Your Weekend in Film

Be proud, my people: There are precious few species out there that are as bold, as diverse, and as passionate as humans. This week’s new releases definitely give merit to the point, not to mention aligning perfectly with the humanist themes that our last week’s pick, Faces Places, taps into.

This Week’s Pick: Human Flow

Documentary exploring the devastating global refugee crisis from acclaimed artist Ai Weiwei. Marjorie Baumgarten: “At 140 minutes, the accumulated sorrow really begins to feel like the world’s burden and it becomes impossible for the viewer to remain passionless and uninformed.” 3 stars.

Also Reviewed

Only the Brave. The lives, and sacrifice, of the elite firefighting team Granite Mountain Hotshots are retold on the big screen. Marjorie Baumgarten: “Joseph Kosinski, the intensely visual director of Tron: Legacy and Oblivion, is great with the disastrous fire sequences and the hellish third act.” 3 stars.

Dina. This documentary traces the peaks and troughs of an eccentric, yet endearing, couple. Marjorie Baumgarten: “At times, the viewer might worry that the characters’ ‘quirks’ might be mined for the promised ‘romantic comedy,’ but that outcome never materializes.” 2.5 stars.

Breathe. A based-on-fact story about Robin Cavendish (Andrew Garfield), who contracted polio at 28, and his life source, Diana (Claire Foy). Danielle White: “It’s a rather hunky-dory, dainty depiction of what can’t have been an easy situation (but for real, guys, all you need is love).” 1 star.

Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House. Per the lengthy title, the film is about the titular man whose nickname is “Deep Throat” and whose actions push Watergate into the spotlight. Marc Savlov: “Mark Felt lives and dies by Landesman’s laborious script, which revels in the minutiae of the scandal without ever managing an iota of passion.” 1.5 stars.

Take Every Wave: The Life of Laird Hamilton. A deep look into an incomparable royalty of the surfing world. Danielle White: “The monster waves are truly awe-inspiring, and the language is never too technical, ensuring appeal to an audience larger than strictly hardcore surfer bros.” 2.5 stars.

Also Opening

Geostorm. Network of weather-controlling satellites goes haywire, setting off chaos around the world. See, this is why we can’t have nice things.

Killing Gunther. Mockumentary has The Governator fending off an array of bumbling assassins who are out to get him.

Same Kind of Different as Me. An international art dealer befriends a homeless man, whom his wife had seen in a dream, to save his marriage.

The Snowman. Adaptation of Jo Nesbø’s book sees Detective Harry Hole (pronounced hoh-leh, though the film ignores it) taking down a killer who likes to build sinister-looking Olafs.

Special Screenings

Streaming services are causing much buzz of late, either from those vexation-laced name-droppings at film festivals or the fact that their releases are better than those out in theaters. Check out our new section, Stream Analysis, to know what is worth watching, such as Brawl in Cell Block 99, and where you can watch it right at home.

Texas Filmmakers. Locally produced documentaries deserve love, too! Be Inside the Circle, winner of 2007 SXSW Film Fest’s Audience Award, when it screens Saturday, or go Through the Repellent Fence on Sunday.

Life gets better when Buster’s around. This weekend sees another double-shot of the renowned funnyman in Steamboat Bill, Jr., screening Friday and Sunday, and College, screening Saturday and Sunday.

A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night. Make your “31 Days of Halloween” film list cooler than your peers after watching this film, which screens Friday and Saturday. Of the “world’s first Iranian feminist vampire spaghetti Western,” Marc Savlov said: “It’s a spooky, moody doozy of a debut.”

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