James Rocchi At The Movies

Summer Sleepers: Alternatives To Blockbusters

CBS 5 Film Critic James Rocchi
Just because the theater air conditioning is on full-blast doesn't mean you have to stop thinking at the movies. It can take a little looking, but there are some great films playing at smaller Bay Area theaters between the big-budget blockbusters this summer. Here's a roundup of some of the best:


An Inconvenient Truth (4 out of 4 Stars)
This documentary -- essentially a film adaptation of a presentation former Vice President Al Gore's been giving for years -- is a great look at the science and controversy around global warming, as well as a glimpse into the private life of a fascinating public figure. Gore's got the goods here -- his arguments and facts are pretty much unimpeachable -- but he's also warm, funny and engaging. 'An Inconvenient Truth' is a rarity -- a controversial film with something to say beyond the hubbub surrounding its release.


B-13 (3 out of 4 Stars)
This French import is the perfect compromise film this summer if you're looking for something breezy, fun and action-packed that isn't more of the same from Hollywood. Produced by Luc Besson (La Femme Nikita), 'B-13' is a semi-futuristic buddy flick set in one of Paris's most run-down districts a few years from now, as an undercover cop and a good-hearted criminal team up to find a missing W.M.D. Sound cliché? Oh, it is -- in a great way, and the film's stars are masters of the aerobatic art of "parkour," a wild new form of stunt work that you'll have to see to believe.


12 and Holding (3 out of 4 Stars)
After a sudden and sad tragedy, three kids (Conor Donovan, Zoe Weizenbaum and Jesse Camacho) all react in very different -- and very unexpected -- ways. '12 and Holding' doesn't have the clammy, smug superiority of a lot of indie films; nothing in this movie is there just to shock, even if it is quite shocking. Featuring nice supporting work from familiar faces like Anabella Sciorra and Linus Roache, '12 and Holding' is a surprisingly affecting -- and surprisingly funny -- film about the emotional complexity of kids.


The Puffy Chair (4 out of 4 Stars)
Josh (Mark Duplass, who also co-wrote the script) doesn't quite want to marry Emily (Kathryn Aselton); Emily can't quit thinking about marrying Josh. Josh plans a little getaway -- he's tracked down an exact duplicate of his dad's beloved, bulbous purple easy chair -- and Emily invites herself along on the trip to acquire and deliver the title chair. Of course, Josh picks up his slack, passive-aggressive brother Rhett (Rhett Wilkins). … Blessed with smart dialogue and real independent charm, 'The Puffy Chair' is a low-budget, high-talent indie comedy that's funny because it's real.

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