Weekend Movie Picks: 7.20

What's good, what's fun, what's intriguing, what's a must... now playing in Manhattan theaters.

What I'd like to see:

Hairspray
Bo and Co are taking a break from reading HP7 and going with me tonight, though I must say the prospect of John Travolta overacting in drag has me leery...

Sunshine
Old-school sensibilities seem to rule in this science fiction film about a (suicide) mission to re-ignite the sun. Directed by Danny Boyle.

Live-in Maid
This import from Argentina about the decades-long relationship between two women—a maid and her employer—has the best reviews of the week. Looks like a very promising character-based story.

Talk to Me
I'm keeping my expectations low for this Sixties set piece about a jive-talking DJ who sticks it to the man in Washington DC. But the trailer always gives me goosebumps (total sucker for the sentimental) and it stars the great Don Cheadle.

Summercamp!
According to reviews, a meandering, sweet, completely likeable portrait of kids at a sleepaway camp Wisconsin. I bet Bo and Co would love this.

Ghosts of City Soleil
The supposedly violent, disturbing documentary about Haitian thugs whose lives are informed by American hip-hop.


What I've seen, and liked:

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
This could be my favorite of the series: tense, funny, tender, thrilling, and the last 15 minutes or so had me totally in tears. My daughters liked it less, but what do they know?

Ratatouille
I wanted it to be funnier, but there's no question that Pixar's latest is a near-brilliant portrait of creativity in the kitchen.

Rescue Dawn
Forgive the Top Gun ending (and hide your eyes during certain torture/maggot-eating scenes if you need to) and you'll appreciate this tense, relentless Vietnam POW thriller featuring an excellent Christian Bale.

Sicko
Michael Moore is the master of the faux-naive question, which he uses to devastating (though often quite funny) effect in this scathing indictment of American health care, especially as compared to the government-run systems of France, Great Britain, Canada, and Cuba.

A Mighty Heart
Angelina Jolie is great as the film's emotional core, but the real star is director Michael Winterbottom, who has made a complicated, smart, heartbreaking, visually—and politically—striking thriller.

Live Free or Die Harder
The perfect summer actioner: millions of bullets, thousands of car wrecks, amazing stunts, crazy deaths, the country in peril, wisecracks from our smirking hero. But the shrewdest move of all is casting Justin Long as Willis's sidekick, instantly updating the franchise.

Broken English
Less cute and romantic than sad and bitter, this portrait of a single woman in NYC making poor choices in love is nonetheless a fairly engaging take on modern relationships.

Manufactured Landscapes
A visually amazing documentary about Edward Burtynsky, a photographer who specializes in massive shots of industrial landscapes, here focusing on environmental devastation in China and Bangladesh, wrought by our addiction to consumerism. Bo, Co and I all liked this a lot, and it provoked a great conversation on our way home, but we also all wished there had been more background and context given to imagery.

Ocean's 13
Funny, clever, stylish and exceptionally likable, starring the cutest guys on the planet. My favorite "summer blockbuster" thus far.

La Vie En Rose
Both Tom and I loved this Edith Piaf biopic: the music, the bravura performance by Marion Cotillard, the movie's structure and script.

Knocked Up
The reviews are right: this is rowdy, sweet, crude, smart, well-acted, hilarious.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Shockingly incoherent but definitely fun to look at. Think of it as a $200 million art film and you'll be all right.

Once
The sweetest movie playing today: affecting, romantic and filled with great music.

Waitress
Clever, cute, funny, with terrific performances all around. Looks great, feels great. My favorite movie I saw this Spring.

The Lives of Others
A smart, well-crafted tale of suspense and betrayal, set in dreary 1980s East Berlin.

Weekend Movie Picks: 7.13

What's good, what's fun, what's intriguing, what's a must... now playing in Manhattan theaters.


What I'd like to see:

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
The previous four have all been entertaining in one way or another, so how could I not? Bo and Co went on Wednesday with their mom and just "liked, not loved" it, so it looks like I'm flying solo on this one.

Interview
Steve Buscemi (pretentious interviewer) and Sienna Miller (mainstream movie star) talk and drink and talk and flirt and argue and insult and talk and talk in a downtown loft, via Theo Van Gogh's play. Could be tiresome, could be riveting, probably a bit of both.

Talk to Me
I'm keeping my expectations low for this Sixties set piece about a jive-talking DJ who sticks it to the man in Washington DC. But the trailer always gives me goosebumps (total sucker for the sentimental) and it stars the great Don Cheadle.

Colma: The Musical
A no-budget, small-town, coming-of-age musical that's received praise both for its staging and its heart. I can't decide whether Bo and Co would like it...

In Between Days
From Taiwan, a small, well-reviewed portrait of a lonely girl trying to navigate adolescence in a strange, wintry American city.

Ghosts of City Soleil
The supposedly violent, disturbing documentary about Haitian thugs whose lives are informed by American hip-hop.


What I've seen, and liked:

Ratatouille
I wanted it to be funnier, but there's no question that Pixar's latest is a near-brilliant portrait of creativity in the kitchen.

Rescue Dawn
Forgive the Top Gun ending (and hide your eyes during certain torture/maggot-eating scenes if you need to) and you'll appreciate this tense, relentless Vietnam POW thriller featuring an excellent Christian Bale.

