The phrase “a classic example of quality American cinema in a completely un-ironic sense” gets thrown around a lot these days. Mostly by us. In that sentence back there. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles at the Brattle is such a film. (Not “movie.” Film.) Ground-breaking in its use of uncanny (as in the uncanny valley) anthropomorphic animal suits, and its rejection of Hollywood trends like “humor,” “acting” and “quality-control,” this film is … actually pretty bad, but in a kind of funny way. Woah! The Calendar Snark Capacitor just blew a sarcasm fuse! We’re pretty much boned until that’s fixed. Watch turtles! Yay!
[Wed 11.23. 40 Brattle St., Harvard Sq., Cambridge. 617.876.6837. 5pm/$9.75. @BrattleTheatre. brattlefilm.org]
