By David Poland poland@moviecitynews.com
Screening Gotham: Dec. 30, 2005 – Jan. 2, 2006
A few of this weekend’s worthwhile cinematic happenings around New York:
–James Bond is dead. You heard it here first. Daniel Craig is the new George Lazenby, nobody wants to be a Bond girl and the best things about the franchise’s last decade have been its titles (tell me you do not wish you had come up with The World is Not Enough). But that is not to say you cannot have a little fun rummaging through 007’s old watercraft this weekend at the New York National Boat Show. Authentic Bond boats from Thunderball, Moonraker, Diamonds are Forever (right) and a pair of other films will be on hand, not to mention a dozen or so Bond film props (A View to a Kill checkbook, anyone?) and reproductions. This is all a prelude to next week’s Bond Day, which I have to defer thinking about lest nostalgia liquefy my eyes. More on that Jan. 4.
–Have you seen Michael Haneke’s creep-out Caché yet? I was serious when I encouraged you a few months back to catch this with a big crowd, in whose company the film’s shocks are certain to wield a more powerful cinematic wallop then they ever will late in its run or on DVD. Do not ask me why, just please, please trust me: Sunshine Theater, this weekend. Worth every penny, especially if you can hop into tonight’s X-rated 3-D midnight movie, The Lollipop Girls in Hard Candy. There is nothing like French class war paired with vintage porn. I think.
–Finally, a friendly reminder: If you do not check out Fassbinder’s BRD Trilogy at IFC Center on Jan. 1, the director’s spirit will actually sneak into your New Year’s hangover and chip away at it with an old screwdriver. Consider yourself warned. Afterward, go to the Waverly and keep the servers company; it can get lonely in there.
Happy New Year to all of you–be safe, watch lots of movies and check back Tuesday with a full report. See you then!
Bond is not dead! Let’s not forget, The Bond Series is what gave the late great Robert Bresson, hope for the future of the cinematic language. Regardless, I do think the Bond films are made to suck, like trashy romance novels. I can never watch one more than twice, exceot for maybe “Octopussy.” Happy New Year STV!
– Jason O.