PW's Picks For The Week

Bruce Campbell, Vote, PW Election party, Tis a Pity She’s a Whore, Jewish Film Festival.

Bruce Campbell

For one night only, Bruce Campbell is in town to personally promote his new film My Name Is Bruce. In the film, Campbell, who plays himself, is kidnapped by a group of hillbillies desperate to save their tiny community after they accidentally unleash Guan-di, the Chinese god of war and protector of the dead. Mistaken for his character Ash in the Evil Dead series, Campbell is taken from his trailer-park home and forced to save the citizens of Gold Lick, get the free liquor and win the babe. Fans of low-budget, high-camp horror flicks and those familiar with Campbell’s work should feel right at home with the cheesy one-liners and laughable special effects. Stick around for a Q&A with Campbell after the movie ends.

Election Day

On Nov. 4, 1842, Abraham Lincoln married Mary Todd in Springfield, Ill. On Nov. 4, 1854, a lighthouse was founded on Alcatraz Island. On Nov. 4, 1939, the first air-conditioned automobile was exhibited in Chicago. These dates are inconsequential and unmemorable. But Nov. 4, 2008, may go down in history. So vote. Whether you support McCain (eek!) or Obama, your vote grants you the license to complain for the next four years.

PW Election Night Party

The signs all say Obama is going to win this election, but Democrats can get complacent and pundits are often miraculously off-key. This election could be close, in which case it’s more fun to watch the returns with other people—sort of the World Series of politics. Join us at the Loews Hotel where we’ll be partying with DJs, free food and drink, and a live raffle for stuff like a hotel stay in D.C., where you can march on the White House if your candidate doesn’t win.

’Tis Pity She’s a Whore

Say you’ve already done the haunted hayride, binged on sugary candies and tried on all of the synthetic costumes your skin can handle. If you’re still not feeling Halloween, but can’t shake your craving for something gruesome and controversial, check out University of the Art’s presentation of John Ford’s ’Tis Pity She’s a Whore. Set in Parma, Italy, this unconventional tale of incestuous romance between a brother and sister isn’t your everyday Romeo and Juliet love story. Condemned since 1633 for its provocative title and grisly plot, this scandalous story will give you Halloween chills while avoiding those annoying trick-or-treaters.

Opening Night of the Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival

As the opener of the Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival, this weekend pays tribute to Israel, a country whose cinematic output is underappreciated in the U.S. The funny-sad-happy Noodle, by Ayelet Menahemi, is about a flight attendant, Miri (based on a real person), who’s lost two husbands in the Israeli wars. Miri now lives with her sarcastic sister Gila (Anat Waxman), who’s separated from her husband Izzy, who lives next door. Miri plays marriage counselor to keep her feelings for Izzy at bay. Into this expertly realized domestic scene comes “Noodle,” the Chinese-speaking son of Miri’s maid. The maid asks if Noodle can stay while she does an errand, but never returns. Miri—defiantly childless—has to figure out what to do with this devastated 6-year-old who doesn’t speak Hebrew. What happens next takes the whole family—including Gila’s pouty adolescent daughter—on a trip through seedy parts of Israel and the knotty world of Israeli illegal immigration.