The competition for your Friday night could be a no brainer or a nail biter. Two movies, both beloved, both long gone from their first-run, full-screen heydays, return to larger-than-life glory this weekend — on the same damn night.
In what I’m calling the “Battle of the Double D movies” or “A Tale of Two Swayzes,” two films duke it out for your dollar. In this corner, we have the clue-laden, cult classic Donnie Darko (2001) playing Friday, Feb. 22 at 8 p.m. at the Arcata Theatre Lounge ($5). Jake Gyllenhaal plays Donnie, a troubled teen who seeks to understand the disturbing end-of-life events he witnesses, with the help of a 6-foot rabbit only he can see. Hop along, Harvey. Darko’s Frank is pretty freaky. Keep an eye out for Patrick Swayze — no spoilers.
If lifting your spirits — and your partners — is more your style, across the bay we’ve got fan favorite Dirty Dancing (1987) showing Friday, Feb. 22 at 7:30 p.m. at the Eureka Theater ($5). Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze star in the romantic drama dance movie set in the 1960s at a Catskills resort. Despite different backgrounds and ages, the two find love in lifting each other higher than they’ve ever been lifted before. Everybody knows nobody puts Baby in a corner. Except maybe Frank the Rabbit. Choose wisely.
Gyllenhaal or Grey. Sexy Swayze or creepy Swayze. (He’s Patrick with the Good Hair in both.) Either way you win.
This article appears in Breakdown.
