The life story of legendary performer and Carol Channing (“Hello Dolly”) is as colorful as the lipstick on her big, bright smile. CAROL CHANNING: LARGER THAN LIFE captures the magic and vivacity of the 90-year-old icon—both onstage and off…past and present. The film is both an intimate love story and a rarefied journey inside Broadway’s most glamorous era. It is, above all, a look at an inspiring, incomparable and always entertaining American legend. Directed and co-written by Dori Berinstein (ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway, Gotta Dance), a three-time Tony Award-winning Broadway producer. Starring Carol Channing, Harry Kullijian, Loni Anderson, Mary Jo Catlett, Marge Champion, Tyne Daly, Phyllis Diller, Betty Garrett, Tippi Hedren, Jerry Herman, Angela Lansbury, Rich Little, Bob Mackie, Jimmy Nederlander Sr., Debbie Reynolds, Chita Rivera, Harvey Sabinson, George Schlatter, Richard Skipper, Lily Tomlin, Tommy Tune, Bruce Vilanch, Barbara Walters and JoAnne Worley.  Carol Channing is also a beloved San Francisco institution, having grown up and first introduced to the stage in the City. -Entertainment One US

Carol was recently kind enough to sit down and answer a few questions about her experiences below.

What do you think of “Carol Channing: Larger Than Life?” Did you enjoy the filmmaking process?

Carol Channing: Oh, it’s wonderful.  There have been many who have approached me over the years, asking to do a documentary.  However, they discovered how much work it was going to be and it never happened.  Oh, Dori Berinstein was so patient with me as the director.  Sometimes my schedule would change at a moment’s notice and I’m sure it would completely mess up her plans.  I don’t think most actors think in terms of looking at what we’ve already done, rather than what can I still do now.  They don’t write their memoir until someone pushes them and it takes a very special person to go through all the archives … or junk, and I have a lot … to weed out the important things that the audience will want to know.  I’ve always relied on those around me, knowing and caring about what they are doing to make me look good.  It’s a team effort.  You don’t take those people for granted.  The really good ones truly love what they’re doing and believe in it.  I was just lucky enough to have someone like Dori, who believed enough in me, to do it.  And do it so well.  There were times when I thought, isn’t it done yet?  But, Dori wanted it to be perfect and I think she accomplished it … even if I wasn’t wearing my eyelashes in that one scene.

Are there any roles you would have liked to have played, in either a recent or a classic musical or play? What are they, and why?

CC: I don’t know that I’ve ever had time to think about what or whom I would like to have played.  I would, of course, dearly loved to play Dolly in the movie version.  I remember thinking, Oh Jerry’sMame would have been fun.  But how could you top Angela’s performance?  Although she and I did switch roles ever so briefly… oh years ago, during a tribute to Jerry when she came out as Dolly and I as Mame.  Oh, that was fun!

Which performers today do you particularly admire, and why?

CC: I wish I could answer that with more knowledge.  So many times I’m introduced to someone whose work I know I should know and I don’t.  I’m always so embarrassed that I haven’t kept up better.  I’m awfully impressed with Catherine Zeta Jones.  It’s pronounced Zeeeeeta, you know … Oh, and Kristin Chenoweth.  I’m impressed with her.   There is also a young man I met from a show called “Glee”.  I’ve never seen him on the show, but have worked with him on stage.  Oh, what’s wrong with me? Why can’t I remember his name.  Anyway, him.

Had you not become a performer, what field would have interested you?

CC: Oh!  Ahhhhhh, I don’t know.  I’ve wanted to be a performer since I was 7. I imagine if I hadn’t, I’d have found something associated with the industry.

You’ve led an extraordinary life, on stage and off – what continues to inspire and motivate you?

CC: Others.  When I see someone who’s passionately working on something, whether on stage or for the community, it inspires me.  My motivation is always that next show, that next character or that next appearance.  I’m always so sure that it will be my best performance or my greatest accomplishment.

Imagine if they were real people who met each other, what would Lorelei Lee have thought of Dolly Gallagher Levi, and vice versa?    

