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Theatrical goings on for the weekend of 6/18

madamecrow — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 16:53:44 +0000

Hello and welcome to this weekend’s theater-goin’ roundup. Some of us Crowsters will be spending the weekend up in Everett at the CRYPTICON horror fest. Weather being as it has been, we can wear our Freddy sweaters. If you’re there, please stop by our booth and say hello. If you’re staying within the King County limits, SIFF Cinema will be screening THE BEST OF SIFF 2010 all weekend, including the new Edward Norton film LEAVES OF GRASS and Golden Space Needle winner THE HEDGEHOG. You can also stop by Scarecrow and check out our special SIFF 2010 rental section, where you’ll find the early John Lennon biopic NOWHERE BOY, the political thriller documentary MUGABE AND THE WHITE AFRICAN and more. While you’re at the store, check out our BADMOVIEART rental section, where amongst the oddities of cinema you’ll find TROLL 2, the subject of the film this weekend at Central Cinema: BEST WORST MOVIE. It’s a truly intriguing look at the making of a truly ridiculous film; we highly recommend it. We’re not even sad the footage they shot here got cut out. Northwest Film Forum is showing THE OATH, a documentary about the inner workings of Al-Qaeda by Laura Poitras (Oscar nominee for MY COUNTRY, MY COUNTRY) and Harmony “Gummo” Korine’s latest TRASH HUMPERS (read what Brendan Kiley has to say about it over on SLOG). Korine will be in attendance on Friday for both Opening Night shows. Our friends at Grand Illusion Cinema are showing a brand new 35 mm print of Fred Zinneman’s FROM HERE TO ETERNITY starring Burt Lancaster, Deborah Kerr, Montgomery Clift and Donna Reed. In the Late Night spot, there’s Alejandro ‘Holy Mountain” Jodorowsky’s SANTA SANGRE. If you’ve yet to experience the psychological psychedelia of Jodorowsky’s films, you should definitely check this 35mm print on a big screen. Then there’s what many of us consider the real first film of the summer–TOY STORY 3. Isn’t it great when a G-rated movie has such broad appeal that there are Midnight screenings? Those of us who were there last night recommend that when you see it, bring a childlike sense of wonder and a couple Kleenex. Happy viewing, everyone.

Theatrical goings-on for the weekend of June 11th

madamecrow — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 17:06:18 +0000

Seattle’s yearly theater-going frenzy comes to a close as the SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL and SEATTLE’S TRUE INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL wrap up this weekend. SIFF’s home stretch includes the highly anticipated Midnight Adrenaline films TICKED-OFF TRANNIES WITH KNIVES and ROBOGESHIA. The fact that Bill Murray plays a “fast-talking funeral home owner” in the Closing Night film GET LOW should be enough pique your interest in seeing it, along with the added bonus of Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, and posh party at the Pan Pacific Hotel. STIFF is closing out with a FREE Late Night Dance Party at the Northwest Film Forum on Friday staring at 11pm. We suggest you attend, as dancing will help shake out all the stiffness in your legs from sitting for so long watching movies–plus, it will be all kinds of crazy fun. They also have a host of shorts & films through the weekend, including Spencer & John’s short film A VISITOR IN THE NIGHT, which you can win tickets to over on our Facebook page. Once STIFF is done at NWFF, they’re showing Matt Porterfield’s HAMILTON, which THE NEW YORKER calls “One of the most original, moving, and accomplished American independent films in recent years,” and local filmmaker Linus Phillips’ search-for-self road trip BASS ACKWARDS. There’s A LOT going on at Central Cinema: another showing of THE ROOM, they “they’re all going to laugh at you!” freakiness of CARRIE, Three Dollar Bill Cinema’s presentation of WIGSTOCK. But the main attraction is on Thursday, when BadMovieArt hosts a HORROR PROM (insert your own “my prom was a horror!” joke here). Don your prom best and enjoy HELLO MARY LOU: PROM NIGHT PART 2 and CARRIE, along with a PROM VIDEO DANCE PARTY (keep your eyes out for buckets of pig’s blood). For a peek at the awesome programming Central Cinema has on deck this summer, check out this great trailer–I can’t wait for the 120 Minutes sing-along! Your best bet for coming down off your film fest high is over at Grand Illusion Cinema, who are presenting Dennis Nyback’s PANORAMA OF THE 20TH CENTURY. Mr. Nyback will be “guiding you through his entertaining, offbeat version of the 20th century” with an eclectic selection of films–too many to go over in this short space, so please check out the GI site for details. Lastly, if you’re looking to take in the 80s remake one-two punch of THE KARATE KID or THE A-TEAM this weekend, you can see both at Columbia City Cinema. Enjoy.

