A 'Decision' to go see this movie

Park Chan-wook's well-regarded South Korean crime drama "Decision To Leave" continues its theatrical release (it opened on Oct. 14 at the Angelika, where it remains). 

The film arrived yesterday for a run at Metrograph down on Ludlow. (All the screenings look to be sold out.) It's also playing at Essex Crossing on Delancey and the Alamo Drafthouse in the Financial District. 

Chan-wook, whose work includes "Oldboy" and "The Handmaiden," was the winner of best director at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival 

Highly recommended, if this looks like your thing...

 

RIP Sidney Lumet

Sidney Lumet, the award-winning director of "Network," "Serpico," and "Dog Day Afternoon" died last night. He was 86.

Per The Washington Post:

A Philadelphia native, Lumet moved to New York City as a child, and it became the location of choice for more than 30 of his films. Although he freely admitted to a lifelong love affair with the city, he often showed its grittier side.

Such dramas as "Prince of the City," "Q&A," "Night Falls on Manhattan" and "Serpico" looked at the hard lives and corruptibility of New York police officers. "Dog Day Afternoon" told the true-life story of two social misfits who set in motion a chain of disastrous events when they tried to rob a New York City bank on an oppressively hot summer afternoon.

"Dog Day Afternoon" is on of my all-time favorite films... (and if you've never seen the movie, then you may NOT want to watch this trailer... gives away a few too many plot points...)



Or how about "The Pawnbroker" from 1964 with Rod Steiger...

Fish Bar Film Nights

In recent months, Fish Bar on East Fifth Street has been playing some fine motion pictures Wednesdays during the Fish Bar Film Night.

Bartender Becca Brennan Chiappone selects the films. "I try to pick ones that are going to appeal to a big audience, but not a douchey audience," she said via email. "The NYU crowd will always come and go, but I want to keep the regulars happy. They've been coming to the bar for years now and they're all fascinating and intelligent people, so I try to show films that reflect the personality of the bar and the East Village."

In recent months, she has shown "Blue Velvet," "The Road Warrior" and "Lolita."

Tonight! It's "The Hunger," starring David Bowie, Catherine Deneuve and Susan Sarandon's nipples.

A little taste.



The Fish Bar is at 237 E. Fifth St., west of Second Avenue. The movies start at 8:30 p.m. There's a Fish Bar Film Night Facebook page here.

"Killer's Kiss" at midnight

As V.A. Musetto wrote in the Post yesterday: Stanley Kubrick was an upstart kid from The Bronx when, in 1955, he borrowed $40,000 from an uncle and directed, wrote, edited and photographed a movie thriller called "Killer's Kiss."

This is an EV Grieve favorite, and it's playing this weekend at midnight at the IFC.

The description alone!

An ex-boxer finds love in the arms of a Times Square taxi dancer, but her boss just won’t let them be. Strikingly shot on NYC locations, a film noir featuring several notable set pieces, including an unforgettable battle among mannequins.

Someone also chopped it into parts and placed it on YouTube.... Here's the first 10 minutes...