Film Clips, Oct. 14: The Big Year for the Footloose Thing

• 20th Century Fox
• FLIPPIN’ THE BIRDERS: Owen Wilson, Steve Martin and Jack Black in ‘The Big Year’

OPENING FRIDAY

THE BIG YEAR (R ) Based on the book by Mark Obmascik, The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature and Fowl Obsession, this film depicts bird-lovers Jack Black, Steve Martin, and Owen Wilson (a loser, workaholic and playboy respectively) who embark on a year long battle to see who can find the largest number of bird species. But can they better their messy personal lives in the process? It’s not certain, but, the essence of the movie lies in its quote, “They’re men. If they ever stop competing, they die.”

THE BLACK POWER MIXTAPE 1967-1975 3 stars (NR) This documentary draws from Swedish news footage of the (mostly) American racial protests and Black Power movement of the late 1960s through the mid-1970s, with occasional voice-over commentary from its subjects like Angela Davis and such contemporary musicians as Erykah Badu. The film powerfully evokes the atmosphere of violence, poverty and proliferating drug abuse of the era and presents sharp snapshots of Stokely Carmichael, Angela Davis and their contemporaries. Often the film stints on context, however, and for a movie called a Mixtape, it’s visually tame and avoids the vibrant music of the period. — Curt Holman

FOOTLOOSE (PG-13) Kenny Wormold steps into Kevin Bacon’s dancing shoes as a big-city teen who moves to a small-town that has outlawed dancing. In this remake of the 1984 hit, Dennis Quaid takes over the Jon Lithgow role as the repressive preacher, with Julianne Hough as the daughter.

LOVE CRIME (NR) Kristin Scott Thomas and Ludivine Sagnier star as a ruthless corporate executive and her ambitious assistant in this cat-and-mouse corporate thriller.

SHOLEM ALEICHEM: LAUGHING IN THE DARKNESS (NR) Writer-director Joseph Dorman profiles the author whose stories became the basis for the classic musical Fiddler on the Roof. Narrated by Alan Rosenberg and featuring Rachel Dratch and Peter Riegert.

THE THING 3 stars (R ) An American scientist (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and pilot (Joel Edgerton) join a team of Norwegians to investigate an alien frozen — temporarily — in the Antarctic ice. Director Matthijs van Heijningen Jr.’s prequel to John Carpenter’s 1982 cult movie doesn’t bring many new ideas to the paranoia-inducing premise of the shape-changing alien, and the climax devolves into predictable sci-fi horror clichés. But it doesn’t suck, delivering a moody, clever first hour and some memorably disgusting special effects. — Holman

THE WAY (PG-13) Real life Father-son duo Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez also play one in this film about “the life that we live and the life that we choose.” Tom Avery (Sheen) disapproves of his son, Daniel’s (Estevez) life and of his recent decision to take a Pyrenees pilgrimage. When Daniel dies while still on the pilgrimage, Tom travels to France and ends up taking his son’s place on the journey he never got to finish.

DULY NOTED
ATLANTA PHILOSOPHY FILM FESTIVAL (NR) The only thing you won’t be thinking about this festival is how to pay for it. The totally free Atlanta Philosophy Film Festival, directed by writer/director Samuel Dyches and GSU graduate Chris Fogarty, collects independent film submissions from all over the world with few limitations other than those of genre. The lack of restraint this can produces movies like this year’s “Cookie Monster,” a U.S. film about a man having to choose between his love for his rabbit or for his girlfriend. But some films are geared in another direction, like the French short, “Shy,” chronicling a romance between a webcam girl who won’t show her face and Louis, a writer who always destroys his writings. Tue., Oct. 18, 9:30 p.m. and Wed., Oct. 19, 7:30 p.m. Free. Plaza Theatre, 1049 Ponce de Leon Ave. 404-873-1939. http://www.atlantathinkfestival.org/.

CHINATOWN (1974) 5 stars (R ) Roman Polanski directed Robert Towne’s textbook-perfect script of a Los Angeles detective (Jack Nicholson) who discovers a tormented beauty (Faye Dunaway) and a conspiracy that could reshape Southern California. Arguably the best detective film ever made. Dark Streets and Dangerous Dames: Film Noir. Wed., Oct. 19, 7:30 p.m. Emory Cinematheque. 205 White Hall, 301 Dowman Drive, Emory University. Free. filmstudies.emory.edu/home/events/film-series/emory-cinematheque.html — Holman

THE HAUNTED PALACE (1963) (NR) Vincent Price and Lon Chaney Jr. star in this horror film loosely based on H.P. Lovecraft’s “The Case of Charles Dexter Ward” about a town possessed by cultish fervor. Silver Scream Spook Show. Sat., Oct. 15, 1 and 10 p.m. Plaza Theatre, 1049 Ponce de Leon Ave. 404-873-1939. www.plazaatlanta.com.

THE SILENT HOUSE (R ) A woman and her father attempt to settle into a remote cottage when spooky phenomena occur in this Uruguayan horror film that takes place in real time in a single take. Sounds pretty cool.Oct. 17-21. Cinefest Film Theatre, Georgia State University, 66 Courtland St., Suite 240. 404-413-1798. www2.gsu.edu/~wwwcft.

THE STORY OF TEMPLE DRAKE (NR) Miriam Hopkins stars as a society girl who fraternizes with bootleggers in an adaptation of William Faulkner’s Sanctuary that was notorious in its day. Oct. 15, 2 and 8 p.m. Rich Theatre, Woodruff Arts Center, 1280 Peachtree St. /www.high.org/Programs/Programs.aspx

WONDERROOT’S GENERALLY LOCAL, MOSTLY INDEPENDENT FILMMAKER’S NIGHT (NR) Creative Loafing’s staff pick for Atlanta’s Best Film Series, 2011, this eclectic evening of short films includes narratives, animations and this time, a live video by Headband Girls. Thu., Oct. 20, 9:30 p.m. $6. Plaza Theatre, 1049 Ponce de Leon Ave. 404-873-1939. www.plazaatlanta.com.