Category Archives: Weekend Preview

What’s playing in Madison theaters, June 28-July 4, 2013

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All week

“The Heat” (Point, Eastgate, Star Cinema, Sundance) — Watch your back, Rizzoli & Isles! You’ve got company in the female buddy-cop genre with Melissa McCarthy and Sandra Bullock as the typical Odd Couple fighting crime. The trailer doesn’t look great, but it’s directed by Paul Feig of “Bridesmaids” fame, so here’s hoping.

“White House Down” (Point, Eastgate, Star Cinema) — My full review is here. Channing Tatum plays a wannabe Secret Service agent who rescues the President (Jamie Foxx) when mercenaries storm the White House. It’s a surprisingly fun time at the movies, witty and just smart enough not to insult your intelligence. Plus lots of stuff blows up.

“Ambikapathy” (Star Cinema) — A Hindu boy recalls his doomed love for a Muslim girl in this Bollywood hit, now dubbed into Tamil.

Friday

“Rooftop Cinema: Adventures in Space and Time” (Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, 227 State St., 9:30 p.m.) — The last of the June series is an eclectic collection of shorts that all have to do with perspective in some way, including a witty short that looks at an odometer turning from 99,999 miles to 100,000. (It was more impressive in the analog days, kids.) FREE! for MMOCA members, $7 for everyone else.

Monday

“Muppets From Space” (Memorial Union Terrace, 9 p.m.) — Well, it’s “Muppets FROM Space” not “Muppets IN Space,’ which is a little bit of a letdown. Gonzo’s alien brethren come to Earth to find him in this ’90s movie, which features a lot of ’70s funk on the soundtrack for some reason. I’m sure twentysomethings remember it fondly the way they do “Space Jam,” but the 2011 “Muppets” reboot couldn’t come fast enough for me. FREE!

“Django Unchained” (Star Cinema, 10 p.m.) — AMC Theatres has a nifty “Summer Nights” promotion going on this summer. See some of your favorite recent movies for $3 Monday through Wednesday nights, with proceeds going to benefit autism research. This week’s offering is Quentin Tarantino’s bloody and riotous mash-up of the Western and blaxploitation genres, which ends up facing America’s racist past more honestly than a lot of much more polite films.

Tuesday

“Django Unchained” (Star Cinema, 10 p.m.) — See Monday listing

Opens Wednesday

“Despicable Me 2” (Eastgate, Point, Star Cinema) — Steve Carell returns as the lovable supervillain turned superdad Gru, who must foil the plot of his former comrades-in-badness. The first one was a unexpectedly enjoyable animated movie, and as long as there’s a return appearance of the “fart gun” my kids will be happy.

“The Lone Ranger” (Eastgate, Point, Star Cinema) — Johnny Depp is Tonto and Armie Hammer is the Masked Man as Gore Verbinski tries to translate the success of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies to the Western genre. Anybody else getting a “Wild, Wild West” vibe off of this?

Django Unchained” (Star Cinema, 10 p.m.) — See Monday listing

What’s playing in Madison theaters, June 21-27, 2013

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All week

“World War Z” (Point, Eastgate, Star Cinema, Sundance) My full review is here. The cinematic apocalypse this week is a zombie invasion, where seemingly half the globe has turned into fast-moving, chomping undead. Hardly a novel idea, but the movie has some inventive and thrilling action sequences.

“Monsters University” (Point, Eastgate, Star Cinema) Pixar’s focus on sequels and prequels to its established franchises (“Finding Dory” is next) is distressing for what used to be the most innovative animation house around. Still, Mike and Sully are two of Pixar’s most endearing characters.

“The Bling Ring” (Point, Eastgate, Star Cinema, Sundance) Sofia Coppola’s fascinating with the privileged and famous continues with this fact-based drama about a group of rich kids who rob the gargantuan closets of Paris Hilton and others.

“Much Ado About Nothing” (Sundance) My full review is here. Joss Whedon’s joyful adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” was shot on black-and-white in just 12 days at his house, but this is no goof, but a smart, disciplined, and incredibly fun film.

“The East” (Sundance) Zal Batmanglij’s “Sound of My Voice” was one of the best paranoid thrillers of recent years, and he hits the same vein here, with collaborator Brit Marling starring as a corporate spy infiltrating an anarchist movement.

Sunday

“Quantum of Vengeance” (1 p.m., High Noon Saloon) — Not a sequel to the weakest of the Daniel Craig 007 movies, this locally-made sci-fi film from Ben Wydeven follows a woman using time travel to prevent her father’s murder. There’ll be a post-show Q&A and copies of the film available for purchase. $5.

Monday

“Alien” (9 p.m., Memorial Union Terrace, 800 Langdon St.) — In space nobody can hear you scream, but everybody can on a crowded Terrace for Lakeside Cinema’s presentation of the chilling original sci-fi horror movie. Free!

Wednesday

“Schindler’s List” (1:05 and 6:55 p.m., Sundance) — I’m curious how Steven Spielberg’s harrowing Holocaust drama plays for the Sundance Classics crowd, who tend to show up more for sheer entertainments. But it’s an undeniably great film, and I know at least a couple of people who have never seen it who are going.

What’s playing in Madison theaters, June 7-13, 2013

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All week

“The Purge” (Point, Eastgate, Star Cinema) — “Star Trek Into Darkness” was basically a remake of the classic Trek episode “Space Seed,” and now this horror-thriller lifts the premise from another Trek episode, “Return of the Archives.” (Will Landru make a cameo?) In the future, once a year there’s a 12-hour period where all crime is legal, and a family has to deal with a pack of murderous intruders. Festival!

“The Internship” (Point, Eastgate, Star Cinema) — My full review is here. “Wedding Crashers” Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson reunite for this much tamer comedy about middle-aged guys who get an internship at Google.

“Kon-Tiki” (Sundance) — The incredible voyage of Thor Heyerdahl, across the ocean in a flimsy raft, is recounted in this adventure tale that played at the Wisconsin Film Festival.

“What Maisie Knew” (Sundance) — My full review is here. A wrenching custody battle between two self-centered New Yorkers is viewed through the eyes of their six-year-old daughter in this powerful drama.

Opens Wednesday

“This Is the End” (Point, Eastgate, Star Cinema) — Seth Rogen, James Franco, Danny McBride all play themselves, pampered Hollywood actors who realize the apocalypse is upon them.

Friday

“The Hellstrom Chronicle” (9:30 p.m., Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, 227 State St.) — MMOCA kicks off its Rooftop Cinema series with this 1970 film that mixes sci-fi and documentary footage to show how insects are fascinating, creepy creatures. The screening is free for museum members, $7 for everyone else. The good news of this unseasonably cool weather is that actual insects may not bother the audience during the screening.

Monday

“Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan” (9:30 p.m, Memorial Union Terrace, 800 Langdon St.) — The best of the “Star Trek” movies plays on the lakefront, as Kirk and Spock face off against the delightfully hammy Khan and his crew. Free!

Wednesday

“Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1:30 and 6:45 p.m., Sundance Cinemas) — Sundance’s Classics Series is devoted to Steven Spielberg in June, and the chance to see the original Indiana Jones adventure up on the big screen is what summer is all about. Plus the Rooftop Bar at Sundance is now open!

What’s playing in Madison theaters, May 31-June 6, 2013

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For some, summer moviegoing means seeing the big blockbusters, the AC in the theater blasting. I’m all for that, but for me, quintessential summer moviegoing means being outside. Maybe it’s just a byproduct of being a Wisconsinite and being cooped up for so many months. But I have got to see something outdoors, whether it’s a cult classic on the Union Terrace or an avant-garde film on the roof of the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art. In that spirit, I wrote the cover story for 77 Square this week on the different al fresco movie options in Madison this summer, and the appeal of each.

Here’s the rest of what’s going on in Madison movies this week:

“After Earth” (Point, Eastgate, Star Cinema) — M. Night Shyamalan needs to write a movie set in an alternate Earth where his post-“Signs” movies are considered his best work. In this one, though, he’s been on a precipitous downward slide in the last decade, and the reviews for this Will and Jaden Smith sci-fi action film aren’t kind. Also, weird that this isn’t in 3D, right?

“Now You See Me” (Point, Eastgate, Star Cinema) — The trailer for this caper film about bank-robbing magicians didn’t work for me at all, but the cast (Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Woody Harrelson) definitely does. It’s certainly something a little different for a summer movie.

“Frances Ha” (Sundance) — Everybody’s favorite movie this year seems to be Noah Baumbach’s collaboration with writer-actress Greta Gerwig in this tale of a New York dancer hitting a quarter-life crisis. Supposed to be funny and sharp, and wise about female friendships in a way that movies usually aren’t. Pick of the week.

“Not Today” (Point) — A different kind of Christian-audience film, a drama aimed at alerting audiences to the horrors of the sex trafficking trade, as a callow young man traveling abroad tries to save the daughter of a homeless man from being sold into slavery.

“Iddarammayilatho” (Star Cinema) — AMC Theatres seem to have really found a niche by showing films aimed at Indian audiences (sometimes without English subtitles). The strength of that audience is evident this week, as  the theater books a new Bollywood movie and this one, a Telugu-language romance.

“Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani” (Star Cinema) — This is the Bollywood film, a lavish musical about lovers in love and, at 2 hours 48 minutes, rather brisk for Bollywood.

Monday

“Spaceballs” (9 p.m., UW Memorial Union Terrace, 800 Langdon St.) — Mel Brooks’ “Star Wars” spoof isn’t one of his top-tier comedies, but it’s perfect for the Terrace crowd, and the “Alien” sequence with John Hurt always has me on the floor. Free!

Wednesday

“Jaws” (1;30 and 6:45 p.m., Sundance) — What’s summer without a nice swim? Sundance kicks off its Summer Classics series with Steven Spielberg’s relentlessly entertaining 1975 film. I wrote an appreciation when it was released on Blu-ray last fall.

What’s playing in Madison theaters, May 24-30, 2013

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This is the first week where more than one summer blockbuster sequel is duking it out at the box office for those Memorial Day dollars. Who will win?

All week

“Fast & Furious 6″ (Point, Eastgate, Star Cinema, Cinema Cafe) — My review is here. Vin, Paul, the Rock and the rest are back in another case of vehicular mayhem. Loud, dumb fun.

“The Hangover Part III” (Point, Eastgate, Star Cinema, Cinema Cafe, Sundance) — While the F&F franchise seemed to hit its stride in “Fast Five,” the “Hangover” seemed creatively exhausted by “Part II.” Maybe that’s why they’ve ditched the “What happened last night?” structure and insisted this will be the last one.

“Epic” (Point, Eastgate, Star Cinema, Cinema Cafe) — Movies for little kids are few and far between until school gets out, so they’ll have to be satisfied with this all-star fantasy about a girl who gets shrunk down to the land of insects.

“The Iceman” (Point, Eastgate) — Michael Shannon looks appropriately menacing as the title character, a mob hitman with hundreds of kills to his credit, in this fact-based thriller.

“The Reluctant Fundamentalist” (Sundance) — My review is here. Mira Nair has made a thoughtful and complex post-9/11 thriller, about a Pakistani man who goes from Wall Street financier to radical Muslim.

Friday

“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” (8 p.m., Majestic Theatre) — The very definition of a cult classic, the 1975 musical gets the full treatment here, including appearances by the Velvet Darkness cast in costume and a “virgin sacrifice” before the show. Tickets are $5, which also gets you admission to see the band The Human Aftertaste at 10 p.m., describe as “the only live band and meat canning company in one!”

Monday

“E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial” (9 p.m., Memorial Union Terrace) — Even though Steven Spielberg’s enchanting classic just played at Olbrich Park last week as part of the Moonlight Movies series, it’s a fitting kickoff to the Lakeside Terrace “Outta This World” series of outer-space and alien movies. The full schedule is here. Free!

What’s playing in Madison movie theaters, May 10-16, 2013

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So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past — in 3D!

The big release this weekend is Baz Luhrmann’s glitzy 3D version of “The Great Gatsby,” which came pre-trashed for a lot of critics. It’s also the last weekend for a lot of film series on campus, so there are options in case you don’t want to see Daisy Buchanan coming right at you!

All week

“The Great Gatsby” (Point, Eastgate, Star Cinema, Sundance, Cinema Cafe) — It’s hard to think of a more unlikely summer movie than this all-star adaptation. I highly enjoyed both Luhrmann’s “Romeo and Juliet” and “Moulin Rouge,” but is he chasing the glamour of “The Jazz Age” at the expense of the tragedy?

“Peeples” (Point, Eastgate, Star Cinema) — Tyler Perry put his stamp on this domestic dramedy, although he isn’t more than a producer for this film about a suitor (Keith Robinson) stuck with his uptight future in-laws on vacation. But it’s getting a little better reception from critics than Perry’s usual fare.

“Koch” (Sundance) — My full review is here. Not the Wisconsin Film Festival hit “Citizen Koch,” this documentary is about Ed Koch, the combative former New York mayor who embodied both the strengths and the flaws of his city.

“West of Memphis” (Sundance) — The latest and most extensive documentary to look into the case of the West Memphis 3, three Arkansas teenagers railroaded into a conviction for a supposedly “Satanic” murder. This installment focuses on DNA evidence that strongly pointed to another suspect.

Friday

“Gimme Shelter” (6:30 p.m.,  Union South) — The death of the ’60s can be charted in this gritty tour documentary, which follows the Rolling Stones to their disastrous Altamont show. Free!

“Max Et Al Ferrailleurs” (7 p.m., UW Cinematheque) — In Claude Sautet’s largely neglected 1971 crime masterpiece, a bored detective lures a gang into committing a big bank robbery. Free!

“Trainspotting” (8:30 p.m., Union South) — Danny Boyle’s exuberant and raw 1996 film about a bunch of cheery lowlifes in Edinburgh. Free!

“Django Unchained” (11 p.m., Union South) — Tarantino’s best since “Jackie Brown,” this intense and funny mash-up of spaghetti Western and blaxploitation uses its genre influences to make a surprisingly direct and powerful indictment of the legacy of racism in America. Free!

Saturday

“Django Unchained” (5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., Union South) — See Friday listing

Communication Arts Showcase (7 p.m., UW Cinematheque) — A showcase of the work done by this semester’s Comm Arts students. Free!

“Monty Python and the Holy Grail” (midnight, Union South)  — The eminently quotable 1974 riff on the Arthurian legend, with killer rabbits, horny nuns, and rude Frenchmen is a comedy classic. Free!

Sunday

“Howl’s Moving Castle” (2 p.m., Chazen Museum of Art) — Cinematheque at the Chazen’s immensely popular series on Studio Ghibli concludes with Hayao Miyazaki’s wonderful animated film, in which a teenager is trapped in a magician’s walking castle and must find the spell to set her free. Free (the movie, that is), but these have almost all sold out, so get there early.

“Billy Elliot” (3 p.m., Union South) — You’ve seen the musical at Overture Hall, now enjoy the original movie, with Jamie Bell as a Welsh boy who yearns to put down the boxing gloves and pick up the unitard and join the ballet. Free!

Wednesday

“Free the Mind” (all day, Sundance) — In honor of the Dalai Lama’s visit to Madison, Sundance is screening this documentary about Dr. Richard J. Davidson of the UW, and his research into the power of meditation. The film also plays all day Thursday.

“Blazing Saddles” – (1:40 and 7 p.m., Sundance) — The Sundance Classics series features Mel Brooks’ zany Western classic, with Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder.

Thursday

“Star Trek Into Darkness”  (Point, Eastgate, Star Cinema, Sundance, Cinema Cafe) — J.J. Abrams’ second film in the rebooted franchise gets an early jump on the weekend, with Benedict Cumberbatch reportedly Khan-level good as the bad guy.

What’s playing in Madison theaters: May 3-9, 2013

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I don’t care if it is dropping 14 inches of snow on northern Wisconsin. It’s May 3, and dang it, we’re going to start the summer movie season whether the weather is on board or not!

All week

“Iron Man 3” (Point, Eastgate, Star Cinema, Sundance, Cinema Cafe) – I couldn’t have felt more let down by “Iron Man 2” (“Bring me bird.”), which combined two uninspired villains, some weak action, and some labored set-ups for the big Marvel crossover. But “The Avengers” was a ton of fun that restored my faith in Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark, and the fact that “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang”‘s Shane Black is behind this one has my hopes pretty high.

“The Angels’ Share” (Sundance) — My full review is here. Ken Loach’s latest film starts off as a miserablist drama about deliquent Scotsmen, then turns into a zippy heist film involving a precious cask of whisky halfway through. It’s not his best, but it’s an endearing film nonetheless, right down to the subtitles to help us get through those thick Scottish burrs.

“Renoir” (Sundance) — The name in this French drama, fresh from the Wisconsin Film Festival, refers to both the impressionist painter Philippe-August and his filmmaker son Jean. At the family home on the French Riviera that’s almost too achingly beautiful to behold, father and son reunite and spar over the mysterious young woman who comes to inspire both.

Friday

“Amour” (Union South Marquee, 6:30 p.m.) — My full review is here. The closest thing Michael Haneke will ever make to a sentimental film is this largely unsentimental look at an elderly Parisian couple, and what happens when the wife falls chronically ill. Haneke wants his audience to face the fact that we’re all going to die, many of us badly, but love might provide a little comfort along the way. Free!

“Classe Tous Risques” (UW Cinematheque, 7 p.m.) — In this 1960 French film noir, a thief (Lino Ventura) teams up with a new partner (Jean-Paul Belmondo) but learns too late that there’s more to life than crime. Free!

“Silver Linings Playbook” (Union South Marquee, 9:30 p.m.) — My full review is here. Writer-director David O. Russell messes with the romantic comedy genre much as he did with the sports movie in “The Fighter,” roughing up the formula even as he still delivers the same beats. The result is a screwball comedy for the age of anti-depressants, with winning performances and a generosity of spirit all around. Free!

“Birdemic: Shock and Terror” (Union South Marquee, midnight) –This shockingly inept low-budget horror film rips off “The Birds” in its ecologically-minded tale of avians gone amok, which make noises like World War II fighter planes as they dive-bomb citizens, spitting acid. The film is an unintentional riot, full of terrible acting and cheap special effects. I kind of love it. Free!

Saturday

“Silver Linings Playbook” (Union South, 7 and 9:30 p.m.) — See Friday listing

“Marriage Italian Style” (UW Cinematheque, 7 p.m.) — One of the classics of Italian cinema, Vittorio De Sica’s caustic film about marriage and infidelity stars screen legends Marcello Mastrioianni and Sophia Loren. Free!

“The World’s Fastest Indian” (Barrymore Theatre, 8 p.m.) — Anthony Hopkins plays a bit against type as Burt Munro, a New Zealander obsessed with tinkering with motorcycles and making them faster, and dreaming of entering a race. Tickets are $8 in advance through barrymorelive.com or $10 at the door, and there’s a party with a cash bar afterward.