CC: Isn’t that odd, no one has ever asked me that before.  I imagine they would have gotten along wonderfully.   They were both and are such strong personalities that I think off stage they would have been tremendous friends, but on stage …well, the poor audience would have difficulty focusing on just one of them.  They would overpower each other.

CAROL CHANNING: LARGER THAN LIFE opened on January 20, 2012 in LA and Palm Springs, and expands today (2/3/12) in New York and San Francisco.

Smells Like Screen Spirit & Warner Bros. invite you

to RSVP for passes to our special advance screenings of

JOURNEY 2: THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND

February 6, 2011 at 7:00 PM in

Austin, Dallas, Houston & San Antonio, TX.

Synopsis: In this follow-up to the 2008 worldwide hit “Journey to the Center of the Earth,” the new 3D family adventure “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island” begins when young Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson, reprising his role from the first film) receives a coded distress signal from a mysterious island where no island should exist. It’s a place of strange life forms, mountains of gold, deadly volcanoes, and more than one astonishing secret.

Unable to stop him from going, Sean’s new stepfather, Hank (Dwayne Johnson), joins the quest. Together with a helicopter pilot (Luis Guzmán) and his beautiful, strong-willed daughter (Vanessa Hudgens), they set out to find the island, rescue its lone inhabitant and escape before seismic shockwaves force the island under the sea and bury its treasures forever.

Director: Brad Peyton

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Michael Caine, Josh Hutcherson, Vanessa Hudgens, Luis Guzmán, Kristin Davis

Studio: Warner Bros.

MPAA Rating: PG

Release Date: Friday, February 10, 2012

Screening Info: Monday, February 6, 2012 at 7:00 PM

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.

Austin click here to RSVP

Dallas click here to RSVP

Houston click here to RSVP

San Antonio click here to RSVP

Arrive early. Screenings are over-booked to ensure a full house and to compensate for “no shows.” Tickets are not a guarantee of admission.

BEST PICTURE
The Artist
War Horse
The Descendants
Moneyball
The Tree of Life
Midnight in Paris
The Help
Hugo
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

BEST DIRECTOR
Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
Martin Scorsese, Hugo
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life

BEST ACTOR
Demian Bichir, A Better Life
George Clooney, The Descendants
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Brad Pitt, Moneyball

BEST ACTRESS
Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis, The Help
Rooney Mara, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn
Max von Sydow, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Nick Nolte, Warrior
Christopher Plummer, Beginners

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Berenice Bejo, The Artist
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer, The Help

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
The Artist
Bridesmaids
Margin Call
Midnight in Paris
A Separation

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Descendants
Hugo
The Ides of March
Moneyball
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
A Cat in Paris
Chico & Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
A Separation
Footnote
In Darkness
Bullhead
Monsieur Lahzar

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Pina
Hell and Back Again
If A Tree Falls: The Story of the Earth Liberation Front
Paradise Lost 3
Undefeated

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Artist
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
The Tree of Life
War Horse

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
The Adventures of Tintin
The Artist
Hugo
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
War Horse

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
“Man or Muppet” from The Muppets
“Real in Rio” from Rio

BEST EDITING
The Artist
The Descendants
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Moneyball

BEST ART DIRECTION
The Artist
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
War Horse

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Anonymous
The Artist
Hugo
Jane Eyre
W.E.

BEST MAKEUP
Albert Nobbs
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
The Iron Lady

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Hugo
Real Steel
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Transformers: Dark of the Moon

BEST SOUND MIXING
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Moneyball
Hugo
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse

BEST SOUND EDITING
Drive
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse

BEST ANIMATED SHORT
Dimanche/Sunday
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
La Luna
A Morning Stroll
Wild Life

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT
Pentecost
Raju
The Shore
Time Freak
Tuba Atlantic

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT
The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement
God Is the Bigger Elvis
Incident in New Baghdad
Saving Face

Director: Xavier Gens

Writers: Karl Mueller, Eron Sheean

Starring: Lauren German, Milo Ventimiglia, Michael Biehn, Ashton Holmes, Peter Stormare, Rosanna Arquette, Courtney B. Vance, Michael Eklund

The Divide opens to frantic chaos as an unspecific nuclear strike slams New York City. The panicked residents of a highrise apartment building stampede to the basement in a last-ditch effort to escape the horrific destruction above. Luckily for them (debatable), their cigar toking super named Mickey (Michael Biehn) has fashioned the basement level of the building into fallout shelter. Micky immediately takes the alpha role since they are all on his turf and orders that the reinforced metal door be sealed shut with nobody allowed to come or go until they are sure that radiation is no longer an issue.

