Category Archives: Last Call

Last Call, News

Last Call: ‘Sleeping Beauty’ at Texas Theatre

Emily Browning in 'Sleeping Beauty'
Emily Browning in 'Sleeping Beauty'

It’s all about prostitution in Oak Cliff. In the movies, I mean.

Tonight and tomorrow are the final opportunities to see Cannes sensation ‘Sleeping Beauty’ theatrically in the Metroplex. Emily Browning stars as a new employee in an elegant house of prostitution, where the ladies go to sleep while the gentlemen do with them what they will. Reviews have been mixed, but it should be a good conversation-starter for couples, I imagine.

If you go tomorrow night, you could make it a double-bill (separate admission charged), with the last show of ‘Sleeping Beauty’ at 7:00 p.m., followed by the local premiere of ‘House of Pleasures’ at 9:20 p.m. The latter is a less-touted French film, also set in a brothel, but one where the ladies are fully awake while strangers do the deed. And while ‘Sleeping Beauty’ has a modern-day setting, ‘House of Pleasures’ takes place in the early 20th century. So, theoretically, you could compare and contrast, er, the time periods.

You’ll figure it out.

All screenings at the Texas Theatre. Check website for details. 

Last Call, News

Last Call: ‘Jig,’ ‘Man Who Fell to Earth,’ ‘Another Earth,’ ‘Devil’s Double’

Jig
A young dancer practices in 'Jig.'

Last chance to catch these limited theatrical engagements before they end tomorrow, Thursday, September 1:

  • ‘Jig.’ Fine documentary on an Irish dancing competition, revolving around the young people and their parents. (The Texas Theatre.) My review at Twitch. Recommended.
  • ‘The Man Who Fell to Earth.’ Nicholas Roeg’s science fiction meditation, starring David Bowie. (Angelika Dallas.) Highly recommended.
  • ‘Another Earth.’ Britt Marling and William Mapother star as two fractured people rebuilding their lives under the watchful eye of a mirror planet. (Angelika Dallas.) My interview with Mike Cahill and Britt Marling at Twitch. Recommended.
  • ‘The Devil’s Double.’ Mixed critical reaction, locally, yet all seem to agree that Dominic Cooper gives a powerhouse performance. (Angelika Dallas.) Not previewed.
Last Call, News

Last Call: Terrence Malick, Hobo With a Shotgun, True Legend

All screenings tonight, June 2, 2011:

Angelika Film Center – The Thin Red Line – by Terrence Malick – Tonight Only

Last call at Angelika Dallas: The Beaver, True Legend.

Last call at Landmark Magnolia: I Am, The First Grader, L’Amour Fou

Texas Theatre – Wild Zero!

Last call at Texas Theatre: Hobo With a Shotgun, To Whom It May Concern.

Last Call, News

Last Call: ‘Four Lions’ at Texas Theatre and More

Four Lions
Terrorism and comedy coexist in 'Four Lions' (Drafthouse Films)

Make haste to Oak Cliff tonight to catch the final screenings of the (reportedly) scathing ‘Four Lions,’ directed by Chris Morris, exclusively at the Texas Theatre. Showtimes are 7:45 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

More “last call” screenings tonight and tomorrow (and seriously, I may have to move to Oak Cliff and get a real job):

  • ‘Queen of the Sun.’ Nature documentary. (Tonight and tomorrow, Texas Theatre)
  • ‘Santa Sangre.’ Jodorowsky’s classic! (Tomorrow night only, Texas Theatre)
  • ‘Battleship Potemkin.’ Are you kidding me? The silent classic. (Tomorrow night only, Texas Theatre)
  • ‘Brotherhood.’ Provocative thriller. (Tonight and tomorrow, Angelika Dallas)
  • ‘Outside the Law.’ Algerian nominee for Best Foreign Language Film. (Tonight and tomorrow, Angelika Dallas)
  • Oscar-Nominated Short Films: Animated. (Tonight and tomorrow, Landmark Magnolia)
  • Oscar-Nominated Short Films: Live Action. (Tonight and tomorrow, Landmark Magnolia)
Last Call

Last Call: ‘Lemmy,’ ‘Night Catches Us,’ ‘White Material,’ ‘Rabbit Hole’ Plus ‘Shock Corridor,’ ‘Suspiria’

Suspiria
"Hurry, driver, the movie's about to start!" Jessica Harper in 'Suspiria' (Blue Underground)

A cornucopia of closers fill the coffers of local cine-maniacs tonight and tomorrow. Add in a couple of special screenings, and I don’t know if you have time to breath between showtimes.

First, the films that are finishing up their limited engagements (links to showtimes included):

  • ‘Lemmy: The Movie.’ Documentary about the Motorhead frontman; our own Steve Norwood called it “a fine example of high-decibel idol worship.” (The Texas Theatre)
  • ‘Night Catches Us.’ Drama about race-torn Philadelphia neighborhood in 1976. (The Texas Theatre)
  • ‘White Material.’ Claire Denis’ latest, about a woman trying to hold on to her family’s plantation. (Angelika Dallas)
  • ‘Rabbit Hole.’ Drama with exquisite performances by Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart. “Tremendously kind and empathetic,” I wrote in my review. “The acting and the writing are so extraordinary that the film demands attention.” (Angelika Dallas | Angelika Plano)

And the special engagements, each showing one night only:

  • ‘Shock Corridor.’ Sam Fuller’s shocker about a reporter going undercover at a mental institution to investigate a murder and, hopefully, win a Pulitzer Prize. Instead, he starts to lose his mind. (Wednesday night only; The Texas Theatre)
  • ‘Suspiria.’ Dario Argento’s shocker about American ballet dancer Jessica Harper, who transfers to a prestigious European school, only to discover that it’s a hiding place for [SPOILER REDACTED] . (Thursday night only; The Texas Theatre)
Last Call

Last Call: ‘Made in Dagenham’ at Inwood / Angelika Plano, ‘Terribly Happy’ at Texas Theatre

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Made in Dagenham
Sally Hawkins makes her last stand. (Sony Pictures Classics)

Last Call is a weekly feature that rounds up films that will be completing their local engagements.

‘Made in Dagenham’ is a fine, sturdy British period drama, but it’s the one that doesn’t feature a member of the royal family who struggles with a speech impediment. ‘Made in Dagenham’ is similar in quality to ‘The King’s Speech,’ featuring a splendid performance by Sally Hawkins as a factory worker in the 1960s who helped bring the issue of “equal pay for equal work” among the sexes to the forefront of labor relations.

As I wrote in my review:

“Sally Hawkins captures the insecurity and building confidence of Rita. She’s a good wife, mother, and worker, but the role of labor leader suits her perfectly, allowing her to come fully into her own. That buoyancy floats “Made in Dagenham” above its historical roots, allowing it to happily inhabit its own dramatic territory. Well done.”

The film ends its local run tomorrow. Final showtimes: Landmark Inwood / Angelika Plano.

In a different European vein, ‘Terribly Happy’ ventures into darker territory.

Steve Norwood described it thusly:

A great little Danish thriller about a cop who is transferred to a distant, deceptively quiet town, only to find himself caught up in all manner of dark deeds.  Don’t miss this film!

‘Terribly Happy’ concludes its local run tomorrow. Final showtimes: Texas Theatre.