Find laughs and familiar scenery in Austin-shot ‘Infinity Baby’
Here’s a look at an interesting new release available to rent from cable and digital providers and a few titles that have recently become available on streaming services.
Video on Demand
“Infinity Baby”: The latest film from Austin-based filmmaker Bob Byington premiered earlier this year at South by Southwest. It’s a gleefully sardonic comedy sharply observed in black and white across our fair city. In the not too distant future, Ben (Kieran Culkan) is working for Infinity Baby, a company founded by his uncle to unload an overabundance of genetically modified babies who are unable to age. These babies sleep a lot, rarely cry and, thanks to a regimented cycle of pills, only need to have their diapers changed once a week. Ben has a new girlfriend only slightly more frequently, choosing to utilize a convoluted plot to dump them and move on to the next woman. Byington is working from another writer’s script (“Catfight” director Onur Tukel), but it’s easy to see how the tone and humor are closely aligned with his previous efforts. Frequent collaborators Nick Offerman, Megan Mullally, Kevin Corrigan, Martin for winemakers, as their efforts during the growing season come to fruition and the delicious work in the cellar begins. Raise a glass in their honor. You may even be Starr and Stephen Root are all on hand and collectively create a deliriously large number of laugh-out-loud moments. These laughs are punctuated by a score featuring outstanding hip-hop beats courtesy of Aesop Rock. (Cable and digital VOD)
Also on streaming services
“Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond”: Director Chris Smith (“American Movie”) poured over 100 hours of behind-thescenes footage shot on the set of Milos Forman’s 1999 biopic “Man On The Moon” to create this acclaimed documentary that reveals how actor Jim Carrey immersed himself in the role of late comedian Andy Kaufman. That film wasn’t financially successful, but Carrey did manage to win a Golden Globe for his performance. If you’ve ever been interested in method acting, here’s your chance to see just how far some people are willing to go to get into character. (Netflix)
“Landline”: Gillian Robespierre’s follow-up to “Obvious Child” is a finely detailed comedy about two sisters ( Jenny Slate and Abby Quinn) who begin to fear that their father ( John Turturro) is cheating on their mother (Edie Falco). Set in 1995, it’s an instantly warm and nostalgic look at a family struggling to keep it together. If you enjoy dialogue-driven independent able to find an early release “nouveau” wine from the 2017 harvest. A variation on this theme: cider. Support your local cideries by opening a bottle or three films and aren’t afraid of a little sexual dysfunction, this one’s for you. (Amazon Prime, 4K Ultra HD available)
“Whose Streets?”: After unarmed teenager Michael Brown was shot by police and left for dead in 2014, a city was forever changed. Nominated for best documentary at the Gotham Independent Film Awards, this Sundance favorite from Sabaah Folayan and Damon Davis introduces us to the activists and community leaders who led the charge against police brutality in Fergu- son, Missouri. (Hulu) for Thanksgiving. These are foodfriendly and low-alcohol beverages to carry you through the meal.
Bubbles, bubbles, bubbles. Bubbles go with anything and
Invite your guests to bring a bottle of wine or two of their choosing. These could be from any of the themes above, or just something they enjoy with a special dinner. Then you can enjoy a variety of wines, each special to your guests, and share the stories that make wine so personal and special.
When all else fails, remember my perennial advice: Open one of everything. Or at least, a variety. Every bottle won’t perfectly complement every dish and please every diner, but each will find at least one partner and fan, and the cumulative effect will be a happy one. And that’s what Thanksgiving is all about.