Thinking Outside the Multiplex

by MIKE MACCOLLUM

Several interesting movies arrive in the Indianapolis market this week after long delays – and a number of other interesting films are showing in the city and around the state as well.  For more information – and the complete listing of arthouse and limited release films opening around the US this week – read on below….

Adaptation – This multi-artist exhibition continues through August 16 at the Indianapolis Museum of Art (with free admission).  Click here for more information; the schedule for the two longer works in the exhibition can be found here.

Away We Go – Continues for another week at Landmark’s Keystone Arts theatre in Indianapolis, albeit for only two shows a day (at 1:00 and 6:40- and there’s no 6:40 show on Tuesday, August 4).

Cheri – Starts Friday (for two shows per day) at the Goodrich Lafayette 7 in Lafayette, IN, and continues for another week at the Cinema Center in Fort Wayne; click on the sidebar links at the right of the page for show time information.

DCI 2009: Big, Loud & Live 6 – The quarter-finals of the 2009 Drum Corps International will be shown at 7 PM on Thursday, August 7 at the Kerasotes Showplace 16 and IMAX, AMC’s Castleton 14, and Regal’s Galaxy 14 in Indianapolis along with Goodrich’s Hamilton 16 in Noblesville and a number of other theaters in Indiana – click on the Fathom Events link in the sidebar to get to a list of the theaters.  Or, since this event is taking place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, you could just go there and see the show in person, if that’s your thing.

The English Surgeon – This documentary (official site) about an English doctor volunteering at a rundown Ukrainian hospital will be shown at 6 and 8 PM on Tuesday, August 4, at the Lotus Petal Cinema in Nashville, IN; it’s part of the Lotus Petal “Reel Matters” series of documentaries.

(500) Days of Summer – Continues on two screens (except for the early matinee screening, when it is on just one screen) at Landmark’s Keystone Arts in Indianapolis, and starts Friday (on two screens, again) at the Regal Village Park 17 in Carmel.

Fierce Light – This documentary on the connection between activism and spirituality – which features interviews with Desmond Tutu, Daryl Hannah, and Julia Butterfly Hill, among others – will be shown at 7 PM on Thursday, August 6 at the Earth House Collective in Indianapolis.  Click on the Earth House’s link in the sidebar for more information on the venue; go to the film’s official site for the trailer, review quotes, and more.

Food, Inc. – The much-praised (and long-delayed) documentary covering many aspects of America’s food industry finally starts this Friday at Landmark’s Keystone Arts theatre in Indianapolis.  Follow the theatre’s link in the sidebar for show time information; for more about the movie, go here and here.

Gilda­ – Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford star in this 1946 film noir classic, which is showing outdoors Friday night at the Indianapolis Museum of Art (weather permitting) as part of their “Summer Nights” film series.  Click on the IMA’s link in the sidebar for more information.

Gulliver’s Travels – The 1939 animated film version of Jonathan Swift’s novel will be shown at 7 PM on Friday, July 31 on the outdoor screen of the Lotus Petal Cinema in Nashville, IN.  This is part of the Lotus Petals Outdoor Summer Series; go here for more information.

The Hurt Locker – Continues for another week at Landmark’s Keystone Arts in Indianapolis, and starts Friday at the Rave Metropolis 18 in Plainfield, the Goodrich Eastside 10 in Lafayette, IN and the Kerasotes Showplace East 11 in Bloomington, IN.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade – Really?  You don’t know what this movie is?  Really?!  If you’re puzzled, and want to know more, go to the free outdoor screening at the Gridiron Plaza of the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, IN,  at 7 PM on Friday, July 31. More information here.

Kes –  Note: The Indiana Film Society’s page says that the August 4 film will be Kes, and that Women in Love will be shown two weeks later, on August 18.  However, the Jewish Community Center’s website has that order reversed.  You might want to contact the IFS and/or the JCC if you want to see one of these films, but not the other, to see which film is showing on which date.