Theater roundup for the first weekend of June

madamecrow — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 16:19:44 +0000

You wouldn’t know it from the weather, but June has arrived and that means Seattle is abuzz with Film Festival Fever. THE SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL rages on into its second week–please visit their site for the schedule, which includes the Tribute to Edward Norton on Friday at 7pm at the Egyptian. Scarecrow would like to welcome Mr. Norton to our fair city–and sir, if you find yourself in the U-District neighborhood, we’d be honored if you stopped by and signed our copy of KEEPING THE FAITH. The other big film fest happening this weekend is the fifth annual “celebration of off-beat independent film from the Northwest and the rest of the world” known as the SEATTLE TRUE INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL. It starts Friday (check out the full schedule here) with shorts, features and events at the Rendezvous, Northwest Film Forum and at Central Cinema, where Friday at 7pm you can see THE LOBSTER AND THE LIVER: THE UNIQUE WORLD OF JIM WOODRING, a look at the life and work of the local cartoonist. Our good pals at Grand Illusion Cinema describe their film for the week THE LIVING WAKE as, “anything from a black comedy to an absurdist/existentialist literary tale.” This tale about an eccentric man with not long to live decides to head back to his hometown for a living wake sendoff stars Mike O’Connell, Jesse Eisenberg, Jim Gaffigan, and a bicycle powered rickshaw. Director Sol Tryon will be attendance for this weekend’s screenings. But no matter what your viewing plans are for the next 48 hours, you’ll want to make sure you’re at the Grand Illusion on Friday and/or Saturday for the Late Night movie ROLLING THUNDER–the awesome 1977 revenge film starring William Devane and Tommy Lee Jones that tops Scarecrow’s list of “Films We Wish We’re On DVD.” Happy viewing to all.

Theater-going roundup for 5/28

madamecrow — Fri, 28 May 2010 19:40:29 +0000

Hello and welcome to the theatrical round up for this Memorial Day weekend. If you’re not picking up movies at Scarecrow–we’re open regular hours all weekend including Monday–or out at Sasquatch or grooving at Folklife, there’s plenty of excellent movie outings around town. The SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL runs full speed ahead into its second week–there’s too much good stuff to cover here (CANE TOADS in 3-D!) so head over to their site for the schedule & film details. Northwest Film Forum is paying tribute to the late Malcolm McLaren with the Sex Pistols rock/mockumentary THE GREAT ROCK ‘N’ ROLL SWINDLE. On Tuesday, June 1st, they’re showing THE BEST OF THE 48-HOUR FILM PROJECT, the annual competition that gives filmmakers two days to make a movie that’s under ten minutes long. Sixty-five teams competed in this years competition, and the winners will be announced at this screening. It will be a regular Dude Fest down at Central Cinema with THE BIG LEBOWSKI, frequently cited as one of maybe five films everyone on staff agrees is fantastic. Central Cinema is also celebrating their 5th Anniversary on Thursday, June 3rd with a FREE event full of movie trailers, short films and music videos. Congratulations to all at CC and thanks for five great years of drinking & watching! Our pals at Grand Illusion Cinema have PROMISED LANDS, Susan Sontag’s 1974 documentary examining the Arab-Israeli conflict and the divisions over Palestinian sovereignty filmed during the last days of the 1973 Yom Kippur War. The 80s cinematic oddity FORBIDDEN ZONE makes a return appearance in the Late Night spot. Lastly, if you’re still up for seeing SEX AND THE THE CITY 2, we suggest you do so at a Columbia City Cinema. Have a safe & wonderful weekend and happy viewing to all.

Theatergoing roundup for 5/21

madamecrow — Fri, 21 May 2010 16:01:55 +0000

Greetings everyone and welcome to the theatrical round-up for Seattle film fans’ favorite weekend of the year. That’s right, THE SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL begins its full day of shows on Friday and will continue its cinematic domination through June 13th. There’s just too much good stuff for us to go over here, so head to the SIFF website for the full list of films (we suggest you start with the MIDNIGHT ADRENALINE series) and check out The Stranger for the lowdown on this year’s lineup. For those with the technology, you can handily manage your SIFF-going with the iSIFF app for your IPhone. Of course, Seattle is such a film-fueled town that biggest film festival in North America can be going on and there’s still tons of other great movies playing around town. Northwest Film Forum is celebrating the anniversary of Europe’s largest ever rock festival with 40 YEARS ON: MURRAY LERNER’S ISLE OF WIGHT FILMS. The series includes films about Miles Davis, The Who, Jimi Hendrix and more, all centered around their performances at the legendary musical event. Murray Lerner will be in attendance at the films through Monday. Central Cinema has the infinitely watchable BACK TO THE FUTURE (“That is your name isn’t it? Calvin Klein? It’s written all over your underwear”). On Thursday the 27th, STIFF Nights is showing AMERICAN JIHADIST, the awarding winning documentary that asks, “What social, economic and political environments create the mindset of a Jihadist, especially an American one?”and seek to answer that question by examining the life of an American Muslim named Isa Abdullah Ali. Our friends & neighbors at Grand Illusion Cinema are showing Charlie Chaplin’s “comedy of murders: MONSIEUR VERDOUX and the classic 80s freakout FORBIDDEN ZONE (aka “The movie with Tattoo from Fantasy Island”) in the Late Night spot. On Friday they’ll be screening the original black & white version, then on Saturday they’re showing the “new mind-blowing color version!” No matter if you choose b&w or color, you’ll still get to enjoy the musical stylings of Oingo Boingo. The Hollywood summer movie season continues with new additions SHREK FOREVER AFTER at Columbia City Cinema & other venues around town (read our list of complimentary viewing over on the Seattle Times website) and MACGRUBER (which if you believe the poster is the best SNL film since WAYNE’S WORLD. Lastly, Sunday marks the end of an era as LOST ends its six season run. Many of us on staff will be crowded nervously around the TV. The rest of us will be here renting out the first five seasons to those curious what all the hubub is about. Happy weekend, everyone.