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