Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

 

 

Arts & Entertainment

Weekend Movie Forecast: <em>The Cove</em> or <em>Funny People</em>

By

John Del Signore

Published Jul 31, 2009

Modified Jul 31, 2009

Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail

Never miss a story

 Email address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .

Everyone's talking about Judd Apatow's "mature" dramedy Funny People, but what we're really anticipating this weekend is The Cove. The documentary follows Louie Psihoyos, leader of the Ocean Preservation Society, and Richard O'Barry, a dolphin trainer and activist best known for his work on the 1960's TV show Flipper, as they infiltrate a small seaside Japanese village where tens of thousands of dolphins are secretly slaughtered every year. The critical reaction has been stellar, and Jeffrey Wells at Hollywood Elsewhere calls it "easily one of the best films I've seen this year, and without question my choice for the best documentary of 2009 so far. It's this year's Man on Wire—almost certain to keep playing and gathering steam all through the year and into Oscar season."No one should get the idea that The Cove is primarily a classroom-lecture piece and an eco-activist movie, although it is obviously those things in a political undertow sense. Because it's first and foremost a very well-made, thoroughly watchable murder-mystery—a gripping and entertaining sit by any standard. (Unless you happen to be, you know, an idiot.) That's right—murder. As in seawater turning pink and then blood red." Here's the trailer:

 

Gothamist

View all 14

By

John Del Signore

Published Jul 31, 2009

Modified Jul 31, 2009

Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail

We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

Click on the film stills above for more details and reviews on this week's new releases and repertory screenings, which also include Adam, Fragments, Flame & Citron, You the Living, Lorna's Silence, Ghosted, Thirst, Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story Of OZploitation!, Gotta Dance, Raising Arizona, True Romance, and a retrospective of Ang Lee's films.

Tagged

funny people

movies

new

nyc

opening

review

showtimes

the cove

tickets

John Del Signore

Twitter

Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.

Read more

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

MORE arts-entertainment

NYC music in October: The Strokes, a Blink-182 cover band, and Polish experimentalism

An excellent and diverse month of concerts are in store for October.

By

Hank Shteamer

Published Oct 2, 2026

Are you a New Yorker? The Department of New Yorker Verification will now decide.

There is now an (un)official verification process for those who can claim the title of city resident.

By

Hannah Frishberg

Arts & Entertainment

Are you a New Yorker? The Department of New Yorker Verification will now decide.

There is now an (un)official verification process for those who can claim the title of city resident.

By

Hannah Frishberg

In the mood for a pastoral autumn experience? Try Queens.

By

Elizabeth Shwe

and

James Ramsay

October is spooky season at the movies in New York City

By

Emma Stefansky

At the Museum at FIT, an argument for dolls as the ultimate fashion influencers

By

Quinn Moreland

Never miss a story

Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.

Sign upEmail address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .