Monthly Archives: November 2014

“The Unknown Known”: The fog of war has never been foggier

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“The Unknown Known” has its Madison premiere at 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 23 at the Union South Marquee Theatre as part of the UW Mini Indie Film Festival. PG-13, 1:42, two and a half stars out of four. FREE!

In 2003, when Errol Morris was touring the country with his documentary “The Fog of War,” he made a stop in Madison to show the film at the University of Wisconsin, his old alma mater. I was lucky enough to get an interview with him while he was here, and we talked about the film, and how former U.S. Secretary of State Robert McNamara’s defense of his role in escalating the Vietnam War was fascinatingly tortured. It was the contortions of a deeply moral man trying to come to terms with performing deeply immoral acts.

My last question for the interview, with the Iraq War in full swing, was if Morris would consider someday doing “Fog of War II” with then-Secretary of State Donald Rumsfeld.

Morris paused for a second. And then said, “I think that’s highly unlikely.”

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“Ernest and Celestine”: Bears and mice, living together — mass hysteria!

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“Ernest & Celestine” has its Madison premiere at the UW Mini Indie Film Festival on Saturday, Nov. 22, at 2 p.m. in the Union South Marquee Theatre, 1308 W. Dayton St. FREE! G, 1:20, three stars out of four.

I like “Lego Movie,” “Big Hero 6” and the other IMAX 3D computer-animated spectacles that are the standard for animated movies these days just fine, but every once in a while you crave something different. The Oscar-nominated Belgian film “Ernest & Celestine” is that something different.

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“Dinosaur 13”: Me and you and a fossil named Sue

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“Dinosaur 13” has its Madison premiere on Saturday, Nov. 22 at 4 p.m. at the Union South Marquee Theatre, 1308 W. Dayton St. as part of the UW Mini Indie Film Festival. PG, 1:31, three stars out of four.

“Dinosaur 13” is a love story that spans different ages, although it’s less a May-December romance than a Cretaceous Era-Cenozoic Era one.

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“The One I Love”: Entering the twilight zone between love and marriage

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“The One I Love” has its Madison premiere at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 20 at the Union South Marquee Theatre, 1308 W. Dayton St. as part of the UW Mini Indie Film Festival. R, 1:31, three stars out of four. FREE!

“The One I Love” premiered at the Sundance Film Festival last January, was in theaters and on video-on-demand over the summer, out on DVD this fall and will be on Netflix Instant next week. So it’s been out there. And yet, I find myself inclined not to spoil anything that happens after the first 18 minutes of the movie.

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Instant Gratification: “Under the Skin” and four other good movies to watch on Amazon Prime and Netflix Instant

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Pick of the Week: “Under the Skin” (Amazon Prime) — My full review is here. Jonathan Glazer’s chilling sci-fi arthouse movie will certainly have one of the very top slots on my 2014 Best Movies list, following an alien predator (Scarlett Johansson) who lures horny young men home and then . . . well, you just have to see it. With its mix of gritty on-the-street filmmaking and surreal imagery, “Under the Skin” is an unsentimental meditation on humanity that’s like nothing you’ve seen before.

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The five movies you have to see in Madison: Nov. 14-20, 2014

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1. “Rosewater” (all week, Point and Sundance) — Jon Stewart’s debut as a director is an earnest and fact-based tale of an Iran-born journalist who gets swept up and arrested while covering the 2009 protests, and endures a barrage of interrogation from his captor. But critics say Stewart has found the humor and heart in potentially heavy subject matter, and the film even has some moments of absurd comedy. There’s a special preview screening Thursday night at Point featuring a live broadcast Q&A with Stewart and Stephen Colbert.

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“Force Majeure”: Let’s see him slalom his way out of this one

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“Force Majeure” screens Wednesday, Nov. 12 at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art as part of its Spotlight Cinema Series. 1:59, R, three stars out of four.

Ruben Ostlund’s “Force Majeure” is basically the feature film version of that “Seinfeld” episode where George is at the birthday party where there’s a small fire, and he pushes old ladies and children out of the way stampeding to the exit. Only it’s Swedish, it takes place at a ski resort, and is several degrees creepier.

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Instant Gratification: “Nebraska” and four other good movies to watch on Netflix Instant

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Pick of the week: “Nebraska“ — My full review is here.  Writer-director Alexander Payne gazes his sharp but empathetic eye homeward in this comedy-drama about a cantankerous old man (Bruce Dern) whose quest to claim a phony sweepstakes award brings him through his old hometown. Will Forte is the perfect foil as his sweet, estranged son, and the film is a nuanced portrait of old age and small-town life, devoid of cliche but not meaning.

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The five movies you have to see in Madison: Nov. 7-13, 2014

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1. “Goodbye to Language” (7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 13, Point Cinemas) — I’ve seen people on Facebook saying they’re driving up from Chicago to Madison to catch this rare screening of Jean-Luc Godard’s new film, rare because it’s the French New Wave master’s first 3D film. Godard is attempting to prove that 3D isn’t just for the “Godzillas” of the world, and in that vein, this screening is a fundraiser to buy a 3D projector for the UW-Cinematheque, so they can show arthouse films like Werner Herzog’s “Cave of Forgotten Dreams” or Wim Wenders’ “Pina” in glorious 3D. Tickets are $20. Don’t miss out.

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“They Came Together”: The rom-com gets carpet-bombed

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“They Came Together” has its Madison premiere at the Union South Marquee Theatre, 1308 W. Dayton St., at 7 p.m. Thursday, and also plays Friday at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. FREE! R, 1;24, three stars out of four.

A romantic comedy starring Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler? I might go see that. A spoof of romantic comedies starring Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler. Now we are talking.

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