That Old (But Good) Familiar Feeling: 'The Ides of March' and 'Weekend'

This week's cinematic selections follow oldie but goodie formulas and each managed to succeed one way or another.

First up was George Clooney's "The Ides of March," a political thriller that does not tell us anything we did not already knew about our messy election process. But the film is clearly made with a sure hand and features some sharp writing and performances.

Ryan Gosling continues to prove he's one of the best actors working in mainstream film, while Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Giamatti all give terrific supporting performances.

Andrew Haigh's "Weekend" also treads familiar ground. It takes the formula of Richard Linklater's "Before Sunrise" and "Before Sunset" films, but transports the story to England, where two gay men - one shy and reserved, the other more outspoken - riff on everything from relationships, politics, gay marriage and art. The film takes a little while to draw us in, but it eventually manages to do so. It's a solid little picture.

Check out my reviews here.

Ever wanted to wander around in, say, a David Lynch or Stanley Kubrick film (especially "The Shining" or "Eyes Wide Shut?) or a Shakespeare play (say, "Macbeth"). Done, done and done! Last weekend, I took part in one of the most unique theater performances I've witnessed in a while.

And I literally mean "took part in." The show is a version, of sorts, of Shakespeare's great tragedy, but set in five floors of a spooky old abandoned hotel in Chelsea. Truly, there's nothing quite like it.

Read my piece on my experience with "Sleep No More."

Alas, I have no review for "50/50," with which I finally caught up over the weekend. It's a nice little dramedy and Joseph Gordon Levitt brings the right amount of humor and pathos to his role.

This weekend, there's much to be seen. Priority number one is Pedro Almodovar's "The Skin I Live In," but I'd also love to catch up with "Texas Killing Fields," Lucky McKee's "The Woman" and the remake of "The Thing."

I didn't make it to "The Human Centipede 2 (Full Sequence)," mainly due to the fact that it's only playing at midnight. It will have to wait for video.

Shelter from the Storm: Jeff Nichols's Extraordinary New Film

"Take Shelter" is one of the year's better films I've seen so far. The film subtly paints a chilling portrayal of how we live now and has a unique perspective on mental illness.

It's an unsettling picture with two terrific performances - Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain - as well as a director (Jeff Nichols) with great promises at its helm.

The week's other film about insanity, "Dream House," was a disappointment, considering that it is directed by Jim Sheridan and stars Rachel Weisz, Daniel Craig and Naomi Watts.

Check out my Patch reviews here.

This weekend, I will obviously check out George Clooney's "The Ides of March" and will likely catch up with "Weekend" (the gay romance, not Godard's classic) and "50/50."

I will not, however, see "The Human Centipede (Full Sequence)" as it is only playing at midnight screenings at the IFC Center. I can't say I'm completely heartbroken.

'Moneyball' is Major League

In case you hadn't heard, Bennett Miller's baseball drama, "Moneyball," is a solid baseball film for people who do not like sports movies.

In fact, the picture bears more resemblance to David Fincher's "The Social Network" than to any of the numerous baseball pictures from the past several decades. It's a solid film.

Needless to say, I'm not so excited about "Abduction," a wooden action thriller that stars Taylor Lautner as the son of some sort of super spy. The film was directed by John Singleton, who obviously was looking to cash in on the "Twilight" star's popularity. 

My favorite part of the film is at the end when several of the cast members, assembled in a parking lot, pretty much shrug their shoulders and all walk off. 

Check out my reviews here.

This coming weekend, I'll check out "Take Shelter" and "Dream House." If I've got time, I'll squeeze in "50/50" or Kenneth Lonergan's "Margaret." 

There's a Man Going 'Round Taking Names: 'Drive' and 'Straw Dogs'

Needless to say, I was pretty floored by Nicolas Winding Refn's stylish crime thriller "Drive" and I'm now determined to finally catch up with his "Pusher" trilogy and "Fear X."

Ryan Gosling nails it and the picture's entire supporting cast is just as good. I'd be willing to be Refn makes big transcontinental waves with both this film and some future endeavors.

I also caught up with Rod Lurie's remake of "Straw Dogs," this weekend's other film about men behaving violently. I'll give Lurie credit for even thinking to remake Peckinpah's 1971 classic. That being sad, it's a hit or miss affair. The update's ending is still pretty visceral. I'd almost recommend seeing it.

Gus Van Sant's "Restless" was my third pick to see over the weekend. And while it's certainly not among the director's best, it grows on you as it moves along. The film is visually lovely and some chemistry develops between its leads. It's not a bad film by any means - just not one of Van Sant's best films about the world of teens.

Check out my reviews here.

This coming weekend, I'll be seeing "Moneyball," but will also try to catch up with Kevin Smith's "Red State."

Weekly Cinema Wrapup: Communicable, God Fearing Edition

It was my vow to post this week's reviews earlier than I've done in the past few weeks. Between Hurricane Irene and 9/11 coverage, it's been a bit of a doozy.

So, here are my Patch reviews for this week.

It was a solid kickoff to the fall movie season. Steven Soderbergh's "Contagion" was a disturbingly realistic portrayal of what might happen should the world be plagued by an airborne communicable disease.

Much like "Traffic," Soderbergh's new film follows a group of characters at the epicenter of an event. In this case, they are a detective for the World Health Organization, a muckety muck in the Centers for Disease Control, a woman infected with the disease and her husband, a blogger who uses fear generated by the virus for his own purposes and several doctors either in the field or seeking a cure.

It's an atmospherically chilly, but consistently riveting thriller.

One of the better directorial debuts of the year belongs to actress Vera Farmiga, whose "Higher Ground" is a thoughtful, engrossing take on the evangelical Christian movement.

The movie is neither pro-religion nor anti-faith. Rather, much like Terrence Malick's "The Tree of Life," it's a film in awe of the mysterious nature of faith. Its characters seek spirituality, even when it fails to come naturally.

This coming week is going to be a busy one at the movies. First, I'll be checking out Nicolas Winding Refn's acclaimed "Drive," which won Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival.

I'll also see "Restless," another Cannes 2011 alumni. That picture is a teen romance directed by Gus Van Sant. And, I'll most likely make some time for Rod Lurie's remake of "Straw Dogs."

Department of Late Postings: 'The Debt,' 'Apollo 18' and 'Shark Night'

It's been a bit hectic and posting has been light.

But I really should get these links to my Patch reviews up quicker. It'll be my fall resolution.

This week's selections included "The Debt," which had its moments but did not completely work for me.

I also caught up with two horror films - "Apollo 18" and "Shark Night 3D." Neither was great, but not as bad as some other recent examples of the genre.

I also saw "Colombiana," which is not reviewed in this week's post. It's an amusingly preposterous thriller that holds up for much of its running time.

Here are the reviews.

Also, on a completely unrelated note, take a look at my interview with Michael Arad, who designed the 9/11 Memorial at Ground Zero.

And check back in Monday - I promise, Monday! - for a review of "Contagion" and possibly something else. "Higher Ground," perhaps?

Fall Movie Preview

Check out my preview for Patch of 50 new films opening this fall as well as my belated posting of last week's review of "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark," an average haunted house picture.

This week, I'm going to review "The Debt," about which I had mixed feelings," as well as "Apollo 18" and "Shark Night 3D."

Next week kicks off the fall movie season with Steven Soderbergh's "Contagion." So, be sure to check back for reviews the season's biggest movies.