Sicko
Michael Moore is the master of the faux-naive question, which he uses to devastating (though often quite funny) effect in this scathing indictment of American health care, especially as compared to the government-run systems of France, Great Britain, Canada, and Cuba.

A Mighty Heart
Angelina Jolie is great as the film's emotional core, but the real star is director Michael Winterbottom, who has made a complicated, smart, heartbreaking, visually—and politically—striking thriller.

Live Free or Die Harder
The perfect summer actioner: millions of bullets, thousands of car wrecks, amazing stunts, crazy deaths, the country in peril, wisecracks from our smirking hero. But the shrewdest move of all is casting Justin Long as Willis's sidekick, instantly updating the franchise.

Broken English
Less cute and romantic than sad and bitter, this portrait of a single woman in NYC making poor choices in love is nonetheless a fairly engaging take on modern relationships.

Manufactured Landscapes
A visually amazing documentary about Edward Burtynsky, a photographer who specializes in massive shots of industrial landscapes, here focusing on environmental devastation in China and Bangladesh, wrought by our addiction to consumerism. Bo, Co and I all liked this a lot, and it provoked a great conversation on our way home, but we also all wished there had been more background and context given to imagery.

Ocean's 13
Funny, clever, stylish and exceptionally likable, starring the cutest guys on the planet. My favorite "summer blockbuster" thus far.

La Vie En Rose
Both Tom and I loved this Edith Piaf biopic: the music, the bravura performance by Marion Cotillard, the movie's structure and script.

Knocked Up
The reviews are right: this is rowdy, sweet, crude, smart, well-acted, hilarious.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Shockingly incoherent but definitely fun to look at. Think of it as a $200 million art film and you'll be all right.

Once
The sweetest movie playing today: affecting, romantic and filled with great music.

Shrek the Third
Keep your expectations low, and you should be pleasantly entertained, occasionally amused. Your kids will definitely laugh.

Waitress
Clever, cute, funny, with terrific performances all around. Looks great, feels great. My favorite movie I saw this Spring.

The Lives of Others
A smart, well-crafted tale of suspense and betrayal, set in dreary 1980s East Berlin.

Weekend Movie Picks: 6.29

What's good, what's fun, what's intriguing, what's a must... now playing in Manhattan theaters.


What I'd like to see:

Ratatouille
No surprise here... Bo, Co and I are hitting the Deuce tonight for this one. Looks like a blast, and got a Metacritic rating of 94, the sixth-highest ever.

Evening
The trailer looked so good—great cast, lots of weepy moments—but the Times totally trashed it. Hmmmm....

Falling
Five high school friends, now women in their thirties, reune at a funeral. This Austrian import is getting good reviews, and could be a solid character-based flick.

Sicko
Michael Moore's new documentary, about America's health-care system, now wide-released. I think Bo and Co would like this, but I'm not sure there's time this weekend.

In Between Days
From Taiwan, a small, well-reviewed portrait of a lonely girl trying to navigate adolescence in a strange, wintry American city.

Ghosts of City Soleil
The supposedly violent, disturbing documentary about Haitian thugs whose lives are informed by American hip-hop.

Eagle vs. Shark
The trailer makes the quirkiness look a tad too forced, but it could be sweet and romantic enough to win me over.


What I've seen, and liked:

A Mighty Heart
Angelina Jolie is great as the film's emotional core, but the real star is director Michael Winterbottom, who has made a complicated, smart, heartbreaking, visually—and politically—striking thriller.

Live Free or Die Harder
The perfect summer actioner: millions of bullets, thousands of car wrecks, amazing stunts, crazy deaths, the country in peril, wisecracks from our smirking hero. But the shrewdest move of all is casting Justin Long as Willis's sidekick, instantly updating the franchise.

Broken English
Less cute and romantic than sad and bitter, this portrait of a single woman in NYC making poor choices in love is nonetheless a fairly engaging take on modern relationships.

Manufactured Landscapes
A visually amazing documentary about Edward Burtynsky, a photographer who specializes in massive shots of industrial landscapes, here focusing on environmental devastation in China and Bangladesh, wrought by our addiction to consumerism. Bo, Co and I all liked this a lot, and it provoked a great conversation on our way home, but we also all wished there had been more background and context given to imagery.

Nancy Drew
Emma Roberts is adorable as the extremely capable, buttoned-up sleuth, a fish-out-of-water in contemporary LA. Bo really liked this and Co absolutely LOVED it... totally on the edge of her seat the entire time, when she wasn't cracking up.

Ocean's 13
Funny, clever, stylish and exceptionally likable, starring the cutest guys on the planet. My favorite "summer blockbuster" thus far.

La Vie En Rose
Both Tom and I loved this Edith Piaf biopic: the music, the bravura performance by Marion Cotillard, the movie's structure and script.

Crazy Love
Crazy is right. As Burt Pugach and Linda Riss tell their improbable, seriously twisted tale of love and lye, you just have to sit there and shake your head in amazement. Excellent editing keeps the pacing brisk.

Golden Door
A beautifully-shot, richly-detailed drama of Sicilian immigrants coming to America in the early 20th-century, filled with surprising, Michael Gondry-esque touches of whimsy.

Let's Get Lost
Although hopelessly repetitive, as all junkie stories are, this documentary about Chet Baker is both sad and lovely.

