NYC VENUES: PART II

Grand Readership,

I'm looking forward to the new year, and hopefully some regularity here at X RETICENT REVIEWS. While I'd much prefer this entry to be a recap of the year, I suppose it's only natural (and fair) to respond first to NYC VENUE review. For this chapter, I'll be discussing the independent release houses scattered across (at least two) boroughs. While some will point out the list is incomplete, each venue is on here for a reason, and like PART I, the venues are in no particular order. Enjoy!

PART II: THE INDEPENDENT RELEASE HOUSES

INDEPENDENT FILM CENTER (IFC)
It's hard not to begin with this house, which you'll find right on 6th ave just beneath Greenwich Village. If its name wasn't enough, the crowd you'll find there (a mash of hipsters, fashionistas and academics) should tip off any movie goer they won't find the latest rom com with Jennifer Garner in the lineup. IFC is recently renovated and three of it's screens boast luxury seating and projection. Ultimately though, it will be it's unique slate of pictures, it's weekend throwback screenings and it's midnight cult classic series (an idea they may or may not have stolen from SUNSHINE...) that make it the quintessential indy house. Also in the plus column is IFC's proximity to a PAPAYA DOG - where you'll find a maybe okay hot dog and some delicious orange drink!

ANGELIKA FILM CENTER
On paper, the ANGELIKA would be hard to dislike. What, with it's release slate always including that hard to find foreign flick, an in-house cafe to satisfy all those enthusiasts who just can't wait to scrutinize the details over a cup of joe... heck, even it's location - right at Houston and Broadway - puts it on of the more accessible list. But in reality the theaters are cramped, at best. The projection isn't great, but not nearly as bad as the sound proofing - where over hearing conversations from people in the concession lines (separated in some instances by a scant curtain) is more the norm than the exception. Perhaps worst of all though? The sludge of pretentiousness it's patrons boast.. a sludge I warn is quite unavoidable. On principle, I avoid this theater - but that's not to say I haven't occasionally broken my own rules - I mean, where else could I have seen LAURENT CANTET's brilliant THE CLASS?

SYMPHONY SPACE THEATER
This may be the truest of all the independent theaters - stressing the theater part of that sentence. To be fair, SYMPHONY SPACE really isn't a theater at all, rather a performing arts center that will occasionally run a film series alongside a variety of literature, music, theater and dance shows. This becomes instantly clear as one enters the theater, which is a crude combination of permanent seats and folding chairs - none closer than 30ft or so from where the image is projected. It's small, but endlessly endearing. The popcorn is delightful and there's a small cafe (they are used to dealing with an intermission). In fairness it's hard to keep this venue on the radar, it's lineup never exceeds more than one picture (unless of course they're running a double feature) and outside of the months they're featuring a film series, one may go weeks without seeing show time listed. SYMPHONY SPACE is on Broadway at 95th street in the Upper West Side - make an evening of it and catch a drink with a friend just a block away at DIVE BAR - over on 96th and Amsterdam.

BROOKLYN ACADEMY OF MUSIC (BAM)
The only theater in this review outside of Manhattan (but I had to make good on my promise to include venues from multiple boroughs, didn't I?). As one may guess, BAM is located in Brooklyn - a short walk from the ATLANTIC/PACIFIC train terminal where just about every subway and even the LIRR have station stops. Briefly, BAM is gorgeous; an above average venue with high ceilings and an ever evolving lineup. They usually run one picture at a time - a delightful myriad of smaller releases, cult favorites and treasured classics (for example this month we go from NINE to MISSION TO MOSCOW). Of the proximate neighborhoods, Boerum Hill and Fort Greene, I'd choose the latter to poke around in for a drink (THE HIDEOUT) or dinner (OLEA).

FILM FORUM
Taking us back into Manhattan would be the FILM FORUM. There's a decidedly soft spot in my heart for this picture house, it was the first "indy" house I'd been to and remains my favorite. Sure, they got plenty of variety - have a great monthly mailer... even the popcorn is top notch. But it's the surprises and details that catapults FILM FORUM atop this list as my undisputed favorite. It could be that they have unannounced Q&A sessions - with anyone from the lead wardrobe artist, to the director of photograph or even, producer! Of course FILM FORUM has regularly announced Q&As as well, but that they'd place such faith in their patrons to have unannounced opportunities deserves applause. Of the smaller details: when replaying a beautifully restored BOND print - they'll tack on original, untouched theatrical trailers - a fascinating time capsule of the release's period. If you're not careful you may walk right past it's box office - between Varick and 6th ave on Houston.

