What’s playing in Madison theaters, Oct. 4-9

 

RUNNER, RUNNER

All week

Gravity” (Point, Eastgate, Star Cinema, Sundance) – My full review is here. I’ve been looking forward to Alfonso Cuaron’s outer-space thriller for months,  and it did not disappoint.

Runner Runner” (Point, Eastgate, Star Cinema) – The screenwriters of “Rounders” return with another tale of poker, this time the world of offshore online gambling. Looks like they’re hand is a lot weaker this time.

Parkland” (Star Cinema, Sundance) – My full review is here. Tom Hanks produced this documentary, which looks at peripheral characters present on the day JFK was assassinated.

Short Term 12” (Sundance) – Brie Larson gives a star-making performance as a counselor for at-risk youth anguished by her own troubled childhood.

Friday

Holy Motors” (7 p.m., Union South Marquee Theatre) – My full review is here. Leos Carax’s dazzling ode (and eulogy?) to cinema features Denis Lavant as a mysterious traveling actor. FREE!

Kwaidan” (7 p.m., UW-Cinematheque, 4070 Vilas Hall) – The Cinematheque’s salute to international horror cinema begins with this eerie 1965 anthology, based on Japanese ghost stories. FREE!

“Annie Hall” (9:30 p.m., Union South Marquee Theatre) – Woody Allen’s classic comedy shows him at the height of his powers in both comedy and romance. FREE!

The Fly” (midnight, Union South Marquee Theatre) – You might want to pass on the Chinese food before seeing David Cronenberg’s gory tale of a scientist, a fly, and the machine that brings them together. FREE!

Saturday

Puss N Boots 3D” (10 a.m., Point and Eastgate) – I’ll say it – this “Shrek” spinoff is better than any of the “Shrek” movie, much funnier and lighter on its feet.

Aguirre Wrath of God” (7 p.m., UW Cinematheque, 4070 Vilas Hall) – Lots of Werner Herzog on Madison screens this fall, starting with Cinematheque’s four-film series. “Aguirre” pairs Herzog with his wild-man collaborator Klaus Kinski as a demented conquistador lost in South America. FREE!

Annie Hall” (7 p.m. Union South Marquee Theatre) – See Friday listing. (And yes, Madison film fans, that makes two all-time classics playing on campus at the same time. For FREE!

Captain Phillips” (7:45 p.m., Eastgate) – Catch a sneak preview of Paul Greengrass’ fact-based thriller, starring Tom Hanks as a captain whose ship is hijacked by Somali pirates.

Drinking Buddies” (9:30 p.m., Union South Marquee Theatre) – My full review is here. I was totally smitten with Joe Swanberg’s tale of platonic friends working at a Chicago microbrewery. FREE!

The Fly” (midnight, Union South Marquee Theatre) – See Friday listing.

Sunday

Puss N Boots 3D” (11 a.m. Point, Eastgate) – See Saturday listing.

The Man Who Never Was” (2 p.m., Chazen Museum of Art) – If you like World War II spy thrillers, check out this underrated 1956 film starring Clifton Webb as a British agent trying to fool the Germans on the eve of the invasion of Sicily. FREE!

Annie Hall” (3 p.m, Union South Marquee Theatre) – See Friday listing.

Escape From Tomorrow” (7 p.m., 4070 Vilas Hall). Before it starts at Sundance Cinemas next weekend, check out this controversial film shot on the sly at Disneyland, where a jobless father starts losing his grip on reality. FREE!

Monday

The Lesser Blessed” (3 and 5:15 p.m., Point and Eastgate) – This coming-of-age indie looks at an aboriginal teen growing up in Canada’s Northwest Territories.

The Shining” (7:15 p.m. and 10:20 p.m., Point and Eastgate) – If you’ve seen the documentary “Room 237,” you’ll likely approach Stanley Kubrick’s film with new eyes. If you haven’t, it’ll still give you nine kinds of willies.

Tuesday

The Lesser Blessed” (3:50 p.m. and 5:55 p.m., Point and Eastgate) – See Monday listing

The Shining” (10:35 p.m., Point and Eastgate) – See Monday listing.

Wednesday

The Shining” (2:45 p.m., Point and Eastgate) – See Monday listing.

Terms And Conditions May Apply” (7 p.m., Union South Marquee Theatre) – What’s in all those pages of legalese that you agree to in order to get the next iOS update?  This documentary digs into the fine print and sees just what we’re giving away to corporations. Free!

Thursday

The Lesser Blessed” (4:45 p.m., Point and Eastgate) – See Monday listing.

Blackfish” (7 p.m., Union South Marquee Theatre) – My full review is here. This disturbing documentary exposes a pattern of abuse and misinformation involving killer whales at SeaWorld, including one mistreated whale that has killed three trainers and still performs. FREE!

American Promise” (7 p.m, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art) – MMOCA Spotlight Cinema is back, and kicks off with a doozy of a documentary, following two kindergarten friends over the next TWELVE years. FREE for MMoCA members, $7 for the rest of us.

Monsters University” (9:30 p.m., Union South Marquee Theatre) – Mike and Scully go back to college in a Pixar sequel that exists somewhere in the quality spectrum between “Toy Story 2” and “Cars 2.” FREE!

The Shining” (9:30 p.m., Point and Eastgate) — See Monday listing.

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