The Accountant
It’s not hard to imagine how Ben Affleck was convinced to sign on to The Accountant. “Hey Benny!” director Gavin O’Connor shouted into the phone, probably. “Gotta real good movie for ya. So this accountant guy, he’s just like Good Will Hunting, but also he’s Batman!”“I’m in,” grunted Affleck, and voila! Movie magic is made. The problem, though, isn’t that The Accountant is two ill-matched movies smooshed together—it’s actually more like five or six, and none of them are thought-out enough to carry the day. NED LANNAMANN Various Theaters.
The Battle of Algiers
Stop me if you’ve heard this one: A wealthy, powerful country invades a much smaller, poorer, more defenseless country, and occupies it for its own uses. The residents of the invaded land can’t compete with the wealthier one on the battlefield in traditional warfare, so they resort to guerrilla tactics—assassinations, suicide bombings, etc. The occupying country brands these freedom fighters as terrorists, calling their tactics savage, cruel, and criminal. Even though the colonial powers win militarily, they ultimately lose the strategic war. Sound familiar? It’s a scenario that has played out over and over throughout history. But one of the bloodiest insurgencies in recent history was the 1954-62 Algerian War, in which Algerians engaged in terrifying tactics to kick out the French. 1966’s The Battle of Algiers, shot in Italian neorealist style, rips through this war, showing both sides for what they were. It’s not an easy film to watch, but maybe more important now than ever. SCOTT MOORE Cinema 21.
The ’Burbs
The ’Burbs: Joe Dante and Tom Hanks' 1989 not-so-beloved comedy-thriller. The 'burbs: Where we're all going to have to move soon, fellow Portlanders. Unless we can't afford to live out there either. Laurelhurst Theater.
Certain Women
See review this issue.Cinema 21.
Hecklevision: The Wicker Man
Nicholas Cage’s disastrous attempt to remake The Wicker Man gets the Hecklevision treatment. This feels a little like kicking someone when they’re down. And also when they have bees in their eyes. Hollywood Theatre.