Movie Blog: This Week's Best Bets
Somehow, summer is halfway over.
That being said, you should probably spend as much time as possible out enjoying the warm season on a lake or a patio.
But, if you're in the mood for some air conditioning and food for thought, there are some interesting/great/unique cinematic experiences on offer in the Twin Cities this week.
Through Thursday, July 23: The Tribe (St. Anthony Main Theatre)
A film with no spoken dialog whatsoever, The Tribe is a testament to the idea of "show, don't tell." The story follows a teenage Ukrainian boy as he joins a school for the deaf only to be quickly recruited into the school's gang of muggers, pimps and prostitutes. The film has no subtitles, you just have to follow the expressions of the talented, non-professional actors. Director Miroslav Slaboshpitsky not only pulls of this incredible stylistic achievement, he leaves you deeply moved, if not devastated.
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Wednesday, July 22: Do The Right Thing (Walker Art Center)
This Spike Lee classic from 1989 is screening as part of the Walker's Summer Nights/Cool Cinema program. While it manages to be equal parts energetic, sexy and funny, the film is, at heart, an examination of racial tensions in a Brooklyn neighborhood reaching a boiling point during the dog days of summer. Watching this today might be especially interesting considering the recent development of the Black Lives Matter movement, and the national spotlight putting considerable focus on race in America.
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Friday, July 25: Tangerine (Uptown Theater)
Director Sean Baker shot this whole movie on bunch of iPhones. If that alone isn't reason to check this out, I'm not sure what is. It might help that the film, about a day in the life of transgender sex workers in Los Angeles, has a 93 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. I've yet to watch the movie, although I've have a review up later in the week. And if I'm allowed to be superficial here for a second, I'd say that, on the surface, Tangerine looks like it could be one of the year's most unforgettable flicks.
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