Alamo Drafthouse and the Long Center are hosting a 25th anniversary screening of Hook with Lost Boys in attendance.
Photo courtesy of Alamo Drafthouse
The late Robin Williams' many movies had a profound effect on our childhoods, but none so everlasting as his role as grown-up Peter Pan in Hook. This unique spin on the classic tale has continued to wow new generations since it came out in 1991 (yeah, we're that old).
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of such a resounding film, Alamo Drafthouse and the Long Center have teamed up for a special screening of Hook in early 2016, complete with a Q&A with former Lost Boys Dante Brasco (Rufio) and James Madio (Don't Ask).
"For those of us who grew up with the tale of Pan the Man's final battle against Captain Hook, it will always hold a special place in our hearts," said Henri Mazza, vice president of special events at Alamo Drafthouse, in a press release. "I'm incredibly excited for the opportunity to be in a theater full of fans all chanting out Rufio's name with Rufio himself in the audience!"
In addition to shouting "Rufio!" during this unique quote-along experience, audience members are also expected to get into the pirate-fighting spirit with inflatable sword props and learning how to fly with pixie dust (aka Pixy Stix candy). "It should be a great opportunity for all of us to remember the joys of never growing up," Mazza said.
The Hook 25th Anniversary Movie Party is scheduled for January 30 at the Long Center's Dell Hall. Tickets for this one-of-a-kind event will go on sale Friday, November 20 at noon.
One of the most well-known horror tropes of the 1980s was that anyone who had sex in a particular film would inevitably be killed shortly thereafter. The new horror film Leviticusupdates that trope for the 21st century, with the added bonus of pointed commentary that unfortunately remains as relevant as ever.
Naim (Joe Bird) and his mother (Mia Wasikowska) have recently moved to a new town in Australia. Naim hasn’t made many new friends except for Ryan (Stacy Clausen), with whom he is exploring a rundown factory as the film begins. The teenage boys discover an attraction toward each other, something they try to keep hidden since the church they both attend abhors homosexuality.
When Naim sees Ryan kissing another boy, he rashly tells a church elder about it, leading to the church forcing Ryan and the other boy — and eventually Naim — to go through a conversion ceremony. But instead of making them believe they’re not gay, the rite conjures a demon, invisible to anyone but them, that takes the form of the person to whom they’re attracted.
Written and directed by first-time feature filmmaker Adrian Chiarella, the film is the latest example of Australia being a hotbed for horror movies. Referencing the same-named Bible chapter that some interpret as forbidding homosexuality, it turns into an intense and clever journey into paranoia. Ryan and Naim still see each other all the time, but they can never trust that the person in front of them is real.
Chiarella makes the most of his limited resources, utilizing dark scenes and dirty locations to complement the already-creepy vibe. But what makes the story hit the hardest is the understanding that boys like Naim and Ryan are almost literally trapped in their small town, unable to find a safe space to be who they are. An unseen demon trying to kill them is one thing, but the unsympathetic people around them feel almost as malevolent.
While the 90-minute film maintains its momentum for the most part, there are times when Chiarella loses the thread on his story logic. At first, it seems as if the demon only attacks when one of the boys gives in to temptation. But as the film progresses, the filmmaker plays a little fast and loose with that reasoning. Certain decisions by the characters also strain credulity, lessening the impact of the story to a degree.
Both Bird (Talk to Me) and Clausen give naturalistic performances that rarely feel as if they’re acting. Wasikowska, who was the “It girl” for a while after starring in two Alice in Wonderland movies, is the only face American audiences will likely know. She does well, especially considering it’s difficult to believe she’s already old enough to credibly play a mother of a teenager.
With a timely theme about the harmful effects of conversion therapy on gay people and a twist on a tired horror trope, Leviticus is another notch in the belt for 2026 as a great horror movie year. With more experience under his belt, Chiarella will likely be able to figure out how to smooth over the bumps in the storytelling he showed this time around.
