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Take Shelter
Curtis begins having terrifying dreams about an encroaching, apocalyptic storm. He chooses to keep the disturbance to himself, channeling his anxiety into the obsessive building of a storm shelter in their backyard. His seemingly inexplicable behavior concerns and confounds Samantha, his wife, and provokes intolerance among co-workers, friends and neighbors. But the resulting strain on his marriage and tension within the community doesn’t compare to Curtis’ private fear of what his dreams may truly signify.
Directed by Jeff Nichols
Starring Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain and Shea Whigham
120 min, DCP“A hallucinatory thriller anchored by a deeply resonant sense of unease.” -Justin Chang, Variety
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Into the Abyss
In his fascinating exploration of a triple homicide case in Conroe, Texas, master filmmaker Werner Herzog (CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS, GRIZZLY MAN) probes the human psyche to explore why people kill—and why a state kills. In intimate conversations with those involved, including 28-year-old death row inmate Michael Perry (scheduled to die within eight days of appearing on-screen), Herzog achieves what he describes as “a gaze into the abyss of the human soul.” Herzog’s inquiries also extend to the families of the victims and perpetrators as well as a state executioner and pastor who’ve been with death row prisoners as they’ve taken their final breaths. As he’s so often done before, Herzog’s investigation unveils layers of humanity, making an enlightening trip out of ominous territory.
A film by Werner Herzog
106 min, 35 mm“Extraordinary.” -A.O. Scott, The New York Times
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The Skin I Live In
There are irreversible processes, roads of no return, one way journeys. Ever since his wife was burned in a car crash, Dr. Robert Ledgard, an eminent plastic surgeon, has been interested in creating a new skin in which he could have saved her. After twelve years, he manages to cultivate in his own laboratory, a skin that is sensitive to caresses, but a real shield against all the aggressions both external and internal, to which our largest organ is submitted. To obtain it, he has used the possibilities provided by cellular therapy.
Directed by Pedro Almodóvar
Starring Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya and Marisa Paredes
Spanish w/English Subtitles
117 min, DCP“A mix of creepy horror and seductive melodrama, THE SKIN I LIVE IN reveals its secrets gradually.” -Jason Best, Movie Talk
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Melancholia
On the night of her wedding, Justine is struggling to be happy even though it should be the happiest day of her life. It was an extravagant wedding paid for by her sister and brother-in-law who are trying to keep the bride and all the guests in-line. Meanwhile, Melancholia, a blue planet, is hurtling towards the Earth. Claire, Justine’s sister, is struggling to maintain composure with fear of the impending disaster.
Directed by Lars von Trier
Starring Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Alexander Skarsgård
135 min, DCP“ONE OF THE YEAR’S BEST. A career-defining performance from Kirsten Dunst.” -Manohla Darghis, The New York Times
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Sing Your Song
FREE FOR EVERYONE!
Sponsored by REACT to FILM. For more information go to www.REACTtoFILM.com
SING YOUR SONG is the result of a confluence of many events, things as diverse as the passing of Marlon Brando, a look back at the lives of many other unsung heroes in the fight for justice, as well as the faithful love (and gentle nagging) of two daughters. Like Brando, there are many public figures who are not known, primarily, for their activism, their compassion and their dedication to human rights. Harry Belafonte is one of them.
A film by Susanne Rostock
105 min, blu-ray“Inspirational.” -Los Angeles Times
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Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)
CAB and Bijou Cinema present Midnight Movie Series at the Englert!
The world is astounded when Willy Wonka, for years a recluse in his factory, announces that five lucky people will be given a tour of the factory, shown all the secrets of his amazing candy, and one will win a lifetime supply of Wonka chocolate. Nobody wants the prize more than young Charlie, but as his family is so poor that buying even one bar of chocolate is a treat, buying enough bars to find one of the five golden tickets is unlikely in the extreme. But in movieland, magic can happen. Charlie, along with four somewhat odious other children, get the chance of a lifetime and a tour of the factory. Along the way, mild disasters befall each of the odious children, but can Charlie beat the odds and grab the brass ring?
