In the first reel of Peter Bratt's LA MISSION we follow Che Rivera (picture left, embodied by Benjamin Bratt) through his typical day as a bus driver, lowrider enthusiast, recovering alcoholic, tough guy and respected man on the street in San Francisco's Mission district. Just when you begin to worry that the film is way too marinated in macho sweat -- you'll lose track of the number of "bros" uttered, fists bumped -- we're introduced to Che's teenage son Jes (Jeremy Ray Valdez) who happens to be secretly shacked up with rich white boy Jordan (Max Rosenak). The upcoming conflict is clear. How will the macho ex-con father ever deal once he finds out about his one and only son?read the rest @ my weekly Towleroad column ...
...for my take on La Mission, Date Night and the tense Australian crime film The Square. I'll have a few more things to say about Christina Ricci's latest feature After.Life as soon as I can get to it.
In other theatrical news, apparently The Runaways is expanding back to its opening weekend size again. Which wasn't very big to begin with. I haven't a clue why that film (a rock biopic with two big stars) opened with such a small theatrical count or why they let the theater count drop for two weeks before re-expanding to opening weekend size. What is going on with that films release, Apparition? This is not as arthouse as Control. Why treat it like it wouldn't have mass appeal? If you haven't seen it yet it's definitely worth a look. It's at least on par if not better than its Oscar nominated blood relations (Ray, Walk the Line) though it's too youthful and edgy to incite similar golden showers. Wait! That came out wrong. Golden Showers. haha. Well, in my defence, Joan Jett (Kristen Stewart) does pee on a guitar.*
