Cycling fans - check out the Opera House in S-Town

From the good folks at the Shepherdstown Opera House...

Dear Opera House Friends,

We have two films for you this weekend, “Black Book”, a thrilling new World War II movie, and “The Flying Scotsman”, an inspiring new drama much in the vein of “The World’s Fastest Indian.”

With “Black Book”, Dutch director Paul Verhoeven returns to his native Holland for the first time since 1983 to film a World War II story of love, intrigue and betrayal that critics are calling one of the most exciting movies of the year. Gorgeous newcomer Carice van Houten stars as Rachel Stein, a young Jewish woman living in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands whose parents have been killed by Dutch collaborators. For a while she eludes capture by living with a sympathetic Christian family, but when their house is bombed, she escapes and joins the Dutch Resistance. There she is asked to seduce a Nazi officer and infiltrate his headquarters.

Rachel dyes her hair blonde and passes herself off as a pre-war stage singer named Ellis de Vries. Soon enough, she is sleeping with Gestapo officer Ludwig Muntze (Sebastian Koch of “The Lives of Others”) and “bugging” his office as the Resistance attempts to stay one step ahead of the Nazis and identify traitors in their midst.

In Holland, government subsidies make up as much as fifty percent of a movie’s production budget. Despite having directed a series of acclaimed films (“Spetters”, “Turkish Delight”, “The Fourth Man”, “Soldier of Orange”), Verhoeven had to beg for funding from a government that did not feel his movies provided a positive image of Dutch society. Verhoeven, who was born in Amsterdam and lived there during the Occupation, left Holland for Hollywood years ago, where he directed such hits as “RoboCop”, “Total Recall”, and “Basic Instinct.” Success must have helped him free up some more guilders, because “Black Book” was filmed with reportedly the largest budget ever for a Dutch production, and it shows on the screen with absolutely great sets and costume design, cinematography and music. Running time 145 minutes, rated R. In Dutch, English, German and Hebrew, with English subtitles.

“No movie about the Dutch Resistance has any right to be this wildly entertaining, provocative, and potently erotic – 145 minutes and not a dull second!” - Rolling Stone

“Filled with suspense, betrayal, melodrama, violence, music – hugely enjoyable from start to finish!” - The Wall Street Journal

“Verhoeven proves a sure-handed storyteller!” - The Baltimore Sun

Showtimes for “Black Book” are Friday at 8:15, Saturday at 8:15, Sunday at 2:00 and 7:30, and Monday at 8:15.

“The Flying Scotsman” is the true story of Graeme Obree, a one-time Scottish bicycle messenger who became the fastest cyclist in the world in July of 1993 when he covered 32.06 miles in one hour over a closed course and began a career where he would win world championships despite the world cycling authority’s attempts to ban his unorthodox riding styles.

As a child, Obree had been given a bike by his father, and he used it to escape the bullies who taunted him. Over the years, his obsession with racing grew (he trained on a strict diet of marmalade sandwiches), and he became fixated on the one-hour speed record, a grueling feat of self-discipline where the rider competes alone against the clock – in a sport which often glorifies pain, the one-hour record-holder is viewed with awed respect. His bike, which he later nicknamed “Old Faithful”, was handmade to fit his peculiar riding position, and included bearings cannibalized from a washing machine. (Pictures of his bikes can be seen at Graeme Obree's Bikes. A rank amateur without corporate sponsors, his first attempt failed. Normally it takes weeks or even months for a cyclist to recover from the event. Obree set the world record the very next day.

The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) banned his bicycle. Obree then developed a new riding style called “Superman”, so named for the arms-extended aerodynamic position that he assumed, and used it to win the 1995 World Pursuit Championship. The UCI promptly banned his new bicycle. Obree, whose brother had died suddenly in 1994, had been suffering from depression for years. Believing that his sport was conspiring against him, he retired from competition and now lives with his wife and two children in Scotland, where he still rides in local events.

Jonny Lee Miller of “Trainspotting” stars as Obree, and his performance captures the troubled cyclist’s mixture of sweet-faced earnestness and intense obsession. Director Douglas Mackinnon elevates the drama with some heart-pounding scenes of the record attempts, filmed with Obree himself riding a camera-equipped bike. Running time 96 minutes, rated PG-13.

