Midnight Movies

The Summer 2009 schedule is as follows (as tickets become available, the film titles below become links to purchase):

June 5-6–The Ring (2002)
Directed by Gore Verbinski. Starring Naomi Watts, Daveigh Chase, David Dorfman, Martin Henderson and Rachel Bella. In this U.S. remake of one of Japan’s highest-grossing box office hits ever, a cynical female journalist discovers a disturbing videotape with a bizarre history — everyone who’s seen its contents has died within seven days — and races to uncover the truth when she realizes she may be next. 109 min/Rated PG-

June 12-13 — Brazil Director’s Cut (1985)
Directed by Terry Gilliam. Starring Jonathan Pryce, Robert De Niro, Katherine Helmond, Ian Holm, Bob Hoskins, Michael Palin and Kim Greist. In this acclaimed cult favorite, Sam Lowry, a faceless civil servant in a futuristic state bureaucracy, dreams of escaping the drudgery with a mysterious and beautiful woman, but instead finds himself accused of terrorism while investigating an administrative error. 142 min/Rated R

June 19-20 — Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008)
Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman. Starring Anthony Head, Paul Sorvino, Alexa Vega, Paris Hilton, Sarah Brightman and Bill Moseley. In this twisted rock opera set in 2056, an epidemic of organ failures devastates the planet. Out of the tragedy, a savior emerges: GeneCo, a biotech company that offers organ transplants . . . for a price. Those who miss their payments are scheduled for repossession and hunted by villainous Repo Men. 98 min/Rated R

June 26-27 — Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
Directed by Michael Bay. Starring Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, Kevin Dunn, Julie White, John Benjamin Hickey and John Turturro. In the highly-anticipated sequel to the 2007 action blockbuster, young Sam Witwicky again joins with the Autobots against their sworn enemies, the Decepticons. Rated PG-13

July 3–Clerks (1994) (Camera 7 Only)
Directed by Kevin Smith (Mallrats, Chasing Amy). Starring Brian O’Halloran, Kevin Smith, Jeff Anderson and Jason Mewes. The first film in Smith’s cult classic New Jersey trilogy chronicles a day in the life of Quick Stop clerk Dante Hicks, who desperately tries to exert some power over the crazy customers, his love life, and his incorrigible friend and fellow clerk, Randal. 92 min/Rated R

July 10-11–Ghost Busters (1984)
Directed by Ivan Reitman. Starring Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, Rick Moranis and Annie Potts. In this sci-fi horror comedy that spawned several sequels, when three odd-ball New York scientists get kicked out of their cushy university positions, they decide to set up shop in an old firehouse and become Ghostbusters, trapping pesky ghosts, spirits, haunts, and poltergeists for money. 107 min/Rated PG
Sponsored by:

July 17-18–Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince (2009)
Directed by David Yates. Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Julie Walters, David Thewlis and Jim Broadbent. As Voldemort tightens his grip on both the Muggle and wizarding worlds, possibly even breaching Hogwarts itself, Dumbledore and Harry prepare for the final battle that they know is fast approaching. Rated PG

For more information: www.cameracinemas.com/midnight.shtml

Upcoming Midnight Movies at the 5 Points Theatre in Jacksonville, FL

Pulp Fiction
Starring: John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson

Rating: R

Showing: Friday May 22nd at MIDNIGHT!

The Goonies
They call themselves “The Goonies.” The secret caves. The old lighthouse. The lost map. The treacherous traps. The hidden treasure. And Sloth… Join the adventure.
A group of kids embark on a wild adventure after finding a pirate treasure map.

Starring: Sean Astin, Corey Feldman
Rating: PG
Showing: Friday May 29th at MIDNIGHT!

5 Points Theatre
1028 Park Street
Jacksonville, Florida 32204
For Movie Information or Questions please call:
(904) 359-0047

The 5 Points Theatre Building was built in 1927 and has a long history as a premier venue in Jacksonville. Originally the Riverside Theatre, it was the first theatre in Florida built to show “talkies.” The architect, Roy Benjamin, also designed the Florida Theatre and over 200 theatres throughout the Southeast.