Free for UI students (w/ID) and $3 for community
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Bellflower
Best friends Woodrow and Aiden spend all of their free time building MAD MAX-inspired flamethrowers and muscle cars in preparation for a global apocalypse. But when Woodrow meets a charismatic young woman and falls hard in love, he and Aiden quickly integrate into a new group of friends, setting off on a journey of love and hate, betrayal, infidelity, and extreme violence more devastating and fiery than any of their apocalyptic fantasies.
A film by Evan Glodell
Starring Evan Glodell, Jessie Wiseman and Tyler Dawson
107 min, 35 mmWin a free copy of the film via a raffle of attendee ticket stubs on Saturday!
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Within Our Gates (1920)
FREE FOR EVERYONE!
This film is one of the earliest surviving films made by an African American filmmaker. Sylvia Landry is engaged to a soldier, but her rival Alma Pritchard arranges for him to catch Sylvia in an innocent but compromising situation. No longer engaged, she moves to the South to work as a teacher. When the school has financial problems, she returns to Boston to raise money for it. There, she is befriended by a doctor, Dr. Vivian, who falls in love with her. In a flashback, her rival tells the doctor how Sylvia lost her family. Sylvia’s father was unjustly accused of murder, and her parents were lynched. The only surviving print of WITHIN OUR GATES was found in an archive in Spain, and the titles had been rewritten in Spanish.
Directed by Oscar Micheaux
Starring Evelyn Preer, Flo Clements and James D. Ruffin
77 min, digital file -
Weekend
Winner of Audience Awards at both SXSW and Outfest 2011 and the opening night selection of Brooklyn’s acclaimed BAMcinemafest, WEEKEND is a startlingly authentic love story, featuring the talents of two incredible new actors and the unique work of a fresh new voice in filmmaking, Andrew Haigh.
After meeting one lonely Friday night at a bar, Russell (Tom Cullen) and Glen (Chris New) find themselves caught up in an lost weekend full of sex, drugs, and intimate conversation. Although they have conflicting ideas of what it is they want from life and certainly how to get it, they form a startling emotional connection that will resonate throughout their lives.
A film by Andrew Haigh
Starring Tom Cullen and Chris New
96 min, blu-ray -
The Big Lebowski (1998)
A movie that began as a box office flop from Joel and Ethan Coen, and has since become a cult behemoth, THE BIG LEBOWSKI tells the shaggy dog tale of Jeff Lebowski, or as he prefers to be known: The Dude (Jeff Bridges).
After a case of mistaken identity pulls him into the middle of a complex kidnapping scheme, The Dude somewhat reluctantly embarks on a series of increasingly odd misadventures. Along with his two bowling buddies, the devout Jewish convert and Vietnam veteran Walter (John Goodman), and the hapless and constantly “out of his element” Donny (Steve Buscemi), The Dude does his slacker best to pick apart the tightly woven and complex plan. Featuring signature Coen brothers dialogue with infinitely quotable one-liners, THE BIG LEBOWSKI has resonated with audiences far beyond the fortunate few to have seen it in theaters. A telling indicator of the devotion this movie inspires is the existence of something called Lebowski Fest, a
multi-city celebration of all things Dude, from bowling, to white Russians, to bathrobes. Whether you’re a seasoned Lebowski fanatic eager to finally catch this one on the big screen, or you’re a newcomer to the world of The Dude who’d like to see what all the buzz is about, here’s your chance.Directed by Joel Coen
Starring Jeff Bridges, John Goodman and Julianne Moore
117 minFree for UI students (w/ID) and $3 for community
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The Last Mountain
In the valleys of Appalachia, a battle is being fought over a mountain. It is a battle with severe consequences that affect every American, regardless of their social status, economic background or where they live. It is a battle that has taken many lives and continues to do so the longer it is waged. It is a battle over protecting our health and environment from the destructive power of Big Coal.
The mining and burning of coal is at the epicenter of America’s struggle to balance its energy needs with environmental concerns. Nowhere is that concern greater than in Coal River Valley, West Virginia, where a small but passionate group of ordinary citizens are trying to stop Big Coal corporations, like Massey Energy, from continuing the devastating practice of Mountain Top Removal.
