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Bim Bang Bong
Pick of the Week:
The Apple (1980). Directed by Menahem Golan. Starring Catherine Mary Stewart, Allan Love, Grace Kennedy.
As Portland’s own Mr. Movies/Gossip Girl, I am happy to put this movie playing at Cartopia on July 16th at the top this week.
In the early 2010s The Apple had a moment. The Internet had gotten ahold of it. I think there are two kinds of bad movies. There are bad movies like The Room that are poorly made with bad directing and performances. People watch those ironically and you should never watch anything ironically. You should enjoy whatever you watch even if it is dumb. There are bad movies like The Apple where there is money, production values, and people doing competent work but the vision is wrong. Someone had a bad idea and saw that bad idea to it’s logical conclusion but the spectacle makes it fun. What is The Apple? It’s a zionist musical about the Eurovision song contest and the rapture. I know that sounds unwatchable but I assure you it’s not.
Parts of it were shot in a conference center in West Berlin (the production got tax subsidies for filming there) and parts of it were filmed in an abandoned gas factory from WW II.
What does it add up to? This movie is a fever dream. Something that cannot be replicated because you need to be at least a little bit insane, have a little bit of talent (but not too much), and more importantly a feeling of righteousness. And access to money, of course. Too much money. The Apple is not to be seen. It is to be experienced. Thank you Thom Hilton for bringing light to our city this week.
Also Playing:
Terayama: Emperor of the underground
Church of Film at the Clinton on July 15th. “The king of Japanese counter-culture, the artist and poet crowned “The Emperor of the Underground,” Shuji Terayama’s work spanned an incredible array of disciplines, all of which he graced with his powerful and anarchic visions. The collection includes many of the master’s greatest short film works which bridge theater, performance art, poetry, and photography to create haunting, strange and dreamlike worlds. Mind-altering and life-changing, there is simply no cinema like Terayama’s! Includes Tales of Smallpox, Butterfly, Grass Labyrinth and more!”
This Week:
Hour of the Wolf plays at the Academy and Cinemagic. This is the spooky (and great) Bergman movie. As Bergman himself said, “The hour between night and dawn ... when most people die, sleep is deepest, nightmares are most real. It is the hour when the sleepless are haunted by their worst anguish, when ghosts and demons are most powerful. The hour of the wolf is also the hour when most babies are born.”
At 5th Ave: They are on hiatus! :(
At the Academy:
For a Few Dollars More opens for a run. Cinemagic just wrapped up their Western series so here it is at Academy.
A Knights Tale opens for a run. I don’t know. I remember when this came out and I thought it looked dumb. I still think it looks dumb. Its whole deal was that it had a rock n roll soundtrack and a medieval setting. Well so does Shrek.
Boathouse Cinema: “Wed, Jul 22 – Special Return of PDX-aoke”
At Cinema 21:
Body and Soul plays on July 11th—a famous noir about boxing! Considered one of the finest films about the sweet science. I used to be a boxer in another life. Yes. I was very good at it. I hit many home runs at boxing.
NY Dog Film Festival plays this weekend. These dogs live better lives than I do.
At Cinemagic:
Before Sunset plays this week. The second of the missed romantic opportunity couple trilogy by Richard Linklater starring personal friend Ethan Hawke. I used to work at a nonprofit theater he was on a board of and I’m not saying that we got very close but I am saying that he had to get an order of protection against me! Look, I still think my Gattaca sequel was very good, no matter what the lawyers say.
Christine plays this week. I would make a joke about this movie but I think it kind of sucks. I also have a script where Mr. Bean had to drive Christine cross-county to deliver a priceless vase to a wealthy duchess.
Escape from New York plays so much we should make an Escape from Escape from New York movie. Am I right? (I am).
At the Clinton:
Barbarella plays on July 10th. I was reading about the production of this movie and I guess birds pooped everywhere on the set? Just think about that when you are watching it.
Revolutions Per Movie is back this August 13th with Urgh! A Music War, an amazing concert film “Featuring 34 bands ranging from the well-known (The Police, Devo, X, Joan Jett, XTC, The Go-Gos & Gary Numan) to the true underground (Dead Kennedys, Magazine, The Cramps, Pere Ubu, Au Pairs, Klaus Nomi), the film is beautifully shot and recorded, allowing each band to sound and perform completely authentically.” I have been listening to the podcasts reviews of this and dying to watch the movie so here’s your chance!
At Detour Cinema: Check out their Instagram to see what’s playing! There’s Always Tomorrow plays on the 15th! The Douglas Sirk movie!
Film School: Check out their Instagram for what comes next. Hey Pauline at the Beach at the end of the month! That’s fun.
From Below: They are playing movies about infestations this month so check it out. Maybe they’ll squeeze in Joe’s Apartment.
At the Hollywood: The Hollywood is celebrating their 100th birthday by playing movies that they have played 100 times along with some other stuff. It’s all sold out so I guess you’ll just have to go your local Redbox to watch Back to the Future. Blackbelt Jones is fun and you should check that out.
At Joy: Weird Wednesday. Jaws plays staring on July 10th. Not to be confused with Gums, the softcore porn parody that you can find on your Blu-ray of Scarecrow in a Garden of Cucumbers.
At the Kiggins
The Quick and the Dead returns.
So does Grease.
And Detective Pickachu because why not. Who cares? I’m a detective too.
NW Doc: has started a new screening series. Check out their Instagram for updates. NO ONE in town has a regular documentary series. And also this week:
Outer Space Micro Cinema: Check out the Instagram for what’s playing! They have returned! They may be back on hiatus. I DON’T KNOW.
Spectrum Between: Check out their Instagram for what’s next. These are experimental films that don’t play much outside of places like Anthology Film Archives or good museums, which sadly we don’t have.
Word Virus Books: I don’t see any films now, but that often changes. I mean, maybe it doesn’t anymore. Change is hard.
At the Tomorrow Theater (the Hub for Cultural Snackers)—please bug them if you haven’t. Keep bugging them if you have.
Mubi, who has recently come under fire for taking Sequoia Capital investment money, has been partnering with the Tomorrow Theater and they are doing another screening in October. Sequoia has ties to the Israeli army. Mubi has released a bunch of mealy mouthed statements. Filmmakers are urging Mubi to cut ties. If the Los Angeles Festival of Movies can cut ties with Mubi so can PAM. You can contact the Tomorrow Theater here through this link and let them know that they should’t partner with organizations like this.
Again, if the Tomorrow Theater working with a company that has direct ties to the Israeli military bothers you please let them know.
Please do not let the bastards win. Let them know you care about genocide.
We’re not talking chump change for the Sequoia investment: $100 million.
There was a good article about Mubi in Vulture recently behind their paywall.
The tip jar is open if you would like to support this thing. I’m afraid you have to tip so Mr. Topps will take you to heaven like in The Apple, you know the movie I wouldn’t shut up about. You can also call yourself Mr. Tipps if you tip. How about that?! You can also follow me on Letterboxd .
