Can the Governator Terminate Mike’s Magic?
A reboot of The Terminator (a first installment in a new trilogy to be precise), a super sized sequel to Magic Mike (because Hollywood can’t leave well enough alone), a potty-mouthed talking teddy bear (again, because Hollywood can’t leave well enough alone), and little yellow Minions all invade the big screen this month – yep, it’s summertime at the movies.
At press time, genetically modified dinosaurs were still trouncing box office records, but by the time this issue comes out we’ll see if the re:terminator can send our Jurassic friends back to the age of extinction and mute Mike’s magic. Rest assured, if none of these offerings are up your alley, there’s still plenty else to see – provided you can get yourself to the theater in time to catch some little gems.
There are a couple of worthy indie titles that may still be in theaters by the time you read this. I’ll See You In My Dreams is a great coming-of-old-age comedy-drama starring Blythe Danner. And Dope, produced and narrated by Forest Whitaker, is a terrific urban drama about three geeks who inadvertently end up with a backpack full of – yep you guessed it – dope.
Also nearing the end of its run at press time (at both The Fine Arts Theatre and The Carolina) is Love and Mercy – a biopic about Beach Boy, Brian Wilson. We haven’t reviewed it here, but if it happens to still be playing anywhere, it’s worth seeing.
Out this month that also qualify in the ‘see it while you can’ realm are A Little Chaos, Escobar: Paradise Lost, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, The Overnight, and Gemma Bovery. Unfortunately the highest rated film this month, and one of the front runners for the year so far, When Marnie Was There, will not be there, or rather here, by the time you read this. The good Professor Kaufmann gives the new anime from Studio Ghibli a glowing five-star review and urges film lovers to look for When Marnie Was There on streaming outlets and DVD soon.
This past month, the man whose name is synonymous with Dracula died at the age of 93. Christopher Lee left his mark on starlet’s necks and on the impressionable young mind of Chip Kaufmann when he was just 10 years old. The good Professor pays tribute to Lee with “My Debt to Christopher Lee.”
The Hendersonville Film Society will also pay tribute to Lee this month with a screening of Dracula on July 19. Another HFS highlight is a screening of the original Stella Maris from 1918 starring Mary Pickford. The Asheville Film Society also has a great line up, including a rare screening of Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans from 1927.
Last but not least we need to mention the ‘Best of’ screening and awards ceremony for this year’s 48 Hour Film Project happening July 9 at 8 p.m. at The Millroom in Asheville. The winning filmmakers will go on to compete in the national 48 Hour Film Project. For more information go to 48hourfilm.com/Asheville-nc.
Until next month, enjoy!