CinePhillyist

What's new and/or interesting in Philly theaters this weekend

My Kid Could Paint That - A documentary about child painter Marla Olmstead, and the questions about aesthetics that her story brings to the forefront. She and her family went on a rollercoaster ride of fame and infamy. Her paintings were hailed as great works of abstract expressionism by some, and started selling for hundreds of thousands of dollars. She appeared on many national news programs. Then it was suggested that perhaps her father - an amateur painter - was doing the paintings for her, and everything came crashing down. Sounds like an interesting story, and questions of aesthetics are always fascinating.
Trailer
Showing at: Ritz at the Bourse

Terror's Advocate - Another documentary, this one about Jacques Vergès, a lawyer who has taken on the defense of terrorists of all kinds, including Magdalena Kopp, Anis Naccache, Carlos the Jackal, and Nazi lieutenant Klaus Barbie. Through an investigation of this man, director Barbet Schroeder also examines the history of terrorism. Sounds like a pretty intriguing film, especially considering the current world climate.
Trailer
Showing at: Ritz at the Bourse

Most Likely to Rule: Before the Devil Knows You're Dead - Sydney Lumet directs Philip Seymour Hoffman as Andy, an overextended broker who convinces his brother Hank (Ethan Hawke) to help him rob their own parents' jewelry store. But, as they always do in movies, the robbery goes awry, and the owner of the store (Albert Finney) relentlessly pursues the culprits, not aware that they're his own children. Meanwhile, things are further complicated by the fact that Hank is having an affair with Andy's wife (Marisa Tomei). This one's getting a lot of good buzz and good reviews, so it's probably a good bet for weekend entertainment.
Trailer
Showing at: Ritz Five

Sleuth - This film has an interesting history, and a lot of talent connected to it. It began life as a play by Anthony Schaffer, about a mystery author whose attempt to get revenge on the man who's having an affair with his wife turns into an elaborate game of trickery and humiliation. The play was turned into a movie in 1972 directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz and starring Michael Caine and Laurence Olivier. Now it's become a movie directed by Kenneth Brannagh with a screenplay by Harold Pinter, starring Caine again, this time in the Olivier part, and Jude Law in what was originally Caine's part. Sadly, despite the interesting casting and the fact that the original film is brutal and excellent, this remake is getting some rather poor reviews. We're still curious to see it, but we can't recommend it.
Trailer
Showing at: Ritz East

American Gangster - Another one of those "based on a true story" movies, this one is directed by Ridley Scott and tells the story of an innovative Harlem drug lord (Denzel Washington) trying to go semi-legit; an honest, idealistic cop (Russell Crowe) surrounded by a corrupt system; and the inevitable showdown between them. The film also stars Josh Brolin, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and RZA. Looks like another boring cops-and-drug-dealers movie to us, but the talent involved is impressive, and the reviews are good, so it's probably worth at least a rental.
Trailer
Showing at: UA Riverview, The Bridge

Bee Movie - The original live-action ads for this film were very funny and clever, but once we saw some clips of the actual movie, it started looking a lot less interesting. It's a computer-animated film about a bee (Jerry Seinfeld) who leaves the hive and breaks the cardinal rule of the bee world by talking to a human (Renée Zellweger). He learns that humans have been stealing honey from bees for years, and decides to sue them. Reviews are mixed. We'd say, err on the side of safety and keep away from this one.
Trailer
Showing at: UA Riverview, The Bridge

Most Likely to Suck: Martian Child - A romantic drama based on an award-winning short story by David Gerrold about a recently widowed science fiction writer (John Cusack) who starts a new family with a close friend (Amanda Peet) and a young boy he adopts who claims to be from Mars. Of course, where John Cusack goes, Joan must follow, so she stars as the author's sister. The thing about this movie that saves it from sounding like just another boring, sappy romantic/family drama is that apparently weird stuff starts happening that leads Cusack's and Peet's characters to suspect the kid may not be lying - he might actually be a Martian. Sadly, the reviews are not good, so that's not going to be enough to get us to the theater.
Trailer
Showing at: UA Riverview

Views of a Changing World, 3rd Edition - This program, featuring "a selection of contemporary documentaries which demonstrate many of the technological and formalistic changes in the making of today’s films," began last night and continues tonight and tomorrow. Tonight you can see a documentary about legendary New York experimental filmmaker Marie Menken, followed by screenings of a selection of short films by Menken and Stan Brakhage (Brakhage makes some of the most boring and pointless films we've ever seen, so if you're going, remember to consume enormous quantities of caffeine beforehand to avoid the embarrassment of snoring your way through the screening). Saturday you can see films about high-tech agriculture and the building of a gigantic bridge in Mexico City. The best we can say here is that these films are probably more exciting than they sound.
Showing at: International House

Image via Internet Movie Poster Awards Gallery