Coming Attractions, Tuesday, April 25
The TNT & Tortalinni:
Tuesday thru Thurs, April 25-27, HOW TO BLOWUP A PIPELINE @ 4:25 & 6:45
Friday, April 28, MAFIA MAMMA @ 4:25 & 6:45
Sat & Sun, April 29 & 30, MAFIA MAMMA @ 2:15, 4:30 & 7
Mon thru Thu, May 1-4, MAFIA MAMMA @ 4:25 & 6:45
THAT should be explosive enough for your demanding tastes for BOTH social commentary and the most difficult of genres, gangster comedy. As a segue from one to the other, from the absolute dramatic seriousness of the former to the outlandish, slapstick silliness of the latter, I offer a few notes on each. Soup to nuts as they say in foodie world.
HOW TO BLOW UP A PIPELINE, is an adaptation from the book of the same name by Andreas Malm. The screenwriters, Daniel Golhaber and Ariel Barer, have crafted a stunningly suspenseful dramatic narrative of a group of kids (I can say that in generational reference to the Gen Z gang of courageous young adults) as they plot, plan and eventually execute their bold statement of desperation. I say bold because the antagonists are the corporations, recognized as people by the conservative capitalists putting bottom line profits at the top of their priority lists, stacking the deck with their power, the politicians on their payroll, the armies at their disposal and the public gaslighting propaganda that calls for these heroic actions to be seen as terrorism. IT IS NOT. Yet, it is always with a taste of hypocrisy that we sometimes feel torn between two lovers. We all like the idea of having cheap gas with which to fill our tanks, yet we LOVE the idea of environmental protections and the preservation of our forests, rivers, snow caps and salmon. THE IDEA. Not the actual front-line demonstration of the extent of that idea. That is for somebody else. And THAT is exactly what the “American Empire” or “Deep State” want you feel powerless against. Remember that the pithy slogan ,“You can’t fight city hall” was devised and promoted by City Hall themselves. That paradox is the story. And I can’t help but wonder if that might be the underlying reason why, despite its 95% Metascore, the actual Box Office numbers have been, to date, rather poor. Is this coming too close to home? Do we really still think that we can vote our way out of this mess? What would YOU do if offered a million tax-free dollars to “stay silent” when the vote comes to the floor over environmental regulations? This is three acts of desperation. I love this film in the same way that I loved Linoleum, well made small films telling important stories about uncomfortable modern ironies.
MAFIA MAMMA takes the risky fish out of water approach matching comedy with the inbred gangster culture of the Mafia. I am interested in this film for the single reason that I have visited the shooting locations on several occasions and find them fascinating on several fronts; The architecture, the people, their lifestyles, and the artistic blend of city chaos and countryside splendor. Having 50% of my DNA passed to me via familia Mainelli della Nord, It has long been my passion to investigate “all things Italian” (tutti cose Italiano). This one then, should suffice in that life-long quest. I just hope that the comedy doesn’t sink to stereotype lows or jabs we’ve all seen a thousand times. Monica Bellucci is in it so that is two reasons. Another one is Cinema Paradiso, my favorite all-time Italian film. I’ve got a thousand lira that says there is at least one reference to it, alongside the obligatory winks at la familia Corelone. Lastly, please remember that:
Film & Music Heal the World. Sing the word and see a movie. Grazie.
Kevin
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