This week at the movies, we’ve got a ribald get-together (American Reunion, starring Jason Biggs and Alyson Hannigan) and an epic shipwreck (Titanic (in 3D), starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet). What do the critics have to say?
Who would have thought we’d see the American Pie kids grow and mature? Critics say that in American Reunion, our old friends are still good company, but they’re certainly not as shocking as they used to be. The gang from East Great Falls reunites for a high school reunion, and discovers that much has changed since their wild teenage years: most have accepted the responsibilities of adulthood — with the exception of Stiffler, naturally. Still, being a grownup doesn’t ensure that you’ll be free from from lustful thoughts or public embarrassment. The pundits say if you liked the other American Pie movies, you’ll probably like American Reunion as well, but don’t expect too many surprises; while the film has a few good gags, it mostly coasts on the goodwill these characters have earned over the years.
Titanic was pretty much unsinkable upon its release in 1997. This period blockbuster solidified James Cameron‘s status as one of Hollywood’s master technicians, made superstars of Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, and collected a boatload of Oscars, including Best Picture. It also won approval from the critics, who were (mostly) swept away by Titanic‘s deft blend of romantic melodrama and cutting edge special effects. This week, it’s back on the big screen in 3D, so now’s as good a time as any to revisit the biggest commercial juggernaut of the 1990s — one that’s Certified Fresh to boot. (Check out this week’s Total Recall, in which we run down the history of the the Titanic on film.)
Guy Maddin‘s Keyhole, starring Jason Patric and Isabella Rossellini in a supernatural drama about a small-time hood who discovers that his house is filled with ghosts, is at 86 percent.
Damsels in Distress, starring Greta Gerwig in a comedy about a group of young women at a small college who counsel depressed students, is at 78 percent (check out director Whit Stillman’s Five Favorite Films here.)
Surviving Progress, a doc on the potentially negative effects of technological progress on civilization, is at 77 percent.
Morgan Spurlock‘s Comic-Con: Episode IV – A Fan’s Hope , a documentary about the obsessive fans who attend the world’s most famous pop culture convention, is at 76 percent.
The Hunter, starring Willem Dafoe in a thriller about a mercenary on the trail of an extremely rare Tasmanian tiger, is at 75 percent.
Mario Van Peebles‘s We the Party, a coming-of-age comedy about a group of Los Angeles high schoolers trying to find their place in the world, is at 44 percent.
We Have a Pope, starring Michel Piccoli in a dramedy about a newly-elected pontiff who doesn’t really want the job, is at 44 percent.
The Assault, a thriller based on the true story of a French airline hijacked by terrorists, is at 33 percent.
ATM, a thriller about three people trapped in a cash machine kiosk by a mysterious killer, is at 11 percent.
