Thinking Outside the Multiplex
by MIKE MACCOLLUM
Variety has vanished from most theaters in Indianapolis and Indiana (for the summer, at least), but other choices are still out there, if you look hard enough. Here’s this week’s list:
Adaptation – The multi-part video installation continues for another week at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. More info at the IMA’s homepage.
The Brothers Bloom – Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel Weisz and Rinko Kikuchi star in this comedy from Rian Johnson, the director of Brick. It opens this week at Landmark’s Keystone Arts in Indianapolis. I wasn’t very impressed with the trailer for this one, but the reviews seem to have been great, so now I really want to see it. The film’s official site is here. Read more 
Movie Review – Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009)
by HELEN GEIB
I spent the latter part of Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian pondering whether it was a bad film, or only an indifferent one of unfulfilled potential. Or is the question moot because any movie that squanders a clever premise, talented cast of comic actors, and admirable special effects is bad by definition? Read more
DVD of the Week – “The Art of Buster Keaton” Box Set
by HELEN GEIB
My DVD pick for this week is the box set “The Art of Buster Keaton” released by Kino. The set isn’t new- in fact, it’s been out for a few years now; however, I spent the weekend watching silent movies at Cinevent and it put me in the mood to recommend this fantastic collection of films by my favorite comedian. The set includes all of Keaton’s pre-MGM silent feature films, produced between 1920 and 1928, plus more than a dozen of the comedy shorts he made from 1920-1923. Read more
Movie Review – Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
by NIR SHALEV
Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) was the victim of circumstance. She was told that her unborn son John was to lead a resistance in the future against the machines that would strive to destroy humanity. Because of that the Future John Connor sent a man to the past to protect his mother from a Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger), an unstoppable killing machine that was also sent to the past to assassinate her before John was born. Read more
Thinking Outside the Multiplex
by MIKE MACCOLLUM
My computer is on the fritz this week, resulting in an abbreviated (not to mention late) column. Things should be in better working condition next week, but for now, here are the limited release films playing in and around Indianapolis this week.
Fanboys - Comedy about a group of obsessed Star Wars fans on a mission is at Nashville, Indiana’s Lotus Petal Cinema through June 1 – except for May 26 and 27. Read more at the Lotus Petal Cinema homepage. Read more
Movie Review – Terminator Salvation (2009)
by HELEN GEIB
It is not necessary to see the three prior films in the “Terminator” series to follow and enjoy Terminator Salvation. Salvation, directed by McG from a script by John D. Brancato and Michael Ferris, is first and foremost a fast-moving, thrill-a-minute action movie with great special effects and chases, firefights, and hand-to-hand fighting galore. Read more
Movie Review – The Terminator (1984)
by NIR SHALEV
In the year 2029 A.D. an apocalypse is in motion. The supercomputer Skynet was originally intended for military intelligence, but it began assassinating certain government and military officials, ones it thought did not need to exist; ones that could possibly have opposed Skynet’s intentions. A nuclear war has started and machines, big and small continue to destroy what is left of mankind in a grim, ash-laden landscape. Read more
DVD of the Week – Review of Chandni Chowk to China (2009)
by HELEN GEIB
Chandni Chowk to China takes a comic hero from a Bollywood comedy-musical and re-imagines his story as the starring part in a vintage Hong Kong kung fu movie. The plot is a mix of low-comedy and high-melodrama peppered with musical numbers and martial arts fights. The result is a synthesis of two great filmmaking forms and a funny, funny movie. Read more
Movie Review – Blood Simple (1984)
by NIR SHALEV
Abby (Frances McDormand) is married to Julian Marty (Dan Hedaya), a bar owner. Ray (John Getz) is an employee of Marty’s and is having an affair with Abby. It hasn’t been going on for very long, but long enough to make Marty suspicious. Marty hires a private eye, Loren Visser (M. Emmet Walsh) to spy on the couple and to prove to him that they are, in fact in cahoots with one another. Some revealing photographs prove to Marty that his suspicion is correct and he soon hires Loren to kill Ray and Abby. Read more
Movie Review – Star Trek (2009)
by RISHI AGRAWAL
Much of the publicity campaign around Star Trek centers on how the film is a departure from the original TV series and prior films. It seems that director J.J. Abrams wanted to emphasize that the film was a re-launch of the franchise. It was a fairly large gamble, one that threatened to alienate an obsessive fan base, but one that probably needed to be made in order to appeal to a wider audience. The hardcore fans would probably not be happy regardless of how the new film turned out, but the more casual fans, even the most devoted ones, could probably be won over. And let me tell you, the gamble paid off as Abrams has definitely put together an entertaining film. Read more
