Not funny, people
Apatow’s mopey mess, plus Moon shines and The Collector tortures
(Aug. 6, 2009) Previews
Opening Friday, August 7 is Julie & Julia, written and directed by Nora Ephron, reuniting Meryl Streep (Julia Child) and Amy Adams (Julie Powell) in a film about the famous PBS chef and a woman who tries to spice up her life by trying to cook all 524 recipes from “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.” Adams and Streep, what more do you need? Well, there’s also Stanley Tucci as Child’s husband. Rated PG-13 for brief strong language and some sensuality. 123m. At the Broadway.
Based on the action figures, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra is a live-action film set in the future that shows the creation of the Cobra Organization and the formation of the G.I. Joe team. With Channing Tatum, Dennis Quaid, Rachel Nichols, Marlon Waylons, Sienna Miller and others. Rated PG-13 for strong sequences of action violence and mayhem throughout. 118m. At the Broadway, Mill Creek and Minor.
The Girl from Monaco is a French thriller about a Parisian lawyer (Fabrice Luchini) who travels to Monaco for a case but gets very distracted by sexually aggressive party girl Audrey (Louise Bourgoin). His bodyguard, Audrey’s ex, complicates the situation. Those French! Rated R for some sexual content and language. 95m. At the Minor.
A Perfect Getaway is a thriller involving two vacationing couples (Steve Zahn, Milla Jovovich, Timothy Olyphant, Kiele Sanchez), Hawaii, psychopaths and murdered tourists. Don’t forget your lei. Rated R for graphic violence, language including sexual references and some drug use. 97m. At the Broadway and Mill Creek.
Reviews
FUNNY PEOPLE: I thought that Judd Apatow’s The 40 Year Old Virgin was one of the better examples of what I have labeled, to the vocal displeasure of some women I used to know, “the brain-dead guy film,” and it was actually funny. While Knocked Up didn’t measure up to the earlier film, it wasn’t bad.
I don’t care for Adam Sandler’s brand of humor, but 50 First Dates and especially Punch-Drunk Love were all right, and as he’s playing a standup comedian who has a limited time to live in Funny People, I thought I might enjoy a darker Sandler. Unfortunately, despite a few intermittent chuckles, I found this film to be ridiculously long and tedious with a patchwork plot that just didn’t hold together.
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Open Celtic Music Session
music / 3 p.m. Cafe Veritas/Mosgo's, 180 Westwood Center, Arcata. Informal monthly gathering of musicians playing Irish and other Celtic music. Hosted by Seabury Gould. seaburygould.com. 845-8167.
Nonviolence Action Camp
etc. / 10 a.m. Chinmaya Mission near Piercy. Weekend-long direct action orientation features workshops, role playing, seminars, ceremonies and field trips. Bring food, bedding, warm clothes, signs, banners, bikes, drums, acoustic instruments. Pre-register. saverichardsongrove.org. 932-5898.
Audubon Society Field Trip
outdoors / 9 a.m. Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge, 1020 Ranch Road, Loleta. Meet at Refuge Visitor Center off Hookton Road. Leisurely, two- to three-hour trip intended for people wanting to learn birds of Humboldt Bay area. 822-3613.
Look Back in Anger Matinee
theater / 2 p.m. Ferndale Repertory Theatre, 447 Main Street. John Osborne’s sharply funny, fiercely honest exploration of political disillusionment and basic human yearning. Directed by John Heckel. $15/$13 students and seniors. ferndale-rep.org. 800-838-3006.
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