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Neighbors:
Seth Rogan and Rose Byrne are Mac and Kelly, a married couple with a new baby who find themselves excited about moving into their first home, but not so excited by the frat house that takes up residence next door. Understanding that this place could easily become party central, Mac pays a visit to break the ice and to let the frat boys know that he is “cool.” He and Kelly even get invited to the first big party, but it’s all downhill after that. Once Mac calls the police to get the noise settled down, and the cops finger him as the informant, it’s all-out war. There are some very funny scenes here, although the R-rated hijinks may be found offensive to some viewers. Dave Franco, brother of actor James, also stars. Rated 18A.
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The Rover:
A bleak future a decade after the complete collapse of the world’s economies awaits all who dare enter here. Guy Pierce stars as Eric, a grim survivor, living in the scorching heat of the Australian Outback, who becomes the man to be most feared – the man who has nothing left to lose. When a gang steals his only possession, his car, Eric decides to track them down and extract revenge. Along the way he encounters one of the gang, a badly wounded young man named Rey (Robert Pattinson), and Eric decides to use him ruthlessly to get back what is his. A bleak film with no rosy outcome, this one displays a future that only Mad Max could appreciate. Rated 18A.
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After:
Oscar-winner Kathleen Quinlan stars in this complex tale of an upper crust Hamptons-type family in New York which is slowly crumbling away because of the financial collapse of their multi-generational business empire and brutal-yet-subtle infighting among the family members as they shift blame, one to the other, for the terrible state in which they find themselves. If all of that isn’t bad enough, we soon learn that there is “the secret” ... one thing, which if unleashed, if revealed, will topple what is left of both the business and the family. Walking a tightrope, Quinlan, as matriarch Laura Valentino, tries to balance the terrible truths along with the lies. A very interesting film! Rated 18A.
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Chinatown (1974):
This exceptional detective story won six Oscars, and all the big ones at that. Jack Nicholson won Best Actor, Faye Dunaway copped Best Actress. It got Best Original Screenplay for Robert Towne, and Best Director for Roman Polanski. Producer Robert Evans picked up the Oscar for Best Picture, and it also won for Best Cinematography. The story holds up just as well today as it did 40 years ago when Jack Nicholson as private eye J.J. Gittes has his blood run red after having his nostril sliced by a switchblade knife, a scene that is etched on my memory. The man with the knife, incidentally, is a cameo appearance by director Roman Polanski. Gittes is hired by Mrs. Mulwray (Dunaway) to get photographic proof of her husband's affair - her husband being a highly-ranked and high-profile city official. The PI gets the goods on him just as planned, pictures of his dalliance with a young woman, but it all blows up when Gittes learns that he has been duped - Mrs. Mulwray isn't really Mrs. Mulwray, but rather is an imposter who is up to no good ... and she has the pictures! A crusty John Huston and a young John Hillerman (Magnum PI) round out an excellent cast in this perfect example of film noir at its best. Rated 18A.
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EASY RIDER (1969):
The late Dennis Hopper co-wrote (along with Peter Fonda) and starred in what is surely the classic road picture as two guys hit the roads of American on their choppers. Watch for a supporting role by music producer Phil Spector.
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