Cinema Chat : All posts

russ Collins column

cinema chat: Acclaimed 'Angel's Share,' 'Hangover Part 3,' and more at the movies this week

Opening downtown

“The Angel’s Share,” from legendary director Ken Loach, presents an engagingly off-kilter new film about wasted talent and what happens when we are given a second chance in life. Robbie (Paul Brannigan), a young ne’er-do-well and broke new father with a good heart, is in serious trouble with the law. However, when he holds his newborn son for the first time, he is determined that the boy will have a better life, one with more opportunities than he has been offered in this insular, blue-collar world. But when Robbie meets Harry, the gruff but benevolent man in charge of his sentence, he finds a hidden talent for Scotch whiskey - and a new chance at life. For distillers, “the angels’ share” is the whiskey lost to evaporation each year, and that little fact makes a rare cask of whiskey the perfect target for a heist. Stephen Whitty of the Newark Star-Ledger says, “Like the spirit it celebrates, ‘The Angel's Share’ is a neat little jolt of pleasure - and guaranteed to leave you feeling just a mite warmer.” “The Angel’s Share” opens Friday at the Michigan Theater. More after the jump…

russ Collins column

cinema chat: New 'Star Trek,' acclaimed 'Ginger & Rosa,' and more

Opening at the multiplex

“Star Trek Into Darkness” finds the crew of the Enterprise called back home - only to find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization has destroyed the Starship fleet and everything it stands for, leaving the earth in a state of crisis. With a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one-man weapon of mass destruction. As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew. Generally positive review are typified by Rafer Guzman of Newsday: "’Into Darkness’" is fast and fun, zipping along on all thrusters while everyone on the bridge settles comfortably into an agreeably lighthearted vibe (and into ever-slimmer outfits).” “Star Trek Into Darkness” opened Wednesday, May 15 for IMAX3D screenings and everywhere else on Thursday, May 16.

More after the jump…

russ Collins column

cinema chat: 'Great Gatsby,' 'Peeples,' 'The Sapphires' and more

Opening Downtown

The Michigan Theater is pleased to bring screenings of “The Great Gatsby” in both 3D and 2D to downtown Ann Arbor, with a special opening night screening featuring a lobby concert of 1920s era music by The Appleseed Collective, special 1920s-inspired cocktails, and other period-appropriate revelry! Todd McCarthy of the Hollywood Reporter says, “The cast is first-rate, the ambiance and story provide a measure of intoxication and, most importantly, the core thematic concerns pertaining to the American dream, self-reinvention and love lost, regained and lost again are tenaciously addressed.” “The Great Gatsby” opens May 10 at the Michigan Theater and area multiplexes.

More after the jump…

russ Collins column

cinema chat: 'Iron Man 3,' classic 'Laura,' and get your tickets now for 'Gatsby' premiere

Redford’s “The Company You Keep” is a hit in Ann Arbor

Part of Robert Redford’s new film “The Company Your Keep” is set in Ann Arbor; however, the movie was not shot in Ann Arbor. In fact, the only actual Ann Arbor building seen in the movie is the University of Michigan’s Graduate Library, which is used in the movie as a University of Chicago classroom building. Despite the geographic confusion, audiences are loving this star-studded drama about former 1960s radicals on the run from the FBI. Don’t miss it! Playing at the Michigan Theater until May 9.

More after the jump…

Russ Collins column

cinema chat: Redford movie with Ann Arbor connection; all-star comedy 'Big Wedding'; and more

Redford directs and stars in a film with Ann Arbor roots

In “The Company You Keep,” a former member of the violent 1960s era social protest group the Weather Underground - started in Ann Arbor by University of Michigan faculty and students - goes on the run after a journalist (Shia LaBeouf) outs him in this political thriller based on Neil Gordon‘s novel.

It is directed by and stars Robert Redford as Nick, a former Weather Underground member, who has lived under an assumed identity for over 30 years. It features a splendid cast of Hollywood veterans who give the story a depth and resonance that transcend the mechanics of the plot: Chris Cooper as Nick's brother Daniel (who looks after Nick's daughter while he's on the run); Nick Nolte as the old friend who runs a timber yard and knows a thing or two; and Richard Jenkins as a history lecturer with connections to old radical friends. Redford is at the center of it all, hardly ever off the screen—rugged, wrinkled, crumpled and copiously golden-haired and believable as the small-town lawyer with an astonishing past. Also starring Susan Sarandon, Brit Marling, Sam Elliott and Stanley Tucci.

David Rooney of the Hollywood Reporter says, “Robert Redford makes a welcome return to double-duty as director and lead actor in this clear-eyed drama.” “The Company You Keep” opens Friday exclusively at the Michigan Theater.

