FRIDAY –
The SAN DIEGO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL started a few days ago and will be going all weekend long. I’ve met so many great filmmakers and actors there over the years, including Alan Arkin, Michael B. Jordan, Geena Davis, Adrian Brody, and so many more. You missed Marlee Matlin and Mark Hamill yesterday; but you can still see a lot of great films, shorts, and panels today and all weekend long. On Friday night they’ll also have a party at the Belly Up Tavern, with a great funk band and DJs, all to raise money for San Diego high school students.
While it may not be as big as Comic Con, at the Convention Center DOWNTOWN, it’s the 10th Annual TwitchCon. It unites the top creators of live streaming. There will be panels, showcases, and more.
Folks that have no interest in streaming, but love stones and gems, can enjoy the GEM FAIRE at the DEL MAR Fairgrounds. There will be beads, crystals, and gems of all kinds. Kids under 12 are free.
Actress Jenny Lewis moved into alternative rock, and gave us the great band RILO KILEY. They’ll be at Petco Park.
And of course, all the haunted houses and haunted trails we told you about last week, are still happening.
SATURDAY –
If you want to exercise and help a charity, the Alzheimer’s WALK4ALZ is happening at BALBOA PARK.
Another charity with exercise involved, the GOLF WITH A PURPOSE CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT, is at LAKE SAN MARCOS. They’re raising money for the Down’s Syndrome charity GiGi’s Playhouse.
A unique golf experience starts Saturday and runs until October 26th – THE LINKS at Petco Park. It’s a 9-hole golf course on the baseball field with a Halloween theme.
For soccer, you can watch the SAN DIEGO WAVE FC vs Chicago Red Stars at Snapdragon Stadium.
School’s out on Saturday, so you can go see ALICE COOPER and JUDAS PRIEST at the North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre in CHULA VISTA. Bring your earplugs, wear your leather.
On the opposite end of the music spectrum, actress/singer RENEE RAPP will be at the Open Air Theater at SDSU.
SUNDAY –
If you’re in Fallbrook picking up avocadoes, check out the FALLBROOK HARVEST FAIR. It’s free and runs all day with live music, crafts, food, car and tractor show, pie baking contest as well as a beer and wine garden.
AT THE MOVIES opening this weekend…
IF I HAD LEGS I’D KICK YOU
I’ve always loved movie titles that are clever sentences. I was born the year the Bruce Dern movie “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?” came out. The last really clever sentence title I remember, was the underrated 2018 Joaquin Phoenix movie “Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far On Foot.” I’m just not sure with the title of this film, I really got what it meant. But no worries. This is a great performance by Rose Byrne, and she’s sure to get an Oscar nomination. Yet we never really get to know who this character is, other than constantly being stressed out by the things happening around her (this is the problem for second time director Mary Bronstein). One problem is that there are so many flaws in the story, you just don’t buy anything that’s happening. And a lot of decisions characters make, you wonder why they made them. A simple problem could be avoided, for example, if she just parked in a parking space when dropping her daughter off for treatments. Instead, we see her constantly double-parking, and as cars honk, she berates the man working the lot; as if he should be more understanding of her plight. There’s also this weird supernatural element that never makes sense, and doesn’t have a satisfying conclusion (although I’m sure the filmmaker would tell me “That’s just symbolism, you dumb critic!”) The story follows the mother of a 10-year-old girl who has an eating disorder, and has to get her weight up to 50 pounds before being released from the hospital (the director decided to never show the child’s face, which at times is distracting). Her mom (Byrne) is dealing with this, along with patients she’s treating as a psychiatrist (which is really hard to believe), all while she’s going to a psychiatrist (played by Conan O’Brien, who is good in the role, but his casting is distracting). She also has a huge hole in her ceiling that flooded their apartment. Oh, and she gets calls from her husband who is at various islands, baseball games, and seemingly having a blast away at work (he’s mostly on the telephone, until a few scenes at the end; played by Christian Slater). I looked at Rotten Tomatoes briefly and five different critics that liked it, said “I would never recommend this movie to anyone” or “I’d never watch this movie again.” It had some good dark humor in places, but it’s just a quirky mess that I can’t imagine anyone in the audience enjoying. It merely raises your blood pressure. You leave the theatre after two hours of this misery feeling exhausted by the experience. 1 ½ stars out of 5.
GOOD FORTUNE
I was really rooting for this movie. I’ve always been a fan of Aziz Ansari, whether that’s his “Parks & Recreation” character, or his stand-up. And it’s awful how a movie he was doing with Bill Murray got shut down because of Murray’s (usual) abhorrent behavior. Ansari had a small part with Seth Rogen in the underrated movie “Funny People.” In that, Rogen is a comedy writer and personal assistant to a famous actor (Adam Sander). In this movie, Aziz’s character gets a job working for a rich dude played by Rogen. They bond quickly, but when he’s fired…his lack of income is so bad he resorts to sleeping in his car. That’s when an angel with a heart of gold comes to help out. He’s played by Keanu Reeves, who channels his dopey deadpan from “Bill & Ted” and “Parenthood” (which is one of the best comedies ever made).To show these people the error of their ways, he pulls a “Trading Places,” “It’s a Wonderful Life,” and “Freaky Friday” on them. Yet what’s fun is…Aziz likes his new lifestyle as a rich guy. This movie isn’t as good as any of the ones I’ve listed. That’s a shame, too. I like movies where angels do things to people. “Heaven Can Wait” is one of my all-time favorites; and who didn’t love “Michael”, or “Oh God” (okay, that’s not an angel, but actually God…but you get my point). Just like how John Travolta smoked and drank in “Michael” – and women wanted to sleep with him, Keanu as the angel does those same things (and it gives Rogen the best line in the movie when Sherry Cola talks about what she wants to do to him sexually). There’s good supporting work from Keke Palmer, Sandra Oh, and one scene with Stephen McKinley. My wife pointed out that she got a bit tired of Ansari’s voice, and I agree. It’s a lot to take for an entire movie. But I’m glad his first directorial effort is a serviceable comedy that people will enjoy. And since I’ve been keeping track for the last 25 years, this movie has two barf scenes, which makes it now 86% of all movies released having a throw-up scene in them. I’ve yet to figure out why. 3 stars out of 5.
And a lovely thing is happening this weekend…as a tribute to DIANE KEATON, they’re re-releasing two of her movies.
ANNIE HALL.She won the Oscar for this Woody Allen picture (it won three other Oscars, including “best picture”). Of course, Woody Allen isn’t everyone’s cup of tea (whether that’s his comedy style, or the fact that he ended his relationship with Mia Farrow to marry her daughter). If you could put that out of your mind, you’re going to see a classic comedy that first exposed us to Keaton’s wacky personality and fashion sense [fun fact: her real name is Diane Hall and Allen wrote this based on her, as they had done three previous films together and were dating]. 5 stars
SOMETHING’S GOTTA GIVE
I thought both Keanu Reeves and Jack Nicholson were miscast. Nancy Meyers made a film that was a bit thin and felt like a Hallmark movie. It had enough moments that worked, though. It’s your second chance to see Keanu on screen this weekend. 2 ½ stars out of 5.
While those are the two being re-released nationwide, the ANGELIKA FILM CENTER on Carmel Mountain Road is showing those, along with THE FIRST WIVES CLUB (which I thought was horrible, but I’m not the target audience for it).
They’re also showing REDS, You can see the movie that started the real life affair with Warren Beatty. An amazing cast, an amazing story I highly recommend that one.