Dollar Movie

Cinema Paradiso 6 9

The International Film Festival marches on. This time, we get an Italian movie about a young boy who learns to appreciate the art of film thanks to an old projectionist at his village theater. Tons of archival movie bits, plus a healthy dose of longing for an old flame — and all of it set in the Sicilian countryside — means that this movie is probably extremely beautiful in every sense of the word. Plus, Italian movies just sound fancy and intelligent; just sitting in the theater may raise your IQ several points. So do yourself a favor and celebrate the official start of Carnival 2007 by sitting down and reflecting on how great movies really are.

Together 7

Closing the International Film Festival this year is the Chinese film Together, which examines the dichotomy between city life and country life, told through the eyes of a 13-year-old violin prodigy. The movie is a pretty typical coming-of-age tale, with the boy learning the meaning of love, individuality, and where music really comes from (here’s a hint: It’s probably the heart) as he tries to find success in Beijing. That being said, the score is supposed to add a great level of complexity and beauty to this film, and if you’re at all intrigued by classical music, it will almost certainly be a fantastic experience.

NO MOVIE

You should be out having fun at Carnival — take a break from the movies. I hear Midway is pretty extreme. Or, you could go to bed early and get up at the crack of dawn to watch the buggy races. Or, if you want to be a real maverick, you could lock yourself in your room and use the extra time to catch up on your homework.

The Fountain 8:15 10 11:45

Darren Aronofsky, director of both Pi* and *Requiem for a Dream, tried something a little different for this one. Instead of a haunting and depressing tale of madness and/or addiction, we got a haunting and depressing tale of forlorn love. Hugh Jackman (X-Men) and Rachel Weisz (The Mummy) star in three different yet mysteriously similar stories spanning across three time periods (the age of conquistadors, modern day, and the far future). It’s visually rich and has a plot that’ll make you think; so, if you need to exercise your mind a bit as Carnival winds down, this is a good option.

TBA 8 10 12

Originally scheduled for two weeks ago, TBA will be making its triumphant return to McConomy on Sunday. What a perfect way to end Carnival 2007... or, if you want to look at it in a less optimistic light, it’s a great way to prepare yourself to start careening headfirst toward the end of the school year.