Knocked Up
The reviews are right: this is rowdy, sweet, crude, smart, well-acted, hilarious.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Shockingly incoherent but definitely fun to look at. Think of it as a $200 million art film and you'll be all right.

Once
The sweetest movie playing today: affecting, romantic and filled with great music.

Shrek the Third
Keep your expectations low, and you should be pleasantly entertained, occasionally amused. Your kids will definitely laugh.

Spiderman 3
Bloated and corny, sure, but Bo, Co and I had a blast.

Waitress
Clever, cute, funny, with terrific performances all around. Looks great, feels great. My favorite movie I saw this Spring.

Away From Her
An almost great love story—husband and wife, married 44 years, she gets Alzheimer's—undermined by a somewhat dishonest script.

28 Weeks Later
The coolest looking movie of the year. Plus: tremendously tense and frightening. Too bad the script's so stupid.

The Lives of Others
A smart, well-crafted tale of suspense and betrayal, set in dreary 1980s East Berlin.

Weekend Movie Picks: 6.22

What's good, what's fun, what's intriguing, what's a must... now playing in Manhattan theaters.

What I'd like to see:

A Mighty Heart
Angelina Jolie (wait... she's still an actress?) as the wife of a kidnapped reporter in Pakistan. Based on the real-life story of the WSJ's Danny Pearl, directed by Michael Winterbottom, who made the ambitious, at times excellent Road to Guantanamo. I'll definitely see this, but am keeping my expectations low because the hype machine has been buzzing so loudly.

Broken English
The reviews have been middling, but I thought this story of Parker Posey looking for love—and going all the way to Paris to find it—looked cute and romantic.

Sicko
Michael Moore's new documentary, about America's health-care system, early-released in NYC (because of YouTube downloading?) to one screen only, at the Loews Lincoln Square on 68th and Broadway.

1408
A skeptic checks himself into a hotel room known to be haunted. Serious creepiness ensues. The trailer had spooky moments, and John Cusack is always fun to watch.

Czech Dream
Documenting the somewhat mean-spirited prank in which two young Czechs convince their consumption-mad country that they're opening the greatest store in history, and when everyone shows up, it's an empty field.

Eagle vs. Shark
The trailer makes the quirkiness look a tad too forced, but it could be sweet and romantic enough to win me over.

What I've seen, and liked:

Manufactured Landscapes
A visually amazing documentary about Edward Burtynsky, a photographer who specializes in massive shots of industrial landscapes, here focusing on environmental devastation in China and Bangladesh, wrought by our addiction to consumerism. Bo, Co and I all liked this a lot, and it provoked a great conversation on our way home, but we also all wished there had been more background and context given to imagery.

Nancy Drew
Emma Roberts is adorable as the extremely capable, buttoned-up sleuth, a fish-out-of-water in contemporary LA. Bo really liked this and Co absolutely LOVED it... totally on the edge of her seat the entire time, when she wasn't cracking up.

Ocean's 13
Funny, clever, stylish and exceptionally likable, starring the cutest guys on the planet. My favorite "summer blockbuster" thus far.

La Vie En Rose
Both Tom and I loved this Edith Piaf biopic: the music, the bravura performance by Marion Cotillard, the movie's structure and script.

Crazy Love
Crazy is right. As Burt Pugach and Linda Riss tell their improbable, seriously twisted tale of love and lye, you just have to sit there and shake your head in amazement. Excellent editing keeps the pacing brisk.

Golden Door
A beautifully-shot, richly-detailed drama of Sicilian immigrants coming to America in the early 20th-century, filled with surprising, Michael Gondry-esque touches of whimsy.

Let's Get Lost
Although hopelessly repetitive, as all junkie stories are, this documentary about Chet Baker is both sad and lovely.

Knocked Up
The reviews are right: this is rowdy, sweet, crude, smart, well-acted, hilarious.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Shockingly incoherent but definitely fun to look at. Think of it as a $200 million art film and you'll be all right.

Brooklyn Rules
Joins the long list of movies that I've liked about tough-neighborhood boyhood best friends coming of age... and coming apart? Set in the mid-'80s, in Bay Ridge, featuring an excellent Scott Caan.

Once
The sweetest movie playing today: affecting, romantic and filled with great music.

Shrek the Third
Keep your expectations low, and you should be pleasantly entertained, occasionally amused. Your kids will definitely laugh.

Spiderman 3
Bloated and corny, sure, but Bo, Co and I had a blast.

Waitress
Clever, cute, funny, with terrific performances all around. Looks great, feels great. My favorite movie I saw this Spring.

Away From Her
An almost great love story—husband and wife, married 44 years, she gets Alzheimer's—undermined by a somewhat dishonest script.

28 Weeks Later
The coolest looking movie of the year. Plus: tremendously tense and frightening. Too bad the script's so stupid.

The Lives of Others
A smart, well-crafted tale of suspense and betrayal, set in dreary 1980s East Berlin.

Weekend Movie Picks: 6.15

What's good, what's fun, what's intriguing, what's a must... now playing in Manhattan theaters.


What I'd like to see:

Manufactured Landscapes
On Saturday evening the kids and I are seeing this amazing-looking documentary about Edward Burtynsky, a photographer who specializes in massive shots of industrial landscapes, here focusing on the devastation wrought in China and Bangladesh. At Lincoln Center, as part of the Human Rights Watch International Film Festival.

