Film Friday: Let’s Go To See Let’s Go To Prison!

Let it never be said that Torontoist’s fearless Film Friday column doesn’t use its peerless powers of precision to pick out the perfect film for your viewing pleasure! Yes, the other rags might have ignored it (probably no press screening) but this week’s pick above all others has to be Let’s Go To Prison, starring Toronto born Will Arnett (of Arrested Development) and directed by Mr. Show genius Bob Odenkirk, how could it possibly be anything other than completely excellent?
Well, okay, it might be terrible but why be so negative all the time, huh? Stop raining on our parade, readers.
Of course, this week is actually pretty heavy with stuff that’s worth talking about. Just from the Toronto aspect we’ve got For Your Consideration, the latest Christopher Guest joint, starring Catherine O’Hara and featuring Eugene Levy. Now’s Barrett Hooper calls it “lazy and uninspired” and Eye’s Adam Nayman doesn’t exactly disagree, accusing it of “an amiable, unchallenging familiarity”, which no-one is saying about the latest James Bond flick, Casino Royale.
Hands up, here, from Torontoist; we don’t think much of the James Bond film series, considering the Hollywood take on Ian Fleming’s misogynistic sociopath lame (though we actually like the campyness of, say, You Only Live Twice on its own terms) so the thuggish look of Daniel Craig only suits us better, if anything. Jason Anderson seems to agree with us; “Craig’s Bond is better as a sociopath than a sap” but notes, “Too bad Casino Royale peaks early.”
Also out this week is Happy Feet, which has a very interesting review from Adam Nayman (“surprisingly potent anti-religion allegory and some nightmarish eco-horror undertones”) so not just a stupid film about dancing penguins, then; Darren Aronofsky’s The Fountain (Jason Anderson thinks it’s “one of the decade’s few attempts to reintroduce audiences to a more pensive variety of science fiction”) and Fast Food Nation, Richard Linklater’s take on Eric Schlosser’s non-fiction work. John Harkness considers it a “future rental” because “just because something’s serious doesn’t mean it can’t be funny.”
Speaking of funny, the Giggleshorts Film Festival runs until Sunday, as does the Reel Asian Film Festival, and the Rendezvous with Madness Film Festival ends onSaturday (with a Guy Maddin retrospective, people!)
Cinematheque Ontario’s fall season also continues with their Vancouver New Wave programme, including a screening of Severed on Saturday at 8:45pm, and Film Circuit presents Paperback Hero, is playing all week at the Carlton (20 Carlton St.)