Seattle Cinema Round-Up: 7/15-7/22
You probably don't need Seattlest to tell you that, this weekend, Harry Potter is going to make an amount of money so gargantuan that lesser blockbusters will cling to it for warmth. That being said, there are a lot of other exciting, unwizardly things going on in two-dimensional spaces all throughout Seattle. Every week, this column will highlight some intriguing films from local theaters with a more daring or iconoclastic outlook to their programming.
Hobo With A Shotgun (21+)
Central Cinema (July 15-16, 18-20; 9:30pm)
Rutger Hauer's titular performance might not have been on the most timely side of the semi-recent grindhouse revival, but if Hobo With A Shotgun winds up being the end of it, then at least the gruesome trend went out with an exclamation point (again?). This head-exploding, expletive-drenched action romp is probably best served with a few drinks under your belt, and Central Cinema's fantastic beer selection is infinitely preferable to sneaking party shots into your Blue Raspberry Icee.
Trollhunter
Crest Cinema Center (July 15-21)
If you missed this Norwegian horror mockumentary at SIFF 2011 and can't wait for the American remake, this week might be one of your best, cheapest chances to catch Trollhunter in theaters for quite awhile. With sexy analogies ranging from "a Christopher Guest monster movie" to "Blair Witch meets Ghostbusters," it's no surprise that Harry Potter-profiteer Chris Columbus wanted to Americanize this funny, haunting gem before the ink on the original's U.S. distribution deal could dry.
Passione: A Musical Adventure
Northwest Film Forum (July 15-21)
This vivid showcase of the music of Naples might be more honestly titled "How John Turturro Spent All That Transformers Money," with the intense bumbling of the Coen Brothers' favorite put to a much more noble efficacy as the documentary's eager guide. Passione might not have the world's strongest crossover appeal, but its conversational structure and the chance to see Turturro dancing around like a spaz to authentic Neapolitan rhythms make it definitely worth a look for anyone remotely interested in the subject matter.
