APPLE CINEMAS WARWICK MALL

SECRET MALL APARTMENT 

* * * * 

(Providence Documentary)

We all remember the group of eight artists who discovered a secret space in the Providence Place Mall and moved in avoiding security for over three years.

This wonderful little film documentary about the nationally publicized event is now playing at the Warwick and Providence Malls, even though their leader, Jeremy Workman, has been banned from the mall for life.

When the mall was being built, the artists were living in an old mill building in nearby Eagle Park, which was scheduled for tear down and potential gentrification of the area.

We watch the eight people lug furniture up narrow metal stairways and walkways without being discovered.

The director had a replica of the “apartment” made to show how the group came and went.

THE FRIEND

* * * ½ 

(A Lovely Little Dog Tale)

Naomi Watts stars as a New York City writer who is devastated when her closest friend (Bill Murray) commits suicide and bequeaths his Great Dane to her.

Bing, played by Apollo, is one huge creature with the saddest eyes you’ve ever seen.

What we have here is a woman and her dog both grieving, establishing a relationship and fighting eviction in her rent controlled, no-pets apartment.

Meanwhile she is dealing with writer’s block and writing students.

The movie focuses on this big, beautiful dog who shows more emotion than most people and his reluctant new owner who is dealing with her own personal issues.

It raises the question of suicide and how it affects the people (and pets) of those left behind.

Iris finds a clever way to keep the dog in her apartment, leading to an emotional
ending.