More after the jump…

russ collins column

cinema chat: Cinetopia Film Festival details released; Tom Cruise in 'Oblivion'; and more

Cinema comes alive in Ann Arbor

Movie lovers, be sure you mark June 6-9 on your calendar, because the Cinetopia Film Festival will be back in Ann Arbor when our town is at its most lovely.

If you can’t make it to the Cannes Film Festival or Toronto International Film Festival, or if the Sundance Film Festival in Utah in January seems too cold and far away, know Cinetopia will bring you the best films from the world’s best film festivals to Tree Town!

This year the Cinetopia Film Festival will take place at the historic Michigan and State theaters in downtown Ann Arbor and Angell Hall on the U of M campus, as well as at the beautiful Detroit Institute of Arts auditorium in Detroit. The Detroit Film Theater of the DIA and its director, Elliot Wilhelm, are programming and presentation partners for this year's festival.

More after the jump…

russ collins column

cinema chat: Acclaimed art films, Jackie Robinson story '42,' and more at the movies this week

A new crop of well-reviewed films opens this week in Ann Arbor. All who read film criticism and appreciate the cinema reviewer’s craft were saddened last week with the passing of Roger Ebert. This great writer, reviewer and passionate film lover will be missed by all movie mavens with an opinion and thumbs. Thank you, Roger, rest in peace.

Opening downtown

In “Trance,” Simon (James McAvoy), a fine art auctioneer, teams up with a criminal gang to steal a Goya painting worth millions of dollars. But after suffering a blow to the head during the heist, he awakens to discover he has no memory of where he hid the painting. When physical threats and torture fail to produce answers, the gang's leader Frank (Vincent Cassel) hires hypnotherapist Elizabeth (Rosario Dawson) to delve into Simon's psyche. As Elizabeth begins to unravel Simon's broken subconscious, the lines between truth, suggestion, and deceit begin to blur. Peter Travers of Rolling Stone Magazine says director “Danny Boyle's trippy, ‘Inception’-like thriller is a hypnotic head trip that demands you trust no one.” “Trance” opens Friday at the State Theatre.

More after the jump…

russ collins column

cinema chat: Tippi Hedren and 'Marnie,' 'On the Road,' new 'Evil Dead,' and more at the movies this week

TCM Classic Film Festival-Road to Hollywood comes to Ann Arbor!

Hollywood icon Tippi Hedren and Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz are coming to the Michigan Theater for a special screening of Alfred Hitchcock’s “Marnie” on Tuesday, April 9 at 7:30 p.m.

“Marnie,” filmed in vivid Technicolor, follows compulsive thief Marnie Edgar (Tippi Hedren) and the handsome publisher (Sean Connery) who attempts to illuminate the deep-seated reason for her compulsive larceny. This event is FREE and open to the public, but you’ll need a ticket! Head to www.tcm.com/2012/roadtohollywood/details.html?city=8 to get one now!

More after the jump…

russ collins column

cinema chat: Ann Arbor movie 'Love and Honor,' acclaimed 'West of Memphis,' and more

Opening downtown

Set in Ann Arbor at the University of Michigan during the heat of the anti-war movement in 1969, with real Ann Arbor events and characters depicted in the film, “Love and Honor” is a romantic drama set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and the moon landing, as two charming and passionate young soldiers (Liam Hemsworth and Austin Stowell) go to any length for love—even sneaking away from a war to fly halfway around the world. Written by University of Michigan Screen Arts & Cultures screenwriting professor Jim Burnstein, directed by Pioneer High School and U-M alum Danny Mooney, and produced by U-M alumni Eddie Rubin and Pat Olson, “Love and Honor” opens Friday at the Michigan Theater.

More after the jump…

russ collins column

cinema chat: Ann Arbor Film Festival, 'Admission,' Danny Glover in town for 'Shenandoah,' and more

Ann Arbor Film Festival - today through Sunday

Established in 1963, the Ann Arbor Film Festival is the longest-running independent and experimental film festival in North America. It receives more than 2,500 submissions annually from more than 65 countries and serves as one of a handful of Academy Award-qualifying festivals in the United States.

Internationally recognized as a premier forum for filmmakers and artists, the festival, which opened on Tuesday, offers 40 programs and more than 180 films from more than 20 countries, including experimental, animation, documentary, fiction, and performance-based works. In addition to exhibiting over one hundred new films in juried programs each year, the AAFF presents filmmaker retrospectives, gallery installations, panel discussions, historic and thematic surveys and contemporary artist programs.

More after the jump…

russ collins column

Cinema Chat: 'Happy People,' Ann Arbor Film Festival, Steve Carell comedy, and more

Opening downtown

With “Happy People: A Year in the Taiga,” Werner Herzog and Russian co-director Dmitry Vasyukov take viewers on yet another unforgettable journey into remote and extreme natural landscapes. The acclaimed filmmaker presents this visually stunning documentary about the life of indigenous people living in the heart of the Siberian Taiga.