The building was remodeled in 1949, and the marquee was added in its current form. Although the marquee was not original, it is considered to be an historic part of the building, and has also been restored. In 1978 the building was covered with stucco an ill-conceived attempt to “modernize” its appearance. During the 80’s and 90’s the theatre operated as a playhouse and a nightclub.

The theatre building offers retail and office space and has been restored, turning Jacksonville’s oldest movie theatre into it’s newest. The theatre is also available for private parties and events.

For more information: www.5pointstheatre.com

From the warped minds behind the BUFFY Sing-A-Long comes a new participatory adventure: THE LOST BOYS.

The Lost Boys Revived
Friday, May 29 at 12:00 AM
Saturday, May 30 at 12:00 AM

Back in the ’80s, vampires weren’t cuddly vegetarians who were easily slain by teenaged girls–they were the bad-ass extreme-livin’ motorcycling undead who ruled Southern California with an iron fang! Relive the era’s best teenage vampire film on the big screen and watch Kiefer Sutherland et al. battle the Coreys in all their glory. But that’s not all–we’ll also be passing out goodie bags full of fun activities to get you in the mood, and encouraging audience participation with the help of some real live “lost boys.” It’s a night you won’t want to miss… just don’t forget the garlic.

R, 97 Minutes
USA, 1987

23 Sixth Avenue at West Third Street
(212) 924-777
1ifccinfo@ifccenter.com
www.ifccenter.com/series/waverly-midnights/interactive-midnights/

Are you a daring film connoisseur of the weird, strange and perverse? Check out the unusual late-night fare served as “Midnight Snacks” during the 33rd Cleveland International Film Festival at Tower City Cinemas.

Just as the title suggests, these tasty oddities are whipped up at midnight on the Fridays and Saturdays that bookend the CIFF. Don’t be reluctant to attend for fear of being turned away. Seats generally are available for the adventurous movie lovers.

Friday

“The Disappeared” (United Kingdom) — This moody thriller centers on devastated Matthew (Harry Treadaway) after his younger brother has disappeared from a city playground. The young man struggles to find the truth of what happened with the help of the mysterious Amy (Ros Leeming).

Saturday

“Tokyo!” (Japan) — It’s hard to resist a film that contains segments directed by Michel Gondry (”Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”) and Bong Joon-ho (”The Host”). Three short stories are set in the titled city.

March 27

“Surveillance” (USA) — Can the daughter follow in the legendary footsteps of a man who crafted that midnight movie classic, “Eraserhead”? Yes, it’s Jennifer Lynch, David’s offspring, who directs Bill Pullman and Julia Ormond in this thriller, where three eyewitnesses are the only clues to a series of murders.

March 28

“FilmPhobia” (Brazil/Germany) — Like the notorious “Faces of Death,” this dark film dares its audience to shamelessly watch volunteers who often stripped of clothing and tied down face their own worst fears. In between the torture, the film crew discusses the merit of their work. Think twice before entering this very twisted flick.

Also on hand are four different “Midnight Shorts” programs, filled with scary, twisted and hilarious films from around the world.

If you’re a movie fiend, this is a great time to be an insomniac and munch on these salacious “Midnight Snacks.”

The 33rd Cleveland International Film Festival runs from March 17 through March 29 at Tower City Cinemas. Visit www.clevelandfilm.org  for times and tickets, as well as $2 discount coupons available by entering the Sun News discount code of SNWS online.

Source - www.cleveland.com

Armed with pillows, hoodies, and backpacks full of processed snack foods and enough caffeine to successfully fuel a rocket, UC Santa Cruz students and Santa Cruzans alike filed into the Del Mar at midnight last Saturday for 12 hours of movie mystery.

The ultimate testament to movie buff endurance, the Secret Film Festival has joined events like the weekly midnight movie as a staple in Del Mar Theatre tradition.

