by MIKE MACCOLLUM
LIMITED RELEASE THEATRICAL FILMS OPENING IN INDIANA THIS WEEK – Two limited release films (Me and Orson Welles and The Road) expand into several Indiana theaters this week, while the Indian film 3 Idiots opens at the Georgetown 14 in Indianapolis – and there are a number of cool movie-related events around the state (like the Indiana premiere of Rock Slyde in Terre Haute, and the Vintage Movie Night shorts in Indianapolis) as well. For more on all of this – and the other limited release films holding over around the state – read on below….
Me and Orson Welles – Richard Linklater directed this comedy/drama about Richard Samuels, a young student and wannabe actor who is cast in a small role in the Mercury Theatre’s 1937 production of Julius Caesar, directed by a pre-Citizen Kane Orson Welles. Zac Efron plays Samuels, Claire Danes plays the slightly older woman he falls for, and Christian McKay – a British stage actor – plays Welles. Me and Orson Welles starts Friday at the Keystone Arts in Indianapolis and the ShowPlace 12 in Schereville; it will also open Wednesday, December 23, at the Cinema Center in Fort Wayne.
The Road – Viggo Mortensen, Robert Duvall, Guy Pearce and Charlize Theron head the cast of this adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s novel, which was directed by John Hillcoat (The Proposition). Mortensen plays a father fighting for survival while shepherding his son on a journey across post-apocalyptic America; Duvall and Pearce are two of the people they encounter along the way. The Road starts Friday at the Keystone Arts in Indianapolis, the Showplace Cinema East and Stadium 16 in Evansville, the Carmike 20 in Fort Wayne, the Honey Creek West 8 in Terre Haute, the ShowPlace East 11 in Bloomington, the ShowPlace 7 in Muncie, the ShowPlace 16 in Schererville, and the Encore Park 14 in Elkhart. (Yup – it will be at two theaters in Evansville, but every other city in the state in which this is opening gets only one print, apparently. Maybe there are lots of Viggo Mortensen fans in southern Indiana – or maybe grim, post-apocalyptic dramas always draw huge crowds in Evansville. Who knows? I’ve given up on trying to figure these things out….)
3 Idiots – The first trailer that I saw for this Indian film made it look like an out and out comedy – and not a very sophisticated one at that. The second trailer showed more somber and serious scenes of two of the three “idiots” looking for the third one – who has gone missing – and downplayed the comedy (if memory serves). We’ll have a chance to see the film itself at the Georgetown 14 starting on Wednesday night, December 23. These are the only showings mentioned on the manoranjan.com site at present, but I suspect that more will be added later. Aamir Khan stars as Rancho, the freethinking friend of two fellow engineering students; when Rancho suddenly disappears, they go on a quest to find him, and start to question their preconceived notions of success and conformity. Kareena Kapoor plays Rancho’s girlfriend in 3 Idiots, which was adapted from Chetan Bhagat’s book Five Point Somewhere. (I saw at least one site which called the book a best-seller, and wondered if that was in India only, or elsewhere as well. I have no idea how many copies were sold in the US – but there are five copies available in the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library system, so the book must have enjoyed some measure of success in the US.)
THEATRICAL HOLDOVERS, FILM FESTIVALS, REVIVAL SCREENINGS, AND OTHER SPECIAL SHOWINGS IN INDIANA THIS WEEK – One note about the films holding over in theaters – since the Alvin and the Chipmunks sequel and (maybe) Up in the Air are opening wide on Wednesday, at least some of the theatrical releases listed below will be showing only through Tuesday evening. So if you really want to see one of these films in a theater, you might want to do so ASAP.
Black Dynamite – Plays three times this week at the Cinema Center in Fort Wayne.
The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day – Norman Reedus, Sean Patrick Flanery, Julie Benz, Peter Fonda, Judd Nelson, and Billy Connolly star in Troy Duffy’s sequel to his 1999 crime drama The Boondock Saints; it holds over this week at the Regal Village Park 17 in Carmel, the Shiloh Crossing 18 in Avon, the Greenwood Park 14, the Eastside 9 in Lafayette, the ShowPlace 7 in Muncie, the Honey Creek West 8 in Terre Haute, the ShowPlace East 11 in Bloomington, the Carmike 20 in Fort Wayne, the ShowPlace 16 in South Bend, the ShowPlace 16 in Schererville, the Stadium 16 in Evansville, and the ShowPlace 12 in Marion.
Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas/Olivia: Winter Wonderland – This double-feature for children will be shown at 1 PM and 2:40 daily this week at the Georgetown 14 in Indianapolis, and at 11:10 AM daily at the Showplace Cinemas East in Evansville; there will also be Saturday and Sunday showings at 1 and 3:30 PM at the Studio 10 in Shelbyville, at 11:40 AM at the Jefferson Pointe 18 in Fort Wayne, at 12:30 PM at the Carmike 20 in Fort Wayne, and at 1 PM at the Encore Park 14 in Elkhart.