In no time confrontations begin to emerge as “the mouthy insane one” Bobby (Michael Eklund), “the tough guy” Josh (Milo Ventimiglia), and “the token middle-aged black guy” Devlin (Courtney B. Vance) begin a mutiny against Micky as they are hellbent on making outside contact and finding his secret stashes within the shelter. On the other side we have those who are trying to keep the peace like Josh’s half-brother “the quiet sensitive one” Adrien (Ashton Holmes), “the Milla Jovovich-ish character” Eva (Lauren German), and her estranged boyfriend “the doormat French guy” Sam (Ivan Gonzales). Then we have “the tortured promiscuous mother” Marilyn (Rosanna Arquette) who is just trying to protect her young daughter Wendy (Abbey Thickson), who is freaked by the the situation at hand. Trapped with no sign of rescue, and with their supply of water and canned-beans depleting, insanity, distrust and brutality take over as the third act goes bleakly dark and disturbing. Who will make it, and what has become of the outside world?

Oh the humanity! What a remarkably atrocious film. The filmmakers obviously tried to say something deep about human nature with The Divide, but I got too lost in the generically deplorable dialogue and second-rate acting to find it anything but substantive. One-dimensional formulaic roles make this an overwhelmingly superficial character piece not worthy of anyone’s hard-earned dollars. Additionally, the mindless repetitive use of homophobic slang, objectification of women and sexual torture are just salt in the wound of an already troubled film. It’s shocking that this film is getting any kind of a theatrical run, no matter how limited it may be.

Aside from the previously mentioned shoddy lines, the script by Karl Mueller & Eron Sheean is plagued with gaping story and timeline holes, and director Xavier Gens who previously directed Hitman, is making a catalog worthy of rivaling the infamous Uwe Boll. At it’s core The Divide is just another mindless sadistically violent torture/rape movie that collides with the usual end-of-world clichés. With the variety of recent post-apocalyptic themed successes like The Road, Wall-E, and AMC’s The Walking Dead you better come with your A-game to the dystopian party if you want to play; a memo the producers of The Divided must have missed. At one point during a struggle in the film the Eva character pleads, “No, stop!”; two simple words that someone should have articulated early on to Xavier Gens, as they could have spared us all.

Rating: 2/10

Smells Like Screen Spirit & Warner Bros. Pictures invite you

to RSVP for passes to our special advance screenings of

EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE

January 17, 2012 at 7:30 PM in Austin & Dallas, TX.

Synopsis: Oskar (Thomas Horn) is convinced that his father (Tom Hanks), who died in the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, has left a final message for him hidden somewhere in the city. Feeling disconnected from his grieving mother (Sandra Bullock) and driven by a relentlessly active mind that refuses to believe in things that can’t be observed, Oskar begins searching New York City for the lock that fits a mysterious key he found in his father’s closet. His journey through the five boroughs takes him beyond his own loss to a greater understanding of the observable world around him.

Director: Stephen Daldry

Starring: Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Thomas Horn, Max von Sydow, Viola Davis, John Goodman, Jeffrey Wright, Zoe Caldwell

Studio: Warner Bros.

MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for emotional thematic material, some disturbing images, and language.

Release Date: January 20, 2012

Screening Info: January 17, 2012 @ 7:30 PM

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.

Austin click here to RSVP

Dallas click here to RSVP

Arrive early. Screenings are over-booked to ensure a full house and to compensate for “no shows.” Tickets are not a guarantee of admission.