The concept of the Secret Film Festival is simple. Participants are shown five to seven movies, which are played consecutively within the span of roughly 12 hours. As they enter the theater at midnight, moviegoers are unaware of what movies will be playing, and throughout the show, only given subtle hints as to the content of the upcoming show.

Some are easy. When Scott Griffin, organizer of the event and emcee for the long night, stood up and said “I will give you three words: Neil. Patrick. Harris,” The audience shouted back with glee, “Dr. Horrible! Dr. Horrible!”

Other hints, such as “big hair, the onion dance and robbery,” were a bit too complex for the puzzled and sleep-deprived crowd. But the common consensus is that guessing was half the fun.

Del Mar Theatre employee and self-described popcorn-popper Natalie Shell had never worked the Secret Film Festival before, but was excited for the night ahead of her.

“I am working the night shift from 2 a.m. to 10 a.m., so I’ll be able to see the first and last shows,” Shell said. “I’m working to make sure nobody pirates the films so that we can continue having a film festival every year. Oh, and that set list is not a secret to me,” she added.

In the main theater, excited moviegoers wriggled in their seats with anticipation, waiting for the affair to begin. After waiting in a line that wrapped around the corner, they dove for seating like scavengers in the desert. In good spirits, through speculation and swigs of soda, audience members prepped each other for the night ahead.

“I came to the film festival to challenge myself to stay awake for 12 hours, and see new movies with friends,” said first-year UCSC student Westley Littleton. “We watch movies at all hours of the night back at the dorms, so this atmosphere is just making something familiar that much better.”

Films shown at the yearly Del Mar event are ones that have not been shown anywhere in Santa Cruz before. This year’s lineup ranged from the inspirational kung fu epic “Chocolate,” to touching family dramedy “Sunshine Cleaning,” to slasher flick “All The Boys Love Mandy Lane,” to the new quintessential summer comedy, “Skills Like These.” Fan favorite “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog” was played between movies to keep spirits high.

“We have an amazing mix of films,” Shell said. “There’s comedy, sci-fi, some action, horror. Really we have something for everyone to keep it interesting.”

In total, the night hosted seven films — five shown in the main theater, and two as alternate options in the upstairs region. In addition to those already mentioned, the lineup included foreign films “Los Cronocrimenes” (“Time Crimes”), a Spanish psychological thriller, “Big Man Japan,” a satirical Japanese monster movie that pokes fun at the exploitation of advertising and poorly-made action series, and “Let The Right One In,” a Swedish vampire flick.

“I was hoping for less subtitles this late in the night,” Littleton said. “I feel like my brain has shut off and I’m just absorbing information. But at the same time, I’m eight hours in and it is a great feeling.”

As the night wore on, and enthusiasm wavered with each passing hour, the audience stood strong and vowed to stay awake until the clock struck noon. The Del Mar staff helped sustain the masses by providing an extended snack bar, far from the usual movie-theater fare. At reasonable prices, one could purchase sandwiches, cereal and milk, coffee, soda, energy drinks, fresh fruit and pastries. In the morning hours boxes of Tic-Tacs were also sold in case of breath desperation.

The Secret Film Festival is an event unlike most movie theater experiences.

“I was initially dragged here,” third-year UCSC student Laura Cody said. “I had no clue what to expect, but I think it’s awesome. And I think I am definitely tired.”

Source - http://www.cityonahillpress.com

Midnight Movie Showings - Music Box Theatre, Chicago

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Mar. 13 & 14

Michel Gondry, 2004, 108m
ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND is an unconventional romance told in the abstract, inventive, and comedic storytelling style of screenwriter Charlie Kaufman. The film’s conclusion promises to satisfy viewers; it offers a beautiful metaphor for the end of a love affair that brings perfect closure to this excellent film.