Nancy Drew
Emma Roberts looks cute as the buttoned-up sleuth, a fish-out-of-water in contemporary LA. Think she'll win everyone over by solving a mystery?

Eagle vs. Shark
The trailer makes the quirkiness look a tad too forced, but it could be sweet and romantic enough to win me over.

Czech Dream
Documenting the somewhat mean-spirited prank in which two young Czechs convince their consumption-mad country that they're opening the greatest store in history, and when everyone shows up, it's an empty field.

Mr. Brooks
More to have a killer-thriller in the mix than any real high expectations, though the cast is good here, and it could surprise. UPDATE: my friend Tom said it did NOT surprise.


What I've seen, and liked:

Ocean's 13
Funny, clever, stylish and exceptionally likable, starring the cutest guys on the planet. My favorite "summer blockbuster" thus far.

La Vie En Rose
Both Tom and I loved this Edith Piaf biopic: the music, the bravura performance by Marion Cotillard, the movie's structure and script.

Crazy Love
Crazy is right. As Burt Pugach and Linda Riss tell their improbable, seriously twisted tale of love and lye, you just have to sit there and shake your head in amazement. Excellent editing keeps the pacing brisk.

Golden Door
A beautifully-shot, richly-detailed drama of Sicilian immigrants coming to America in the early 20th-century, filled with surprising, Michael Gondry-esque touches of whimsy.

Let's Get Lost
Although hopelessly repetitive, as all junkie stories are, this documentary about Chet Baker is both sad and lovely.

Knocked Up
The reviews are right: this is rowdy, sweet, crude, smart, well-acted, hilarious.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Shockingly incoherent but definitely fun to look at. Think of it as a $200 million art film and you'll be all right.

Brooklyn Rules
Joins the long list of movies that I've liked about tough-neighborhood boyhood best friends coming of age... and coming apart? Set in the mid-'80s, in Bay Ridge, featuring an excellent Scott Caan.

Gracie
We all enjoyed this to varying degrees, family athlete Co being the biggest partisan; Bo and I frustrated by the repetitious father/daughter conflicts during the long middle part.

Once
The sweetest movie playing today: affecting, romantic and filled with great music.

Shrek the Third
Keep your expectations low, and you should be pleasantly entertained, occasionally amused. Your kids will definitely laugh.

Spiderman 3
Bloated and corny, sure, but Bo, Co and I had a blast.

Waitress
Clever, cute, funny, with terrific performances all around. Looks great, feels great. My favorite movie I saw this Spring.

Away From Her
An almost great love story—husband and wife, married 44 years, she gets Alzheimer's—undermined by a somewhat dishonest script.

28 Weeks Later
The coolest looking movie of the year. Plus: tremendously tense and frightening. Too bad the script's so stupid.

The Lives of Others
A smart, well-crafted tale of suspense and betrayal, set in dreary 1980s East Berlin.

Weekend Movie Picks: 6.8

What's good, what's fun, what's intriguing, what's a must... now playing in Manhattan theaters.


What I'd like to see:

La Vie En Rose
Honestly? The longest bit of Edith Piaf I think I've ever heard was from that scene in Saving Private Ryan. But the buzz on this biopic has been excellent, her voice is beautiful, and the trailer makes it seem like a must-cry.

Ocean's 13
As others have said, it feels like Soderburgh and Clooney owe us one after the mess of 12, so this could be fun.

Mr. Brooks
More to have a killer-thriller in the mix than any real high expectations, though the cast is good here, and it could surprise.

Crazy Love
The documentary about the improbable, seriously twisted, decades-long relationship between Bronxites Burt Pugach and Linda Riss... improbable because, in 1959, in a jealous rage, he hired someone to throw lye in her face, then asked her to marry him went he got out prison 30 years later, and she said yes!

Golden Door A supposedly beautifully-shot, richly-detailed drama of Italian immigrants coming to America in the early 20th-century.


What I've seen, and liked:

Knocked Up
The reviews are right: this is rowdy, sweet, crude, smart, well-acted, hilarious.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Shockingly incoherent but definitely fun to look at. Think of it as a $200 million art film and you'll be all right.

Brooklyn Rules
Joins the long list of movies that I've liked about tough-neighborhood boyhood best friends coming of age... and coming apart? Set in the mid-'80s, in Bay Ridge, featuring an excellent Scott Caan.

Gracie
We all enjoyed this to varying degrees, family athlete Co being the biggest partisan; Bo and I frustrated by the repetitious father/daughter conflicts during the long middle part.

Once
The sweetest movie playing today: affecting, romantic and filled with great music.

Shrek the Third
Keep your expectations low, and you should be pleasantly entertained, occasionally amused. Your kids will definitely laugh.

Spiderman 3
Bloated and corny, sure, but Bo, Co and I had a blast.

Waitress
Clever, cute, funny, with terrific performances all around. Looks great, feels great. My favorite movie I saw this Spring.

Away From Her
An almost great love story—husband and wife, married 44 years, she gets Alzheimer's—undermined by a somewhat dishonest script.

28 Weeks Later
The coolest looking movie of the year. Plus: tremendously tense and frightening. Too bad the script's so stupid.

The Lives of Others
A smart, well-crafted tale of suspense and betrayal, set in dreary 1980s East Berlin.