National Release Date: January 6, 2012
Genre: Spy Thriller
Studio: Focus Features
Starring: Gary Oldman, Benedict Cumberbatch, David Dencik, Colin Firth, Stephen Graham, Tom Hardy, Ciarán Hinds, John Hurt, Toby Jones, Mark Strong
Directed By: Tomas Alfredson (Let the Right One In)
Novel By: John le Carré

Synopsis: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is the long-awaited feature film version of John le Carré’s classic bestselling novel. The thriller is directed by Tomas Alfredson (Let the Right One In). The screenplay adaptation is by the writing team of Bridget O’Connor & Peter Straughan.

The time is 1973. The Cold War of the mid-20th Century continues to damage international relations. Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), a.k.a. MI6 and code-named the Circus, is striving to keep pace with other countries’ espionage efforts and to keep the U.K. secure. The head of the Circus, known as Control (John Hurt), personally sends dedicated operative Jim Prideaux (Mark Strong) into Hungary. But Jim’s mission goes bloodily awry, and Control is forced out of the Circus – as is his top lieutenant, George Smiley (Gary Oldman), a career spy with razor-sharp senses.

Estranged from his absent wife Ann, Smiley is soon called in to see undersecretary Oliver Lacon (Simon McBurney); he is to be rehired in secret at the government’s behest, as there is a gnawing fear that the Circus has long been compromised by a double agent, or mole, working for the Soviets and jeopardizing England. Supported by younger agent Peter Guillam (Benedict Cumberbatch), Smiley parses Circus activities past and present. In trying to track and identify the mole, Smiley is haunted by his decades-earlier interaction with the shadowy Russian spy master Karla.

The mole’s trail remains cold until maverick field agent Ricki Tarr (Tom Hardy) unexpectedly contacts Lacon. While undercover in Turkey, Ricki has fallen for a betrayed married woman, Irina (Svetlana Khodchenkova), who claims to possess crucial intelligence. Separately, Smiley learns that Control narrowed down the list of mole suspects to five men. They are the ambitious Percy Alleline (Toby Jones), whom he had code-named Tinker; suavely confident Bill Haydon (Colin Firth), dubbed Tailor; stalwart Roy Bland (Ciarán Hinds), called Soldier; officious Toby Esterhase (David Dencik), dubbed Poor Man; and – Smiley himself. Even before the startling truth is revealed, the emotional and physical tolls on the players enmeshed in the deadly international spy game.

Smells Like Screen Spirit and Focus Features have conspired together to offer two of our readers the TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY package (pictured below) valued at $33: T-Shirt, Voice Recorder Pen & Post-It Note Cube

To enter, do your spy work and provide the correct answer to the following trivia question in the comments section below.

Tom Hardy replaced what actor for the role of Ricki Tarr, because of a scheduling conflict with X-Men: First Class?

Winners will be selected when TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY goes wide this Friday, January 6, 2012.

Smells Like Screen Spirit & Paramount Pictures invite you

to RSVP for passes to our special advance screening of

THE DEVIL INSIDE

January 5, 2011 at 7:30 PM in Austin, TX.

Synopsis: In 1989, emergency responders received a 9-1-1 call from Maria Rossi (Suzan Crowley) confessing that she had brutally killed three people.  20 years later, her daughter Isabella (Fernanda Andrade) seeks to understand the truth about what happened that night.  She travels to the Centrino Hospital for the Criminally Insane in Italy where her mother has been locked away to determine if her mother is mentally ill or demonically possessed.  When she recruits two young exorcists (Simon Quarterman and Evan Helmuth) to cure her mom using unconventional methods combining both science and religion, they come face-to-face with pure evil in the form of four powerful demons possessing Maria.

Director: William Brent Bell

Starring: Fernanda Andrade, Simon Quarterman, Evan Helmuth, Suzan Crowley

Studio: Paramount Pictures

MPAA Rating: R: 17 and up only.

Release Date: January 6, 2012

Screening Info: January 5, 2012 @ 7:30 PM

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.

Austin click here to RSVP

Enter code: SLSS7PAS

Arrive early. Screenings are over-booked to ensure a full house and to compensate for “no shows.” Tickets are not a guarantee of admission.