The film will be followed by a Q&A session over Skype with the film’s director, Bill Haney! Sponsored by REACT to FILM. For more information go to www.REACTtoFILM.com
A film by Bill Haney
95 min
FREE FOR EVERYONETrailer: http://thelastmountainmovie.com/
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Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959)
In a community near a swamp, a local dweller spots a couple of giant monsters but no one believes him. Later, Dave Walker finds his wife Liz Walker cheating on him with his friend Cal Moulton. He chases the couple through the swamp, and forces them to jump into the water. The leeches attack them, and the shocked Dave is arrested, accused of murder. Two other locals decide to look for the bodies of Liz and Cal to win the prize of $50 per body, and also vanish in the swamp. Finally, game warden Steve Benton organizes a patrol to investigate the caves under the swamp, finding the lethal giant leeches.
Directed by Bernard L. Kowalski
Starring Ken Clark, Yvette Vickers and Jan Shepard
63 min, digital file -
Tucker and Dale vs. Evil
TUCKER & DALE VS EVIL is a hilariously gory, good-spirited horror comedy, doing for killer rednecks what Shaun of the Dead did for zombies. Tucker and Dale are two best friends on vacation at their dilapidated mountain house, who are mistaken for murderous backwoods hillbillies by a group of obnoxious, preppy college kids. When one of the students gets separated from her friends, the boys try to lend a hand, but as the misunderstanding grows, so does the body count. TUCKER AND DALE VS EVIL has been a hit on the festival circuit, debuting at Sundance, and winning the Midnight Audience Award at SXSW, the Jury Prize for First Feature at Fantasia, the Best Director award at Fantaspoa, and the Best Motion Picture Award at Sitges.
Directed by Eli Craig
Starring Tyler Labine and Alan Tudyk
88 min, blu-ray“The laughs are just as much fun as the kills.” -Devin Faraci (CHUD)
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The Black Power Mixtape, 1967-1975
THE BLACK POWER MIXTAPE 1967-1975 mobilizes a treasure trove of 16mm material shot by Swedish journalists who came to the US drawn by stories of urban unrest and revolution. Gaining access to many of the leaders of the Black Power Movement—Stokely Carmichael, Bobby Seale, Angela Davis and Eldridge Cleaver among them—the filmmakers captured them in intimate moments and remarkably unguarded interviews. Thirty years later, this lush collection was found languishing in the basement of Swedish Television. Director Göran Olsson and co-producer Danny Glover bring this footage to light in a mosaic of images, music and narration chronicling the evolution one of our nation’s most indelible turning points, the Black Power movement. Music by Questlove and Om’Mas Keith, and commentary from prominent African- American artists and activists who were influenced by the struggle — including Erykah Badu, Harry Belafonte, Talib Kweli, and Melvin Van Peebles — give the historical footage a fresh, contemporary resonance and makes the film an exhilarating, unprecedented account of an American revolution.
A film by Göran Hugo Olsson
92 min, blu-ray“Nothing short of a revelation.” -Amy Taubin (Film Comment)
Trailer: http://www.ifcfilms.com/films/the-black-power-mixtape
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Student Showcase
A film showcase for undergraduate UI students to present their work.
The top three films win prizes!FREE FOR EVERYONE!
Approximately 120 min
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Dooman River – Global Lens 2011 Film Series
Writer-director Zhang Lu’s fascinating window into a rarely seen corner of rural China revolves around 12-year-old Chang-ho, living with his grandfather and mute sister along the frozen river-border with North Korea. Although fraught with unemployment and other tensions, his community seems sympathetic toward the Korean refugees fleeing famine and misery; Chang-ho even bonds over soccer with one young border-crosser who comes scavenging food for a sibling. But he soon turns on his new friend as suspicions mount against the illegal immigrants and his sister reels from unexpected aggression, provoking a quandary over his loyalties in an exquisitely detailed story of compassion and strife across an uneasy geopolitical border.
