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.

Hooray for Memorial Day weekend — the official start of summertime fun and the summer movie season. Downtown at the Michigan you can see “City Island,” the winner of the audience prize at the Tribeca Film Festival. Or see the Academy Award winning Best Foreign Language film, “The Secret In Their Eyes,” and at the State Theater enjoy the Academy Award-nominated Best Animated film “The Secret of Kells” and the year’s hottest art-house film, “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.” With outstanding weather predicted, this weekend will be ideal for strolling the lively streets of our lovely downtown, having a drink, snack or meal alfresco at a sidewalk café and then catching a great film at one of Ann Arbor’s classic movie houses.

New at the Michigan

“City Island” has both Tribeca audiences and the Washington Post raving, “A very funny film and one that operates at the sea level of humanity. Quaint. Slightly peculiar.” Set in a picturesque fishing community on the outskirts of New York City, “City Island” is a hilarious and touching tale about a family whose comfortable co-existence is upended by surprising revelations of past secrets and present day lies. The Rizzo family finds their delicate web of intimate lies disturbed by the arrival of a young ex-con (Steven Strait) brought home by Vince (Andy Garcia), the patriarch of the family. It is a small, wonderful film easily lost amongst the hype of the Hollywood blockbusters, but do not miss it! “City Island” opens Friday at 4:30 p.m.

The attack of the summer blockbusters

“Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” is directed by Mike Newell (“Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,” the original “Four Weddings and a Funeral,” “Enchanted April”) and stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, Ben Kingsley and, as befits any Hollywood blockbuster, special effects. Set in medieval Persia, a rogue prince (Gyllenhaal) joins a mysterious princess (Arterton) in an effort to prevent a dark force from obtaining an ancient dagger that allows its handler to rule the world. It appears as if swords, sandals, wigs, and questionable accents are all the rage this year. “Prince of Persia…” will attempt to please both video game lovers and Jake Gyllenhaal fans. However, with director Mike Newell in charge, this might be a “popcorn” film worth a look. Also at your local multiplex, “Sex and the City 2” opened yesterday. As you would expect, it stars Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis as Carrie, Miranda and Charlotte. This estrogen-powered trio wrestles with the pressures of life, love, and work in Manhattan. However, they take some time to be with the nominal matriarch of the distaff clan, Samantha (Kim Cattrall), for a trip to Morocco, where Samantha's ex is filming a new movie. The universally bad notices are captured by this New York Magazine review by David Edelstein: “The most depressing thing about ‘Sex and the City 2’ is that it seems to justify every nasty thing said and written about the series and first feature film.” Summer classics are coming back Starting next week, on Sundays and Tuesdays, see cinema classics throughout the summer at the Michigan Theater.

The series begins June 6 with “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre” the classic John Huston western starring Humphrey Bogart, also showing on June 8. Bette Davis stars in “Dark Victory” June 13 and 15. The seminal Japanese film “Rashomon” plays June 20 and 22. Other film classics in the series are the Marx Brothers in “Animal Crackers,” the Rolling Stones in “Gimme Shelter,” a new print of “M. Hulot’s Holiday,” “Harvey,” “On the Waterfront” a sing-along version of “The Wizard of Oz,” “Network” and “Gone with the Wind.”

The series wraps up September 12 and 14 with a very special screening of the 1927 silent-era classic “Metropolis.” The Michigan Theater will show the newly restored, recently discovered complete version of this visionary German Expressionist science fiction classic. It will be shown with live musical accompaniment by Dr. Steven Ball on the Barton Organ — a truly grand and classic way to end the summer! Check out AnnArbor.com's story about this year's Summer Classic Film Series.

See you at the movies!

Russ Collins is executive director of the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor. Tune in to the audio version of “Cinema Chat” on WEMU radio (89.1-FM) each Thursday at 7:40 a.m. and 5:40 p.m., or listen to it online at WEMU's website.