Saturday Night Movie Recommendations with Abe

Welcome to a new weekly feature here at Movies With Abe. Absent a wealth of new film reviews during the weekend, I’d like to start providing a handy guide to a few choice movies currently playing in NYC as well as several films newly released on DVD. I’ll also aim to comment on those films I have not yet had the chance to see, and I invite you to add in your thoughts on any films I haven’t seen in the comments below. Understandably, some weeks will have considerably fewer releases to address than others.

Now Playing in NYC

Peep World (recommended): This ensemble family dramedy is one of the most entertaining films of the year so far. You can read my review from yesterday, and I highly encourage you to stop by the IFC Center for one of the evening showings because this film, great as it is, likely won’t be in theatres for a while. You can also catch it on Video On Demand.

Of Gods and Men (recommended): Check out this fantastic French film that somehow wasn’t even nominated for Best Foreign Film at the Landmark Sunshine or Lincoln Plaza. It’s a highly moving, powerful story with terrific performances all around.

2010 leftovers (recommended): You can still catch some great 2010 films, like “Another Year,” “The Fighter,” “Inside Job,” and “Somewhere,” at the Village East Cinema. A few of those are already on DVD, but “The Fighter” and “Somewhere” might be worth the theatrical experience.

White Irish Drinkers (anti-recommended): This trite, overdone portrait of 1970s Brooklyn is entirely familiar and predictable. Check out my review tomorrow, but in the meantime, don’t bother stopping by the Landmark Sunshine to see this. It really shouldn’t be playing there.

I have no interest in Sucker Punch. I didn’t realize that the extremely controversial Miral, from Oscar-nominated director Julian Schnabel, is already playing at the Angelika and Lincoln Plaza. I usually like to see stuff for myself before dismissing it on content-related grounds. I never did see “The Passion of the Christ,” but that was mostly because the excessive gore I heard about didn’t appeal to me.

New to DVD

Skyline (anti-recommended): You can now see the second-worst movie of 2010 in the comfort of your own home. I implore you, please don’t. Don’t make the same mistake I did. Do it for me. It’s horrible. No redeeming values except some entertaining character deaths. I’d be much more interested in another film out on DVD this week, Battle of Los Angeles, which is the Syfy movie from last weekend rather than the film now in theatres. I’m sure it’s not great, but it has to better than this.

The Tourist (mixed bag): This film should have been much better considering the talent involved behind the camera, but it’s still fun. If you’re not looking it as a film that garnered three Golden Globe nominations over far more deserving movies and performances, it’s probably a whole lot more enjoyable.

How Do You Know (anti-recommended): This Reese Witherspoon comedy from December completely misuses its lead actress, and there isn’t anything terribly worthwhile about this film. There isn’t much more to say about it, just skip it.

Not too much out this week, and nothing too good.