movies
by Ken Hanke & Justin Souther
contact xpressmovies@aol.com
HHHHH = max rating
s ta rti n G Fr i d aY Brooklyn See review in “Cranky Hanke”
screen scene
Creed A new twist — sort of — in reboots comes our way with this one, in which the old Rocky series gets a new shot with Sylvester Stallone essentially playing the old Burgess Meredith role to the son of his old boxing nemesis Apollo Creed, Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan). Screwy as this sounds, the early reviews have been surprisingly enthusiastic. (pg-13)
The Good Dinosaur The latest from Pixar is described thus: “The Good Dinosaur asks the question: What if the asteroid that forever changed life on Earth missed the planet completely and giant dinosaurs never became extinct? Pixar Animation Studios takes you on an epic journey into the world of dinosaurs where an Apatosaurus named Arlo makes an unlikely human friend. While traveling through a harsh and mysterious landscape, Arlo learns the power of confronting his fears and discovers what he is truly capable of.” Destined to be the week’s big opener. (pg)
Trumbo See review in “Cranky Hanke”
Victor Frankenstein This unasked-for attempt to revive the old Frankenstein yarn comes from Scottish director Paul McGuigan, who is not known for making good movies — but the cast makes it at least interesting. The studio explains it like this: “James McAvoy and Daniel Radcliffe star in a dynamic and thrilling twist on a legendary tale. Radical scientist Victor Frankenstein (McAvoy) and his equally brilliant protégé Igor Strausman (Radcliffe) share a noble vision of aiding humanity through their groundbreaking research into immortality. But Victor’s experiments go too far, and his obsession has horrifying consequences.” Isn’t that always the way things go with Dr. Frankenstein? (pg-13) 64
november 25 - december 1, 2015
FeAr FACtor: Matt Burke films a night scene on location for “Possession,” the pilot episode of Asheville director Ben Carland’s new series, “Monster of the Week.” Photo by Eric Anderson • The Asheville-set satirical Web comedy “Transplanting” holds a free holiday party Wednesday, Dec. 9, at The Mothlight. The evening begins at 8 p.m. and includes a screening of each episode up to the series’ never-beforeseen holiday installments, standup comedy by event emcee chase mcneill, performances by local troupe Blacklist Improv (several of whose members are in the “Transplanting” cast), an affordable raffle for desirable prizes and more. The series is co-created by lea mclellan and andrew vasco and chronicles the adventures of millennial Maeve (hayley heninger) as she discovers the many quirks that make Asheville equal parts wonderful and ridiculous. avl.mx/20r • In the tradition of “The X-Files,” the original “Twilight Zone” and “Are You Afraid of the Dark,” Asheville director ben carland has launched a new short film project called “Monster of the Week.” Each episode in the series is a standalone horror, sci-fi, thriller or hybrid story running approximately 30 minutes. The pilot “Possession” was filmed in Flat Rock in mid-October and follows the struggles of recently divorced father Bart (matt burke) to keep custody of his young son miles (Reid Meadows) and the changes that occur once something crashes in the woods behind their house. Carland is aiming for 10 total episodes in the first season — a self-professed moderate number so that each story may receive maximum attention
mountainx.com
on the production and editing fronts — and will soon be accepting pitches from area writers. Interested parties are invited to register on Carland’s Pixel Pictures website and will be notified via email once the submission process opens. Writers whose scripts are greenlighted will be financially compensated. Much of the team that made “Possession” will be involved in the subsequent episodes, adjusting the crew size depending on the needs of each story with casting done independently each time. “I hope to accrue some familiar faces throughout the show, but that will boil down to the best fits for the selected episodes,” Carland says. “One of my favorite elements of the show is the localgrown approach to every aspect of its creation. Almost all of the cast and crew are local to the region, and we’re planning to do the same with each episode.” Carland predicts that “Monster of the Week” will likely be released through video-on-demand platforms but is open to other possibilities. “There’s an exciting range of content networks sprouting up seemingly overnight these days, so there are lots of options and combinations to consider,” he says. Whatever form the release takes, Carland hopes to have a public screening at a local movie theater, either just of “Possession” or a marathon of multiple episodes. avl.mx/20s Send your local film news to ae@ mountainx.com X
blacklist, gossip columnist Hedda Hopper (Helen Mirren), and modern pundits like Ann Coulter is very small. And when, in the course of the film, it’s suggested that all members of the Communist Party should be put in camps, it cuts even deeper. (It should be noted that it was not then, nor is it now, illegal to be a party member.) A certain amount of criticism that has been leveled against the film is that it tells “us” nothing we didn’t know already. That idea — being put forth by film-savvy writers who presumably know the history — works on the faulty assumption that there is a unified “us.” There’s not. Did I learn anything new? Probably not, but I’m also 61 years old and steeped (some would say too much so) in film history, which includes this chapter. But, if I was in my 20s, 30s or even 40s and not conversant with this history, would I still say that? My guess is no. As such, I’m not on board with the argument that it tells “us” nothing new. More than that, though, it tells it in a surprisingly entertaining manner — skillfully blending outrage, bleak humor and genuinely moving scenes. What Trumbo gives us is a portrait of the writer — in all his sometimes wrong-headed prickliness — and his circle being harassed and even imprisoned for their political belief that congress had no legal right to ask them the infamous “Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?” question. It also offers a trenchant behindthe-scenes look at the forces behind the witch hunt and the blacklist. As noted, some things are simplified — the idea that Kirk Douglas single-handedly broke the blacklist by crediting Trumbo as writer on Spartacus in 1960 is hardly the whole story, but it serves dramatically. Similarly, the scene where Hedda Hopper browbeats Louis B. Mayer (a staunch right-wing moralist himself) into submission by threats of bringing up the Jewish heritage (and real names) of nearly all the industry’s moguls to play on the public’s antiSemitism may be invented, but the tone is very authentic. That sense of authenticity, I think — along with just how entertaining and important the film is — raises Trumbo to greatness. Rated R for language, including some sexual references. Starts Wednesday at Carolina Cinemas. revieWed By ken hAnke khAnke@mountAinx.Com