If the cinema artist (or really, even cinema fan) can claim one true enemy, that enemy would have to be the MPAA, or, the Motion Picture Association of America. Yes, this board is the one that protects America from the dangers of art. But just who are these media watchdogs? And exactly what is their criteria for judging these films? Filmmaker Kirby Dick (Sick: The Life of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist) sets out to find these answers, exploring the MPAA from its inception to its modern-day stranglehold on contemporary cinema. And while the film is highly biased in favor of filmmakers, this only works in its favor: consider it a presentation of its case, that this board hews to an old, archaic caste system meant to segregate and dissuade the movie-going public from being able to make up its own mind. Louis Fowler
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Origins of the Da Vinci Code (NR)
Disinformation
Good news: Though Origins of the Da Vinci Code touches on the Priory of Sion, holy bloodline hypothesis and more, the film has very little to do with Dan Brown's poorly written (though entertaining) novel. Instead, Henry Lincoln, author of Holy Blood, Holy Grail, which first perpetuated many of the arguments Brown later ran with (read: pirated), guides viewers through the secret, symbolic geography hidden in France's Languedoc region and a Baltic Sea island tied to the Knights Templar. What's intriguing is Lincoln's backstory of breaking hidden codes to uncover the Rennes-le-Chateau mystery, and the mathematical precision we learn these guarded architects possessed centuries ago. What's a drag is how this documentary ultimately becomes one of those "we've posed the questions ... maybe someday, someone will find the answers" flicks. But undeniably, Lincoln deserves credit for kickstarting the dialogue. Matthew Schniper
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Performance (X)
Warner Bros.
A lost classic from the early '70s, Performance features a young Mick Jagger as an indulgent, depraved fading rock star named Turner, who takes in a psychotic gangster on the run. As this hard-nosed criminal goes deeper and deeper into Turner's world of moral ambiguity, the lines of reality become increasingly blurred. Turner uses the crook as an unwilling muse, while the crook uses this consequence-free environment as an outlet for all his rage at society. Soon enough, they take on each other's looks and mannerisms, coupling as an increasingly volatile entity. Upon release, the studio, expecting a Rolling Stones variation on A Hard Day's Night, was so angry, they shelved the film for years and edited it down three times. Long considered an embarrassment for Warner Bros., the film has finally achieved cult status. Worth a look. Louis Fowler