With insightful commentary written and narrated by Herzog, the film follows one of the Siberian trappers through all four seasons of the year to tell the story of a culture virtually untouched by modernity. Alan Schersthul of the Village Voice says, “It's fitting that this film of people making do with what they have should itself look somewhat humble, without lyricism, a work not of beauty but of work-which is the thing that makes it beautiful, no matter who directed it.” “Happy People: A Year in the Taiga” opens Friday at the Michigan Theater for a short run.

More after the jump…

russ collins column

cinema Chat: 'Best in Show,' 'Oz' and more on screens this weekend

Part of the Michigan Theater's Science on Screen series, the modern comedy classic “Best in Show” is a Christopher Guest mockumentary that follows five dogs and their owners (including Catherine O’Hara, Eugene Levy, Jane Lynch, Jennifer Coolidge, Michael McKean, Parker Posey, and Guest) as they compete in the Mayflower Kennel Club Dog Show.

More after the jump…

russ collins column

cinema chat: 'Take This Waltz,' 'Sparkle,' comedy classic 'The Jerk,' and more at the movies this week

Win free movie tickets



Editor's note: Comment on today's "Cinema Chat" for a chance to win free movie tickets to the Michigan Theater. Some time between now and 9 a.m. Monday, leave a comment on this column. Offer your opinion on a recent movie you've seen, or on anything the column mentions. A winner will be randomly selected, and we’ll notify that person via the email address they signed up with. They will get two passes to a movie of their choice, courtesy of The Michigan Theater. Full rules here.



Playing downtown

In “Take This Waltz,” Michelle Williams plays 28-year-old Margot, happily married to Lou (Seth Rogen), a good-natured cookbook author. But when Margot meets Daniel (Luke Kirby), a handsome artist who lives across the street, their mutual attraction is undeniable. Warmly human, funny and bittersweet, the film deftly avoids romantic cliches and paints an unusually true and unsentimental portrait of adult relationships. Dana Stevens of Slate says, “This romantic drama, starring the always-extraordinary Michelle Williams as a restless married woman contemplating an affair with her neighbor, is chock-full of individual moments of great power and beauty, including visual beauty.” “Take This Waltz” opens Friday at the Michigan Theater.

More after the jump…

russ collins column

cinema chat: Leonardo DiCaprio with Martin Scorsese; Penelope Cruz with Pedro Almodóvar; and more

Win free movie tickets
Editor's note: Comment on today's "Cinema Chat" for a chance to win free movie tickets to the Michigan Theater. Some time between now and 6 a.m. Wednesday, leave a comment on this column, written by the Michigan Theater's Russ Collins. Offer your opinion on a recent movie you've seen, or on anything Russ mentions. We'll randomly select a winner and notify that person via the email address they signed up with. They will get two passes to a movie of their choice.

Scorsese, Almodóvar, short runs and movie shorts are the film fare in Ann Arbor this week. Quite enough reason to get out of the house and go on out to the movies!

More after the jump…

russ collins column

cinema chat: Valentine's movies, Percy Jackson, young jazz musicians, and more

Win free movie tickets
Editor's note: Comment on today's "Cinema Chat" for a chance to win free movie tickets to the Michigan Theater. Some time between now and 6 a.m. Wednesday, leave a comment on this column, written by the Michigan Theater's Russ Collins. Offer your opinion on a recent movie you've seen, or on anything Russ mentions. We'll randomly select a winner and notify that person via the email address they signed up with. They will get two passes to a movie of their choice.

Movies vs. the Olympics
Media cultures clash as the Winter Olympics take over the airwaves for the next 2 weeks. Movie releases, your favorite TV shows, as well as other sporting events will all take a back seat to the world’s greatest winter athletes competing for gold, silver and bronze in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The festivities and competitions will all be broadcast, sort of live, over NBC-affiliated TV channels. However, even before the Winter Olympics start, they are proving to be a disappointment for NBC.

NBC expects to lose $200 million dollars broadcasting this year’s winter games. To get an idea of how much $200 million dollars is, please know that $200 million would be enough money to operate the Michigan Theater for 80 years and not charge anybody for anything. Imagine, 80 years of free movies and popcorn. Eighty years of free theater use by the Ann Arbor Symphony, Ann Arbor Film Festival, University Musical Society, The Ark and many others! So, for the sake of NBC, tune in to your favorite Olympic events; however, please know that when you’re tired of sitting at home watching TV there are great movies playing in local theaters.

