filmland / By Charlie Myers

Douglas Does Doom

Solitary Man better than Serious Man, but not as good as Single Man or Simple Plan

(July 15, 2010) Previews

Opening Friday, July 16, is The Dark Knight-director Christopher Nolan’s Inception,which has to be my pick for most intriguing trailer of the summer, at least. If you haven’t seen it, imagine a city folding in on itself. Pretty eye-popping stuff. Nolan has been coy with plot details, but as Inception‘s release date approaches more information has come to light. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Dom Cobb, who has a knack for stealing secrets from people’s subconscious while they sleep. As one could imagine, his unique skill is very sought after in the world of corporate espionage. But, kinda like Batman, there are psychological drawbacks to wielding such power. There’s always a catch. Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence and action throughout. 148m. At the Broadway, Fortuna, the Minor and Mill Creek.

While it is a Disney film, don’t expect to see Mickey Mouse chopping up brooms in producer Jerry Bruckheimer’s version of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. (Opens Wednesday, July 14). Seventy years after the symphonic short appeared in Fantasia,Jay Bauchel — who was most recently in She’s Out of My League — slips his hands into Mickey’s gloves to take on the title role. Nicolas Cage plays the Sorcerer who shows him the ropes, all while continuing a 1,500-year battle with his arch-nemesis in the streets of Manhattan. No pressure, kid. The film is directed by Jon Turteltaub, who worked with Cage on the National Treasure franchise. If you liked those movies … Rated PG for fantasy action violence, some mild rude humor and brief language. 109m. At the Broadway, Mill Creek and Fortuna.

This weeks Minor indie addition is Winter’s Bone. The film got a warm reception at Sundance and the Journal‘s Charlie Myers commented to me about the excellence of the performance turned in by its 19-year-old lead Jennifer Lawrence. Lawrence’s character Ree sets out to track down her father, who put the family home up for his bail bond. Now with the family in danger of being evicted Ree will risk her life to find the truth. Rated R for language and violent content. 100m. At the Minor.

Sneaking into theaters with little fanfare is the teen film Standing Ovation. Five junior high school-aged kids form a singing group and over come their limited resources to enter a national music video contest with a cash prize of $1 million. But look out! Their competition are five over-parented rich kids who will stop at nothing to win. This film wasn’t screened for critics. Rated PG for kid rudeness. At the Broadway.

You talkin’ to me? You talkin’ to me? Well, I don’t know of any other local establishment playing Paul Schrader’s Taxi Driver on Saturday, July 17, so you must be talkin’ about the Arcata Theater Lounge. If you’re intrigued by witnessing Robert DeNiro’s only mohawk on record, you best be there. The ATL also has had a gopher problem lately, but I’m sure it will remedy itself by Sunday, July 18, when Caddyshack plays there. Kaboom.

— Andrew Goff

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