Weekend Movie Picks: 6.1

What's good, what's fun, what's intriguing, what's a must... now playing in Manhattan theaters.


What I'd like to see:

Gracie
This Saturday night Bo, Co and I are definitely going to see this tale of a high-school girl who talks her way onto the boys soccer team after her beloved older brother (and star player) dies. Set in the '70s, based on the early life of Elizabeth Shue, who also stars in the movie, along with brother Andrew.

Knocked Up
Getting reviews that are probably too good to be true. I hope to lower my expectations, and laugh my butt off.

Crazy Love
The documentary about the improbable, seriously twisted, decades-long relationship between Bronxites Burt Pugach and Linda Riss... improbable because, in 1959, in a jealous rage, he hired someone to throw lye in her face, then asked her to marry him went he got out prison 30 years later, and she said yes!

Golden Door A supposedly beautifully-shot, richly-detailed drama of Italian immigrants coming to America in the early 20th-century.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Bo and Co saw it last weekend, and gave it a thumbs-sideways. Kind of confusing and long, was the consensus. I'll still see it sometime this week, if only to be a completist. Playing everywhere.

Brooklyn Rules
Mixed reviews have me hesitant, but the list of movies that I've enjoyed about neighborhood best friends/thugs coming of age is a long one. This is set in the mid-'80s, in Bay Ridge, with Alec Baldwin as the crime lord.

What I've seen, and liked:

Once
The sweetest movie playing today: affecting, romantic and filled with great music.

Shrek the Third
Keep your expectations low, and you should be pleasantly entertained, occasionally amused. Your kids will definitely laugh.

Spiderman 3
Bloated and corny, sure, but Bo, Co and I had a blast.

Waitress
Clever, cute, funny, with terrific performances all around. Looks great, feels great. My favorite movie I saw this Spring. UPDATE: Debbie and her kids saw it tonight and LOVED it.

Away From Her
An almost great love story—husband and wife, married 44 years, she gets Alzheimer's—undermined by a somewhat dishonest script.

28 Weeks Later
The coolest looking movie of the year. Plus: tremendously tense and frightening. Too bad the script's so stupid.

The Lives of Others
A smart, well-crafted tale of suspense and betrayal, set in dreary 1980s East Berlin.

Weekend movie picks: 5.25

What's good, what's fun, what's intriguing, what's a must... now playing in Manhattan theaters.


What I'd like to see:

Bug
Seems like this is not the straight-up horror flick its marketing would have us think, but rather a tense, claustrophobic psychological drama starring the always-appealing Ashley Judd. Playing everywhere.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Bo, Co and I loved part two last summer (saw it on one of the hottest days of the year in a huge, freezing, nearly empty theater). We'll definitely be there for this one. Playing everywhere.

Brooklyn Rules
Mixed reviews have me hesitant, but the list of movies that I've enjoyed about neighborhood best friends/thugs coming of age is a long one. This is set in the mid-'80s, in Bay Ridge, with Alec Baldwin as the crime lord. At the Village 7 and the AMC on 42nd.

Paris, Je T'aime
An anthology of eighteen love stories, all set in Paris, created by a dream ensemble of actors and directors. How could it not be at least half good? At the Sunshine and the Paris.

Steel City
This family-dynamics drama, set in a bleak rust-belt town, has potential... for me hinging upon whether the script is indeed "sharp" (NY Times) or in fact "stilted" (TONY). At the Quad.

Day Night Day Night
A woman tries (succeeds?) to blow herself up in Times Square, for motives that remain murky. At the IFC Center.

What I've seen, and liked:

Once
The sweetest movie playing today: affecting, romantic and filled with great music. At the Sunshine.

Shrek the Third
Keep your expectations low, and you should be pleasantly entertained, occasionally amused. Your kids will definitely laugh. Playing everywhere.

Spiderman 3
Bloated and corny, sure, but Bo, Co and I had a blast. Playing everywhere.

Waitress
Clever, cute, funny, with terrific performances all around. Looks great, feels great. Playing all over town.

Away From Her
An almost great love story—husband and wife, married 44 years, she gets Alzheimer's—undermined by a somewhat dishonest script. At several locations, including the Lincoln Plaza, the AMC on 42nd, and the Sunshine.

28 Weeks Later
The coolest looking movie of the year. Plus: tremendously tense and frightening. Too bad the script's so stupid. Playing all over town.

The Lives of Others
A smart, well-crafted tale of suspense and betrayal, set in dreary 1980s East Berlin. At the Lincoln Plaza

Quick Bites

For when you don't want to interrupt the flow of your day with a full-service, sit-down meal, but definitely need a little something to keep you going, here's a quick look at my favorite quick bites, arranged by neighborhood. A glaring omission: pizza, which is too vast a subject to tackle here. Check back for updates.


Hell's Kitchen/Theater District

One of the all-time great snacks is the portable, filling empanada, and Empanada Mama makes some of city's best. Available baked or fried, in flaky wheat or sweet corn, and in varieties both traditional (Pernil, Broccoli and Cheese, Spicy Chicken) and non (Cheese Steak, Hawaiian, Viagra), you can get two for around five bucks and be happily on your way. On Ninth Avenue between 51st and 52nd Street. And with their new expanded menu, it's also a great spot for an inexpensive and delicious pre-theater meal.

