The Phoenician Scheme
Wes Anderson has been very busy. He seems to make a new movie every year, and he’s back in theaters this month with The Phoenician Scheme. Benicio Del Toro plays a wealthy businessman named Zsa-Zsa Korda, who appoints his only daughter, a nun, as the heir to his estate. Relative newcomer Mia Threapleton, daughter of Kate Winslet, plays the daughter/nun, who becomes the target of scheming tycoons, foreign terrorists, and various assassins, when she gets involved with her estranged dad and his newest enterprise.
The movie is beautiful, and the cast is stacked to the hilt with cinema’s most interesting actors. It is accessible, mid-tier Anderson, which is still better than most of the cinema in theaters this year. Also starring, Michael Cera, Willem Dafoe, and F. Murray Abraham.
Now open at the State Theatre.
The Life of Chuck
Director Mike Flanagan is once again at the helm of a Stephen King film, based on King’s novella “The Life of Chuck,” told with an unconventional timeline in three distinct parts. Tom Hiddleston stars as Chuck, with Mia Sara (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off/Legend) coming out of retirement to play his wife. This is another one with a great cast including Chiwetel Ejiofor and Mark Hamill. Flanagan is known for his horror films that explore familial relationships (“Doctor Sleep,” “The Haunting of Hill House”), and here he departs the horror genre for a more Capraesque tone. Winner of the Audience Award at the Toronto International Film Festival. Also Starring Benjamin Pajak and Jacob Tremblay.
Opens June 13 at the State Theatre.
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28 Years Later
Three decades after the original rage virus escaped a group of survivors on a small island connected to the mainland by a heavily defended causeway learn to live amidst the infected. One of the group leaves the island on a mission to the mainland and discovers more mutations of the virus and survivors.
Though there isn’t much in the way of early reviews of the film, which opens June 20, it is directed by Danny Boyle and written by Boyle and long-time collaborator Alex Garland (“Trainspotting”). Is the world ready for a major horror movie about a pandemic yet? This one is probably for die-hard horror fans. Starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes
Opens June 20 at the State Theatre.
Desperate Living
In this John Waters classic, Mink Stole plays Peggy Gravel, a suburban Karen, who flees to Mortville, a town where criminals live scott-free, after her obese maid sits on and kills her strait-laced husband. A twisted fairy tale as only Waters can tell it – Desperate Living plays as part of Michigan Theater’s Summer Camp series. Starring Mink Stole, Liz Renay.
Playing June 27 and 29 at the Michigan Theater.
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
A naïve youth leader is appointed to fill a vacancy in the U.S. Senate. His idealism clashes with real world corruption in Washington DC as he faces lies and character attacks when he tries to do some good. He’s helped along the way by his jaded secretary played by Jean Arthur.
This is a classic that even the most jaded movie-goer will love. Essential viewing from director Frank Capra. Starring James Stewart, Jean Arthur, and Claude Rains
Playing June 26 and 29 at the Michigan Theater.