Christmas on Mars Mar. 13, 14, 20 & 21

Wayne Coyne, 2008, 86m
In 2001 Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne conceived CHRISTMAS ON MARS, a disorienting sci-fi feature that follows a small band of colonists who have settled on the red planet. Bouts of touring and recording led to a fractured production history for Coyne’s film, but he finally released the movie some seven years after its inception.

Xanadu Sing-Along Mar. 20

Robert Greenwald, 1980, 93m
Presented by Dick O’Day and Hell in a Handbag Productions. During the film, on-screen lyrics will appear so that youcan sing-along and running commentary will be provided by members of Camp Midnight. Visit Camp Midnight at MySpace. Advance tickets are now on sale through Ticketweb.

The Fall Mar. 21, 27 & 28

Tarsem Singh, 2006, 117m
Award-winning music video, commercial and film director Tarsem Singh (The Cell) creates a moving and seamless blending of mundane life in a 1915 Los Angeles hospital with a visually sumptuous fantasy world of exotic bandits, evil tyrants, dream-like palaces and breathtaking landscapes.

Rocky Horror Picture Show Mar. 27 & 28, Apr. 24 & 25

Jim Sharman, 1975, 106m
The outstanding costuming and makeup, the terrific acting by a group of, at the time, relative unknowns, and the memorable songs help make THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW one of the most bizarrely entertaining and satisfying musicals ever made. shadowcast by members of Midnight Madness.

Serenity April 3 & 4

Joss Whedon, 2005, 119m
Beloved television cult director Joss Whedon makes a spectacular first foray onto the big screen with SERENITY, the cinematic adaptation of his wildly popular but short-lived sci-fi series, FIREFLY.

Duel April 3, 4, 10 & 11

Steven Spielberg, 1971, 90m
On a deserted stretch of California highway, businessman David Mann settles into his red Valiant for the long drive to an urgent meeting. Ahead of him on the road is a slow-moving diesel truck, which David innocently decides to pass. So begins the long duel between David and the Goliath-like rig in this nerve-wracking movie.

Repo! The Genetic Opera April 10 & 11

Darren Lynn Bousman, 2008, 98m
Begun in 2002 as a Los Angeles stage production by writers Darren Smith and Terrence Zdunich, REPO! THE GENETIC OPERA was designed as a gory, comedic Grand Guignol to appeal more to club goers than fans of musical theater. Shadowcast by 90 Day Delinquents. Advance tickets are available through Ticketweb.

For the last two decades, the Music Box Theatre has been the premiere venue in Chicago for independent and foreign films. It currently has the largest theater space operated full time in the city. The Music Box Theatre is independently owned and operated by the Southport Music Box Corporation. SMBC, through its Music Box Films division, also distributes foreign and independent films in the theatrical, DVD and television markets throughout the United States.

Phone

Showtimes: 773-871-6604
Office: 773-871-6607
Fax 773-871-0602

Address

Music Box Theatre
3733 N. Southport Ave.
Chicago, IL 60613

http://www.musicboxtheatre.com/midnight/

Weekends get weird with new film series

Let’s face it, college students have a lot to think about - what credits are needed to graduate, paying bills, how to survive the weekday, etc. Deciding weekend plans shouldn’t be one of them.

To help the unsettled weekend goers, CineVegas is back with another event showcasing a series of bizarre midnight cult films starting Sunday, Feb. 22.

The CineVegas Area 52 Screening Series at the Onyx Theatre is a series of out-of-this-world science fiction movies that will be shown Sundays at 9 p.m. for four consecutive weeks.

Remember those nights as a kid, staying up past midnight watching the most unusual and strangest television programming? Those late night B-movies are a classic example of the “midnight movie” that started this particular cult genre of entertainment.

“The first time I watched [a cult genre movie] was at a friend’s house back in Dakota,” said UNLV sophomore Luke Quam. “We were at his house and he knew I didn’t like those kinds of movies from my past history. This was at like 1 a.m. or 2 a.m. in the late hours of the night.”

