Coming Attractions, July 17, Past Lives and OPPENHEIMER

I can honestly and ceremoniously tell you that this is going to be a big week. To help prepare and celebrate it, we are dropping this week’s edition of Coming Attraction a day early.  Therefore, here is the BIG schedule. You can cut, copy, paste and post to your refrigerator like we use to do in the good ol’ days.  

MONDAY, JULY 17, PAST LIVES @ 4:20 & 6:45
TUESDAY, JULY 18, PAST LIVES @ 4:20 & 6:45 (Open Captioned)
WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, PAST LIVES @ 4:20 & 6:45
THURSDAY, JULY 20, PAST LIVES @ 4:20 & 6:45
FRIDAY , JULY 21, OPPENHEIMER @ 3:20 & 7
SATURDAY, JULY 22, OPPENHEIMER @ 11:45, 3:20 & 7
SUNDAY, JULY 23, OPPENHEIMER @ 11:45, 3:20 & 7
MON - THU, JULY 24-27, OPPENHEIMER @ 3:20 & 7

That is big time Christopher Nolan opening week hurrah my dear friends. And if you happened to miss the ramp-up backstory on this monumental event, please allow me a sentence or two of brief exposition. 

S1) Our booking agent initially had OPPENHEIMER scheduled to open at the Pavilion, despite the fact that I have been playing each of Universal’s five trailers in successive weeks and doing everything in my power to manufacture enthusiasm for this cinematic gala, here at your favorite local one-screen. 

S2) Upon the receipt of this devastating news I, 1) blew a fuse, 2) called all three of the people looking down upon me on the FAE food-chain - one of which was vacationing in Europe, and, 3) started the now infamous LKD (Let Kevin Decide) campaign, furthermore listing the 19 reasons why the Historic Lynwood is the better of the two venues for this blockbuster to debut, including the standard closing plea of, “you owe me”.

And guess what? We won! Despite creating a bit of redundant work, we made it happen, and here it is - starting Friday! I am genuinely pumped. Needless to say, you should be too. Thank you for your help and support. Now, IOU. OK, back to the present tense.

PAST LIVES is as calm and cool as a cucumber. It is hanging in at a 98/93 Tomatometer ranking. Consider that Asteroid City, my personal favorite of the year, is at 73/62. How is this possible? Well, let’s ask around a little. Corey Woodroof of USA Today says, “Past Lives is an emotional powerhouse. It’s a romance that’s not meant to be, and a film built on the immigrant experience and the power of empathy and honesty in difficult situations”. Also, Ryan Syrek of the Omaha Reader suggests that “It’s an embrace of every hitch and hiccup, every missed opportunity that led you to be who you are. It’s a dirge, en elegy for who others saw you to be but who you never were. It is an innocent idea, a dangerous daydream and a painful pleasure”.  Me: “Every decision counts and there are no guarantees”. 

For the serious film fan, I am calling it a must-see. 

You know all about the Oppenheimer story, right? The screenplay is based upon Bird and Sherwin's 700 page tome  American Prometheus and should open a number of doors into the depth and detail that color this already vivid slice of our history. The moral, ethical, social and geo-political fallout from the termination of WWII is still hotly debated today. It will be fascinating to watch Nolan's take on the inner workings of the man saddled for eternity with the moniker 'Father of the Atomic Bomb'. As a screenwriter who dedicated 120 pages to this very topic, and one who's copyright protected and filed treatment shares an alarming number of similarities, I feel somewhat conflicted on the appropriate emotion required. But after a session or two of introspective consideration I have one that is overriding, and I believe correct:

I am flattered. 

See you Friday!

Kevin

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