LANDMARK'S SUNSHINE CINEMA
Last but certainly not least is the SUNSHINE. Was it's claim to fame the midnight cult classic screenings? Or was it winning award after award for consumer satisfaction? Regardless - the auditoriums are remarkable for an "art house" venue and both the popcorn and the people serving it -great. Something unique? DVD and BLU RAY editions of your favorites at the box office (granted it's not as cheap as your local Best Buy but infinitely more satisfying). SUNSHINE isn't the most accessible, down on HOUSTON past 2nd Ave, but the walk there is well worth it. And if it's your fancy, I seem to have more celeb sightings at this theater than any other... maybe the only downfall of this theater is the tickets are printed on (I'm cringing as I type) ... receipt paper!

NYC VENUES: PART I

Grand Readership,

I'm somehow still trying to wrap my head around TARANTINO'S INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS. I'm not quite ready to review the picture, having only seen it once, but I at least know it was outstanding. I was making plans to see BASTERDS when I though it'd be a good idea to have a quick rundown of the movie houses in New York City. This post will be a two parter:

PART I: THE MAJOR RELEASE HOUSES

CLEARVIEW ZIEGFELD
Unquestionably, the Clearview Zeigfeld houses the city’s most robust cinematic environment, with a screen that dwarfs some IMAX venues and a capacity that rivals Radio City Music Hall. Whether its INDIANA JONES, the latest from DISNEY/PIXAR, or another timeless addition to the American film canon, the ZIEGFELD runs them all. Be sure to catch a film opening weekend, as you'll find the man who rips your ticket is a show unto himself. For the purists out there, I’ll mention they do not serve COCA COLA products, but as all good venues should, they permit you to bring whatever food/drink you wish.

AMC LOEWS KIPS BAY 15
Right at 2nd avenue and 32nd street, Kips Bay promises a verbal crowd, big screens and packed theaters. There's a nice variety to their listings, allowing you to catch either a guilty pleasure or a limited release picture. Additionally, the theater is tucked on the edges of several nice neighborhoods; where grabbing a drink before or after is a rewarding sojourn. Guiness? Paddy Reilly's. BBQ? Brother Jimmy's. A solid choice.

REGAL UNION SQUARE STADIUM 14
Nestled beneath Union Square, expect throngs of NYU students among an already crowded residential area. Purchasing tickets in advance and getting to the theater early are usually requisites for this venue. Still, one cannot deny the excitement of the neighborhood, or complain about the plethora of show times. Frankly though, the best part about this theater is it's accessibility, on top of two major subway arteries (N,R,Q,W & 4,5,6) and along a line (L) that hits every other one.

REGAL BATTERY PARK STADIUM 11
Not a thoughtless theater, but usually an empty one. Battery Park Stadium 11 is clean, bright and steep, but you can't help feeling as though you're in an empty planetarium instead of a picture house. However, it's right near the lower Manhattan promenade - a park running against the Hudson river and stretching from the tip of the island to the George Washington bridge. Consider only if it makes sense.

AMC LOEWS LINCOLN SQUARE 13
Opening in 1994, the LINCOLN SQUARE 13 is not only a behemoth of a theater, but represents the gold standard for how every subsequent urban multiplex would be designed and constructed. The theater's list of highlights (the most powerful IMAX screen in the region, among others) is surpassed only by it's meticulous attention to detail (most notably in the ornate elephant molding found in the presentation auditorium). And if I had to recommend one theater in all the city, it may be this one.

AMC LOEWS 34TH STREET 14
For one reason or another, I feel as though my affection for the 34th Street 14 is in truth, topical. Sure, the seating, sound and projection are on par - and there's clearly been some thought to developing a tone for the theater. But the popcorn is never great. The neighborhood can be overpriced. And it's an extra flight up for the bathroom. That isn't exactly sweetening the deal. Despite these shortcomings, I've enjoyed several pictures here, including the second coming of the blockbuster, THE DARK KNIGHT.

Thanks for having a read. Tune in next post as I tackle the independent theater circuit.

