Retirement Rock

Films about senior citizens are generally real downers. Either someone ends up languishing with Alzheimer's (see The Notebook or Away From Her) or someone kicks the bucket (er, The Bucket List), or both. Even the ones that are supposed to be life-affirming end up being overwhelmingly depressing. I avoid these types of films, but Young at Heart has me intrigued. The trailer for this film has a senior citizens' chorus belting out The Clash's "Should I Stay or Should I Go" in front of an audience and teases covers of Sonic Youth, Talking Heads and The Ramones. The latter has me particularly excited, as it promises a clichéd (but hilarious) rendition of "I Wanna Be Sedated." This is the kind of affirmation I need, to know that I won't merely be wading through Medicare paperwork and fighting off neurofibrillary tangles after the age of 60, as much of geriatric cinema will have us believe. Young at Heart follows the chorus as they work together to bring their mirthful cover songs to audiences in prisons, medical facilities and concert halls. This documentary promises genuinely warm senior moments with a solid soundtrack and none of the bleakness we've come to expect from elderly themed movies. See it as part of the Magnolia at the Modern series at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, 3200 Darnell St. Showings are 6 p.m. Friday, 2 and 5 p.m. Saturday, and 2 and 4 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $8.50. Visit themodern.org/magnolia for more details.
Fri., July 11, 6 p.m.; Sat., July 12, 2 & 5 p.m.; Sun., July 13, 2 & 4 p.m., 2008