“Birdemic; Shock and Terror” (Union South Marquee, midnight) — See Friday listing

Sunday

“The Cat Returns” (UW Chazen, 2 p.m.) — The UW Cinematheque at the Chazen series on Studio Ghibli is winding down, but not before this charming animated film about a bored teenager who must stop the cat king from turning her into a feline. Free!

“Silver Linings Playbook” (Union South Marquee, 3 p.m.) — See Friday listing

“Forward” (Sundance Cinemas, 4 p.m.) — The premiere was sold out, but tickets remain for this encore presentation of this stirring documentary about the 2011 Capitol protests, mixing interviews with participants and time-lapse photos of the event itself.

Monday

“Bag It!” (Barrymore Theatre, 7 p.m.) — Madison East High’s Mass Media class presents this thoughtful documentary about the impact of using plastic bags on the environment, and the value of using cloth ones instead. Tickets are only $5 for students, $10 for all others.

Wednesday

“Alien” (Sundance Cinemas, 1:30 and 6:45 p.m.) — This film was reliable nightmare fuel for me as a kid, putting a nasty twist on familiar science-fiction themes.

“The Italian Job” (Union South Marquee, 7 p.m.) — The original heist film features Michael Caine, Benny Hill and three Mini Coopers in a daffy caper plot. Free!

Thursday

“Tommy” (Union South Marquee, 6:45 p.m.) — That deaf, dumb and blind kid still plays a mean pinball in The Who’s phantasmagoric 1975 musical, packed with all-stars. Free!

“Django Unchained” (Union South Marquee, 9:15 p.m.) — Quentin Tarantino mashes up the Western and the blaxploitation film to intense and funny effect in this dizzyingly entertaining film, his best since “Jackie Brown.” Free!

What’s playing in Madison theaters: April 18-24, 2013

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No, I’m sorry, no breaks. Though you may still be reeling from binge-watching at the Wisconsin Film Festival, the Madison movie scene keeps right on rolling with another busy weekend.

All week

“Oblivion” (Point, Eastgate, Star Cinema, Sundance) — The big blockbuster of the week is the sci-fi action tale starring Tom Cruise as WALL-E (basically, right?) a repairman who happens to be the last man on a battle-ravaged Earth. Or so he thinks.

“The Lords of Salem” (Eastgate) — This is the first horror movie Rob Zombie has made with complete creative control, which means he’s able to cast his wife in the lead role, not just in a supporting role like in all his other movies. She plays a DJ questioning her sanity as a town’s coven of witches rises again.

“Upstream Color” (Sundance) — Shane Carruth returns nine years after “Primer” with a film that makes that 2004 time-travel film look simple to understand by comparison. This time around, a couple gets ensnared in a bizarre life cycle that involves mind-control, maggots, and pigs. Lots of pigs. I’ll be doing a post-show Q&A in Sundance’s Overflow Bar after the 7:05 p.m. Monday show, which should be a blast.

“From Up on Poppy Hill” (Sundance) — If you’ve been enjoying the Cinematheque at the Chazen series of Japanese animated films Sunday afternoons this year, make sure to check  out the latest from Japan’s legendary Studio Ghibli. Hayao Miyazaki (“Spirited Away”) and his son Goro directed this lovely film about two teens in 1963 Japan, caught between the country’s painful past and bright future. My review is here.

“The Sapphires” (Sundance) — Chris O’Dowd (the Irish cop in “Bridesmaids”) is supposed to steal the show as a disreputable music promoter who discovers an aboriginal girl group in 1960s Australia in this musical-comedy.

Friday

“The Rules of the Game” (7 p.m., UW-Cinematheque) — Jean Renoir’s masterpiece tale of the upstairs and downstairs denizens of a country estate, and how tragedy briefly levels the playing field one memorable weekend, is one of the great movies of all time. Free!

“Zero Dark Thirty” (5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., Union South Marquee Theatre) — Kathryn Bigelow’s meticulous recreation of the hunt for Osama Bin Laden doesn’t take a political stance, but forces the audience to own all that was done in the country’s name, both the heroic and the morally questionable. Free!