“A tale fast and moving, it’s not only inspiring, it’s infuriating.” - The Chicago Tribune

“An underdog story with teeth!” - The New York Post

Showtimes for “The Flying Scotsman” are Friday at 6:00, Saturday at 6:00, Sunday at 5:00, and Monday at 6:00.

New additions to our giant movie poster sale include pristine copies of “Fay Grim”, with a great shot of indie-film queen Parker Posey, “Little Children” with Kate Winslet, and “Lost in Translation”, with Scarlett Johansson. Like I have explained before, the sooner I move all these posters out of our guest bedroom, the sooner my mother-in-law can come up for a visit. Each poster is $3.00 – yes, a huge sum of money and an expensive investment that should not be undertaken without lengthy and time-consuming deliberation on your part. – so take all the time you need.

In cooperation with the Shepherdstown Film Society, the Opera House is pleased to present the “Shepherdstown Film Festival” on the weekend of June 15 – featuring the area’s premieres of “Amazing Grace”, “The Namesake”, and “Avenue Montaigne”. Showtimes and advance ticketing information are available at www.operahousemovies.com and at the Sweet Shop Bakery!

Coming attractions - “The Wind That Shakes the Barley”, “The Valet”, “Waitress”, and “An Unreasonable Man” – the highly acclaimed film about activist and gadfly Ralph Nader.

For more information about other upcoming films and events, please check our website at www.OperaHouseMovies.com.

Pam & Rusty Berry

Now for a little fluff...

I will have some of the upcoming weekend's to do's sometime tomorrow, but right now, I decided to do little fluff piece. As the regulars here know, I'm a fan of zombie films. I'm going to list a number of them here, some good, some bad, and have you guys vote on your favorites (give me your top five) in the comments section...feel free to mention/recommend any I may have missed. In about a week I'll tally the votes and list Frederick's top ten zombie flicks.

Night of the Living Dead - The 1960's Romero classic

Night of the Living Dead (1990) - Tom Savini's remake.

Dawn of the Dead (2004) - The high adrenaline remake, partially inspired by 28 Days Later.

Dawn of the Dead (original) - The second in Romero's trilogy

Day of the Dead - The final installment of Romero's 24 hours of zombie.

Dead Heat - A zombie buddy cop film featuring Treat Williams and Joe Piscopo.

Evil Dead - Bruce Campbell, a remote cabin, and really cheap lighting. I have some friends who would call that their perfect date.

Evil Dead 2 - Pretty much one all over again, but with a bigger budget.

Army of Darkness - Five simple words...Hail to the King, baby.

Land of the Dead - Romero makes his return to the zombie genre with Dennis Hopper playing the biggest corporate asshole since Paul Riser's yuppie from hell in Aliens.

28 Days Later - Arguably, and no pun intended, revived a dead genre.

28 Weeks Later - A worthy sequel dealing with the Rage infection in England.

Return of the Living Dead - This is where "braaaaiiiinnnnsss," comes from.

Return of the Living Dead III - A different take on dealing with turning into a zombie.

Slither - Equal parts alien invasion and zombie menace.

Resident Evil - Yes...from the video game and yes, Milla Jovovich. Do I need to say anything else?

Resident Evil: Apocalypse - Um...I got nothing.

Grindhouse: Planet Terror - Possibly the highest budget zombie film I have ever seen. Definitely the most recognizable cast.

Shaun of the Dead - Ah, Simon Pegg taking the piss out of a genre. A can't miss...

My Boyfriend’s Back - Coming back from the dead for the prom...it's just that important to some people.

Idle Hands - Some early Jessica Alba. Amusing.

Dead Alive - A zombie film from Peter Jackson, long before Lord of the Rings.

Deadlands: the Rising - A locally made flesh-eater, produced here, in Maryland.

Movie Review: 28 Weeks Tenser...

Okay, so this wasn't tenser than the original, but I would deem it a worthy sequel to 28 Days Later. While the script certainly has it's share of holes - you can find those listed on other Web sites - there was only one issue that I would deem a glaring error, otherwise the group involved in bringing this sequel to life did an admirable job explaining how the virus returns almost seven months after the initial infection.

A few brief complaints - the character development in this was weaker than in 28 D'sL, but not a significant issue. There were one or two important plot points that were not well thought out (particularly in regards to certain military actions that seemed a bit far-fetched) and do require greater suspension of disbelief, but on a whole, this does what a good horror film should do - it gets the adrenaline pumping.

