Catch a fall flick, bust the drudgery

I was beginning to think summer would never end. And not in a fun, the good-times-are-forever sense, but more in a brutish, suffocating-heat sort of way. Even as the river outings and backyard barbecues faded from the calendar, the hot weather lingered. So too did a sense of malaise—a listless exhaustion brought upon by the 24-hour news cycle, relentless economic woes and endless election fatigue.

It seemed, to me at least, that we were stuck on a hamster’s wheel of hot drudgery.

That is, until the weather finally broke this week. Now there’s that nip in the air, the turning of leaves from green to amber and, accordingly, a cheery sense of renewed optimism.

Or at least a reminder to bust the drudgery and have a little fun already.

This issue’s guide to the best, worst and weirdest fall films (see page 18) is yet another reminder to do just that.

Each week, SN&R film critics Jonathan Kiefer and Jim Lane watch a lot of movies—more than the average person can handle, really; there are only so many movies starring Keira Knightley and Tyler Perry one should ever have to endure, after all.

Then again, Kiefer and Lane aren’t average moviegoers: They’re expert critics with decades’ worth of experience between them, a genuine passion for film and the ability to write with intelligence, depth, humor and style.

And, in an era in which many daily papers, including The Sacramento Bee, have long shifted from relying on a voice of record in favor of nationally syndicated reviews, we’re proud to not just have one film critic to call our own, but two.

Gas prices are still high, and the candidates are still squabbling, but fall is finally here, so treat yourself to some good times. Kick back, order some popcorn (extra salt, please) and enjoy the show.