So what were the top films of 2011? It’s a really tough question to ask, and a pretty bold one to answer among peers with equally strong opinions. I’ve been reading through a lot of the 2011 film retrospectives, top 10′s, and best of lists with many critics complaining about 2011 being a light year for great film. I personally disagree. Sure the mega-plexes didn’t offer much substance in 2011, but cheer up Charlie because if you stuck close to the arthouse theaters then you found the golden tickets.

The nominations and votes of the Smells Like Screen Spirit staff have been tallied and scored to represent the collective opinion of the total results. As always we encourage you to agree or debate in the comments section; so without further ado I give you Smells Like Screen Spirit’s Top 10 Films of 2011:

10. Bellflower

“Painfully discussing the highs and lows of love, as well as revealing the horrors of acting on impulse alone, writer-director Glodell utilizes some not-so-traditional cinematography techniques (thanks to cinematographer Joel Hodge), magnificently penetrating sound design, and a seemingly haphazard non-linear plot structure to convey Woodrow’s psychologically decaying perception of the uncompromising world around him.” -Don Simson’s Review

“Hands down one of my favorite experiences at the theater in 2011. Bellflower presents viewers with a hyper stylized and intense look at the emotional and mental chaos that erupts in the mind of someone who is suffering with the pain of a failed relationship. With their combined efforts, these cinematic mad scientists have turned their shared passion into a wonderfully gritty and  raw experience.” -Dave Campbell’s Review

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9. Incendiary: The Willingham Case

“What Incendiary: The Willingham Case does, and extremely well, is tell this story in a compelling, relatively unbiased manner. While the majority of screen time is given to those who feel the case was mishandled, a range of people involved in the case are interviewed and express varying views.” “Where the film has the biggest impact is showing the government’s inadequate and disturbing response when faced with tough questions.” -Linc Leifeste’s Review 

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8. Shame

Shame is one of those rare modern films that I would love to construct a hearty critical analysis of, mainly because the perspectives and framing of every scene convey as much purpose as the characters themselves. But a discussion of this film at that level will require several more viewings and a significantly higher word count.” “As much as I admire the writing, direction and performances of Shame, I do not know how many repeat viewings I could endure. Shame is an emotionally exhausting film; it is certainly not a film that is intended to be enjoyed.” -Don Simpson’s Review

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7. Drive

“Like Nicolas Winding Refn’s previous films Bronson and Valhalla Rising, Drive is illustrated with heavy stylized violence. The violence isn’t mindless, but rather “drives” the points of the narrative and development of its characters forward. Winding Refn’s thoughtful direction is a harmonious hybrid of Michael Mann and Quentin Tarantino that brilliantly bridges the gritty revenge thriller genre film with the dramatic sensibility of art-house cinema.” -Dave Campbell’s Review

“Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive is nothing short of amazing. Refusing to fall prey to any classic tropes of Hollywood thrillers, Refn’s approach to Drive is sort of like Miami Vice on Quaaludes, right down to the electronic soundtrack (featuring Kavinsky & Lovefoxxx, Desire, College, and The Chromatics) that sounds like 1980s pop music being played on quarter-speed; and after the pastel pink opening credits, I was half expecting to see Gosling dressed up like Don Johnson’s Crockett. Unlike any thriller, heist or revenge tale from this side of the Atlantic, Drive boasts a uniquely European style and pacing.” -Don Simpson’s Review

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6. The Tree of Life

“An over-reliance on voiceovers has always been Malick’s one weakness and The Tree of Life seems to rely even more heavily upon voiceovers than his other four films. Understandably, Malick utilizes whispery and ethereal voice-overs to place the audience inside Jack’s mind as he regurgitates his childhood memories and waxes existentially (Malick is a disciple of Martin Heidegger), but Malick is simultaneously synopsizing the Book of Job for us, and this is enough to clear the seats of any atheists in the audience. There will certainly be accusations that The Tree of Life is a shameless proselytising of Judeo-Christian doctrine, but I interpret The Tree of Life as being quite the opposite.” -Don Simpson’s Review

