.

On DVD

There are two more or less mainstream new titles this week. The more notable of the two is Being Flynn—a movie I urge you to catch up with if you missed it theatrically. The other is American Reunion. Let your conscience guide you.

Notable TV Screenings

Somewhat buried at 5:45 a.m. on Sat., July 14, TCM is showing the rarely seen and utterly delightful historical romp, Voltaire (1933), with George Arliss having a fine time as the title character in his last film for Warner Bros.

On Sun., July 15 (or Mon., July 16)  at 2 a.m,, they’re running Ingmar Bergman’s Sawdust and Tinsel (1953). Since this is a Bergman picture I’ve somehow missed, I will be there.

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About Ken Hanke
Head film critic for Mountain Xpress from December 2000 until his death in June 2016. Author of books "Ken Russell's Films," "Charlie Chan at the Movies," "A Critical Guide to Horror Film Series," "Tim Burton: An Unauthorized Biography of the Filmmaker."
View all posts by Ken Hanke →

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6 thoughts on “Cranky Hanke’s Weekly Reeler July 11-17: Your Sister’s Continental Drift”

  1. Me

    Where are all the stars on the website?

    Have you heard anything on Safety Not Guaranteed?

  2. Ken Hanke

    Where are all the stars on the website?

    The New Coke site strikes again. I’ve fixed it.

    Have you heard anything on Safety Not Guaranteed?

    Down for July 27 at The Carolina.

  3. William Chase

    any word on when we might be seeing Beasts of the Southern Wild?

    Also, I’ve seen Moonrise Kingdom twice, on the same day! Can’t wait to see it a third time :)

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