SUMMER REVIEW - JULY 2009

Finally back behind the keyboard after taking a break for a few weeks. It's the end of JULY and for the most part the bulk of the summer giants have made their footprint on the box office and are headed for the showers. Even though 2009 has been a solid growth year thus far (especially considering 2008 witnessed THE DARK KNIGHT's towering success), a surprising number of 2009's top twenty grossers have already hit DVD shelves, a natural response by the studios to combat piracy (sounds familiar... http://tinyurl.com/cpc7gh ).

And now that WATCHMEN and FAST AND FURIOUS BluRay discs are floating around, it takes away the appeal of the summer flick. It used to be about going to the pictures in the summer, just because it was the one time of the year you actually had to go out to the theater and spend a bit of the grocery money on popcorn. Anymore, it's late-JULY, you can rent the MAY blockbuster playing Tetris while having a conference call with Denver.

SUMMER 2009 was also without a picture everyone loved. Sure, the numbers will tell you it was TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN, but woe be an instance you find two consecutive people who enjoyed it. STAR TREK was a crowd pleaser, no doubt. A bona fide hit, nearly an instant classic... but that doesn't make it a classic. DISNEY'S/PIXAR delivered another remarkable picture in UP!, although I'm eager for return to glory a la THE INCREDIBLES, or even TOY STORY 2. And THE HANGOVER came within inches of beating them all despite having access to one quarter the market size.

It proved to be THE HANGOVER - a gritty, raunchy and hilarious adult comedy that had both studio executives as well as audiences turning their heads and grinning ear to ear. BORAT, err, BRUNO! saw moderate success, but nothing thirty some odd pictures didn't do better. And along with the smash-hit came the smash-bomb: TERMINATOR SALVATION - it's blandness as a film prevailed only by it's disastrous performance.

Other pictures from 2009 that aren't my favorite but merit mention include HARRY POTTER, TAKEN, and PAUL BLART. Upcoming will be GI JOE, INGLORIOUS BASTERDS, FUNNY PEOPLE and a slew of unmentionable garbage. JOE looks messy, BASTERDS (which is TARANTINO'S latest) didn't get OCTOBER placement (suspect), but FUNNY PEOPLE should do well. And I'd be a liar if I didn't say I'm drooling for ROLAND EMMERICH'S upcoming return to disaster filmmaking in 2012 this NOVEMBER... is winter the new blockbuster season? We'll have to wait and see what AVATAR tells us come DECEMBER, for it's the gold-welded handiwork of KING JAMES CAMERON.

Back to FUNNY PEOPLE, it's in my scope for the next review. I'll do my best to get back to the weekly previews - thanks all as always for swinging by for the read. It's what your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man would do.

THE TRUTH ABOUT PIRACY

If you haven't heard about the recent WOLVERINE debacle, you will. In short, a version of the film leaked that appeared to have such a degree of polish it was mistaken for a final product. This leaked "final" version has been downloaded around the web by millions of people (by some estimates) and has naturally found its way onto the streets as a bootlegged DVD. 20TH CENTURY FOX, the studio behind WOLVERINE, is vigorously pursuing all involved parties, however peripheral, and drawing blood at every turn. The highest profile victim? ROGER FRIEDMAN, longtime writer at FOX NEWS.

FRIEDMAN'S firing shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone, and both his review of an unfinished film and his rationale for viewing it (because it was out there?) are grounds enough. His actions are moronic at best and the consequences should inform the public on how seriously the studios take piracy. I've long been on the studios side of the larger piracy argument because I understand that piracy is only incidentally involved with revenue. The real reason piracy threatens the film industry is much more concerning.



Now, the list of reasons why a bootlegged version of a film is inferior to a theatrical print or DVD/BR would bore you. There are heads in the way… the sound quality is awful... you're only seeing a portion of the picture most of the time, etc, etc. Sure, no one would have wanted to see a half painted STARRY NIGHT - or a BEATLES album that was never mixed, but the people who are bootlegging films and buying bootlegs are willing to make these sacrifices, so we can eliminate quality control from the equation.

The true reason pirating is so damaging is that it eliminates the greatest consumer power we have, the act of patronage. Big studios are not unlike any major business, or retail store or restaurant - they are deeply and primarily concerned with their customer's experience and (repeated) patronage.

