Thinking Outside the Multiplex in Indiana (August 3, 2012)

by HELEN GEIB

You can’t get much more different than Ruby Sparks and Soldiers of Fortune, the two new movies opening in limited release in Indiana this week- the former at the KAC in Indianapolis and the latter at the AMC Schererville 16. The limited release listings favor the northern part of the state this week overall, but Indianapolis dominates the repertory calendar thanks to a busy program at the IMA.

My Top Pick for the Week

I almost missed the listing for Animation Day at the IMA, Sunday from 11 to 3:30, because it’s filed under “family activities”. It does look like a great program to take the kids to, but every movie lover should jump at the chance to see Lotte Reiniger’s Arabian Nights story The Adventures of Prince Achmed on the Toby’s big screen. Filmed completely with hand-cut silhouettes, Achmed isn’t just a film history landmark- although as one of the very first (and oldest surviving) animated feature films, it certainly is that. It’s also one of the most delightful animated tales you’ll ever see.

Note: For trailers, cast and crew, and suchlike follow the title link to the movie’s official website. For showtimes and directions for the non-multiplex venues, follow the links under “Outside the Multiplex” in the sidebar.

OPENING THIS WEEK IN LIMITED RELEASE

Ruby Sparks- In the new film from the directors of Little Miss Sunshine, Paul Dano plays a novelist suffering from chronic writers-block. When his newest character shows up in person, is he going crazy or is she the change he needs in his life? Ruby Sparks starts today at the Keystone Art Cinema in Indianapolis.

Soldiers of Fortune- The official summary: “Wealthy thrill-seekers pay huge premiums to have themselves inserted into military adventures, only this time things don’t go exactly to plan.” Christian Slater stars in this, presumably, action movie, which starts today at the AMC Schererville 16.

THEATRICAL HOLDOVERS (AND “RE-OPENINGS”)

Beasts of the Southern Wild- “In a forgotten but defiant bayou community cut off from the rest of the world by a sprawling levee, Hushpuppy (Quvenzhané Wallis), a six-year-old girl, exists on the brink of orphanhood.” Beasts of the Southern Wild has been receiving rave reviews for the individual vision of its first-time writer-director and the performances by the non-professional cast. It holds over at the Landmark Keystone Art Cinema in Indianapolis and expands to the AMC Schererville 16.

Bernie- In director Richard Linklater’s black comedy-docudrama, Jack Black stars as a funeral home director and pillar of his community who may also be the murderer of a very unpopular old lady (Shirley MacLaine). Bernie, which I really enjoyed and which features a really good seriocomic performance by Black, holds over at the Cinema Center in Fort Wayne and opens at the AMc South Bend 16.

The Intouchables- French drama “The Intouchables is the inspiring true story of two men who should never have met—a quadriplegic aristocrat who was injured in a paragliding accident and a young man from the projects.” In what the theater is billing as a “special return engagement,” The Intouchables is back at the Keystone Art Cinema in Indianapolis.

Trishna- English director Michael Winterbottom’s new film transplants Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles to contemporary India. Trishna, which stars Frieda Pinto, holds over at the Landmark Keystone Art Cinema in Indianapolis- but at only one evening showtime.

Your Sister’s Sister- This indie relationship drama, “a twisted tale of ever-complicated relationships”, stars Mark Duplass, Emily Blunt, and Rosemary DeWitt. It starts today at the Cinema Center in Fort Wayne and holds over at the AMC Bloomington 11 and AMC Muncie 7.

FESTIVALS, REPERTORY SCREENINGS, AND MORE

Indianapolis and Central Indiana

The IMA’s Summer Nights series of movies on the terrace continues tonight with The Shawshank Redemption; full lineup and screening details. Sunday is the annual family animation event at the IMA. This year’s program is two feature films, The Adventures of Prince Achmed (1926) at 11 AM and Tales of the Night (2011) at 2. Children can make their own shadow puppets at the museum’s Art Labs between the movies; free for children 6 and under and $2 for everyone else. Also at the IMA, A compilation of 85 Lumiere Brothers films, narrated by director Bertrand Tavernier, will be shown in the Toby on Thursday, August 9; tickets $5/$3 IMA members.

Tonight is the monthly First Friday event at the Heartland’s office/theater in Fountain Square. The short Abuelas will be shown every 15 minutes starting at 6; free.

The documentary Marble Hill: Unsafe at Any Price, about an Indiana anti-nuclear protest movement, will be shown at the Irving Theatre on Thursday.

Southern Indiana

Trishna is the weekend movie at the IU Cinema; shows tonight and tomorrow night at 7. Tomorrow the Cinema will have one showing of the documentary David Hockney: A Bigger Picture. Next weekend’s movie To Rome With Love starts Thursday.

Despite having the trailer in heavy rotation for a couple of months, the Keystone Art Cinema passed on showing Polisse; however, you can see it this weekend in Bloomington in the Ryder film series at IU. Also showing: Kumare: The True Story of a False Prophet and Oslo August 31st.

Northern Indiana

The drama The Time That Remains, a semi-biographical account of an Arab family in Israel, is the closing film in the summer season of the Cinematheque for All repertory series; Wednesdays at 7 on the Purdue campus.

NEXT WEEK AND BEYOND

A short series at the IMA in connection with the exhibition “Snapshot: Painters and Photograph” begins Thursday, August 16 with Antonioni’s Blow Up. The IMA is also hosting a screening of short films made during this year’s 48 Hour Film Project; to be presented in three sets on Saturday, August 11, starting at 5.

There may be a showing of new cult sci-fi movie Iron Sky on Wednesday, August 15 at the AMC Indianapolis 17. If you want to see it, buy a ticket now- the screening is courtesy of a startup company called Tugg that will screen a movie if, and only if, 40 people buy tickets in advance. More details here. Ticket price is $10.

The Artcraft will show the new indie drama Ways To Live Forever on Thursday, August 16 at 7:30.

If you missed the Fathom Events showing of Singin’ in the Rain, there’s an encore on August 22; at theaters around the state. Other upcoming Fathom one-night-only movie screenings are The Birds on September 19 and To Kill a Mockinbird on November 15.

The annual B Movie Celebration is moving to Columbus’ Yes Cinema (from Franklin’s Artcraft). The festival, now in its sixth year, is September 14-16; visit their website for this year’s lineup of movies, none of which I’ve heard of. The same weekend and not far away, Shelbyville’s Strand Theatre and Skyline Drive-In host “Super Monster Movie Fest” of classic horror and sci-fi movies on September 14 and 15.

In other B-movie news, the Keystone Art’s midnight movie series may be wrapping up for the summer, but it’ll be back in the fall starting with The Room the last weekend of September.

Films and events scheduled for next Friday:

Double Indemnity at the IMA

Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure at the Artcraft

Polisse, Kumare: The True Story of a False Prophet, The Pigeoneers at the Ryder