Dir. Zhang Lu
Korean and Mandarin w/English subtitles, China
89 min, 35 mmTrailer: http://catalogue.globalfilm.org/global-lens-collection/global-lens-2011/dooman-river.html
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A Useful Life (La Vida Útil) – Global Lens 2011 Film Series
After twenty-five years, Cinemateca Uruguaya’s most devoted employee, Jorge (real-life Uruguayan critic Jorge Jellinek), still finds his inspiration in caring for the films and audiences that grace the seats and screen of his beloved arthouse cinema. But when dwindling attendance and diminishing support force the theater to close its doors, Jorge is sent into a world he knows only through the lens of art—and suddenly forced to discover a new passion that transcends his once-celluloid reality. Stylishly framed in black-and-white with brilliantly understated performances, Federico Veiroj’s sly and loving homage to the soul of cinema is a universally appealing gem and knowing charmer about life after the movies.
Dir. Federico Veiroj
This film is preceded by a 13 minute short film (also by Veiroj) entitled AS FOLLOWS
Spanish w/English subtitles, Uruguay
76 min (both films included) -
The Invisible Eye (La Mirada Invisible) – Global Lens 2011 Film Series
Set against the backdrop of Argentina’s military regime of the 1980s, Diego Lerman’s engrossing and beautifully acted exploration of the totalitarian urge opens with a portrait of María Teresa, a lonely and deeply repressed assistant teacher at an elite Buenos Aires private school. Obedient and willing, she accepts unquestioningly the school’s rigid code of conduct and proud identification with the nation state. But her head professor’s words about the “cancer of subversion” and need for total surveillance soon feed an unhealthy obsession with one of her students, leading to an ensuing spiral of degradation and breakdown in discipline that parallels a popular rebellion beyond the school’s ivy-covered walls.
Dir. Diego Lerman
Spanish w/English subtitles, Argentina
95 min, 35 mm -
Street Days (Quchis Djeebi) – Global Lens 2011 Film Series
A middle-aged, unemployed heroin-addict, Checkie, loiters on the Tbilisi street outside his son’s school, where he himself was once a promising student. His wife, meanwhile, struggles to pay the tuition and understand her husband’s lack of interest in the family’s survival—even as the bank repossesses their furniture. But when a group of policemen blackmails Checkie into entrapping the son of his wealthy friend, husband and wife are unified by the uncertainty of their deepening moral dilemma, and a series of worsening foul-ups, in Levan Koguashvili’s lightly humorous yet realistic drama about the fate of a generation left behind in Georgia’s post-Soviet era.
Dir. Levan Koguashvili
Georgian w/English subtitles, Georgia
86 min, 35 mm -
Donnie Darko
CAB and Bijou Cinema present Midnight Movie Series at the Englert!
A quintessential midnight movie if there ever was one, DONNIE DARKO is a spooky mix of psychological slow-burn and sci-fi head-scratch, with a dash of 80s nostalgia thrown in to keep things from getting too heavy. Jake Gyllenhaal does well as Donnie, an apparently troubled teen, and the eclectic cast of supporters features a few familiar faces, with Jena Malone as Gretchen, his potential love interest, and the late, great Patrick Swayze as a motivational speaker with a secret. Set in the fall of 1988, the film begins with Donnie narrowly avoiding a grisly death in a bizarre accident. He survives only through the intervention of a mysterious messenger, Frank, who then informs him that the world will end in a matter of weeks. As Donnie goes about his teenaged life dealing with family, teachers, therapists, pals, girls, and bullies, he tries to make sense of what Frank tells him about time travel, and to figure out what his role in the scheme of things might be. With a killer soundtrack and an eerie atmosphere that defies comparison to any other movie, missing this one by sitting at home in your room would be simply disastrous.
Directed by Richard Kelly
Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone and Mary McDonnell
113 minFree for UI students (w/ID) and $3 for community
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Bijou Cinema
The University of Iowa166-B Iowa Memorial Union
Iowa City, IA 52242
319-335-3258
bijou@uiowa.edu