Cinema scene

The Marvel Cinematic Universe embraces the weird with its new franchise, “Guardians of the Galaxy”, in which a disparate band of desperados have to learn to work together in order to save us all.

Among the characters is a gun-toting raccoon with a tough voice supplied by Bradley Cooper. But perhaps the weirdest of all is a tree-like alien named Groot who only says “I am Groot.” He’s voiced by Vin Diesel.

The “Fast and Furious” actor, who previously loaned his gravel-truck throat to the 1999 animated feature “The Iron Giant”, put a lot of thought into those three words. And, every time he had to say “I am Groot”, he’d ask director James Gunn what was really being said. So “I am Groot” comes out a bit different each time.

In addition, Diesel revealed on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” that he recorded his line in different languages for the movie’s release in various countries. Fallon then quizzed him on the pronunciations in French, Spanish and Mandarin.

Surely Diesel also recorded a Thai version for his tree-hugging fans here?

 

Also showing

l Elle Fashion Film Festival – This weekend’s highlights include “Populair”, about a super-fast typist and Wes Anderson’s latest epic “The Grand Budapest Hotel” tomorrow, and Sunday offers the British comedy “The Look of Love”. Tickets are Bt200 at the SFX the Emporium box office. Check our Screen page each day for the schedule, or go www.SFCinemaCity.com.

l The Friese-Greene Club – July closes out with George Romero’s original trapped-in-a-mall-by-zombies tale “Dawn of the Dead”. Tomorrow kicks off August’s programme, with question-and-answer sessions on Wednesdays, Asian horror on Thursdays, Alan Parker on Fridays, “films that mess with your head” on Saturdays and classic film noir on Sundays. This week’s head trip is Adrian Lynne’s Vietnam veteran freak-out “Jacob’s Ladder”. Sunday, it’s “The Third Man”, a moody mystery set in post-war Vienna starring Joseph Cotten, the zither and Orson Welles’ cuckoo clock speech. Next Wednesday, director Bradley Cox will present “Who Killed Chea Vichea?” Banned in Cambodia, Cox’s Peabody Award-winning documentary is a searing portrait of injustice under the Hun Sen regime. Shows are at 8pm. For bookings, check FGC.in.th.

l The Lives of Others – Parts one and two of celebrated Russian director Sergei Eisenstein’s “Ivan the Terrible” comprise this Sunday’s Film Virus double bill of biopics at Thammasat University Tha Prachan. The first part, made in 1944 with approval from Joseph Stalin, presented the Tsar of all the Russias as a nationalist hero, but part two was held up by state censorship until 1958, 10 years after Eisenstein died. Notably, the score is by the great composer Sergei Prokofiev. The show starts at 12.30pm in the Pridi Banomyong Library. Call (02) 613-3529 or (02) 613-3530.

l Alliance Française – Selections from last year’s My French Film Festival are featured throughout August, starting with “Sport de filles”, a 2011 drama in which a gifted professional horseback rider has her steed taken out from under her and has to start over. Patricia Mazuy directs; Josiane Balasko, Marina Hands and Bruno Ganz star. The Velvet Underground’s John Cale composed and performed the score. It’s in French with English subtitles at 7pm on Wednesday. For details, check www.AFThailande.org.