September Films

September Films

This is the time of year when many good films start to roll out. I'd like to draw attention to a few new releases that I'm particularly interested in. I will rank my choices chronologically, not by personal preference.

September 12th

"Burn After Reading"
This is the new Coen Brothers movie, and based off of the trailers, it looks like one of their dark comedies. The premise concerns a CIA agent who accidentally leaves his top-secret memoir, which is on a CD, in a gym. The moronic gym manager and his wife find the CD and blackmail the operative; and naturally, havoc ensues. I'm really interested in this for three reasons: one, it's made by the Coen Brothers; two, it has a great cast, including John Malkovich, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Tilda Swinton, and Frances McDormand; three, Emmanuel Lubezki is the cinematographer, rather than the Coens' normal collaborator - and equally excellent - Roger Deakins. He shot the film with a new line of very high-resolution digital cameras, so I'm curious to see how he uses that technology and how well he collaborates with the Coens.


"Towelhead"
This is a film that's directed by Alan Ball, the writer for "American Beauty" and "Six Feet Under," and it focuses on suburban disgruntlement from the perspective of an Arab-American girl. Aaron Eckhart ("The Dark Knight") plays an older, bigoted soldier who, from what I can gather in the trailer, has an obsession with the girl. "Towelhead" will probably be good, if a touch heavy-handed in its exploration of such tensions.

September 19

"Appaloosa"
This is an Ed Harris-directed western starring Jeremy Irons and Viggo Mortensen. Color me interested.

September 26

"Miracle at St. Anna"
This is a potentially fascinating film about four black soldiers stationed in Italy during World War II. It's directed by Spike Lee, too, so I have high expectations.


"Choke"
I have very mixed feelings regarding "Choke," the Chuck Palahniuk novel, which is about a sexaholic who pays for his mother's medical bills by choking in restaurants, and receiving sympathy checks from fellow eaters. Sam Rockwell plays the protagonist, which should be interesting since Rockwell has played a wide variety of roles, from the hilarious character "the guy" in "Galaxy Quest" to one of the solemn Ford Brothers in "The Assassination of Jesse James." The film could be good, or it could be bad; I think it will be just O.K.