What's not to like about a place that specializes in grilled cheese? Say Cheese offers a multitude of takes on this classic sandwich—american, cheddar, jack, provolone, swiss, muenster; with bacon, avocado, tomato, ham, etc., all on buttery sourdough—plus spicy curly fries, creamy tomato soup, and hilariously random decor. On Ninth Ave. between 45th and 46th Sts.


Chelsea

Swich serves creative, hot-pressed sandwiches (or "deconstructed" salad versions thereof) and that's pretty much it. Try the hearty, full-flavored Trojan Horse—rosemary focaccia filled with ground lamb, tomato, tzatziki, and fresh mint—or the moist and well-balanced Tuna-na-na, starring white albacore with marinated artichokes and olive tapenade on crunchy 7-grain bread. Bonus: SwichTV playing on the flat-screens featuring employees and customers doing the inane and insane. On Eighth Ave, between 15th and 16th Sts.

We think Pop Burger, has the best french fries in town: crispy on the outside, smooth on the inside, packed with potato flavor. The sliders and milkshakes are pretty tasty, too. There's fun music, a couple of Basquaits on the wall, a trendy vibe that doesn't get too annoying (and when it does... well, those fries are worth it). Excellent pre- or post-Chelsea gallery fuel. On 9th Ave. between 14th and 15th Sts.

There are only about ten seats in the mod, orange, and bright Supermac, but you won't be there long anyway. Order at the counter from among the thirteen varieties of Macaroni and Cheese—from classic to interesting—grab a table, and be prepared to wolf down a hot ceramic platter's worth of lively ingredients, thoughtfully balanced, in a well-executed dish. And for fgun, try the Mac & Cheese nuggets, which are exactly what you think they are. On 7th Ave. between 29th and 30th Sts.


West Village

Puff and Pao will make you fall in love with the amazing Brazilian paulito: chewy, cheesy, crispy little dough balls filled with your choice of just about everything, from chorizo, black pepper, and kalamata olive to fig and walnut, garlic, and gouda. Get a five-pack (mix 'em up!) for around $3.50 and you are totally set for a couple of hours. They also have coffee, almond milk, sandwiches and treats. On Christopher Street, near Bleecker, in the West Village. UPDATE: the Christopher Street store is CLOSED! But they say they're opening a new branch on the Lower East Side...

Bings are the thing at Roll and Dough, an otherwise forgettable Chinese place: Eggo-sized, somehow both chewy AND flaky, sesame-encrusted pastries neatly (and generously) stuffed with such sweet or savory treats as banana, red bean, spicy chicken, cabbage, vegetable, pork and chives... about 15 varieties in all. About $1.50 each, and extremely portable. On West 3rd St., just east of Sixth Ave.

Birdbath on Seventh Ave South and Charles St. (see below).


Union Square area

City Bakery does many things well (the cookies, the hot chocolate, the salad bar, which is often voted the best in town), but don't underestimate the power of those pretzel croissants: one bite and you'll become addicted to their intense hit of salty, buttery goodness, packaged in an unbelievably crisp and flaky shell. A terrific snack. On 18th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. Also available at owner Maury Rubin's "sustainable, renewable, biodegradable, recycled, recyclable" spin-offs, Birdbath in the West Village (Seventh Ave South and Charles St.) and Build a Green Bakery in the East Village, on First Avenue between 13th and 14th Sts.

I've only eaten the Classic with Whiz at Philly Slim's Cheese Steaks (yes, that's cheese-in-a-can cheese whiz), but it is what it is, but what it is, is good: appropriately greasy and cheesy and gooey, the meat lean and sliced super thin, the bun soft but not soggy, the hot sauce a perfect complement. Makes for a perfect quick wolf before a movie in one of the many area theaters. On University Place between 12th and 13th Sts. Also on Ninth Avenue, between 52nd and 53rd Sts. UPDATE: University Place shop is CLOSED.

As its name would indicate, Dirty Bird To Go is mostly a delivery/take-out place... but there are a few stools inside, and a bench out front, and, after a rough start a year ago, they do make excellent friend chicken, excellent macaroni and cheese, and terrible unleavened shallot corn bread (can't have everything, I guess!). On 14th Street, just west of Seventh Avenue.


East Village

The tiny Caracas Arepa Bar has been making the hungry happy for years with their delightfully crunchy, intensely flavored, consistently delicious Venezuelan corn-cake sandwiches. They recently expanded with a full service, expanded menu place next, but the take-out, arepa-only spot remains, and has a couple of tables up front. Try La Reina Pepiada (chicken with avocado salad), La Pelua (shredded beef with paisa cheese), La Jardinera (eggplant with sundried tomatoes, carmelized onions and guayanés cheese), or De Pabellón (shredded beef with black beans, sweet plantains and cheese). All made to order, with lots of love. On 7th St., just east of First Ave.

Crif Dogs, on St. Marks between First Ave. and Avenue A. (see below)

Ruben's Empanadas on First Ave. between St. Mark's Place and 7th St (see below).

Build a Green Bakery in the East Village, on First Avenue between 13th and 14th Sts (see above).


Soho

Ruben's Empanadas are well-seasoned and juicy inside, rich and flaky outside, generous with their fillings—everything from Tuna to Egg and Sausage to Beef to Broccoli and Cheese—and always taste freshly made. A solid snack or quick lunch, in two convenient locations: in Soho on Broome Street just west of West Broadway; and in the East Village on First Ave. between St. Mark's Place and 7th St.