“It’s exhilirating, if a  bit disconcerting, to watch a film and see your own mental images flash by on the screen. I’m not talking about what it must feel like for an actor to see their filmed work on the big screen or even the sensation of watching the results of having your creation (novel, screenplay, etc) turned into a film. No, I’m talking about the sensation of seeing your own deeply internalized childhood memories and impressions flashed on the screen in perfectly captured detail. For me, Terence Malick has managed to do no less than that with his ambitious new masterpiece, The Tree of Life.” -Linc Leifeste’s Review

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5. The Artist

“Shot on luscious black and white (of course!) 35mm by Guillaume Schiffman, Hazanavicius’ film is incredibly beautiful to watch. Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, James Cromwell, and John Goodman prove to be amazing silent film thespians; in fact, The Artist is able to rely upon very few title cards, thanks solely to the keen pantomime skills of the actors. I have said it before and I will say it again, silent films require much more than mere “mugging” for the camera (personally, I think it takes a lot of talent on behalf of the actors and directors to tell a coherent story without spoken dialogue).” -Don Simpson’s Review

“The Artist is a movie-lover’s delight, managing to achieve the rare feat of transporting its audience to another time and place, of injecting a couple of hours of pure magic into an otherwise mundane day. And isn’t that why most of us fell in love with movies in the first place, for their ability to take us away from the real world to a better place, even if for only an hour or two?” -Linc Leifeste’s Review

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4. Take Shelter

“Take Shelter is brilliantly cast from bottom to top. With a supporting cast that truly look and sound like the working class people they’re representing, Nichols gets the details of this story of middle-America right. Michael Shannon’s expressive face, with its deep lines and character (imagine a younger Ray Liotta with better acting chops), perfectly conveys Curtis’ ever-increasing anxiety, fear and despair. Jessica Chastain, the only person in the movie with Hollywood-good looks, so inhabits her role as the faithful and loving mother and wife, courageously fighting an unseen enemy destroying her family’s well-being, that you never doubt her.” -Linc Leifeste’s Review

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3. Martha Marcy May Marlene

“First-time director Sean Durkin has the sure hand of a master director, establishing a mood and a psychological state through a precise orchestration of script, performance, image and sound.  This is not a thriller at all. At the center is the stillness of a neo-neorealist film like Wendy and Lucy, but Durkin adds one more chord: a strain of menace and relentless tension that creates a searing and all-consuming emotional experience.” -Dave Wilson’s Review

“For me, the real payoff of MMMM can be found in the ending, which is rivaled only by Meek’s Cutoff and Green in terms of sublime ambiguity. The comparisons between MMMM, Meek’s Cutoff and Green do not end there. All three films toy with the audience’s preconceived notions of cinematic genres and traditional narrative tropes, while they also rely solely upon their infinite layers of subtext to communicate their significance. Most importantly, all three films proselytize the unique power of the cinematic art form. These are stories that could never be properly conveyed via any other medium — that right there is precisely why MMMM, Meek’s Cutoff and Green are some of my favorite films of 2011.” -Don Simpson’s Review

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2. Beginners

“Masterfully constructed, the endless barrage of flashbacks mesh with the present seamlessly and naturally. Whereas most films that are this heavily reliant upon flashbacks are riddled by a herky-jerky rhythm, the non-linear structure of Beginners is practically unnoticeable. Most importantly, the flashbacks serve a major purpose in the narrative. Hal may not have lived long enough to witness Oliver as he finally follows his father’s “it is never too late to make a fresh start” example, but it is Oliver’s memories of his father’s waning years that motivate him to try to make his relationship with Anna work.” -Don Simpson’s Review

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1. Meek’s Cutoff

“Filmmakers tend to forget that cinema is first and foremost a visual medium, and they rely on the crutch of dialogue rather than images to convey messages; but in this purely visual experience, Reichardt chooses not to explain anything. There are no concrete facts, everything that we are to take away from this film is purely left up to our interpretation of the images. The conclusion is a prefect example of just how far Reichardt will go in order to avoid conveying any absolutes. Nothing is resolved as Reichardt cleverly (though probably frustratingly for many viewers) leaves all of the film’s fundamental questions dangling in the arid Oregonian air.” -Don Simpson’s Review