I'll be the first to admit there is a lot of trash released in Hollywood - and if we were going by pure percentages, I'd bet the majority is trash. It’s a sad state of affairs when there seems to be more reasons NOT to see a picture than to see it, but he best way to communicate that film is garbage is simple: DO NOT GO SEE IT. Box office duds don’t come storming back two years later with a tripled budget and humongous stars. It wouldn’t make any sense, why would a studio pour money into something that wasn’t successful? They wouldn’t. Unless they didn’t know any better.

When people opt for the bootleg, a studio is forced to accelerate their own in-home release schedule. Just to compete with the bootleg environment, studios push pictures onto DVD shelves early and pour dollars into marketing, if only to ensure an accurate version product reaches the consumer. This practice disrupts the natural barometer a theatrical release (and subsequent in-home release) provides.



10 years ago it was unheard of to release a blockbuster on video mere weeks after it's theatrical debut, but now it almost seems commonplace. Theaters are clogged with junk -in part- because studios no longer have the indicators on what the audience is looking for. Consumers didn’t see BATMAN & ROBIN in theaters or on DVD - so what did WARNER BROS do? They shelved the franchise for nearly a decade and rethought their target audience. The result? A rebooted series whose second entry is coveted as one of the greatest films released this century (THE DARK KNIGHT).

I have a bias for the theatrical experiences. It’s one of the remaining quintessential American experiences – up there with baseball games and barbeques. Let’s face it, the studios are going to make money regardless – the box office is strong and with the advancement in digital distribution – they can now provide their products in a variety of formats at minimal production costs. MONEY IS A SECONDARY CONCERN OF STUDIOS when considering piracy. You think 80% of the films released are garbage? Don’t go see it. Don’t go rent it. Don’t go buy it. The studios will listen – they always have.

THE DEFINITIVE OSCAR RUNDOWN

The 2009 ACADEMY AWARDS held very few surprises. Maybe you could stretch it and call PENELOPE CRUZ's victory a surprise - maybe even SEAN PENN's - but there was no clear cut favorite in either category (despite the incessant lull over ROURKE and WINSLET - the latter of whom incidentally was awarded a trophy later in the evening). No, this year the surprises came with the NOMINATIONS - so before we can get into the show itself, let's first revisit that fateful JANUARY 22ND 2009 - the true day the ACADEMY showed its colors.

Beginning with the most obvious snubbing, THE DARK KNIGHT (TDK): So infrequently does a motion picture resonate with a global audience, that it's happened maybe fewer than 5 times in the past 3 decades. And before anyone goes down the "the ACADEMY won't reward blockbusters" path - let me clear my throat before saying, TITANIC (11 WINS). Was TDK a superior film to TITANIC? Almost in no way. But what is curious and frustrating is that TDK was stripped even of an OSCAR NOD. How on earth is that possible? Even STAR WARS - back in 1977 - a period of time some could argue the ACADEMY was more strict. Even then, in 1977 - STAR WARS was a BEST PICTURE NOMINATION. You know why? Because it deserved it. This portion could go on for hours - but suffice to say the snubbing began with TDK in the PICTURE, DIRECTOR, SCORE, and COSTUME.

And the snubbing continued. THE WRESTLER was absent from both PICTURE, DIRECTOR and ORIGINAL SONG (BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN anyone?). In it's place was THE READER - a paltry box office dud only released (one would imagine) to showcase WINSLET'S performance. So reward her PERFORMANCE instead of universally celebrating a picture 98% of movie audiences haven't seen. And enough of the "a motion picture doesn't have to be seen in order to be good" arguement. Why the heck else would a film be made if not to be seen? Also clogging the pipelines was FROST/NIXON - a picture that unsurprisingly went on to win .. NOTHING. Other less noteworthy snubs would include GRAN TORINO, LET THE RIGHT ONE IN and a variety of actor/actress roles that could be endlessly debated. So we won't.

