Trivia Night at Gene’s Place; Terrence Malik’s ‘Knight of Cups’ on Local Screens (Wed., 3/9/16)

Trivia night packs them in at Gene’s Place.

1) Some call it a dive. Others, home. Many come for trivia night but return for the camaraderie and daily drink specials. Nestled between Atwood Street and York Way, Gene’s Place may be the best South Oakland bar that you’ve never heard of. Owner Gene Ney teaches business courses part-time at Carlow University, which makes him an educator both in front of, and behind, the bar. The clientele features an eclectic mix of Pitt students, both undergrad and grad, and Oakland natives. The three flat screens are tuned to either professional Pittsburgh teams or to Pitt athletics. For those who prefer to play rather than watch, the dartboard is always ready. Gene’s is also one of the few area bars where patrons can still light up indoors. (Non-smokers, fear not; a smoke-eater absorbs much of the second-hand fumes.) The weekly draw here is “Trivia on Tap,” 9 p.m. every Wednesday. Harrison Kinzler and Mike (“Marty”) Stanis make for some tough quizmasters, but to the victors go free booze. Winners or losers, everyone leaves with knowledge gained and a smile on their face. 3616 Louisa St., Oakland. (CM)

2) Knight of Cups – There was once a writer/director named Terrence Malik who, for a time, seemed to walk on water. In 1973 he made a movie called Badlands and the critics nearly wet themselves. In 1978 he followed that up with Days of Heaven, again with insane critical praise. He didn’t make another film until 1998, The Thin Red Line which, once again, was greeted with hosannas from the cinema cognoscenti. But then something happened to Malik. In 2005 he wrote and directed A New World about the Jamestown, Virginia settlement (you know, Captain Smith and Pocahontas) and, well, while everyone agreed it was a beautiful movie to look it, people complained it was too long and very slow and terribly confusing since much of the time the cast spoke in an extinct Powhatan language. He followed that up with The Tree of Life, about a boy growing up in the 1950’s, intercut with scenes of the Big Bang and dinosaurs roaming the earth. Then came To the Wonder which closed almost immediately after it opened.

So now there’s Knight of Cups which is described thus: “A screenwriter living in Los Angeles feels empty. Women provide a distraction to the daily pain he must endure, and every encounter that comes his way brings him closer to finding his place in the world.” What that means in that Christian Bale spends the movie hooking up with six different women, including Cate Blanchett, Natalie Portman, and Imogen Poots. Brian Dennehy, Wes Bentley, and Antonio Banderas are also along for what is sure to be a most singular ride. Check Fandango for screens and times (TH)

3) Eddie the Eagle  – You may not know him, but Eddie “The Eagle” Edwards has the most endearing sports story of all time. An athlete from England, Edwards was a downhill skier who dreamed of going to the Olympics. Short of funds, he switched to ski jumping because it was cheaper and there was no competition; he was the British ski jumping team at the 1988 Olympics where he competed, and finished last, in both the 70m and 90m events. But the more he lost, the more people embraced him to their collective bosom and he became a worldwide inspiration as the plucky underdog who, unfortunately, never wins the prize. Taron Egerton stars as Edwards, with support from Hugh Jackman, Christopher Walken and Tim McInnerny in what looks to be a very British comedy. Actor Dexter Fletcher directs from a screenplay by Sean Macaulay and Simon Kelton. Check Fandango for screens and times. (TH)

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