On the plus side, the movie largely follows two children through the re-birth of infection and the actors playing the two children were both very watchable. Fortunately, the director and writers also managed to stay away from using the children as an obvious crutch to garner the audience's sympathy.

Get down with the sickness...

28 Weeks Later starts today, and yes, I have plans to go see it. I will post a review.

It looks hot, humid, and like thundershowers today and tomorrow, so unless you like hot and sticky, finding things to do indoors might be the way to go.

The Shepherdstown Opera House continues with Japanese horror film The Host, and has just begun showing Beatrix Potter bio-pic Miss Potter.

For anyone looking for a little inexpensive sports action, sorry, the Keys are out of town until next weekend. However, up in Hagerstown, the Suns do have a home game tonight.

Also, tomorrow - the annual Maryland Brewer's Springfest over at Harry Grove Stadium.

FREDERICK CELTIC FESTIVAL

Hours: 10am-10pm

Includes - Scottish heavy athletics, International entertainers featuring the Glengarry Bhoys, Bagpipes & Drums, Scottish & Irish dancing, Celtic vendors & food, Scottish Clan tents, children's tent, afternoon tea, free genealogy services, evening concert 7 - 10 p.m. featuring Glengarry Bhoys and Iona.

Urbana Volunteer Fire Department Fairgrounds, 3602 Urbana Pike (Rt 355) .

And for the guys out there - Sunday is Mother's Day...get out and get your mom, wife, mother of your children something to show her you remembered! For those looking for suggestions there will be a Mother's Day high tea held on both Saturday and Sunday at Elk Run Vineyards, a luncheon on the Southern Railroad, and in Harper's Ferry, a river rafting special.

28 Hours later...

Just a quick reminder to you zombie-philes, tomorrow marks the release of 28 Weeks Later, the sequel to Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later (not to be confused with 28 Days). Early returns are looking good, but you might want to avoid the reviews if you don't want to have to deal with any spoilers (always a pet peeve of mine in regards to movie reviews).

For those of you who are fans of zombie flicks (and yes, I know that technically 28 Days Later was not technically a zombie film, but it's as close a classification as you can get), rent the film tonight and watch it. This is what paved the way for the recent remake of Dawn of the Dead.

I have to admit, though, given the 28DsL's ending, I really had trouble figuring out how they were going to come up with a sequel, but it's sounding like the brain trust behind this was successful.

For those of you already on board with this - enjoy. Check the papers and the Internet tomorrow for local showings.

Movie Review: Hot Fuzz...check it and see

Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright, the writing team that brought us the zombie classic Shaun of the Dead are back at it...only this time they crossed the thin blue line. Writer/actor Pegg, along with co-writer and director Wright pay homage to the drama, action, and thriller genres so loved by writers of buddy-buddy cop films with the same humorous aplomb with which they approached Shaun of the Dead. If you enjoyed one, you'll enjoy the other.

Hot Fuzz covers all the cliches and conventions when Nick Angel (Pegg), a cop who, "can't turn off," ends up exiled to Sandford, a low-crime town in the country, and paired with Danny Butterbean (played by Nick Frost), a cop who apparently has trouble turning on. Relying on the fish-out-of-water angle, Angel sees something happening everywhere but finds himself someplace where no one sees anything happening.

The story relies on many of the usual devices - Angel is too obsessed with his job, his girlfriend had an affair and is leaving him, his co-workers resent him for making them look bad, so on and so forth.

Throughout, the movie systematically honors and spoofs everything from 1970's classics The Shining, The Omen, Chinatown, and The Wickerman to 90's cop films Point Break and Bad Boys. For a film buff it's a fun ride just trying to identify all of the references. Even in blissful film ignorance, most viewers will get a number of laughs as Angel engages in an investigation in the countryside town that seems too good to be true.

One note of caution to the squeamish, there is a fairly bloody moment during the climactic fight sequence. Beyond that, most of the film's gore is so couched in comedy as to touch the ridiculous.

If you're looking for something deeper and more philosophical, well, to put it in the words of Butterbean, "Forget it, Nick. It's Sandford."

The film is currently playing at the Regal Cinemas in both Hagerstown and Frederick as well as the Hager 10 in Hagerstown. Click here for showtimes.

Welcome to my nightmare....

Grindhouse effective homage appeals to limited tastes

I am, admittedly, a big fan of horror films. I have a thing for zombie and vampire films in particular, but have never been a big fan of the films like Saw, The Last House on the Left, and Hostel. I understand the point of the whole man-doing-horrible-things-to-man horror thing, but never saw the need for it...it's why I have the world news. That's not to say I won't watch them, I just don't see them as being on par with the greats of the genre - The Shining, Alien, The Exorcist, Psycho...(yes, I am a film snob).

I like the films that build up tension to a proper scare, prefer them to the ones that rely on the shock value of blood and guts to evoke a feeling of horror and revulsion - it strikes me as a lazy way of crafting a horror film. In recent years I have been impressed by the remake of Dawn of the Dead, and films like The Ring, and 28 Days Later.

This was something different though from all of the above (though it certainly had elements of much of the above), and it piqued my curiosity.

The joint production of Grindhouse, the Quentin Tarantino/Robert Rodriguez double feature that pays homage to the low-budget B-horror films of the 1970's was a mixed bag. Tarantino and Rodriguez were hell-bent on re-creating the 1970's drive-in experience by emulating the low-budget horror films, complete with trailers of non-existent films (although Rodriguez has decided to create one of the films), that populated those road-side theaters.

The films are what they are - Rodriguez has created a pseudo-zombie film which goes a bit more over the top at times than it needed to, but overall Planet Terror is an entertaining piece of film-making. Tarantino, on the other hand, has given us a snoozefest in Death Proof where the most likable character is Kurt Russell's homicidal maniac.

Like the same films of the 70's, little is truly scary. Planet Terror does provide some tension as well as a few laughs, as do the previews for Machete, and Werewolf Women of the SS. Death Proof offers a lot of dialog that is intended to allow the viewer to bond with the film's victims but only succeeds in making the viewer wonder how long it's going to take for the women to die.

Death Proof regularly improves when Kurt Russell is on the screen (when's the last time you heard that about a Kurt Russell movie?), and devolves into a borefest when he's off of it.

While they did an effective job of creating the experience, complete with "lost reels," footage that "melts in the heat of the projector," and scratches on the film, they have also created films that have an inherent flaw.

With a large cast that includes Bruce Willis, Kurt Russell, Rose MaGowan, and Rosario Dawson, Grindhouse lists a $50 million production budget (not including marketing). This is fairly steep for a sub-genre where a movie that does well makes between $20 million and $40 million. In spite of a history of that, producer Harvey Weinstein still expected (on the basis of the names involved, I assume) to see a first weekend return in the mid 20's rather than the $12 million Easter weekend opening realized by the movie.

Yes, I did enjoy the first of the two films - but I think the appeal here is limited and I'm surprised that a movie exec like Weinstein hasn't figured that out.

A Little Word on The Departed...

Caught Best Pic nominee The Departed at Holiday Cinemas this past weekend and it was definitely worth the price of admission. That's saying a lot considering I don't generally like Leonardo DiCaprio. If you like a good gang flick, this fits the bill.

If you have a problem with violent films...well, you're probably not going to go to a Scorsese film anyway.

With strong performances all around, it's difficult to point to one that outshines any of the others. Damon and DiCaprio work as opposite sides of the same coin. Martin Sheen and Mark Wahlberg were excellent as the men trying to put Jack Nicholson away, and Jack, as always, is Jack.

The film is 151 minutes, but moves much faster than that. Currently the movie is available on DVD, however, if you're a fan of Martin Scorsese then its worth your time to catch this on the big screen.

In the old days if an agent did something that embarrassing he'd have a good sense to defect. Christ, I miss the Cold War...

A brief little update on blood, bullets, and Boston...

For those of you in the know, you have already realized that the title of this post is a line from the most recent Bond flick (and best one in years), Casino Royale which will continue its run at the Holiday Cinemas on Baughman's Lane this weekend. With best picture nominee The Departed opening there tomorrow, the night time showings will give action/gangster fans their fill of blood and bullets.

The Departed hits DVD this Tuesday, but if you want to catch the movie on the big screen for about the cost of renting it, Baughman's is the place to do it - besides, it's Scorsese, so you can count on cinematography that's worth the price of admission.

In the afternoons the theater will be showing lighter family fare Flushed Away and Happily N'Ever After.

