Thinking Outside the Multiplex in Indiana (December 23, 2011)
by HELEN GEIB
Featuring a grand total of five movies, this is undoubtedly the slowest week “outside the multiplex” since I’ve been writing TOTM in IN, and quite possibly the slowest week since the feature’s been in existence. Which is not to say that there’s nothing to see: The Artist and Don 2 open in Indianapolis and The Descendants and My Week With Marilyn expand to enough theaters around the state to be almost outside the scope of this column. I know I’m excited about The Artist. What looks good to you?
TOTM aspires to completeness! If you know of a limited release film, special screening, festival, or other movie-related event coming up, or something happening this week that isn’t listed here, please leave a comment or send me an email using the “contact us” form.
Note: Title links lead to the movie’s official website.
OPENING THIS WEEK IN LIMITED RELEASE
The Artist- The movie of the year for cineastes. From the Landmark’s website: “Hollywood 1927. Silent movie matinee idol George Valentin (Jean Dujardin)… meets funny, sexy young extra Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo), a dancer set for a big break, and sparks fly. The Artist is the charming and poignant story of their interlinked destinies—a delightful valentine to the love of cinema, with a tip of the hat to Singin’ in the Rain and A Star Is Born. Writer/director Michel Hazanavicius daringly shot the film completely in the style of a silent feature, in black and white and without sound (with a few striking exceptions), filmed on location in Hollywood, set to a wonderful original score by Ludovic Bource.” The Artist opens today at the Landmark Theatres Keystone Art Cinema.
Don 2- A lot of people must have enjoyed Don (2006) a lot more than I did because the sequel is one of the year’s major Bollywood releases. It opens today at the Republic Theaters Georgetown 14 in Indianapolis, with full showtimes plus a few extra shows for the 3D version, and in 3D only at the Rave Cinemas Jefferson Pointe 18 in Fort Wayne. Shahrukh Khan reprises his role as the titular criminal mastermind.
THEATRICAL HOLDOVERS (AND “RE-OPENINGS”)
The Descendants- A man who has been drifting away from his marriage and his daughters is forced to re-examine his life when his wife is critically injured. George Clooney stars in the new film from indie favorite Alexander Payne (About Schmidt, Sideways). My cautionary note last week proved unnecessary. Ticket sales must be brisk because The Descendants holds over at the Landmark Theatres Keystone Art Cinema in Indianapolis (still on two screens), AMC Showplace Indianapolis 17, AMC Showplace Schererville 16, Regal Village Park 17 in Carmel, Goodrich Quality Theaters Hamilton 16 IMAX in Noblesville, Rave Cinemas Jefferson Pointe 18 in Fort Wayne, Rave Cinemas Metropolis 18 in Plainfield, and the Showplace Cinemas East 18 in Evansville and expands to the AMC Showplace Bloomington 12.
My Week With Marilyn- That’s Marilyn Monroe, and she’s played by Michelle Williams in this dramatization of an interlude in the filming of The Prince and the Showgirl. My Week With Marilyn holds over at the Landmark Theatres Keystone Art Cinema in Indianapolis and has a major state-wide expansion, opening at the Cinema Center and the Rave Cinemas Jefferson Pointe 18 in Fort Wayne, the Rave Cinemas Metropolis 18 in Plainfield, the Showplace Cinemas East 18 in Evansville, and at these AMC theaters around the state: Evansville 16, Showplace Bloomington 11, Showplace Indianapolis 17 and Showplace Washington Square 12 in Indianapolis, and Showplace Muncie 7.
FESTIVALS, REPERTORY SCREENINGS, AND MORE
For additional information on venues and showtimes, follow the links under “Outside the Multiplex” in the sidebar.
Indianapolis and Central Indiana
The Artcraft Theatre is dark until January.
The 2D version of Cave of Forgotten Dreams will have several screenings in the IMA’s DeBoest Lecture Hall this week, at 2 on Wednesday and 2 and 7 on Thursday (and at 7 next Friday).
Southern Indiana
Shelbyville’s Strand Theatre and, in Bloomington, the IU Cinema and the Ryder Film Series are on winter break until January.
Northern Indiana
Cinematheque for All (West Lafayette), the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center (South Bend), and the Cinema Center @ Indiana Tech (Fort Wayne) are also on break until January.
NEXT WEEK AND BEYOND
The 2012 Winter Nights film series is every Friday night in January and February in the IMA’s Toby Theater. The theme is Technicolor and the lineup includes Douglas Fairbanks’ great silent adventure The Black Pirate (showing as the first half of a double feature with The Mystery of the Wax Museum), Technicolor masters Powell and Pressburger’s A Matter of Life and Death, and John Ford’s tribute to the Emerald Isle, The Quiet Man. Buy a series ticket and see one film for free.
The Artcraft Theatre returns after the holidays with one of Elvis’ good movies, Jailhouse Rock on January 6 and 7. Farther south, the IU Cinema will have several screenings of Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey the weekend of January 6.
The Cinema Center @ Indiana Tech has updated its website with a note that it will reopen from winter break on January 20 with the anime feature film Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos, a new story set inside the timeline of the popular TV series. You can watch the trailer on the movie’s Japanese official site.
Two upcoming weekend festivals in January: In South Bend, the 23rd edition of the Notre Dame Student Film Festival is January 19-25 at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center. The ninth annual PRIDE Film Festival is January 26-29 in Bloomington, with film screenings at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater and the IU Cinema (full events schedule).
Films and events scheduled for next Friday:
Final showing of Cave of Forgotten Dreams at the IMA at 7
