Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current, August 06, 2009, Image 21

Historic Oregon Newspapers

Eugene weekly., August 06, 2009, Page 21, Image 21

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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 6, 2009)

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Newspaper Page Textmovies BY MOLLY TEMPLETON (500) Ways to Be Cute Lots of almost (500) DAYS OF SUMMER: Directed by Marc Webb. Written by Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber. Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt & Zooey Deschanel. Fox Searchlight, 2009. 95 minutes. PG- 13. 44411 (5 00) Days of Summer is just too fucking cute. The nonlinear story marks its constant shifts in time via the changing seasons in a cute little drawing of trees and a city. It’s got fantastically cute clothes for its female lead, wide-eyed Summer (Zooey Deschanel), cute moments of bonding over records and a whole scene about how Summer is so cute, she gets cheaper rent and turns heads on the bus. Summer is so cute that when she tells Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) that she’s not looking for anything serious, Tom can’t take her seriously. He believes in the one. She’s a ﬂ irt. This will end well. Gordon-Levitt is a ﬁ ne, still-under- appreciated actor who seems to throw himself into the role of Tom as if it’s his last; even his mopiest mope has a particular charm. Tom writes cheesy slogans for a greeting card company, a job Imagining Your Past tom Egoyan’s latest ﬁ lm Adoration is, to paraphrase a line from the ﬁ lm’s chorus of video-chatting talking heads, about how once you imagine something, it becomes a thing you need to deal with, whether it’s real or ﬁ ctional. Simon (Devon Bostick) has been dealing with a story about his father that his dying grandfather told him — a story that put a new spin on Simon’s parents’ death some years ago. Then, in French class, Simon’s teacher, Sabine (Arsinée Khanjian), reads aloud an article that strikes a chord with Simon. It’s a story about a terrorist incident — a story in which Simon, suddenly, sees himself. The resulting piece he writes spreads through his class and his community, starting everyone talking about why people make decisions and what they mean, what kind of people they are. The repercussions of Sabine’s encouragement slip into the ﬁ lm gradually, as does her investment in Simon’s life. As Simon, Bostick is a solemn, convincing storyteller, and Scott Speedman gives a surprisingly affecting performance as the uncle who’s taken care of Simon since his parents died. Everyone plays their parts well, but they still feel like parts in an intellectual exercise: What happens when Simon’s imagining of one years-past incident infects his community, and they all imagine the same thing, ﬁ nding their reactions stronger or stranger than they expected? How does imagining what we would do in a drastic scenario shape how we feel about such events? And how is it that people, despite the strange things they do to each other, can wind up connecting? Adoration is there to make you think more than feel; it’s a well-made ﬁ lm, but one that feels like an assignment more than an inspiration. – Molly Templeton A Adoration opens Friday, Aug. 7, at the Bijou. 