Onto the show itself. HUGH JACKMAN did a fair-to-good job of hosting - although my complaints with him are rooted in the show's writing rather than his execution. And much as I adored the BAZ LUHRMANN choreographed songs and sequences - something felt too TONY'Sish for me and by the time BEYONCE was stuttering through a mosh-up of musicals, I almost wished she'd just sing SINGLE LADIES and get the heck off the stage. Speaking of the stage - the set was magnificent. From the arch of crystal strung together, to the ever-changing (in both color and pattern) presentation floor - to the oddities you find on an everyday film set, the art direction was perfect. Not as perfect? The editing of our 2008 montage recaps. Stomaching the 2008 ANIMATION montage was a chore and it appeared the ACADEMY restricted itself to some five pictures (one a Star Wars film no one saw) and a never ending amount of martially arts gifted PANDA. The 2008 ACTION montage was much better but the 2008 ROMANCE montage almost had me in stitches when they highlighted a scene from TDK - a motion picture I wouldn't traditionally (or heck, even untraditionally) consider romantic.

Among the highlights of the show were the moments Hollywood took to jab at itself. Whether it was HUGH JACKMAN slamming the ACADEMY for nominating THE READER over TDK - or BEN STILLER mocking the once-great JOAQUIN PHOENIX - the lightness of the show partly redeemed the darkness of its errs. STILLER didn't survive unscathed either thanks to REESE WITHERSPOON connecting a swift uppercut when she recalled an anecdote that had STILLER in a tirade, holed up in his trailer, refusing to speak and halting production on some unknown motion picture. Great also was when WILL SMITH said the greatest reason to be an action star was that ... "they actually have fans." BA-ZING, ACADEMY! At one point too, HUGH called himself by his stage name WOLVERINE (ahh thank you very much).

I suppose now the last place we can take this sum-up is to the awards themselves. No surprises, really. Maybe SLUMDOG taking CINEMATOGRAPHY - but frankly saying SLUMDOG surprised in any category borders on foolish. AMY ADAMS (if you can't love ENCHANTED than just get over it already) will have to wait another year - or two, but at least she isn't ISLA FISHER, who will be waiting the rest of her life. Once MILK got SCREENPLAY - PENN's trophy for ACTOR was less surprising. I'm classic when it comes to SOUND EDITING/MIXING - and wasn't happy to see it go to two different pictures (TDK/SLUMDOG respectively) - when either picture deserved both.

Overall it was the typical parade. A favorite night among film junkies and Americans alike. I believe the ACADEMY got the AWARDS right - regardless of whether or not they butchered the NOMINATIONS. I snapped a photo of that mini statue on top of an old four-pack of COCA COLA because who in their right mind could see a motion picture without the cool crips taste of COCA COLA CLASSIC. No one should, I tell you. This is America. We watch the motion pictures, we drink the COCA COLA, go to the baseball diamond every now and then and call it a life. What could be better?

ADDRESS TO CONGRESS

As President Obama took the podium to address congress earlier this evening I could feel myself shake the memories of watching his immediate predecessor stumble and tumble through past speeches. Now I'm not a Bush hater at all, in fact, I find him fascinating - but his outright inability to address the public was remarkable.

There was an honesty and a cavalierness about President Obama's speech that was refreshing. Instead of begrudgingly sitting through an hour of strict partisan applause (or lack there of) I found myself moderately entertained. Sure, President Obama was explaining in sobering terms our current predicament. How the good 'ol US of A nearly got KO'd this past year but that nonetheless we're still hanging around. But I kind of had fun. He's not a bad guy to listen to and swiftly jabbed at enough of his friends and enemies to put everyone at ease. The best may have been his, "Nobody messes with Joe," punchline - in reference to Vice President Joe Biden as some fictional influence enforcer.

Issues. Love the no-drop out rule (my mind recalls vaguely "no child left behind"... so let's check the details first, no?) and was excited to hear his social work in return for higher education idea. No new taxes? George Bush Sr.? The commitment to energy and education is smart, overdue and nothing new, frankly - but maybe he can actually make good on it. Almost thought he was going to propose that ALL WORKING PROFESSIONALS get off their ass now and give back (maybe teaching via the community college/tech school he already speaks of?). Here's to hoping we can afford even a fraction of the promises. Oh, and the Republican Response was... puzzling at best. But Louisiana loves you, promise you that.

PREFACE

As the title of the blog would suggest, the following postings and comments are hopefully more frequent than not, and have something or another to do with the word "review". Thanks for checking us out - hope to be contributing often.

And if you're curious - all these photos are quick mosh-ups I've done myself - unless otherwise noted.

Cheers!