There are some very promising fall movies coming out this weekend (see below) to add to our our current crop of fine comedies, led by Sleepwalk With Me. The zany French odd couple comedy The Intouchables is a crowd pleaser – and an attendance record breaker in France. Frank Langella’s performance in Robot and Frank elevates the film from a pretty good comedy to a revealing study of getting older. Celeste and Jesse Forever is a smart and authentic comedy of best friends too perfect for each other to fall in love at the same time. Ruby Sparks is a hilariously inventive romance that probes whether realizing a fantasy can bring happiness.
It’s worth seeking out the compelling documentary Searching for Sugar Man, about the hunt to uncover the secret fate of an artist that didn’t know that he was a rock star.
The brilliantly made Louisiana swamp fable Beasts of the Southern Wild enters the life and imagination of a child and celebrates her indomitability. It’s on my list of Best Movies of 2012 – So Far.
Julie Delpy’s 2 Days in New York is a rollicking light culture clash comedy. The stylishly violent crime drama Lawless is well-made and well-acted but predictable. The bike messenger thriller Premium Rush is nothing more than a chase scene, but it’s a cool chase. The Dark Night Rises is too corny and too long, but Anne Hathaway sparkles. The Words is a corny drama that insults the audience by over-explaining everything.
I haven’t yet seen The Master, Trouble with the Curve and House at the End of the Street. You can read descriptions and view trailers of upcoming films at Movies I’m Looking Forward To.
My DVD pick this week is The Salt of Life, a gently funny and insightful Italian comedy about men of a certain age.