An Education – Continues for another week at the Keystone Arts in Indianapolis, and starts Friday at the Regal Village Park 17 in Carmel. An Education also plays through at least Tuesday, December 22, at the Cinema Center in Fort Wayne.
Good Hair – Chris Rock’s documentary holds over for another week at the Georgetown 14 in Indianapolis, although there will be only three shows a day (at 1, 2:55 and 7:05 PM).
Homeless for the Holidays – This made-in-Indiana film returned to the NCG Auburn Cinema in Auburn last week, and continues there with daily showings this week; go to the theater’s web page http://www.ncgmovies.com/auburn.asp for show time information.
Les Contes D’Hoffmann – The Metropolitan Opera’s production of Jacques Offenbach’s opera – a not-very-faithful-to-the-facts version of the life of German writer E.T.A. Hoffmann – will be shown live and in Hi-Def at 1 PM on Saturday, December 19, at the Castleton Square 14, ShowPlace 16 with IMAX and Galaxy 14 in Indianapolis, along with the Hamilton 16 with IMAX in Noblesville, and twelve other theaters across the state, including the University of Notre Dame’s Browning Cinema. (The Browning, by the way, will also have an additional screening, at 1 PM on Sunday, December 20.)
Mall of America and 0% Down – These two short films by Josephine Meckseper will be shown simultaneously (on different walls of the same gallery) at the Indianapolis Museum of Art through February 7, 2010.
Meet Me in St. Louis – Judy Garland, Margaret O’Brien, Mary Astor, Leon Ames and Marjorie Main star in Vincente Minnelli’s film, which will be shown at 2 PM in the Indianapolis Central Library’s Clowes Auditorium on Sunday, December 20. Both Ames and Main were Indiana natives, which is why this screening is part of the “Hoosiers in Hollywood” film series. The film will be preceded by a discussion with David Smith, author of the book Hoosiers in Hollywood.
The Muppet Christmas Carol – Franklin’s Historic Artcraft Theatre continues its series of holiday-related films with this 1992 film, which will be shown at 2 and 7:30 PM on both Friday, December 18, and Saturday, December 19.
Omer Fast: The Casting – This fourteen minute, four channel video installation continues at the Indianapolis Museum of Art through February 21, 2010. The piece intercuts excerpts from the artist’s conversations with a soldier about to leave for his second tour of duty in Iraq with footage of actors mimicking the dialogue.
Paa – According to manoranjaninc.com, this Indian film will have one showing at the Georgetown 14 this week, on Friday, December 18, at 9 PM.
Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year – The movietickets.com page for the Georgetown 14 claims that this Indian film will show at the G14 at 9 PM on Saturday, December 19, and Sunday, December 20 – but there was no mention of the Sunday showing on the manoranjaninc page the last time I checked, for whatever it’s worth.
Rock Slyde – Patrick Warburton plays the title character – a none-too-brilliant private eye – in this comedy. Rock is hired by a beautiful woman (Rena Sofer) to find out who has been following her; at the same time, he must also contend with Bart (Andy Dick), a leader of a religious cult who has “persuaded” all of the other tenants in Rock’s building to vacating the premises – and now sets his sights on the reluctant Rock. Elaine Hendrix co-stars as Warburton’s secretary, and (per the IMDb) it looks like Eric Roberts, Jason Alexander and Lea Thompson have cameos. Rock Slyde will be shown at 3 PM on Saturday, December 19, at Terre Haute’s Indiana Theatre; the screening will benefit the Sgt. Dale Griffin Memorial Fund. (The film was produced by former Terre Haute resident Milan Chakraborty, according to the Film Indiana site – which also notes that it is Chakraborty’s first film.)
The Rocky Horror Picture Show – Just a note – this does NOT seem to be playing at the Georgetown 14 this Saturday; however, it may reappear at the G14 once the big holiday movies have played out.
The September Issue – Holds over through at least Tuesday, December 22, at the Cinema Center in Fort Wayne.
A Serious Man – Holds over for another week at the ShowPlace East 11 in Bloomington.
Vintage Movie Night: Zany Holiday Shorts – The only titles listed for this event so far are Malice in the Palace (with the Three Stooges) and a TV version of A Christmas Carol (starring Vincent Price, and supposedly not televised since the forties), but others will apparently screen as well. Film historian, collector and preservationist Eric Grayson provides the films, and “holiday treats” (including hot chocolate) will be available. This event is scheduled to take place from 8 to 10:30 PM on Saturday, December 19, at the Garfield Park Arts Center on the south side of Indianapolis; admission is free.
NEXT WEEK AND BEYOND – Manoranjaninc.com now has a date on its site for the Bollywood film Chance Pe Dance to open at the Georgetown 14. As of now, only one showing has been booked – at 9:30 PM on Friday, January 15 – but I suspect that that will change as the opening date gets closer.