44411 one of the ﬁ lm’s writers clearly thought up for him because it makes for a great kiss-off speech wherein Tom decries the bullshit of producing canned greetings. Tom also has this job because he wishes he had another job, and his relationship with Summer will, naturally, be the thing to get him out of his rut. (500) Days of Summer has a few fantastic moments — an Ikea shopping spree, a brief dance number that amusingly mirrors the joy and the absurdity of falling in love, a scene in which Tom explains how to see L.A. as a beautiful place. But mostly, it hovers nervously around the edges of a moment, a truth about modern relationships, unwilling to really get messy or honest. It’s almost a sweet movie about how a failed relationship can give you things you didn’t know you were looking for. And it almost understands that mid-to-late-20s time when you’re not doing the right thing but you’re also not totally sure what the right thing is or whether you’re even capable of it. (If this doesn’t sound familiar to you, just pretend I never said it and have always known what to do with my life, OK?) But all that almost is in Tom’s movie. Tom is a character; Summer is a catalyst, there to motivate Tom by breaking his heart. What does Summer want? What’s Summer not much doing with her life? Would it be so to ask that the dream girl be a bit more substantial? ew (500) Days of Summer opens Friday, Aug. 7, at Cinemark and VRC Stadium 15. GI JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA PG13 12:40, 2:05, 3:30, 4:55, 6:20, 7:45, 9:10, 10:35 500 DAYS OF SUMMER PG13 12:05, 2:25, 4:45, 7:05, 9:25 JULIE & JULIA PG13 1:25, 4:15, 7:05, 9:55 A PERFECT GETAWAY R 11:55, 2:30, 4:50, 7:15, 9:40 FUNNY PEOPLE R 12:30, 2:10, 3:50, 5:30, 7:10, 8:50, 10:30 ALIENS IN THE ATTIC PG 12:45, 3:00, 5:20, 7:30, 9:45 G-FORCE 3D PG SPECIAL EVENT PRICING: $3.50 UPCHARGE ALL TICKETS 12:00, 2:20, 4:40, 7:00, 9:20 G-FORCE PG 1:10, 3:35 ANGELS AND DEMONS PG13 STAR TREK PG13 11:30, 12:55, 2:30, 4:00, 5:30, 6:55, 11:45, 2:50, 7:10, 10:10 8:20, 9:50 X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVER- INE PG13 TERMINATOR SALVATION 11:15, 2:00, 4:30, 7:15, 9:55 PG13 11:10, 1:45, 4:25, 7:00, 9:40 MONSTERS VS ALIENS PG TAKING OF PELHAM 1 2 3 R 12:05, 2:20, 4:40, 7:30, 9:45 11:35, 2:10, 4:50, 7:25, 10:05 LAND OF THE LOST PG13 11:55, 2:25, 5:00, 7:45, 10:15 BRUNO R 12:30, 2:45, 5:35, 7:50, 10:00 YEAR ONE PG13 12:25, 3:00, 5:20, 7:55, 10:20 NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: BATTLE OF THE SMITHSO- NIAN PG 11:20, 12:35, 1:50, 3:05, 4:20, 5:40, 6:50, 8:05, 9:20 [ ] = FRI THRU SUN ONLY movie clips OPENING OR RETURNING: Adoration: The latest from Atom Egoyan (The Sweet Hereafter) is a bit of an intellectual exercise, but still interesting: A high school kid imagines himself the son of a man who wanted to blow up an airplane. When he tells this story, it seeps into his community, sparking argument and connection. Bijou. See review this issue. Children of the Crocodile: Australian ﬁ lmmaker Marsha Emerman screens and discusses her ﬁ lm, a personal history of East Timor told through the story of two Timorese-Australian women, and a clip from her current work in progress. 7 pm Saturday, Aug. 8, DIVA. $6 sug. don. (500) Days of Summer: Oh, Joseph Gordon-Levitt. If only this movie were as good as you are in it. A quirky sorta-romance with a carefully created indie aesthetic, Marc Webb’s feature debut has a lot of charming offerings, but suffers from an ill-deﬁ ned female character, played as if from a distance by Zooey Deschanel. PG-13. 95 min. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15. See review this issue. G.I. Joe: Oh, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, why are you in this movie? It’s based on toys, not screened for critics, and the trailers make people laugh. I think some stuff blows up, too. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15. Girl From Monaco, The: This odd little French offering is about a 60ish lawyer who, while working on a high- proﬁ le case in Monaco, meets two particular characters: his taciturn bodyguard, and an irresistible young woman who sees in the lawyer a chance to advance her own career. The performances are as subtle as some of the ﬁ lm’s relationships. R. Bijou. Jaws: Is it still Shark Week? The classic screens as a free movie night at the UO, 7 pm Wednesday, Aug. 12, 177 Lawrence Hall. Julie & Julia: Julie Powell’s book about cooking her way through Julia Child’s masterpiece comes to screens as a two-part story: One part follows Powell in her Queens apartment, the other Child in France. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15. Mystery of Film Noir: Series continues with Tay Garnett’s The Postman Always Rings Twice (1 pm) and Jacques Tourneur’s Out of the Past (4 pm), Sunday, Aug. 9, DIVA. $5 for both. Perfect Getaway, The: An adventurous couple (Steve Zahn and Milla Jovovich) ﬁ nds that their secluded Hawaiian vacation is a little more deadly than expected. R. 97 min. Cinemark. VRC Stadium 15. Star Trek: Even the most crotchety critics are loving J.J. Abrams’ take on the maiden voyage of the Enterprise — and the rivalry-turned-friendship of young James Tiberius Kirk (Chris Pine) and Spock (Zachary Quinto). With Simon Pegg, Zoe Saldana, John Cho and Eric Bana. PG13. 126 min. Movies 12. 44441 (5/14) Films open the Friday following EW publication date unless otherwise noted. See archived reviews at www.eugeneweekly.com Adv. Tix on Sale DISTRICT 9 Adv. Tix on Sale THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE Adv. Tix on Sale INGLORIOUS BASTERDS G.I. JOE (PG-13) ★ Fri. - Sun.(1230 200) 420 450 715 740 1010 1030 JULIE & JULIA (PG-13) Fri. - Sun.(1200) 400 700 1000 500 DAYS OF SUMMER (PG-13) Fri. - Sun.(1140 205) 430 710 940 PERFECT GETAWAY (R) - ID REQ'D Fri. - Sun.(1135 210) 455 730 1000 ALIENS IN THE ATTIC (PG) Fri. - Sun.(1205 220) 445 720 935 FUNNY PEOPLE (R) - ID REQ'D Fri.(1220 310 340) 655 945 1020 Sat.(1150 1220 340) 630 655 1020 Sun.(1220 310 340) 630 655 1020 OC & DA: FUNNY PEOPLE (R) - ID REQ'D Fri.(1150 AM) 630 PM Sat.(310 PM) 945 PM Sun.(1150 AM) 945 PM THE COLLECTOR (R) - ID REQ'D Fri. - Sun.425 PM 1025 PM THE ORPHAN (R) - ID REQ'D Fri. - Sun.635 PM 930 PM THE UGLY TRUTH (R) - ID REQ'D Fri. - Sun.(1240) 410 645 920 G-FORCE 3D - EVENT PRICING (PG) ★ Fri. - Sun.(1155 215) 435 705 925 HARRY POTTER: HALF BLOOD PRINCE (PG) Fri. - Sun.(1145 315) 640 1015 ICE AGE: DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS (PG) Fri. - Sun.(1215 PM 330 PM) TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN (PG-13) Fri. - Sun.(1245 PM) 650 PM THE PROPOSAL (PG-13) Fri. - Sun.(1225 350) 725 1005 HANGOVER (R) - ID REQ'D Fri. - Sun.(1130 155) 440 735 1035 Free Family Film Festival Tue & Wed 10AM Adv. Tix on Sale DISTRICT 9 Adv. Tix on Sale THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE Adv. Tix on Sale INGLORIOUS BASTERDS G.I. JOE (PG-13) ★ Fri. - Sun.(130) 420 720 1000 JULIE & JULIA (PG-13) Fri. - Sun.(100) 400 700 950 FUNNY PEOPLE (R) - ID REQ'D Fri. - Sun.(1230 340) 640 940 ALIENS IN THE ATTIC (PG) Fri. - Sun.(1240) 410 645 945 G-FORCE (PG) Fri. - Sun.(150) 440 710 930 THE UGLY TRUTH (R) - ID REQ'D Fri. - Sun.(120) 430 650 1010 HARRY POTTER: HALF BLOOD PRINCE (PG) Fri. - Sun.(1220 325) 630 935 Adv. Tix on Sale INGLORIOUS BASTERDS G.I. JOE (PG-13) ★ Fri. - Sun.(100) 400 700 945 THE COLLECTOR (R) - ID REQ'D Fri. - Sun.445 PM 1010 PM 500 DAYS OF SUMMER (PG-13) Fri. - Sun.(115) 415 710 1000 HANGOVER (R) - ID REQ'D Fri. - Sun.(145) 430 740 1020 STAR TREK (PG-13) Fri. - Sun.(130 PM) 720 PM Times For 08/07 WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM • BLOGS.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE PG 12:00, 1:45, 3:25, 5:15, 7:00, 8:45, 10:25 THE UGLY TRUTH R 12:55, 3:15, 5:35, 7:55, 10:15 THE HANGOVER R 12:10, 2:35, 5:05, 7:40, 10:05 ICE AGE: DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS PG 2:00, 4:30 PUBLIC ENEMIES R 7:15, 10:25 THE PROPOSAL PG13 7:35, 10:10 TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN PG13 12:15, 3:40, 7:10, 10:30 © 2009 EUGENE WEEKLY AUGUST 6, 2009 21