Dinner and a Movie: "The Camden 28" & Stand

Stand
24 E. 12th Street
New York, NY 10003
(212) 488-5900
www.standburger.com

THE CAMDEN 28 is better the third time. Brian Cimagala swears its better the fourth time, but I dunno. I'll have to see. This much, however, is most certainly absolutely certain: Rotten Tomates rates "The Camden 28" at 87%. That's a good percentage! It means that 87% of its collected critics agree: the film is good, if not great. For example, the Village Voice writes:

"Fond, stinging, and finally instructive, the film assembles a comprehensive look back at the actions, arrest, and prosecu- tion of a group of political malcontents (most of them young Catholics and some of them priests) in the summer of 1971."

Okay, okay, you want a little critique with your synopsis. Let's try something from... what else do we have here... oh! how about a little newspaper called The New York Times:

"Scene for scene, “The Camden 28” is a brilliant merger of political outrage and filmmaking chops, and the most suspenseful movie in theaters right now."

How do you like that! And there's more where that came from: Time Out New York, TV Guide, Newsday, The Onion, and one bumbling column in New York Magazine head a long line of good press forming behind a remarkable story of civic disobedience and duty. It is the first film from director Anthony Giacchino (who previously, it should be noted, gained some small measure of fame on this blog for his family's remarkable red sauce recipe.)

"The Camden 28" is now showing at Cinema Village in New York City--extended into August after an excellent July premiere. If you do not live in New York City (and from what I'm told at leats 50% of Americans, in fact, do not), you can catch the film on PBS's acclaimed P.O.V. series this September 11, 2007.

If you choose to attend in lovely Greenwich Village (I suspect many of you are already checking show times online) you'll need a place to grab dinner. Just your luck--one of of New York's heralded burger joints, Stand, sits nextdoor. And not only does Stand serve burgers, it serves veggie burgers, salmon burgers, mini burgers, and milkshakes with alcohol. I had orange with Campari.

The milkshake tasted like a creamsicle with a tangy, tingly aftertaste. The veggie burger, by the way, made with hearty quinoa, was soft and tasty too. Together, priced at $18 with cheese (on the burger), it's also probably one the most expensive hamburger-milkshake pairings you can find. I'm willing to state it's likely the most expensive hamburger-alcoholic milkshake pairing you can find. Of course, I'd be happy if someone proves me wrong on the latter.

So, with delicious food and dedicated filmmaking set side-by-side, the only question left is: how far would you go to get a burger and see "The Camden 28?" 'Cause MEF! will buy burger and tix for the person willing to travel the furthest! Entries on the comment page, please.