last chance screenings: oct 14

Edina Theater
•The Concert -- (4:20) 9:20
•Heartbreaker -- (2:00) 6:45


Lagoon
•Jack Goes Boating -- (5:00) 9:50
•The Girl Who Played With Fire -- (2:10) 7:10
•White Wedding -- (2:20 4:30) 7:00 9:30


St Anthony Main
•Cairo Time -- (4:25), 7:20
•Let Me In -- (4:20), 9:40
•The Town -- 7:05, 9:55


Riverview
•Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work -- 5:30
•The Kids Are All Right -- 7:10
•Salt -- 9:10

winnebago man at the lagoon, local reviews

When I first heard about the documentary Winnebago Man, the story of the man behind the infamous YouTube clips of the same name, I had no idea how one would fill a feature length film with compelling content.  Like so many other Internet sensations, this just seemed like a way to exploit truly funny and original material for cheap money in a more traditional, financially-proven medium.  After reading reviews for this film in the Strib and PiPress, I still have little idea of what goes on the movie, but I'm less skeptical than I was a few months back.

In this documentary, filmmaker Ben Steinbauer takes center stage in his pursuit of the man behind these bizarre, no-budget commercials, Jack Rebney.  It appears that their discussions come across topics like the legacy such stardom leaves for individuals, as well as the intentions one has in making a documentary of this nature.  Rob Nelson writes:

"Winnebago Man" openly invites the question of whether its subject deserves the camera's rapt attention... the movie becomes oddly deep and even poignant. The Winnebago man's frighteningly sizable legend seems totally beyond him.

Chris Hewitt adds:

Rebney reveals he has more complicated feelings than he pretended, and he and Steinbauer begin a contentious, disturbing dance that forces Steinbauer to examine his motives for making "Winnebago Man" and that reveals Rebney as perhaps this year's most complicated movie "character."

There seems to be plenty of interesting ideas being tossed around to peak my interest.  You can check out the movie at the Lagoon all week.

last chance screenings: sept 9

Closing today in Minneapolis:

•Lagoon

Centurion - 4:50  9:35

Waking Sleeping Beauty - 2: 40

•Riverview

Grown Ups - 9:15

•St Anthony Main

Mademoiselle Chambon - 7:15

Patrik, Age 1.5 - 4:30  9:35

breathless at lagoon starting this friday

The 1960 French film that changed almost everything about cinema, including how we view and discuss films, is coming to the Lagoon for a week long run starting this Friday.  Besides being its 50-year anniversary, Breathless is making the rounds nationally to show off a newly restored 35mm print, the first such touch up done to the movie.  I don't appreciate Godard as much as other cinephiles do, but in my mind this movie is far and away his best work.

This movie is infuriatingly French.  I can only say the word "French" with any meaning, however, because this movie exists.  Yet it's infuriating that it does exist.  These characters are hip, indifferent, and never the same from one scene to the next.  When I watch them on screen it angers me to think I envy, admire and desire them as much as I do.



Go see them tear up the streets of Paris this weekend at the Lagoon.  And after you fall in love with the film, please check out the 1959 Cassavetes' film Shadows.  Now that's a director I can fully support.

last chance screenings: sept 2

Here's your last chance to see these films before they leave Minneapolis theaters tomorrow:

•Lagoon

Inception - (2:00, 5:10), 8:30

•The Parkway

Nora's Will - 5:20, 7:10, 9:00

•Riverview

The Last Airbender - 1:00, 5:00
The Secret In Their Eyes - 9:00
The Sorcerer's Apprentice - 3:00, 7:00

•St. Anthony Main

The Extra Man - (4:20), 7:20, 9:45
I Am Love - (4:10), 7:05
Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World - 7:10, 9:50

the week ahead: august 30th

We got a handful of new movies rolling into town this week, and I thought it would only be appropriate if I gave you a heads up before the events are upon us.

•The American takes over Minneapolis theaters

The American opens this Wednesday.  'Why not Friday?' you ask.  Presumably to keep movie bloggers on their toes.  In just a couple of days you'll be able to see this Clooney vehicle at The Heights, St. Anthony Main and Lagoon.  To make room each theater had to dump some films.  The Heights is ending its run of The Girl Who Played With Fire, St. Anthony's getting rid of Inception and The Kids Are All Right, and Lagoon is cutting loose the films Agora and Life During Wartime.  This movie must be pretty darned good to warrant losing five films in Minneapolis theaters.

•Trylon showings

On Wednesday, Sound Unseen presents the Mogwai concert film, Burning.  And this week is the kick off of the Mel Brooks series, which will be playing at Trylon for the next four weekends starting with The Producers this Friday.  I've loved Mel Brooks ever since my ten year-old self first viewed Robin Hood: Men In Tights, which in retrospect is probably not the best film to introduce a person to Brooks' work.  You won't get the chance to watch that one in this series, but you really can't go wrong with any of the other screenings.

•Mystery Science Theater at Turf Club

At 10pm the Turf Club is showing MST3K's take on the movie Sidehackers.  Wait a minute, Mel Brooks and now Mystery Science Theater... this could only mean one thing.  Area venues are conspiring to schedule shows that are comprised solely of mid-90's Comedy Central programming.  Next week I expect someone to be showing Hartman/Farley era SNL episodes, the movie Clue, and the entire series of Dr. Katz.  I'll be sure to bring you details on those screenings next week.