RESTORATIONS, HOBBITS, MARVEL MARATHON AND MORE IN OUR WEEKEND PICKS.
FRIDAY JANUARY 24TH
From Friday Jan 24th: The Metrograph in downtown NYC begins a deep dive into the indie film boom of the early 90s with it's HAL HARTLEY season this weekend, until February 2nd, with THE UNBELIEVABLE TRUTH (1989) and SIMPLE MEN (1992) on Friday, with Hartley in person, plus other titles across the weekend and into the following week. Most titles in 35mm.
Fri Jan 24th 12:30pm & 6:10pm: MEPHISTO (1981) is the riveting tale of an up-and-coming thespian with a mixed-race mistress and left-wing sympathies rising to the top of Nazi Germany’s theatrical world. New 4K Restoration held over to public demand at NYC's Film Forum.
Friday Jan 4th 4:50pm & 9pm: WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO WITH IT (1993) features the powerhouse performance of Angela Basset as Tina Turner. Also stars Laurence Fishburne. In 35mm at NYC's Film Forum as part of the wide ranging 'BLACK WOMEN: Trailblazing African American Performers & Images, 1920 – 2001' season.
From Fri Jan 24th: San Francisco's Castro Theatre presents NOIR CITY: INTERNATIONAL NOIR II: The 18th Annual San Francisco Film Noir Festival. An array of classic films from around the globe, a wide-ranging, thematically cohesive immersion in a sordid world of sinister and sexy affairs, including the world premieres of two new restorations by the Film Noir Foundation. More info HERE.
Fri Jan 24th 8:45pm: London's Prince Charles Cinema celebrates the 20th Anniversary of Christopher Nolan's narrtaive bending thriller MEMENTO (2000) in 35mm.
Fri Jan 24th 7pm: The La Cinémathèque Française in Paris presents Godard's celebrated project with The Rolling Stones with a 35mm Print of SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL (1968) in 35mm. Godard's first English language film is an avant-garde trip that composites documentary, fictional scenes and dramatized political readings against the making of the Beggar's Banquet album.
Fri Jan 24th 4:30pm, 7pm & 9:30pm: A wonderful Double Feature of landmark Sci-Classics with THINGS TO COME (1936), the legendary vision of the future by H.G Wells, plus Georges Méliès’ masterpiece A TRIP TO THE MOON (1902), widely regarded as the first major effects film. Screens at the Brattle Theatre in Cambridge Massachusetts.
Fri Jan 24th 1:30pm: The MOMA in NYC presents a matinee of the one of cinemas' most legendary pairings; Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthaeu star in THE ODD COUPLE (1968), penned by Neil Simon.
SATURDAY JANUARY 25TH
Sat Jan 25th 3:30pm: P.T Anderson's THE MASTER (2012) plays in it's native 70mm film format screens as part of The Alamo's 70mm season. Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman. At Alamo Drafthouse Ritz in Austin.
Sat Jan 25th 8:45pm: Go back to a time when a 'cinematic universe' was just a developing idea, and not something every single studio executive thinks they can pull off. The Prince Charles Cinema in London presents THE MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE PHASE ONE MARATHON in order from IRON MAN through to THE AVENGERS.
Sat Jan 25th 9am: Woody and Buzz matinee marathon! Catch TOY STORY 1, 2 & 3 (1995 - 2010) back to back at Santa Monica's Aero Theatre. Kicking off at 9am, there'll be a half hour break after Part 2. At 2:30pm, as a separate session catch TOY STORY 4 (2019) with a discussion following the film with director Josh Cooley, screenwriter Stephany Folsom, and producers Jonas Rivera and Mark Nielsen.
Sat Jan 25th 9:20pm: A healthy dose of future noir with the viseral sci-fi horror classic HARDWARE (1990) in super rare 35mm at The Texas Theatre in Dallas! About as cool as it gets for film making of this era, it features cameos from Iggy Pop and Lemmy and a rocking soundtrack by Simon Boswell (Santa Sangre) + P.I.L, Iggy Pop, Ministry and the London Symphony Orchestra. Directed by Richard Stanley, the Director who would end up gaining notoriety as his 1996 production of The Island Of Doctor Moreau collapsed around him.
Sat Jan 25th 6:45pm: Catch a tribute to Anna Karina at San Francisco's Roxie Cinema with the pulpy sci-fi gem ALPHAVILLE (1965) directed by Jen Luc Goddard.
Sat Jan 25th 11am: Down some brunch while you watch a giant snake down the cast of the schlocky classic ANACONDA (1997) featuring a rippinbg ensemble cast of Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Jon Voight, Eric Stoltz, Jonathan Hyde, and Owen Wilson. Voight gets the honor of quite possibly one of the best comeuppances ever served out to a villain. Screens as Nitehawk Cinema Brooklyn’s weekend brunch movie.
Sat Jan 25th: The geeky crew from Bottleneck Gallery in Brooklyn, NY presents two sessions of 80s horror faves at Manhattan's Roxy Cinema. First up at 5:30pm catch Goonies-esque love letter to Universal Monster movies in THE MONSTER SQUAD (1987). Then at 7pm, indulge in a 35mm Print of the scrappy horror comedy NIGHT OF THE CREEPS (1986). Both directed by Fred Dekker that have rightfully become cult classics.
SUNDAY JANUARY 26TH
Sun Jan 26th 10am: Get your butt readfy for an extended trek in your cinema chair through Middle Earth with THE LORD OF THE RINGS: EXTENDED EDTION MARATHON at Melbourne's Astor Theatre. FELLOWSHIP and TWO TOWERS will screen with very rare 35mm Prints, and RETURN in 4K.
Sun Jan 26th 8:30pm: With Director Bong Joon-ho's Parasite sweeping many 'Best of 2019' round ups, London's Prince Charles Cinema presents his acclaimed monster movie THE HOST (2006) in 35mm.
Sun Jan 26th 3:15pm: Film at Lincoln Center in New York presnets the 50th Anniversaty of the sumptuous Italian classic THE GARDEN OF FINZI-CONTINIS (1970), set amid the rise of fascism in the 1930s.
Sun Jan 26th 12:15pm: It's Alive!!! And with those immortal words, one of the great enduring classics of horror cinema was born. The Brattle Theatre in Massachusetts presents the immortal FRANKENSTEIN (1931) as part of special MAD SCIENTIST MARATHON including DR JEKYLL & MR HYDE (1932 / 35mm), ISLAND OF LOST SOULS (1932), THE INVISIBLE MAN (1931) and THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935).