Thinking Outside the Multiplex in Indiana (January 13, 2012)

by HELEN GEIB

January in Indiana doesn’t look so colorless this year thanks to the IMA’s Technicolor series. For the week’s new releases and all the repertory screening news- delivered without bad puns- read on….

Note: For trailers, cast and crew info, and suchlike follow the title link to the movie’s official website.

OPENING THIS WEEK IN LIMITED RELEASE

Carnage- Adapted from a play, this dark comedy directed by Roman Polanski is a chamber piece starring Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz, Jodie Foster, and John C. Reilly. Two couples who become locked in their own squabbling when they meet after their sons’ get into a playground fight. Carnage starts today at the AMC Showplace Indianapolis 17 and Landmark Keystone Art Theatre in Indianapolis, Regal Village Park 17 in Carmel, AMC Evansville 16, AMC Honey Creek 8 in Terre Haute, AMC Showplace Bloomington 11, AMC Showplace Schererville 12, AMC Showplace South Bend 16, Cinemark Movies 14 in Mishawaka, the Rave Cinemas Metropolis 18 in Plainfield, and the Yes Cinema in Columbus.

The Iron Lady- Meryl Streep stars as Margaret Thatcher in this biopic; Jim Broadbent heads the supporting cast as Thatcher’s husband. The Iron Lady starts today at the AMC Showplace Indianapolis 17 and Landmark Keystone Art Theatre in Indianapolis, Regal Village Park 17 in Carmel, AMC Showplace Bloomington 11, AMC Showplace Schererville 16, Goodrich Quality Theaters Hamilton 16 IMAX in Noblesville, Rave Cinemas Jefferson Pointe 18 in Fort Wayne, Showplace Cinemas East 18 in Evansville, and the Rave Cinemas Metropolis 18 in Plainfield.

Project Nim- The Cinema Center in Fort Wayne has another Indiana exclusive. A new documentary from the director of Man on Wire, Project Nim is a biography of a celebrity chimpanzee who was the subject of a radical experiment in behavioral science in the 1970s.

THEATRICAL HOLDOVERS (AND “RE-OPENINGS”)

Anonymous- Roland Emmerich’s costume drama/conspiracy thriller returns to the state for an engagement at the Starplex Cinemas Fort Wayne Coventry 13.

The Artist- The movie of the year for cineastes, The Artist is a charming valentine to the movies. Set in a Hollywood transitioning to the sound film era, Jean Dujardin stars as a matinee idol of the silent screen who falls in love with a rising star made for the talkies. “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 continues at the Landmark Theatres Keystone Art Cinema.

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). The Descendants holds over at the Landmark Theatres Keystone Art Cinema and AMC Showplace Indianapolis 17 in Indianapolis, 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.

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 Keystone Arts Cinema in Indianapolis, AMC Evansville 16, AMC Honey Creek 8 in Terre Haute, AMC Muncie 7, and the Cinema Center in Fort Wayne.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy- Gary Oldman stars in this spy thriller based on the famous suspenser by John Le Carre. The supporting cast is filled with acting luminaries like John Hurt, Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, and Mark Strong. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, which is showing up on a number of critics’ ten best lists, plays this week at the AMC Castleton Square 14, AMC Showplace Indianapolis 17, and Landmark Keystone Arts Cinema in Indianapolis, AMC Showplace Bloomington 11, AMC Showplace Schererville 16, AMC Showplace South Bend 16, Regal Village Park 17 in Carmel, Goodrich Quality Theaters Hamilton 16 IMAX in Noblesville, Cinemark Movies 14 in Mishawaka, and the Rave Cinemas Metropolis 18 in Plainfield.

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 classic farce Arsenic and Old Lace, starring Cary Grant as the only sane member of a family of lunatics, is the weekend movie at the Artcraft in Franklin.

In Indianapolis, it’s week two of the IMA’s Winter Nights series. The Technicolor theme continues with Leave Her to Heaven, dubbed the Technicolor noir and starring Gene Tierney as a femme fatale. Read more at the event page.

The Irving’s monthly showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show is tomorrow night at midnight. As always, there’s a discount if you come in costume.

The documentary “Reel Injun” will be screened Thursday at 7 at the Eiteljorg Museum as part of a four film series co-presented by the IMA and the Eiteljorg. Tickets are $5 or $3 for museum (either one) members.

Southern Indiana

The bulk of the IU Cinema’s “Once Upon a Time in Indiana” series is this weekend, with Hong Kong classic Once Upon a Time in China tonight at 9:30; Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in America tomorrow at 2; and acclaimed Bollywood film Once Upon a Time in India a/k/a Lagaan tomorrow at 9:30. In related non-film programming, Barry Allen- retired director of film preservation at Paramount- will speak on the restoration of Once Upon a Time in the West in the Jorgensen Guest Lecture Series today at 3.

The Cinema’s “Australia in the 70′s” series kicks off on Thursday with a double feature of Picnic at Hanging Rock and The Last Wave. (The series continues next weekend.) Also showing this week at the IU Cinema: “Educational Films from the IU Libraries Film Archive” today at 6:30; “Native Shorts Program” Sunday at 3; Korean horror A Tale of Two Sisters on Monday at 7.

The movies this weekend in Bloomington’s Ryder Film Series are The Whistleblower, starring Rachel Weisz in a based-on-fact story of a woman who uncovers evidence of sex trafficking in post-war Bosnia; pilgrimage drama The Way, starring Martin Sheen; and fanciful biopic Young Goethe in Love from Germany. Visit the Ryder’s website for showtime and location info.

Northern Indiana

Fort Wayne’s Cinema Center will show Sideways on Sunday at 2, followed by a discussion and wine tasting. Tickets are available for the whole event and for the movie only. On Thursday, the Cinema Center @ Indiana Tech re-opens after winter break with skiing movie Attack of La Nina.

Cinematheque for All in West Lafayette will screen Aberdeen, a 2000 road trip drama starring Stellan Skarsgard and Lena Headey, on Wednesday on the Purdue campus.

In South Bend, the 23rd edition of the Notre Dame Student Film Festival is January 19-25 at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center. The festival screens films made by undergrads.

NEXT WEEK AND BEYOND

Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos starts next Friday at the Cinema Center @ Indiana Tech. The new anime feature film is set during the timeline of the popular anime series.

Also for next week, the Landmark has added Shame and Pariah to the coming soon list for the Keystone Art Cinema in Indianapolis.

Films and events scheduled for next Friday:

A Matter of Life and Death at the IMA

Australian triple feature at the IU Cinema: Walkabout, Mad Max, Long Weekend

Le Havre starts a run in the Ryder Film Series