Lemon Tree – Hiam Abbass (from The Visitor) stars in this long-delayed (well, here in Indianapolis, at least) film about a Palestinian widow whose life is turned upside down when the family of a minister in the Israeli government moves in next door.  Lemon Tree was directed by Eran Riklis (The Syrian Bride, Cup Final) and has won a number of awards; see the film’s official site for more information.

Love Aaj Kal – This Bollywood film from Jab We Met director Imtiaz Ali – which stars Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone and Rishi Kapoor – starts Friday at the Georgetown 14 in Indianapolis.  Like the enjoyable Jab We Met, Love Aaj Kal (official site) looks like a romantic comedy (although not without some more serious moments as well).  According to the film’s official site, it looks like Love Aaj Kal has two different stories, one set in 1965, the other in 2009.  Love Aaj Kal is in Hindi with subtitles per the manoranjaninc.com site – presumably English subtitles, but manoranjaninc isn’t specific.

Magdaheera – Blue Sky Films, the US distributor for this Telegu-language film (which apparently does not have English subtitles), says that it will be at the Pavilion Cinemas in Brownsburg at 9 PM on Friday and Saturday nights.  The website for Pavilion Cinemas does not list this title on their schedule, however, and there does not seem to be an opening in their schedule where this film could fit in.  You may want to call the theater yourself to see what is going on here, if you are interested.  Magdaheera looks like a romance/action/musical, by the way.  This site has photos and a trailer for the film.

The Magic Flute – Fathom Events presents a repeat screening of the Metropolitan Opera’s performance of Mozart’s opera, at 7 PM on Wednesday, August 5.  Indianapolis area showings are at the Kerasotes Showplace 16 and IMAX, AMC’s Castleton 14, Regal’s Galaxy 14, and Goodrich’s Hamilton 16 in Noblesville; to see the other theaters in Indiana where this will be screened, go to the Fathom Events link in the sidebar.

Moon – Continues this week at Indianapolis’ Keystone Arts for one show a day (at 1:15), and opens Friday at the Yes Cinema in Columbus, IN; click on the Yes’s link at the right of the page for the show times.

Operation Thunderbolt – This 1978 film about the hijacking of an Air France flight to Uganda will be shown at the Jewish Community Center’s Laikin Auditorium at 7 PM on Thursday, August 6, as part of their Israeli Film Series.  The screening is free, open to the public, and will be followed by a discussion.  Operation Thunderbolt was directed by Menahem Golan – one of the heads of Cannon Pictures when they cranked out truckloads of schlock in the ‘80s – but don’t let that stop you from seeing the film; it has received a number of good to very good reviews.

The Owl and the Sparrow – This Vietnamese film will be shown again this Friday and Saturday at The Ryder in Bloomington, IN.  Click on the link to The Ryder’s site in the sidebar for information on show times and the film itself.

Tokyo Sonata – Yet another art film bypasses Indianapolis, as this drama (official site) from Kiyoshi Kurosawa about the hardships faced by a family when the father loses his job shows at Bloomington’s The Ryder on Friday and Saturday.  Go to The Ryder’s official site (see sidebar link) for show time information.

Tyson – James Toback’s documentary on Mike Tyson opens Friday at the Cinema Center in Fort Wayne; click on the link in the sidebar for show times.

Whatever Works – Continues at the Cinema Center in Fort Wayne (but not showing on Monday and Thursday; check the Cinema Center’s link in the sidebar for show times and days), and starts Friday at the Kerasotes Showplace East 11 in Bloomington.

OPENING ELSEWHERE – Once again, many movies start this Friday in New York City and Los Angeles, but most seem destined for DVD, cable TV, and internet viewing outside of America’s largest cities.  Of the fiction films, I am most excited about Flame and Citron, which could actually make it to the Keystone Arts, if we’re lucky, and Thirst, which is scheduled to start at the Keystone Arts on September 18.  Not Quite Hollywood is my top pick among the docs, but The Cove, Act of God, and The Achievers aren’t very far behind.  The Cove has at least an outside shot of making it to the Keystone Arts, but I am guessing that the others most likely will not – even if a corporate sibling of the Landmark chain is releasing Not Quite Hollywood. For more information on each film, follow the title link to its official site.