Lower East Side

I forget how satisfying a snack a piled-high hot dog (or two) can be, and then I wander into a place like Dash Dogs, and let me tell you, these puppies are perfect: filling and flavorful, the buns soft yet firm, the all-beef dogs hefty, charred, crunchy, and tasty enough to hold their own under the weight of the creative toppings. Don't miss the Infamous Stoner, with chili, melted cheese and crushed Fritos. Everything can be made into a slider, if you prefer. On Rivington St. between Essex and Norfolk. Open until 4:00 am On Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. A similarly successful munchies place is Crif Dogs, on St. Marks between First Ave. and Avenue A.

Chinatown

There are dozens of Bahn Mi places in Chinatown, with probably almost as many opinions about whose vinegary Vietnamese delights are the best. Sure, you could try them all and decide for yourself... or you can just go to Paris Sandwich, where the bake their baguettes on premises, and you're guaranteed a good, cheap meal. On Mott Street, just north of Canal.

Weekend movie picks: 5.18

What's good, what's fun, what's intriguing, what's a must... now playing in Manhattan theaters.

What I'd like to see:

Once
A Dublin busker falls hard for a Czech woman. It's got music, it's got love, the trailer's great, the reviews have been glowing. Totally my top pick. At the Sunshine.

Shrek the Third
My expectations are unbelievably low, as they were going into Shrek 2, at which I laughed a lot. Playing everywhere.

The Treatment
I remember chuckling during the trailer, though the reviews have been mixed. Bonus incentive: love story. At the Village East and the Lincoln Plaza.

Paris, Je T'aime
An anthology of eighteen love stories, all set in Paris, created by a dream ensemble of actors and directors. How could it not be at least half good? At the Sunshine and the Paris.

Day Night Day Night
A woman tries (succeeds?) to blow herself up in Times Square, for motives that remain murky. At the IFC Center.

What I've seen, and liked:

Spiderman 3
Bloated and corny, sure, but Bo, Co and I had a blast. Playing everywhere.

Waitress
Clever, cute, funny, with terrific performances all around. Looks great, feels great. Playing all over town.

Jindabyne
A little heavy-handed, but also nicely unpredictable, well-played, and featuring a welcome, protacted air of menace. At the Quad.

Away From Her
An almost great love story—husband and wife, married 44 years, she gets Alzheimer's—undermined by a somewhat dishonest script. At several locations, including the Lincoln Plaza, the AMC on 42nd, and the Sunshine.

28 Weeks Later
The coolest looking movie of the year. Plus: tremendously tense and frightening. Too bad the script's so stupid. Playing all over town.

The Lives of Others
A smart, well-crafted tale of suspense and betrayal, set in dreary 1980s East Berlin. At the Lincoln Plaza

Scoboco: Food

Click on any of the links below for the Scoboco experience with the restaurant or foodstuff listed. This list will be updated with every new food-related post.

24 Prince

Adrienne's Pizza Bar
Alinea (in Chicago)
Ariyoshi
Aurora Soho

Babycakes
Back Forty
BarFry
Beard Papa's
Belcourt
Ben and Jerry's
Birdbath
BLT Burger
Boiled Peanuts
Boqueria
Bouchon Bakery
Buddakan (in Philadelphia)
Build a Green Bakery

Cacío e Pepe
Cafe Falai
Cafe Colonial
Cafe Katja
Caffe Emilia
Caracas Arepa Bar
Casellula
El Centro
Centro Vinoteca
Chickie Pig's
Ciao Bella Ice Cream Sandwich at Eleni's
City Bakery
Col Legno
Community Food & Juice
Chaco Taco
Cocoa Bar on Clinton
Crazy Bananas
Cronkite Pizzeria and Wine Bar

Dash Dogs
Dean's Pizzeria Restaurant
Despaña
Dessert Truck
Di Fara
Dieci
Dirty Bird To Go
Dirty Bird To Go (Revisit)
Ditch Plains

East Village Ice Cream
Eatery
Economy Candy
Ed's Lobster Bar
Eleni's Ice Cream Sandwich w/Ciao Bella
Empanada Mama

Fatty Crab
Fika
Five Guys
Gemma
Gennaro
Georgia's Eastside BBQ
Goblin Market
Graffiti
Grandaisy Bakery on West 72nd
The Grey Dog's Coffee on University Place
Grom

Häagen Dazs
Häagen Dazs Reserve
Havana Central at the West End
Hudson

The Inn LW12

Jacques Torres's Chocolate Haven 9.06
Jacques Torres's Chocolate Haven 2.07
Joe at Alessi

Kefi
Kyotofu

L'Arte Del Gelato
Landmarc TWC

Mario Batali's Del Posto
Mario Batali's Otto
Matilda
Max Brenner: Chocolate by the Bald Man
Men Kui Tei
Milk and Cookies
Minca
Mo Pitkin's House of Satisfaction
Móle
Momofuku Ssäm Bar
Momofuku Ssäm Bar (part 2)
Momofuku Noodle Bar
Momofuku Noodle Bar 2.0
Momoya on Amsterdam
Monkeytown
Morandi
Morimoto