“Flash Gordon” (midnight Friday, Union South) — Sam Jones’ hilarious cameo in “Ted” last summer revived interest in this 1980 camp classic. Free!

Saturday

“Honor Flight” (6 p.m. Union South Marquee) — This stirring documentary highlights a program that takes World War II veterans to Washington D.C. to see the monument erected in their honor. Free!

“A Fistful of Dollars” (7 p.m., UW Cinematheque) – If the Wisconsin Film Festival whetted your appetite for Spaghetti Westerns, check out this Sergio Leone classic update of “Yojimbo,” with Clint Eastwood as the Man With No Name, playing two gangs controlling a small town against each other. Free!

“Zero Dark Thirty” (8:30 p.m., Union South) — See Friday listing.

“Stripes” (midnight, Union South) — If “Caddyshack” did not exist, this would be the most quotable Bill Murray movie ever made. I’ve never been a huge fan of the film’s turn into action-movie territory in the third act but up until then — gold.

Sunday

“Princess Mononoke” (2 p.m. UW-Chazen) — The Studio Ghibli series continues with the studio’s first big breakthrough in America, this ecological-minded fantasy adventure with surprisingly adult themes. Not to be missed. Free!

“Zero Dark Thirty” (3 p.m.  Sunday, Union South) — See Friday listing.

Thursday

“King of the Hill” (7 p.m., UW Chazen) — After several films made in 1934, the Cinematheque at the Chazen’s “New Deal Cinema” series shifts to a movie set in 1934, specifically Steven Soderbergh’s wonderfully observed tale of a boy living on the margins during the Great Depression, without his family, and includes a wonderful performance from the late Spalding Gray. Incredibly, this film still isn’t available in the United States on DVD — paging Criterion? Free!

“God Loves Uganda” (7 p.m.,  Union South Marquee) — Another film festival! This time it’s the Wisconsin Union Directorate’s annual Mini Indie Film Festival, a four-day celebration of new independent film, most of it playing in Madison for the first time. It kicks off with this unsentimental look at the work of American missionaries in the Third World, looking at both the good they do and the harmful attitudes (such as rampant homophobia) that they foster. Free!

“Caesar Must Die!” (9:30 p.m., Union South Marquee) — In this Italian docudrama, inmates at a prison in Rome prepare to put on a production of Julius Caesar. Joss Whedon’s “Much Ado About Nothing” this ain’t. Free!

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What’s playing in Madison theaters: April 5 to 11, 2013

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It’s a sad week for movie lovers with the passing of Roger Ebert. Over at the Capital Times, I reposted a 2003 interview I did with Ebert along with a few thoughts about his generosity and his passing. For some, going to see a movie might feel a little strange, especially without a review from Ebert to guide them. For others, what better way to say goodbye; after all, his last written words for us were “I’ll see you at the movies.”

All week

“Jurassic Park 3D” (Point, Eastgate, Star Cinema) — Steven Spielberg’s dinosaur thriller gets a 3D upgrade for its 20th anniversary, but for me, what I still remember about that film was the sound, the roar of the T. rex or the sound of his footsteps growing closer. Definitely one to catch in the theater again.

“Evil Dead” (Point, Eastgate, Star Cinema) — Or “Cabin in the Woods” without the jokes. Folks who only know the “Evil Dead” movies from the jokey last two would be surprised to learn how unfunny and nasty Sam Raimi’s no-budget original was, and this remake seems to follow in those footsteps.

“No” (Sundance) — The best movie out this week is Pablo Larrain’s highly entertaining film about an advertising executive (Gael Garcia Bernal) who devises a campaign to oust Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet. Inspiring, but wise about the power of television to sway public opinion. Read my full review here.

“Ginger & Rosa” (Sundance) — Elle Fanning convincingly adopts a British accent for this tale of two teens in 1962 London whose friendship is tested both by maturity, and by the threat of nuclear war.

