By Rob Fagin
PROVEN FORMULA
George Lucas and Sir Alec Guinness on the set of The Empire Strikes Back
Watching two unrelated movies from similar
genres or time periods can illuminate wildly different details and create a whole new viewing
experience. Here’s your monthly guide for two
classic films:
July's movie slate was so stuffed with
pointless franchise installments that it was
difficult to get excited about any new releases at all, which contributed to the weakest
box office performance for an Independence
Day weekend since 1987 (adjusted for inflation, of course). Well, August finally brings a
little breathing room for counter-programming – like the dark, Irish-Catholic thriller
16 illinoisentertainer.com august 2014
Calvary (opening 8/1) and the bizarre, manwith-a-paper-mache-head comedy-drama
Frank (8/22), but there are still plenty of
blockbuster wannabes to unload:
Step Up: All In (8/8), Expendables 3
(8/15) and Sin City: A Dame