The midnight cult genre started during the late 1950s in films that were dubbed “midnight movies.” The most recognizable shows were “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and “The Vampira Show” featuring the pop culture phenomenon and busty bloodsucker, Elvira.

“When I was a kid… in the 70s and early 80s, I would watch replays of the old genre movies on Saturday afternoons,” said Jim Finn, director of the cult film “Interkosmos. “The whole cult genre is a little bit weird and unclassifiable.”

Now those “midnight movies” are revived for a limited time with a modern twist. Finn’s “Interkosmos” will be one of the four films to be shown at the special screening series and is a modern example of a midnight cult movie.

“It’s a more of a unique brand of movie,” Finn said. “You’re going to have to open up to something different. Often times, movies that I don’t like the first time, I’ll like later on after watching it over again.”

“Interkosmos” will be shown on the opening Sunday of the special screening series. The film is about the peculiar account of a secret collaboration between the Soviet Russia and West Germany. taking place in the murky vacuum of space.

“The idea of not having any real rules and to be totally open is really appealing about the genre,” Finn said. “You can ignore rules like physics and go at the speed of light. The past is done and somewhat limited as far as imagination goes, while the future is more epic with an unknown quality to it.”

A reception will be held at 8:30 p.m. before each film and tickets are $7 per person and may be purchased at the Onyx Theatre. The special screening series will include film shorts and trailers along with the feature-length films.

“I think a lot of young people will like the series of films,” Finn said. “It’s nutty and smart, and a lot of college students are used to challenging the ideas in films and literature.”

Source - http://unlvrebelyell.com

They say revolutions come in cycles—and perhaps cult films do, too. Italian director Marco Ferreri’s controversial masterpiece Dillinger is Dead has resurfaced yet again, this time at BAMcinématek.

The 1960’s were known for their rebellion, and Dillinger is true to its time. It is a film remarkably free of any convention, something of which modern films should take note. Dillinger has rarely been shown in the U.S., originally due to its devastating violence, but now because of its moralizing content. It is a treat to be able to see it on the big screen, and though it’s not catered to broad tastes, I walked away glad I had seen it.

Glauco, played by Michel Piccoli, is a disenchanted industrial engineer who spends his days designing gas masks, and his nights with his drugged-up shell of a wife. His life is claustrophobic, and it shows in his character—Piccoli infuses the role with the look of a broken man, but the heart and emotional breadth of a child. When he finds an old gun hidden in his kitchen, he paints it red with white polka dots, like a kid with a coloring book.

Ferreri makes it his task to highlight Glauco’s tedious nocturnal activities, which take place over only one night. As the ordinary events languidly play out in real time, the viewer often wonders if Ferreri is mocking the audience by making them sit through the mundanities of everyday life. Even when something intriguing happens—the uncovering of the gun, the seduction of his maid, and even the singular act of deeply unsettling violence—Glauco stays chillingly unemotional.

Ferreri’s minimalist touch greatly enhances the film. By leaving the camera immobile, he creates jarring shots that cut up the shapes of the bodies onscreen—a choice that makes the film interesting without being flashy. The bubbly pop soundtrack that accompanies the action only adds to the uneasiness one feels while watching Glauco’s stunted, infantile character onscreen.

What Ferreri manages to do with Dillinger is create a film that acts as a blank canvas and leaves the audience to wrestle with their own views and ideologies in response. No matter the year, the questions Dillinger raises are timeless. It may not be a date movie, but it does force viewers to stay active and take a decisive role—something missing in much of the mindless entertainment filling theaters today.

Dillinger is Dead is screening at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, BAM Rose Cinemas, from Feb. 27 to March 5. BAM Rose Cinemas are located at 30 Lafayette Ave., Brooklyn. $8 with a student ID.

Source -  http://columbiaspectator.com

CineVegas features cult movies in ‘Area 52 Screening Series’

Let’s face it, college students have a lot to think about - what credits are needed to graduate, paying bills, how to survive the weekday, etc. Deciding weekend plans shouldn’t be one of them.

