Around Town
There’s something uniquely pleasurable about seeing a bad movie in a crowd; fans of camp classics like The Rocky Horror Picture Show or The Room have long understood this and regularly sell out midnight screenings of their favorite guilty pleasures.
Those films exist in an uncertain state, where the ironic appreciation of the audience quickly blurs into genuine affection. But for a purer state of hateful bliss, check out the live showings of Space Mutiny on June 14 at most chain theaters across the state.
For the uninitiated, Space Mutiny comes to theaters courtesy of the guys at Riff Trax, formerly associated with the cult TV show Mystery Science Theater 3000. They now spend their time creating audio commentary for terrible films. Space Mutiny actually represents the guys getting another crack at a classic from the MST3K days – Space Mutiny is a barely functional South African sci-fi film from the ’80s, and it shows. The Space Mutiny episode had plenty of great one-liners, but Mike Nelson and the other Riff Trax writers surely have come up with plenty more to help you laugh your way through the terribleness.
At Home
June’s DVD releases are a bit uninspiring; that happens when you get the early year crop of films released. So, you should pick up a film already out on DVD, but well worth your money – Phantom Thread, my second favorite film of the past year. Paul Thomas Anderson never disappoints. While Phantom Thread isn’t quite at the same level as his masterpieces, There Will Be Blood and The Master, it’s still a sumptuous feast for the eyes and the mind – a Hitchcockian story of love, obsession and clothes … so many clothes. Daniel Day-Lewis, in reportedly his last film role, does his usual superlative job as fussy fashion designer Reynolds Woodcock, but he’s matched stroke for stroke by newcomer Vicky Krieps as his love interest, and especially by Lesley Manville as his sister, the only person who can understand and guide him. It’s a fun chess game and leaves you wanting more.
In Theaters
Some high profile films come out this month – June is well into blockbuster season, after all – but there’s a lower-profile film that should be well worth your time. It’s coming out in limited release, so keep your eyes peeled for it at your local art cinema. Under the Silver Lake is the third film from David Mitchell, whose last effort, It Follows, managed the rare feat of being a horror film that I actually enjoyed. Mitchell’s knack for atmosphere should serve him well in Under the Silver Lake, a neo-noir set in that noiriest of cities, Los Angeles. Don’t look now, but star Andrew Garfield is quickly becoming one of the premier actors of his generation and should be stellar in the classic role of do-gooder in over his head.
