Monday, March 30: Magic Mike
7 p.m. @ multiple local Marcus Theaters (Check here for listings)
Marcus Theaters’ Ladies Night program wraps up March with a movie just as seeped in the economic collapse of a few years ago as it is in body oil. Steven Soderbergh takes a genuinely jaundiced view of America in this specific point in time, and everything from the genuine cash-related desperation to the Instagrammy color filters he applies to this world supports this. It’s a deeply interesting movie. And, abs.
Tuesday, March 31: The Breakfast Club
7:30 p.m. @ a handful of local Marcus Theaters (Check here for listings)
Not much to add here to what I said last week, if you missed your chance to revel in the 30th (note: yikes!) anniversary of this John Hughes classic then, you get another shot this Tuesday evening. Fun thought experiment: think of all the think pieces that would exist (rightly?) decrying this movie for the Ally Sheedy make-over scene if it was released today.
Tuesday, March 31: Rural Route Film Festival
7 p.m. @ UWM Union Theatre (FREE!)
A film festival whose aim is to highlight those who live outside city limits, and provide an opportunity to learn new things about the world we live in.
Wednesday, April 1: The Imitation Game & Ballet 422
4:15 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively @ UWM Union Theatre (both FREE!)
Its status as a presumptive Oscar frontrunner having basically fizzled (although its one award did lead to a wonderful speech) might be the best possible outcome for The Imitation Game. It can now gracefully slide into cinematic old age without the weight of being declared ‘the best’ and be the moderately successful biopic it is. Also this Wednesday night, Ballet 422, a comprehensive backstage portrait of the ballet world that follows one choreographer’s work from first rehearsal to world premiere.
Wednesday, April 1: Fast & Furious 6
7 p.m. @ a plethora of local Marcus Theaters (Check here for listings)
As a little warm-up before this Friday’s main event, treat yourself to the sublimely silly Fast & Furious 6 at select Marcus Theaters. Our lovable antiheroes become full-on government superheroes this time around, with their car-based skills being necessary to bring down Luke Evans’ villainous Owen Shaw.
Thursday, April 2: Giraffada
7 p.m. @ UWM Union Theatre ($6/free for students)
The Muslim Film Festival continues with this touching tale of the last zoo left in the Palestinian West Bank and the veterinarian and his son who take care of the animals there. When an air strike leaves the zoo’s male giraffe dead, they must scramble to find his female counterpart a new mate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXm7uMoiIOc
Friday, April 3: This is Spinal Tap
11:59 p.m.@ Rosebud Cinema ($5)
Finally this week, crank your film-going up to 11 with this midnight screening of Spinal Tap. One of the earliest examples of the mockumentary genre and still one of the best, Spinal Tap is a riot and has allowed our own Shank Hall to live in cinematic infamy.
Friday, April 3: Merchants of Doubt, Danny Collins & ***CRITIC’S CHOICE*** Furious 7 all open locally
Check local listings for showtimes/pricing
Landmark Theaters pushed Merchants of Doubt from last week’s schedule to this week, but anybody interested in the ways that public opinion is shaped by those whose overriding interest is profit and not truth need to check it out. Also coming this week is the new Al Pacino picture Danny Collins, a film that many are touting as a return to form for Pacino, who’s been stuck in the performative wilderness for far too long.
But the main event of this week is the arrival of Furious 7. Delayed after the passing of actor Paul Walker in order to properly conclude his performance in these films, it looks to continue the never-ending escalation the series tracks in by pitting series regulars against Jason Statham’s super-villain. It looks absurd, over the top, and delightful. I’ll have a review for you at the end of this week.
