In Theaters: I drove seven hours to see Wet Hot American Summer during its original theatrical run with a car full of friends who also cut their sketch comedy teeth on The State, so director David Wain’s latest Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass is definitely this week’s theatrical highlight for me. I’m also intrigued by The Invite based on what I heard about it out of Sundance. Each film will open at Cinemapolis and the Regal Ithaca Mall today or tomorrow. Obsession, which is still going strong at both venues, remains my favorite holdover for an impressive eighth week in a row. I also enjoyed Disclosure Day (same two theaters) and Toy Story 5 (just the Regal).
Special events include one showing only of Our Land, which I mentioned in my dispatch from this year’s Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival, at Cinemapolis on Sunday as part of their “Global Lens” series. Finally, noteworthy repertory options include My Neighbor Totoro at the Regal Saturday-Wednesday and two screenings of Pulp Fiction at Cinemapolis on Tuesday.
Home Video Recommendation: Speaking of FLEFF, my favorite new movie that I saw there, The Love That Remains, is now available on the Criterion Channel with a subscription! Here’s what I said about it on Letterboxd during the event:
Scenes From a Marriage meets “Break Up in a Small Town.” Palm Dog notwithstanding, Panda is up against Rin Tin Tin at FLEFF ’26. Sorry, girl! Without spoiling anything, I think all readings of the final scene (which ended Silent Friend‘s reign as my favorite closing shot of Movie Year 2026 after less than 24 hours) should take the apparent level of peril into account. The plane crash fantasy is a masterpiece of deadpan morbid humor, and if you told me this film was inspired by that Australian woman who tried to murder her husband with poisonous mushrooms, I’d believe you.
My point about the ending is that land is clearly visible in the background, so this is not a depiction of a man set adrift in the open sea, but rather one who pathetically insists on waiting for someone else to save him instead of just swimming to shore, which I submit is representative of the movie’s attitude toward the character in question generally.
If you don’t have access to Criterion Channel, The Love That Remains can also be rented and purchased from a variety of other streaming platforms, and it’s coming to Blu-ray and DVD on July 21.
Previous “Ithaca Film Journal” posts can be found here. A running list of all of my “Home Video” recommendations can be found here.
The Prodigal Cinephile 