Nanoosh
Noche Mexicana

P*ong
Papabubble
Pardo's
Paris Sandwich
Philly Slims
Pie
Pinkberry
Piola
Pizza Bar
Pop Burger
Puff and Pao

Rack and Soul
Rai Rai Ken
Ramen Setagaya
Red Mango
Resto
Rheon Cafe
Righteous Urban Barbecue (RUB)
Roll and Dough
Room 4 Dessert
La Rural

Say CheeseSchiller's Liquor Bar
S'Mac
The Smith
Smörgas on Stone Street
Soba Koh
Soto
Spiga
Spitzer's Corner
The Spotted Pig
Stand
Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery
Sundaes and Cones
Supermac
Sweet Riot Cacao Nibs
Tasca
Thai Market
Tia Pol
Tiny's Giant Sandwich ShopTokyo Pop
The Treats Truck

Ureña
Ushi Wakamaru

Villa Pizza
Vynl

Water Taxi Beach
Waverly Inn
Whole Foods Market at Columbus Circle
'wichcraft on 8th Street

Yolato

Scoboco: Movies

Click on any of the links below for the Scoboco experience with the movie listed. This list will be updated with every new movie-related post.

2 Days in Paris
3:10 to Yuma
10 Items or Less
27 Dresses
28 Weeks Later
49Up
51 Birch Street
1408

Across the Universe
After the Wedding
Akeelah and the Bee
Air Guitar NationAlone With Her
American Gangster
American Hardcore
Antonio Gaudí
The Assasination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Atonement
Avenue Montaigne
Away From Her

Babel
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
Billy the Kid
Black Book
The Black Dahlia
Black Snake Moan
Blood Diamond
Bobby
Borat
The Bourne Ultimatum
Breach
Breaking and Entering
Brokeback Mountain
Broken English
Brooklyn Rules
Bug

Capote
Cars
Casino Royale
Charlie Wilson's War
Children of Men
The Chronicles of Narnia
Cloverfield
Control
Conversations With Other Women
Crazy Love
The Da Vinci Code
Dan In Real Life
The Darjeeling Limited
December Boys
Dedication
Deja Vu
The Departed
The Devil Wears Prada
Diggers
Disturbia
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Dreamgirls

Eastern Promises
Enchanted
Evening

Family Law
Fast Food Nation
Feast of Love
First Snow
Flags of Our Fathers
Fracture

The Golden Compass
Golden Door
Gone Baby Gone
The Good German
Good Night and Good Luck
The Good Shepherd
The Good Year
Grace is Gone
Gracie
The Great Debaters
Grindhouse
The Groomsmen
The Guardian
A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints

Hairspray
Half Nelson
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harsh Times
Helvetica: A Documentary Film
The History Boys
The Hoax
The Holiday
Hollywoodland
The Host
Hot Fuzz
The Hottest State

I Am Legend
I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With
The Illusionist
I'm Not There
In the Land of Women
In the Shadow of the Moon
In the Valley of Elah
An Inconvenient Truth
Infamous
Interview
Into the Wild
Ira & Abby
Iraq in Fragments
It's a Wonderful Life

The Jane Austen Book Club
Jindabyne
Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten
Joshua
Juno
Just Like Heaven

Killshot
The King of Kong
The Kingdom
The Kite Runner
Knocked Up

La Vie En Rose
Lars and the Real Girl
The Last Kiss
The Last King of Scotland
Let's Get Lost
Letters From Iwo Jima
Little Children
Little Manhattan
Little Miss Sunshine
Live Free or Die Harder
The Lives of Others

Mr. Untouchable
Manufactured Landscapes
Margot at the Wedding
Marie Antoinette
The Martian Child
Miami Vice
Michael Clayton
A Mighty Heart
The Mist
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Music and Lyrics

The Namesake
Nancy Drew
The Nanny Diaries
Night at the Museum
No Country For Old Men
No End In Sight
No Reservations
Notes on a Scandal

Ocean's 13
Once
The Orphanage

The Painted Veil
Pan's Labryinth
Paradise Now
Paris, Je T'amie
Perfume
Persepolis
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
The Prestige
Pride and Prejudice
Private Fears in Public Places
Protagonist
P.S. I Love You
Puccini for Beginners
The Pursuit of Happyness

The Queen

Ratatouille
Redacted
Reign Over Me
Rendition
Rescue Dawn
Reservation Road
Rocket Science
Romance and Cigarettes
Running With Scissors

The Savages
A Scanner Darkly
The Science of Sleep
Scoop
Sherrybaby
She's the Man
Shooter
Shortbus
Shrek the Third
Sicko
The Simpsons Movie
Sketches of Frank Gehry
Sleepwalkers
Sleuth
Spiderman 3
Stardust
Starting Out In the Evening
Step Up
Stick It
Stranger Than Fiction
Summercamp!
Sunshine
Superbad
Superman Returns
Sweeney Todd
Sweet Land
Sydney White

Talk to Me
Taxi to the Dark Side
Terror's Advocate
There Will Be Blood
This Film Is Not Yet Rated
Transformers
Trust the Man
Two Weeks

United 93

Venus
Volver

Waitress
Wallace and Gromit
We Own the Night
West Side Story
The Wind That Shakes the Barley
Wordplay
Wristcutters: A Love Story

X-Men III

Year of the Dog

Zodiac