Jake Wilson July 14, 2012
1. THE FURIES (109 minutes) Unrated
TWO great actors go head-to-head in Anthony Mann's starkly dramatic 1950 tale of the turbulent relationship between a self-made cattle baron (Walter Huston) and his imperious daughter (Barbara Stanwyck). Hardly a Western in the traditional sense, the film aspires to the grandeur of classical tragedy. Screens as part of the Guy Maddin Selects program. 16-millimetre print. ACMI, tomorrow 3pm.
2. MAD MAX 2: THE ROAD WARRIOR (94 minutes) M
THE souped-up second instalment of George Miller's action trilogy sees Max (Mel Gibson) battling bikies in a post-apocalyptic landscape populated by figures such as the Gyro Captain (Bruce Spence) and the Feral Kid (Emil Minty). Vastly influential worldwide since its release in 1981, it is one of the few essential Australian films. Screens as part of the Game Masters' Choice program. 35-millimetre print. ACMI, tomorrow 3pm.
3. THE PRINCESS BRIDE (97 minutes) PG
MANY films have tried and failed to recapture the swashbuckling adventure and wit that defines Rob Reiner's 1987 fantasy-comedy, based on the book by William Goldman. There are enough guest stars for a Muppet movie, but Mandy Patinkin as Inigo Montoya (''You killed my father, prepare to die'') has to be the sentimental favourite. 35-millimetre print. Astor, tomorrow 2pm. Double bill with Dirty Dancing.
4. JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS (104 minutes) G
SHOT on location on the Mediterranean, Don Chaffey's 1963 retelling of the famous myth of the quest for the golden fleece is a blend of photographic realism and pure fancy - the latter courtesy of special-effects master Ray Harryhausen, whose stop-motion wizardry conjures giant living statues and a skeleton army. Digitally projected. Astor, tomorrow 7pm. Double bill with The 7th Voyage of Sinbad.
5. YOU INSTEAD (77 minutes) MA
BRILLIANT and neglected Scottish director David Mackenzie (Young Adam) specialises in exploring the murky side of desire - an interest visible even in this guerilla-style romantic comedy in which two rock stars (Luke Treadaway and Natalia Tena) are handcuffed together for 24 hours during the music festival T in the Park. Selected.
6. THE THREE STOOGES (90 minutes) PG
EVEN if you've rarely laughed at The Three Stooges shorts, the idea of a blow-by-blow re-creation has a certain moronic beauty. A pet project for Peter and Bobby Farrelly - the team that brought us Dumb and Dumber - this 21st-century adventure for America's favourite knuckleheads finds them battling to save an orphanage in between the slaps and eye-pokes. General.
7. PROOF (84 minutes) M
JOCELYN Moorhouse's assured 1991 first feature centres on a quasi-romantic triangle involving a blind amateur photographer (Hugo Weaving), his manipulative housekeeper (Genevieve Picot) and an affable young kitchen hand (Russell Crowe). Blackly comic yet compassionate, this still represents some of the best work by all concerned. Recently restored 35-millimetre print. ACMI, today 4pm. Tickets $6-$8.
8. THE SOUND OF MUSIC (174 minutes) G
THE famous 1965 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical stars Julie Andrews as a feisty Austrian nun who becomes governess to a brood of adorable children, melts the heart of her stern employer (Christopher Plummer) and defeats the Nazis with the power of song. A smash hit still popular today, it is totally schmaltzy and highly effective. Digitally projected. Astor, today 2.30pm and 7.30pm.
9. PAINTED SKIN: THE RESURRECTION (131 minutes) M
A DISFIGURED princess (Wei Zhao) swaps identities with a beautiful fox demon (Zhou Xun) in this lavish Chinese fantasy, which can be enjoyed without any knowledge of the original. Director Wuershan aims for a lush, romantic style. Cinema Nova.
10. AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT (98 minutes) MA
A VARIATION on Billy Wilder's Ace in the Hole, this lively satire from Spanish provocateur Alex de la Iglesia (The Last Circus) centres on a failed adman (Jose Mota) who becomes involved in an accident and decides to make the most of his time in the spotlight. Salma Hayek gives one of her best performances as the hero's wife. Screens as part of the Spanish Film Festival. Kino, today 6.15pm.