All seats are $2.99 except for Bargain Wednesdays when admission is $1.49. Bring cash as they do not accept debit or credit cards (there is a cash machine in the lobby next to the concessions stand).

The theater is clean, well kept with respectably sized screens and is easily accessible from Route 15.

For showtimes, contact the theater at (301) 694-0100.

Talkin' Cabin Fever...and not the film

File this one under, "I put the wife through five months of football, now it's payback time..."

The annual Cabin Fever Festival is due to take place at the Frederick Fairgrounds this Saturday and Sunday. Considering the overwhelming lack of winter weather until the last two weeks, it might not be accurately named for this year, but still provides the area residents a weekend activity. The festival is, according to the Frederick County Tourism Web site, "Listed in the top 100 traditional craft shows in America," by whoever rates those things.

This weekend's event will be held indoors and under heated tents. Admission is $6.00 for adults and $3.00 for children under 12. Gates open at 10:00 AM both days and close 6:00 PM on Saturday and at 5:00 PM on Sunday. Food will be available at the venue.

On Sunday the Weinberg will host a matinee performance (2:00 PM) of the American Spiritual Ensemble. The performance will include classic spirituals and Broadway numbers. For more information contact (301)228-2828.

A little bit of throwback for the film buff, also at the Weinberg - 1926's Son of the Sheik starring Rudolph Valentino and the classic silent film will be ccompanied by Ray Brubacher on the Wurlitzer. Guys - this could be a good early Valentine's date sort of thing.

In Mount Airy, Elk Run and Linganore Cellars, two of the county's wineries are combining wine and sweets for the pre-Valentine's weekend with "Wine Roses and Chocolate," a chocolate fondue/wine-tasting at Elk Run and "Cakes to Kisses," a tasting pairing red wines with chocolate at Linganore.

Chinese New Year's Celebrations will be held at both the FSK Mall on Saturday from 2:00 to 4:00 PM and in downtown Brunswick from 1:30 to 4:00 PM at the American Legion Building, 18 South Maple Ave. Both will feature demonstrations of Asian dance, martial arts, and more.

On Monday there will be a Chocolate Gala held at the Holiday Inn next to the FSK Mall. More on that to come.

Movie Review; Pan's Labyrinth, the Brother's Grimm revisited

Set during the time of the Spanish Civil War in the 1940's, Guillermo del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth is a fairytale in the truest sense. Filled with bloody violence, like an unabridged tome of the Brothers Grimm, del Toro's morality tale follows the story of Ofelia, a girl of about ten, in the wilds of 1944 Spain.

American film goers, most familiar with del Toro's American films - Mimic, Blade II, and Hellboy - should not expect the often mediocre horror/action ride of his English language films. Rather, they should expect films more along the lines of the complex horror/drama of 2001's Devil's Backbone, or 1993's Cronos.

Like del Toro's fantasy/horror, The Devil's Backbone, Pan's Labyrinth tells the story of a child eventually orphaned by war, and of innocence in the face of horror. The characters, written in broad brush strokes, gain subtlety from the performances of the actors, particularly apparent in Sergi Lopez's portrayal of Capitan Vidal, the villain of the story.

Lopez's Vidal makes the viewer watch as though a horrible car accident has occurred, and while the onlooker does not wish to continue watching, he or she cannot look away. Sans the performance of Lopez the character would have necessitated a cape, top hat, and mustache to twirl. Lopez, however, brought complication to the portrayal that spoke of a military tyrant that was equal parts petulant child trying to live up to his father military legacy while at the same time resenting him for it.

Ofelia, played by Ivana Baquero, portrayed her character without falling into the too cute, or too precocious so often found in film children.

del Toro borrows from a variety of places as he tells this story of the proverbial "Alice" falling down the rabbit hole, with visual nods to Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz, and even Clive Barker.

While an excellent movie, often tense and occasionally disturbing, this is not going to be a film that will appeal to all tastes. For my money, with the attention paid to the cinematography, the performances and the complexity of story line, it was definitely worth the price of admission to see on a large screen.

Academy Award Nominations:
Original Screenplay, Art Direction, Foreign Language Film, Cinematography, Original Score, Make Up

Spanish language with English sub-titles

Now playing at;
Kentlands Stadium 10
Gaithersburg
301-519-6868

Regal Valley Mall
Hagerstown
301-582-1000

Regal Westview
Frederick
301-620-1700

For times, contact your local theater.