2015 SPRING CINEMA SERIES
January 28: THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
Wes Anderson, 2014, USA
February 4: BOYHOOD
Richard Linklater, 2014, USA
Boyhood chronicles the many challenges and disappointments of Mason Evans, an easygoing, all-American six-year-old boy living with his mother and sister in the suburbs of Texas. Linklater’s groundbreaking and triumphant cinematic approach of working with the same cast over 12 years has created a landmark coming-of-age story in film history. Starring Ethan Hawke, Patricia Arquette, and newcomer Ellar Coltrane, who offers a spectacular performance as Mason, Boyhood has earned almost unanimous critical acclaim racking up 6 Oscar nominations including Best Picture. 165 minutes. Begins at 6:30pm!
February 11: KELLY & CAL
Jen McGowan, 2014, USA
Kelly, a punk-rocker mom suffering from a mild case of postpartum depression is having trouble assimilating into her new suburban life. When she meets Cal, a seventeen-year-old confined to a wheelchair who is fed up with his own circumstance, an unlikely friendship blossoms between the two as they both struggle to move forward and cope. This charming and emotionally resonant character-driven drama is a strong debut feature for director Jen McGowan, and showcases outstanding performances from Juliette Lewis, Cybill Shepherd and newcomer Jonny Weston. Director Jen McGowan will participate in an onstage interview at 6pm and answer questions following the 7pm screening.
February 18: BIRDMAN
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, 2014, USA
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) follows the tale of Riggan Thompson (Michael Keaton), a washed-up actor once famous for his iconic superhero role in old blockbuster films. Wanting to revamp his career, Riggan decides to write, direct and star in a Broadway play only to find himself the victim of his own hubris. Nominated for 9 Oscars including Best Picture, this supremely funny, highly innovative comedy, is a refreshing examination of one man’s existential crisis. 119 minutes.
February 25: ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE
Jim Jarmusch, 2013, USA
Acclaimed indie director Jim Jarmusch is at the top of his game in crafting this moody and atmospheric vampire story of two estranged lovers, Adam & Eve, struggling to survive among humans. Deeply depressed by the direction of human society, both have chosen not to hunt out of fear of consuming contaminated blood, but their peaceful existence is disrupted when Eve’s younger and wilder sister, Ava decides to make a visit. Featuring exceptional performances from Tom Hiddleston, Tilda Swinton and Mia Wasikowska, this dark and mesmerizing film was nominated for the prestigious Palme d’Or at Cannes in 2013. 123 minutes.
March 4: HERO
Zhang Yimou, 2002, China
This visually stunning Wuxia masterpiece is staged during the Warring States period of ancient China. After an assassination attempt is made on emperor Qin’s life, one assassin, Nameless (Jet Li) offers to seek vengeance. As he journeys through dire battlefields and barren landscapes in pursuit of three assassins he discovers the true meaning of heroism. A cinematic tour de force at once poetic and action-packed, Hero delivers on all levels. Nominated for Best Foreign Language Film in 2004. 99 minutes.
March 11: THE CHILDREN'S HOUR
William Wyler, 1961, USA
Two former college classmates Martha Dobie and Karen Wright open a private school for girls. When Mary, a spoiled and manipulative student is caught in a lie and punished by Karen, she exacts her revenge by concocting a story that puts their careers at risk. Based on a play by Lillian Hellman and featuring brilliant performances from Audrey Hepburn and Shirley Maclaine, this riveting story earned 5 Oscar nominations in 1962 and remains a powerful and relevant portrayal of social injustice more than 50 years later. 107 minutes.
March 25: ALMOST THERE
Aaron Wickenden & Dan Rybicky, 2014, USA
Peter Anton is a charismatic 82-year-old artist living in squalor who has spent decades crafting an extraordinary illustrated autobiography entitled, “Almost There.” When Peter is discovered and befriended by filmmakers Dan Rybicky and Aaron Wickenden, he moves out of the shadows and into the spotlight provoking some unexpected outcomes. This “stranger than fiction” story has charmed audiences across the festival circuit. Co-directors Dan Rybicky and Aaron Wickenden will participate in an onstage interview at 6pm and answer questions following the 7pm screening. 85 minutes.
April 1: ELECTION
Alexander Payne, 1999, USA
Tracy Flick, an overachieving high school student, and Jim McAllister, a highly admired history and civics instructor, face off in a no holds barred battle of wits surrounding the election of class president at George Washington Carver High School. This Oscar-nominated comedy, which features hilarious performances by Reese Witherspoon and Matthew Broderick, examines revenge and sexual frustration in suburban high school life. 103 minutes.
April 8: UNDER THE SKIN
Jonathan Glazer, 2014, UK
This visually captivating and eerie masterpiece follows the journey of an extraterrestrial (Scarlett Johansson) who is obsessed with luring unsuspecting men into a dangerous and intriguing web. One of the most thought provoking films of 2014, this sci-fi horror combines erotic energy with an unsettling and enigmatic plot. Nominated for Best International Film at the 2015 Independent Spirit Awards. 108 minutes.
April 15: SALAAM BOMBAY!
Mira Nair, 1988, India
After Krishna sets fire to his brother’s motorbike, his mother abandons him at the Apollo Circus and tells him not to return home until he can afford 500 rupees to pay for the bicycle. He takes a train to Bombay where he finds a job selling tea, but the streets aren’t kind to Krishna as he struggles to survive among seedy individuals in hope of one day returning home. The film earned an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film and won the Golden Camera and Prix de Publique awards at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival. 113 minutes.
April 22: THE CELEBRATION
Thomas Vinterberg, 1998, Denmark
A triumphant accomplishment stemming from the Danish Dogme 95 movement, Vinterberg’s stripped down, intensely emotional 1998 film, mixes comedy and misery as it navigates the story of a family gathering in which disturbing truths emerge about the respected family patriarch. Winner of the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival, The Celebration, is unquestionably one of the most influential films of the last few decades. 105 minutes.
April 29: PERFORMANCE
Donald Cammell & Nicolas Roeg, 1970, UK
Performance chronicles the story of Chas, a violent and erratic east London gang member, who hides out in washed-up ex rockstar Turner’s London flat. Lifestyles and cultural values collide as the two men embark on a journey filled with sex, violence and, ultimately, transformation. Directed by Donald Cammell and Nicolas Roeg, this cult film from the 70s is renown for its bold, shocking visuals and Mick Jagger’s stunning performance. 105 minutes.
May 6: BAGDAD CAFE
Percy Adlon, 1987, Germany/USA
Jasmin Münchgstettner, a German tourist from Rosenheim, finds herself stranded in the middle of the California desert after quarrelling with her husband on their travels. She stops at the Bagdad Cafe, a truckstop run by the brawny and tenacious, C.C.H. Pounder, a woman going through marital problems of her own. The unlikely pair gradually become friends as the film tracks their transformative journey through a colorful cast of cafe regulars. Nominated for an Oscar, Percy Adlon’s English-speaking debut film is a heartwarming and humorous celebration of unlikely relationships and the unpredictable directions our lives take. 95 minutes.
May 13: PULP FICTION
Quentin Tarantino, 1994, USA
Widely considered one of the most influential films of the 90s, Pulp Fiction tells the story of two hit men, a boxer, a gangster’s wife, and a pair of diner bandits as their lives intertwine in four tales of violence and redemption. Nominated for 7 Academy Awards including an Oscar win for Best Writing, the film has become a cult classic with spectacular performances from Uma Thurman, John Travolta, and Samuel L. Jackson. 154 minutes. Begins at 6:30pm!