The Achievers – A documentary about the fan cult surrounding The Big Lebowski; it will have two (nearly) midnight shows this weekend at the Sunset 5 theatre in LA, ahead of the DVD release on August 18.  (From the trailer at the film’s official site, it looks like Jeff Bridges himself appears on camera for at least a short while.)

Act of God – Jennifer Baichwall, director of Manufactured Landscapes, returns with a documentary about getting struck by lightning – and what (if anything) that means.  Act of God starts Friday in Chicago.

The Cove – This documentary about a group of outsiders investigating dolphin hunting in Japan has won awards at a number of film festivals, according to its official site, and seems to be going into fairly wide release, eventually, although there is still no Indiana play date.  The Cove starts Friday in NYC and LA.

DocuWeeks – The International Documentary Association’s 13th Annual Theatrical Documentary Showcase has 18 feature-length docs and 10 shorts, and runs for three weeks at one theater each in NYC and LA; for information on titles, go to the event’s official site.

Flame and Citron – Mads Mikkelsen (from Casino Royale) stars in this political thriller about the Danish resistance to the German occupation in World War II; go to the film’s official site to check out some of the great review quotes.

Fragments – This drama about the survivors of a public shooting stars Kate Beckinsale, Guy Pearce, Dakota Fanning, Forest Whitaker, Embeth Davidtz, Jennifer Hudson, Jackie Earle Haley and Jeanne Tripplehorn.  It starts Friday on one screen in NYC, ahead of its DVD release next Tuesday.  If you want to check out the site of the film’s US distributor, Peace Arch Entertainment, look for Fragments under its former title, Winged Creatures.

Ghosted – Monika Truet – who has been making documentaries for the past decade or so – returns to fiction films with this drama-love story about a German artist trying to cope with the murder of her lover; it starts Friday in NYC.

Gotta Dance – A documentary about a group of senior citizens who form a hip-hop dance team that performs at New Jersey Nets games; it starts Friday in NYC.

ITV Festival – The fourth annual edition of the Independent Television Festival, which features independently produced TV pilots and web programming from all over the world, starts a one-week run in LA.

Lorna’s Silence – This drama about desperate emigrants from elsewhere in Europe trying to get ahead in Belgium is the latest film from the Dardenne brothers (The Promise, Rosetta, The Child).  It starts Friday in NYC and LA.

Not Quite Hollywood – A documentary on Australia’s “OZploitation” films of the 70s and 80s, which starts Friday in NYC and LA.  The film’s tagline is “Finally a documentary full of gratuitous nudity, senseless violence, car crashes… and a bit of kung fu” – so it shouldn’t be surprising that the film’s official website has a link to an R-rated trailer.

Sergio – This documentary on Sergio Vieira de Mello, the UN High Commisioner for Human Rights (who was killed in Iraq several years ago) opens Friday in LA.

Sugarland: Live on the Inside – The country singing duo perform live on the big screen on Thursday, August 6 at theaters in 17 states, but Indiana is not one of them.

Thirst­ – The new film from the director of Oldboy and Lady Vengeance is about a priest who turns into a vampire.  It starts Friday in NYC and LA, and the Keystone Arts in Indianapolis has it on the schedule for September 18.  (That date should be regarded as very tentative at best, however, since it is relatively far off in the future – and since there is no Indianapolis date on the film’s official site.)  NOTE: The film’s official website has a link to an R-rated trailer.

NEXT WEEK AND BEYOND – Not much to add here, except the Academy Award-winning Departures is now on the Keystone Arts schedule for August 7, while Adam, In the Loop, and Hayao Miyazaki’s Ponyo are all scheduled to start at the Keystone Arts on August 14.  And for the time being, at least, it looks like O’Horten has joined Tetro, Little Ashes, Adoration, and Rudo y Cursi in Landmark limbo-land, awaiting a specific opening date.  Also, the Bollywood film Kaminey is scheduled to open on August 14 at the Georgetown 14 according to manoranjaninc.com.