Archive: May, 2012

QUEUED UP: Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives

POSTED: Wednesday, May 2, 2012, 2:00 PM

Filed Under: Movies

Movie critic (and the guy who compiles our weekly repertory film listings) Michael Gold reviews his favorite Netflix Instant flick of the week.

Keep your eye on the French Riviera as the crowning jewel of film festivals slowly approaches. In exactly two weeks, stars and execs descend on Cannes’ red carpet for an ostentatious celebration of cinema. True, other festivals are more audience-friendly or far edgier (Proof: This year’s all-male competition lineup is dominated by the usual suspects, from Anderson to Vinterberg). But still, the French fest sets the tone for what will succeed and fail on the world cinema stage — even if its top movies never quite make it big stateside.

Take 2010 Palme d’Or winner Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives. The oneiric feature from Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul (whose staggeringly long name matches his movie's verbose title) captivated the Cannes jury, then confounded U.S. audiences and missed out on a coveted Academy Award nom. A shame (albeit an unsurprising one), since the meditative tale of the titular uncle’s preparation for death is stunningly poignant. Perhaps Uncle Boonmee’s plot, which features dead spirits converging on Boonmee's porch to help guide him into the afterlife, is a touch obscure. Yet its parade of mesmerizing images and its meditative pace make the movie into a dazzling exploration of film form. If Weerasethakul's enigmatic journey through Boonmee's life defies easy explanation, so be it. It remains exactly the type of challenging fare festivals were intended to reward.

(michael.gold@citypaper.net) (@migold)

Posted by Michael Gold @ 2:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

TO-DO LIST: Event picks for May 2-8

POSTED: Wednesday, May 2, 2012, 1:00 PM

Filed Under: Events | To-Do List

Chris Brown digs into our listings bin and pulls out a little something-something to do every day of the week. This week: The Sign on Rosie's Door, hanging with the falsely convicted and May the 4th be with you!

2012 marks the 200th birthday of Charles Dickens. While the dude should most certainly gets his due, the individuals he created deserve some love as well. Working through the vast bodywork, one is introduced to approximately 1000 characters. (No bullshit. The Internet sets the tally at 989). Today marks the last day for "Character Sketches," an exhibit that attempts to put them all in one place.

Wed., May 2, 9 a.m., Central Branch of the Free Library, 1901 Vine St., 215-686-5322, freelibrary.org.

Posted by Chris Brown @ 1:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

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Q&A with SHARI SOLANIS: "The goal isn't pornography"
ICE CUBE: In Memoriam: Joe Tartaglia
CONCERT REVIEW & PHOTOS: James Blake @ TLA 5/11
SEXY TIME Q&A: I've never had an orgasm during sex with a man — and I'm 30!
Coming soon to Philly: Two cockamamie movie promotion schemes
What we're trying to do this weekend
Q&A with Tony Goldwyn: "Life is gray, and relationships are, too"
CONCERT REVIEW: Primus (3D & quadraphonic sound) @ The Tower 10/17
ICEPACK ILLUSTRATED: The Archbishop meets the Geator, the Mayor goes suit shopping, Le Bec Fin fin.

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Featuring everything from event roundups to concert reviews and sex talk, City Paper's Critical Mass is a space for off-the-wall coverage of Philly's A&E scene.

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