Thinking Outside the Multiplex in Indiana (January 27, 2012)

by HELEN GEIB

The Artist got a big boost from the Oscar nominations and expands beyond the Indy metro area at last. Meanwhile Albert Nobbs, which garnered acting nominations for Glenn Close and Janet McTeer, opens at the Castleton and southside AMCs in Indianapolis (but not the KAC). A Dangerous Method opens at a surprisingly large number of theaters state wide (even without Oscar’s imprimatur) and a second movie starring Michael Fassbender, Shame, starts at the Keystone Art Cinema. All that plus a good lineup of repertory and festival screenings. What looks good to you this weekend?

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

Agneepath- The Bollywood revenge thriller Agneepath stars Hrithik Roshan, Priyanka Chopra, and Sanjay Dutt, and is a remake of one of Amitabh Bachchan’s 1970s hits. It opened yesterday at the Republic Theatres Georgetown 14 in Indianapolis.

Albert Nobbs- Glenn Close was nominated for a best actress Oscar for Albert Nobbs; she plays a middle-aged woman who has been living as a man for years to keep a good job working at a hotel in 1910s Ireland. Janet McTeer, whose character is in a similar situation, snagged a supporting actress nomination. Albert Nobbs opens today at the AMC Castleton Square 14 and AMC Showplace Indianapolis 17 in Indy.

A Dangerous Method- Viggo Mortenson plays Sigmund Freud and Michael Fassbender plays Carl Jung in David Cronenberg’s drama, inspired by their turbulent professional and personal relationship in pre-WWI Vienna. A Dangerous Method opens today at the Landmark Keystone Art Cinema and AMC Showplace Indianapolis 17 (at reduced showtimes) in Indianapolis, Regal Shiloh Crossing Stadium 18 in Avon, Regal Village Park Stadium 17 in Carmel, AMC Evansville 16, AMC Honey Creek 8 in Terre Haute, AMC Showplace Bloomington 11, AMC Showplace Schererville 16, and Carmike Cinemas Carmike 20 in Fort Wayne.

Shame- Michael Fassbender has received nothing but raves for his starring turn playing a man tormented by sex addiction. Carey Mulligan heads the supporting cast as his sister, who has demons of her own. Shame opens today at the Landmark Keystone Art Cinema in Indianapolis.

THEATRICAL HOLDOVERS (AND “RE-OPENINGS”)

Anonymous- Roland Emmerich’s costume drama/conspiracy thriller starts at the Cinemark Movies 6 in Mishawaka (for two shows a day).

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 has expanded beyond the scope of what I’m willing to type out in the way of theater listings, which makes me happy because it’s a tremendously entertaining movie, and I hope everyone who’s enough of a movie lover to be reading this column will see it soon- if they haven’t already.

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 holds over at the Landmark Keystone Art Theatre in Indianapolis at reduced showtimes.

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 is largely played out after a good run, but it holds over at the Yes Cinema in Columbus and opens at the AMC Showplace Michigan City 14.

FESTIVALS, REPERTORY SCREENINGS, AND MORE

For additional information on venues and showtimes, follow the links under “Outside the Multiplex” in the sidebar.

State Wide

A Fathom Event for Kevin Smith fans: “Kevin Smith, independent film pioneer, is coming back to the big screen for a one night event on Thursday, February 2. Broadcast LIVE from the Scotiabank Theatre in Toronto, Ontario, Kevin Smith: Live From Behind Featuring “Jay and Silent Bob Get Old” will be a unique opportunity for fans all over the country to interact with Kevin Smith, ask him questions, etc. The three-hour event will begin with Smith (Silent Bob) and frequent co-star Jason Mewes (Jay) hosting their highly rated podcast, “Jay and Silent Bob Get Old” followed by a live interactive Q&A with theater audiences across the US.” Check the Fathom website (listed in the Outside the Multiplex sidebar) for more info.

Indianapolis and Central Indiana

The African Queen is tonight’s movie in the IMA’s Winter Nights Technicolor series. The feature will be preceded by the famous cartoon short The Rabbit of Seville. On Thursday, the joint IMA/Eiteljorg Indian film series continues with coming-of-age comedy-drama Four Sheets to the Wind, screening in the IMA’s Toby Theater at 7; tickets are $5, $3 for museum (either one) members.

The Muppets Take Manhattan is the weekend movie at Franklin’s Artcraft Theatre.

The theme for the winter/spring season of “Vintage Movie Nights” (monthly screenings at the Garfield Park Arts Center in Indianapolis) is Fallen Stars: famous actors ostracized in Hollywood. The first film is Fatty Arbuckle’s Coney Island (1917) on January 28. The FILM Indiana page has the full lineup.

Southern Indiana

The ninth annual PRIDE Film Festival runs through the weekend in Bloomington, with film screenings at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater and the IU Cinema (full events schedule). Films at the Buskirk include the documentary Gen Silent and the family drama Gun Hill Road.

The new Turkish crime drama Once Upon a Time in Anatolia has one show a day today through Sunday at the IU Cinema. There are two programs of shorts this weekend: “Oddities from the David Bradley Collection” today at 6:30 and the 2012 Iris Film Festival, which includes locally made films, tomorrow at 7. On Sunday, the 2010 war film Essential Killing will be shown at 3; Wim Wender’s modern classic Wings of Desire screens Monday at 7; and Merci Mr. Robertson, a documentary about a French “pre-cinema pioneer” on Thursday at 3.

Also in Bloomington: There’s a reduced schedule this week in the Ryder Film Series, but you have a few chances to catch Tom Tykwer’s new film 3; two more chances to catch Aki Kaurismaki’s newest, Le Havre; and one chance at The Way. Check the Ryder’s website for days and locations.

Free movies Saturday at Shelbyville’s Strand Theatre, as part of a family day sponsored by the Shelby County tourism department. The Marx Brothers comedy Horsefeathers will be shown at 2 and inspirational sports drama Rudy at 6.

Northern Indiana

There are two screenings tonight of the very enjoyable The Guard, starring Brendan Gleeson as an iconoclastic rural Irish policeman, at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center in South Bend. On Thursday, there will be a showing of On the Bridge, a documentary on veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder; the director, who is a Notre Dame faculty member, will attend. The Bridge is the first film in the Center’s Screenpeace Film Series.

The Cinema Center @ Indiana Tech in Fort Wayne will have one showing a day of Take Shelter and Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos today through Monday.

This week’s movie in the Cinematheque for All repertory series is French Resistance drama Army of Crime (2009).

NEXT WEEK AND BEYOND

The annual programs of Oscar-nominated shorts, animated and live action, are slated to play for one week at the Keystone Art Cinema starting February 10. They’ve held over (at reduced showtimes) beyond the advertised week in some past years, but if you’re interested in seeing them, it’s safer to take the theater at its word.

February 12 at 2 you can see the based-on-fact drama October Sky for free at Shelbyville’s Strand Theatre. The Notebook will be shown two days later as a Valentine’s Day special.

The Buskirk-Chumley in Bloomington plays host to a fund-raiser for Cardinal Stage on February 18. The Muppet Movie starts the day at 10 AM, the singalong Sound of Music goes on at 5:45, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show rounds out the lineup. There’s a discount if you buy your tickets ahead.

Films and events scheduled for next Friday:

Rudy at the Artcraft

Documentary Rebirth at the DeBartolo

Once Upon a Time in Anatolia and 3 in the Ryder series

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes at the IMA