“Meek’s Cutoff is artisan film-making that challenges the analytical radius of the viewer. This isn’t a film for the “Captain Obvious” movie-goer that needs everything spelled out for them and who relies on the superficial for entertainment. With the absence of a traditional climax and with the low volume of dialog and action, the viewer is placed in the minimal shoes of the very characters we are here to connect with. Meek’s Cutoff is a perfect example of film-making that seems very minimal on the surface. The script “arguably” only has the bare essentials, the setting is baron, the tone is dreary and the 4:3 framing closes the audience in on these lacking elements. But wait…once we scratch the one-dimensional surface, the profoundness of Meek’s Cutoff erupts from brilliant subtlety and deep symbolism buried below.” -Dave Campbell’s Review

Smells Like Screen Spirit & The Weinstein Company invite you

to RSVP for passes to our special advance screening

on Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at 7:00 PM in Austin TX.

Synopsis: In 1929, actor George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is a bona fide matinee idol with many adoring fans. While working on his latest film, George finds himself falling in love with an ingenue named Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo) and, what’s more, it seems Peppy feels the same way. But George is reluctant to cheat on his wife with the beautiful young actress. The growing popularity of sound in movies further separates the potential lovers, as George’s career begins to fade while Peppy’s star rises. Golden Globes – Best Picture (Comedy or Musical) Golden Globes – Best Actor (Comedy or Musical) – Jean Dujardin Golden Globes – Best Supporting Actress – Bernice Bejo Golden Globes – Best Director – Michael Hazavicius Golden Globes – Best Screenplay

Director: Michel Hazanavicius

Starring: Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, John Goodman, James Cromwell, Missi Pyle, Penelope Ann Miller, Malcolm McDowell, Bitsie Tulloch, Beth Grant, Jen Lilley, Nina Siemaszko, Basil Hoffman, Ben Kurland, Ken Davitian

Studio: The Weinstein Company

MPAA Rating: PG-13: Parents Strongly Cautioned

Release Date: December 23, 2011

Screening Info: December 21, 2011 7:00 PM @ The Regal Arbor Cinema Austin, TX

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.

Austin click here to RSVP

Enter Code: SLSS0HL5

Arrive early. Screenings are over-booked to ensure a full house and to compensate for “no shows.” Tickets are not a guarantee of admission.

Smells Like Screen Spirit & Paramount Pictures invite you

to RSVP for passes to our special advance screening

on Saturday, December 17, 2011 at 11:00 AM in Austin TX.

Synopsis: Paramount Pictures and Columbia Pictures Present “The Adventures of Tintin” directed by Steven Spielberg from a screenplay by Steven Moffat and Edgar Wright & Joe Cornish. Starring Jamie Bell (“Billy Elliot,” “Defiance”) as Tintin, the intrepid young reporter whose relentless pursuit of a good story thrusts him into a world of high adventure, and Daniel Craig (“Quantum of Solace,” “Defiance”) as the nefarious Red Rackham.

While shopping at an outdoor market, young reporter Tintin (Jamie Bell), accompanied by his faithful dog, Snowy, buys a model of an old ship called the Unicorn. A shady character named Sakharine (Daniel Craig) and later an American named Barnaby (Joe Starr) ]try to buy the model from him, but Tintin refuses. The lad discovers that the ship contains a clue about a hidden treasure, but before he can locate it, Tintin is kidnapped and given over to the custody of drunken Capt. Haddock (Andy Serkis).

Director: Steven Spielberg

Starring: Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Daniel Craig

Studio: Paramount

MPAA Rating: PG: Parental Guidance Suggested

Release Date: December 21, 2011

Screening Info: Saturday, December 17, 2011 11:00 AM

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.

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Enter Code: SLSS835W

Arrive early. Screenings are over-booked to ensure a full house and to compensate for “no shows.” Tickets are not a guarantee of admission.