To help the unsettled weekend goers, CineVegas is back with another event showcasing a series of bizarre midnight cult films starting Sunday, Feb. 22.

The CineVegas Area 52 Screening Series at the Onyx Theatre is a series of out-of-this-world science fiction movies that will be shown Sundays at 9 p.m. for four consecutive weeks.

Remember those nights as a kid, staying up past midnight watching the most unusual and strangest television programming? Those late night B-movies are a classic example of the “midnight movie” that started this particular cult genre of entertainment.

“The first time I watched [a cult genre movie] was at a friend’s house back in Dakota,” said UNLV sophomore Luke Quam. “We were at his house and he knew I didn’t like those kinds of movies from my past history. This was at like 1 a.m. or 2 a.m. in the late hours of the night.”

The midnight cult genre started during the late 1950s in films that were dubbed “midnight movies.” The most recognizable shows were “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and “The Vampira Show” featuring the pop culture phenomenon and busty bloodsucker, Elvira.

“When I was a kid… in the 70s and early 80s, I would watch replays of the old genre movies on Saturday afternoons,” said Jim Finn, director of the cult film “Interkosmos. “The whole cult genre is a little bit weird and unclassifiable.”

Now those “midnight movies” are revived for a limited time with a modern twist. Finn’s “Interkosmos” will be one of the four films to be shown at the special screening series and is a modern example of a midnight cult movie.

“It’s a more of a unique brand of movie,” Finn said. “You’re going to have to open up to something different. Often times, movies that I don’t like the first time, I’ll like later on after watching it over again.”

“Interkosmos” will be shown on the opening Sunday of the special screening series. The film is about the peculiar account of a secret collaboration between the Soviet Russia and West Germany. taking place in the murky vacuum of space.

“The idea of not having any real rules and to be totally open is really appealing about the genre,” Finn said. “You can ignore rules like physics and go at the speed of light. The past is done and somewhat limited as far as imagination goes, while the future is more epic with an unknown quality to it.”

A reception will be held at 8:30 p.m. before each film and tickets are $7 per person and may be purchased at the Onyx Theatre. The special screening series will include film shorts and trailers along with the feature-length films.

“I think a lot of young people will like the series of films,” Finn said. “It’s nutty and smart, and a lot of college students are used to challenging the ideas in films and literature.”

Source - http://unlvrebelyell.com

The first and only X-rated film to win an Academy Award for best picture (later revised to R), “Midnight Cowboy,” arrives at Northwest Film Forum for a week’s run tonight. Joined by the late Sydney Pollack’s dance-marathon drama “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?” it’s part of NWFF’s tribute to the films of 1969. Both screen nightly in 35 mm through Thursday: NWFF, 1515 12th Ave., Seattle; 206-267-5380 or www.nwfilmforum.org.

Seattle Art Museum concludes its Black History Month musicals series with a screening tonight of “Carmen Jones,” the Oscar Hammerstein adaptation of Bizet’s opera, directed by Otto Preminger and starring Dorothy Dandridge (who’s dubbed by opera star Marilyn Horne) and Harry Belafonte. 7:30 p.m., Plestcheeff Auditorium, SAM, 1300 First Ave., Seattle; 206-654-3121 or www.seattleartmuseum.org. Tickets are $7 (cash only) at the door.

The Grand Illusion continues its Akira Kurosawa series with “Yojimbo,” the 1961 samurai-for-hire tale which would later inspire “A Fistful of Dollars.” Nightly through Thursday, 1403 N.E. 50th St., Seattle; 206-523-3935 or www.grandillusioncinema.org.

And finally, this week’s midnight movie at the Egyptian is Paul Verhoeven’s 1997 sci-fi adventure “Starship Troopers,” based on the novel by Robert Heinlein. Tonight and Saturday at 805 E. Pine St., Seattle; 206-781-5755 or www.landmarktheatres.com.