Friday Flicks: ‘The Meyerowitz Stories’, ’78/52′, ‘The Departure’
Blockbuster films are missing the mark as of late, with Blade Runner 2049 having failed to meet expectations at the box office – despite strong advanced sales. Can some indie flare pick up the slack? Find out with FD’s weekend cinema roundup.
Deconstruct the iconic Psycho shower scene in 78/52, as filmmaker Alexandre O. Philippe shines a light on Hitchcock’s web of allusions; delve into the true story of what inspired a Harvard psychologist to create the iconic Wonder Woman character in the 1960s, in Angela Robinson’s Professor Marston and the Wonder Women; and witness what happens when three adult siblings converge in New York to contend with the fading legacy of their artist father in Noah Baumbach’s The Meyerowitz Stories.
The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) (Netflix)
on limited theatrical release now
From director of The Squid and the Whale Noah Baumbach comes the The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected), an emotional and comic intergenerational tale of three adult siblings contending with the long shadow their prickly artist father cast over their lives. The film was a hit at this year’s Cannes Film Festival where it was selected to compete for the Palme d’Or, a first for Baumbach. Though it lost out to Ruben Östlund’s The Square, the film does appear to be a return to form for Adam Sandler (after a slew of flops), who stars alongside Dustin Hoffman (The Graduate), Elizabeth Marvel (True Grit), Ben Stiller (Zoolander), and Grace Van Patten (The Wilde Wedding).
78/52: Hitchcock’s Shower Scene (IFC Films)
on limited theatrical release now
Does Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho still send a shiver down your spine? It does for us! The 1960 thriller redefined screen violence and set the stage for decades of slasher films to come with its infamous taboo-shattering shower scene. Now, nearly 60 years on, it’s time to peel back the curtain for a closer look. Director Alexandre O. Philippe (Doc of the Dead), aided by filmmakers, actors, critics, and directors including Guillermo del Toro (The Shape of Water) and Eli Roth (Hostel), breaks down the scene frame by frame to dissect Hitchcock’s “dense web of allusions and double meanings”.
Tom of Finland (Kino Lorber)
on limited theatrical release now
Touko Laaksonen, known to the world as Tom of Finland, shaped the fantasies of a generation of gay men. But who was the man behind the leather gear? Director Dome Karukoski (Beauty and the Bastard) delves into his life in this stirring biopic, charting Tom’s journey from the blood-soaked trenches of WWII and repressive Finnish society of the 1950s through to his acceptance amid the sexual revolution of the 70s. Tom’s story is one of love, courage, and perseverance, mirroring the gay liberation movement for which his leather-clad studs have served as a defiant emblem. Stars Pekka Strang (Naked Harbour), Lauri Tilkanen (Bad Family), Jessica Grabowsky (Love and Other Troubles), and Werner Daehn (Enemy at the Gates).
American Satan
on limited theatrical release now
The members of a wannabe rock band drop out of college and move to the neon-lit streets of LA’s Sunset Strip to chase their dreams. Struggling to make ends meet, the fate of the band is forever changed when an enigmatic stranger sees their true potential. Ensnared in a Faustian deal, their music begins to influence society. But will they be able to take back control of their destiny before it’s too late? Directed by Ash Avildsen (What Now), American Satan stars Andy Biersack (Average Joe), John Bradley (Game of Thrones), Denise Richards (Wild Things), and Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange).
Professor Marston and the Wonder Women (Annapurna Pictures)
on limited theatrical release now
Written and directed by Angela Robinson (The L Word), Professor Marston and the Wonder Women uncovers the incredible true story of what inspired Harvard psychologist Dr. William Moulton Marston to create Wonder Woman in the 1940s. The iconic character, initially slammed and censored for her “sexual perversity”, eventually became a household name. But all the while, Marston was keeping a secret that could have destroyed him – and the character he created. Stars Luke Evans (Dracula Untold), Rebecca Hall (The Town), and Bella Heathcote (The Neon Demon).
The Departure (Matson Films)
on limited theatrical release now
A character study of Ittetsu Nemoto, a former punk-turned-Buddhist-priest in Japan, who has made a career out of helping suicidal people find reasons to live. But his work has come at the cost of his own family and health, as he refuses to draw lines between those he helps and himself. The film captures Nemoto at a pivotal moment in his life, when his ever-growing self-destructive tendencies lead him to confront the same question as his patients: what makes life worth living? Directed by Lana Wilson (After Tiller), The Departure is a “poetic and deeply moving film that contemplates death as a way of better understanding how we should live”.
Monogamish (Abramorama Films)
on limited theatrical release now
The institution of marriage is in crisis with more than a million Americans getting divorced each year, while the traditional values that shaped our understanding of love, sex, and marriage lose their hold upon society. In the face of it all, the concept of monogamous couples hasn’t changed. Why? And where does this behavior pattern originate from? Is it simply ingrained into us? Filmmaker Tao Ruspoli (Being in the World) sets out to find the answers in Monogamish, as he takes an unflinching look into his own marriage, divorce, and family history.
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Looking for more films to see this weekend? Catch The Lucky Man, Human Flow and Breathe – all out now.