More after the jump…

russ collins column

cinema chat: Roundup of movie awards, "A Single Man," "Dear John" and more

Win free movie tickets
Editor's note: Comment on today's "Cinema Chat" for a chance to win free movie tickets to the Michigan Theater. Some time between now and 6 a.m. Wednesday, leave a comment on this column, written by the Michigan Theater's Russ Collins. Offer your opinion on a recent movie you've seen, or on anything Russ mentions. We'll randomly select a winner and notify that person via the email address they signed up with. They will get two passes to a movie of their choice.

Oscar nominations were announced on Tuesday, but they were just one of the motion picture awards movie mavens followed this week. On Sunday, the Sundance Film Festival handed out its prizes for independent films. Last Saturday, the Directors Guild of America awards, a reliable indicator of who will win the Best Director Oscar, were bestowed; and last but not least, the “Razzie” nominations, a dubious and humorous celebration of the worst in motion pictures, were announced.

More after the jump…

russ collins column

cinema chat: A Sundance report, and the week's new releases

Win free movie tickets
Editor's note: Comment on today's "Cinema Chat" for a chance to win free movie tickets to the Michigan Theater. Some time between now and 6 a.m. Wednesday, leave a comment on this column, written by the Michigan Theater's Russ Collins. Offer your opinion on a recent movie you've seen, or on anything Russ mentions. We'll randomly select a winner and notify that person via the email address they signed up with. They will get two passes to a movie of their choice.

Hello from Sundance!
Having spent the better part of the last two weeks at this film Mecca in Utah, I am glad to be back in Ann Arbor, ready to welcome you to the Michigan Theater for a slice of the Sundance Film Festival. Park City, Utah becomes the center of the film world every year toward the end of January as this renowned festival takes over a quaint and rather small ski town. Sundance envelops Park City in much the same way the street Art Fairs take over Ann Arbor each July.

More after the jump…

russ collins column

cinema chat: Another Sundance treat, and the week's new releases

Win free movie tickets
Editor's note: Comment on today's "Cinema Chat" for a chance to win free movie tickets to the Michigan Theater. Some time between now and 6 a.m. Wednesday, leave a comment on this column, written by the Michigan Theater's Russ Collins. Offer your opinion on a recent movie you've seen, or on anything Russ mentions. We'll randomly select a winner and notify that person via the email address they signed up with. They will get two passes to a movie of their choice.

Breaking news!
Sultan Sharrief is a talented young man. This Michigan native and University of Michigan grad made the film “Bilal’s Stand,” which was selected to be showcased at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. Local audiences will have a chance to see the film at the Michigan Theater on January 31 at 6 p.m.

More after the jump…

russ collins column

cinema chat: Gearing up for awards season, plus the week's new releases

Win free movie tickets
Editor's note: Comment on today's "Cinema Chat" for a chance to win free movie tickets to the Michigan Theater. Some time between now and 6 a.m. Wednesday, leave a comment on this column, written by the Michigan Theater's Russ Collins. Offer your opinion on a recent movie you've seen, or on anything Russ mentions. We'll randomly select a winner and notify that person via the email address they signed up with. They will get two passes to a movie of their choice.

Happy New Year!

January is named for Janus, the 2-faced Roman god who could look forward and backward at the same time. So in honor of this first month of the New Year (and Janus), it seems appropriate to look back a bit at 2009, as well as forward into 2010.

More after the jump…

russ collins column

cinema chat: All the holiday movies, from don't-miss to don't-even-bother

Win free movie tickets
Editor's note: Comment on today's "Cinema Chat" for a chance to win free movie tickets to the Michigan Theater. Some time between now and 6 a.m. Wednesday, leave a comment on this column, written by the Michigan Theater's Russ Collins. Offer your opinion on a recent movie you've seen, or on anything Russ mentions. We'll randomly select a winner and notify that person via the email address they signed up with. They will get two passes to a movie of their choice.

Merry Christmas!
Whether or not you celebrate the Christian holiday, we can all celebrate local movie houses being filled with excellent films! Last week “Avatar” (be sure to see it in 3-D), “Me and Orson Welles,” the epic John Woo film “Red Cliff” and “The Road” (based on the Cormac McCarthy Pulitzer Prize-winning book) all opened. Each is an interesting film worth checking out.

This week every critic’s favorite film, “Up In the Air,” opens, as does Robert Downey Jr. as “Sherlock Holmes” (with Jude Law as Watson). “The Young Victoria” opens at the Michigan, another film that is a critic’s favorite. “It’s Complicated” with Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin in a hilarious love triangle; “Nine” the Rob Marshall (“Chicago”) musical based on Fellini’s “8½” and “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel” all play our local multiplexes. Here’s a recommended strategy to hit all the great films playing now in area theaters.

More after the jump…