The Keystone Arts’ web page now says that The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (yes!) and A Single Man are both scheduled to start at that theater on January 8 – while The Young Victoria is still listed as starting on December 25. (And don’t give up hope on Red Cliff just yet. While it isn’t mentioned anywhere that I can see on the theater’s web page, they were showing a trailer for the film there just the other night. That isn’t necessarily a positive omen, but it is probably – possibly? – a sign that Red Cliff might show up there someday.)
And finally, the official site for Crazy Heart says that the film will open in Indianapolis on January 22. Since Fox Searchlight is distributing the film – and since it has a pretty decent chance at an Academy Award nomination or two – it is likely to make that date. I suspect that it will open at the Keystone Arts, and maybe another theater or two – but no locations are given on the Crazy Heart site as of now.
My theory for The Road playing wide in Evansville is that the poor folks in the pocket need the survival tips.
Please, please, please oh movie gods, bring Red Cliff to Indianapolis. Maybe the Landmark folks are saving it for the Chinese New Year celebration, always a big event in our city.
That probably makes me 0 for 2 in the theory department, but I can’t figure out this business either.
Comment by miriam — December 19, 2009 @ 6:09 pm
I wouldn’t watch Red Cliff in theatres because the producers took the two, 2 hour movies and spilced them into a 150 minute film. It’s missing 90 minutes, overall so it can’t be good. I say, without preaching that you should get a good Asian version of the two movies that had been a round for over a year.
They’re good movies and I think that the North American release is shameful.
Comment by Nir Shalev — December 19, 2009 @ 8:42 pm
I know it’s had all the ‘boring’ parts removed (ie all the dramatic character development and interaction) for us dumb north americans but I want to see the big action pieces on the big screen anyway. I actually own the full length movie already but have been waiting to watch it until I see whatever I can get in a theater. There’s nothing like the movie theater experience and I want all the colors, action, and sounds in the scale they are meant to be in.
I don’t understand why a movie with a name director, big stars, and an classic action packed story can’t find distribution. Another puzzler is why War Lords with Jet Li is a no-show. Doesn’t anyone remember how much money Hero made?
Comment by miriam — December 19, 2009 @ 10:24 pm
The US release version of Red Cliff is necessarily diminished by being cut so heavily, but it isn’t necessarily a bad film. See Greed and The Magnificent Ambersons.
It’s infuriating that the cut-down version is the only one I’ll (maybe) have the chance to see on the big screen, but I’m still going to see it.
Comment by Helen — December 20, 2009 @ 10:04 am
I understand that Woo did or supervised the editing for the US release version, so I feel more optimistic about what it’s like. I think, Nir, that you might be a bit hasty in concluding that it _can’t_ be good with so much left out since some directors shoot lots of film that never makes the final version. Helen’s example of Greed is particularly apt. I saw the reconstructed version and realized the plot really did make sense in a way the original didn’t, but even so the original is great cinema.
Comment by miriam — December 20, 2009 @ 2:15 pm
I know I know…
And re Magnificent Ambersons, while shooting that film Welles became known for not finishing projects. He went to South America to shoot something else and never finished it, and eventually the producers had cut it as they saw fit and released it as the verion that we can see today. He then refused to ever watch it until his best friend Peter Bogdanovich, in the 1970s forced him to sit down and watch it. Welles said that it was “pretty good under the circumstances”.
But the original Red Cliff worked for me because of the character development. Oh well, no use arguing or complaining. :O)
Comment by Nir Shalev — December 21, 2009 @ 1:05 am
Two updates-
I noticed yesterday that the US distributor for Red Cliff, Magnolia Pictures, now says on their “play dates” page for RC that it will open at the Keystone Arts on January 8.
Just today, I noticed that Magnolia is also the US distributor for The Warlords [that's the title as it now appears on the site]. Here is the theatrical release schedule as of today- no doubt subject to change later on- as cut and pasted from the “play dates” page:
Opening
4/2/2010
West Los Angeles, CA: Nuart Theatre
4/9/2010
Berkeley, CA: Shattuck Cinemas 10
San Francisco, CA: Lumiere Theatre 3
Washington, DC: E Street Cinema
Cambridge, MA: Kendall Square Cinema
4/16/2010
San Diego, CA: Ken Cinema
Philadelphia, PA: Ritz at the Bourse
Seattle, WA: Varsity Theatre
4/23/2010
Denver, CO: Chez Artiste
4/30/2010
Minneapolis, MN: Lagoon Cinema
Comment by Mike — December 22, 2009 @ 5:26 pm
Mike, you’ve made my day! I will continue waiting hopefully for Red Cliff and start watching the play dates for Warlords. Time to inventory available relatives in the lucky cities and scout for a good airfare!
Comment by miriam — December 22, 2009 @ 8:20 pm