“On the Road” (Sundance) — Walter Salles (“The Motorcycle Diaries”) was perhaps the logical choice to try and adapt Jack Kerouac’s stubbornly unfilmable novel for the big screen. Sam Riley and Garrett Hedlund play his counterculture road-tripping heroes.

Friday

“Lincoln” (6 p.m., Union South Marquee Theatre) — I expected another “War Horse” from Steven Spielberg, a gauzy paean that was as much a monument as a movie. Instead, I found “Lincoln” to be incredibly engrossing and even suspenseful, about a man living at the intersection of myth and mortal, idealism and pragmatism, and trying to pull off an audacious political masterstroke. Free!

Mini Film Festival (6 p.m., Madison Public Library Pinney Branch) — Get your cinematic appetite whetted for next week’s Wisconsin Film Festival with some local films and filmmakers. Ben Reiser will present his feature “The Grapes of Madison,” and Marc Kornblatt will present a pair of his short films. Film festival managing director Christina Martin-Wright will also talk about the films and the upcoming festival. Free!

“Tchoupitoulas” (7 p.m., UW Cinematheque) — Fittingly following on the heels of two films by documentary filmmaker Shirley Clarke, this film blurs the line between narrative and documentary, following three young brothers who spend the night soaking up the sounds and sights of New Orleans after they miss the last ferry home to Mississippi. Free!

“Footnote” (9:30 p.m., Union South) — The Coen Brothers must be kicking themselves for having not made this wry Israeli comedy, about rival Talmudic scholars who also happen to be father and son. When one gets an award meant for the other, chaos ensues. My full review is here. Free!

“Pulp Fiction” (midnight, Union South) — Come on, it’s a midnight screening of “Pulp Fiction.” What else need be said? I will say that there are a few moviegoing experiences I remember vividly as experiences, and one of them was being packed into a sold-out theater on opening night for “Pulp Fiction” (I even remember where I was sitting — front row, left side) and coming out of that theater feeling like I had been pleasantly electrocuted. (“Django” gave me a similar rush.) Free!

Saturday

“Lincoln” (6 and 9:15 p.m., Union South) — See Friday listing

“Navajo Joe” (7 p.m., UW Cinematheque) — Burt Reynolds (yes, Burt Reynolds) plays a Native American on a mission of vengeance in his only spaghetti Western, directed by the great Sergio Corbucci. Free!

“Donnie Darko” (midnight, Union South) — Another quintessential midnight movie, Richard Kelly’s mindbending debut mixes time travel and ’80s angst for a strange and haunting sci-fi tale of fate and consequences. Free!

Sunday

“Ocean Waves” (2 p.m., UW Chazen) — I’m guessing the nicer weather won’t slow the crowds for the wildly popular Studio Ghibli series at Cinematheque at the Chazen. This weekend, it’s a tender coming-of-age story never seen on home video in America, about two school friends who find their bond tested by the arrival of a new transfer student. Free!

“Lincoln” (3 p.m., Union South) — See Friday listing

Monday

No special screenings

Tuesday

“Half the Sky — Part 2” (7 p.m., Union South) — Catch the second half of the full version of the PBS documentary, in which New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristoff joins some famous actresses in traveling to the third world and seeing how women and girls are fighting for change there. Free!

Wednesday

“Trigger” (7  p.m., Union South) — This documentary looks squarely at gun violence — what really causes it, what the impact really is, and how it can be stopped. Filmmaker David Barnhart will be at the screening and will take part in a post-show panel discussion. Free!

Thursday

“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” (8:30 p.m., Majestic Theatre) — The Majestic picks the best day of hooky ever for its latest Brew ‘n’ View. Admission is $5.

Wisconsin Film Festival — The eight-day festival kicks off at several on-campus venues tonight and then expands to Sundance for the weekend. Watch this space for lots of previews and reviews, and follow me on Twitter (@robt77) for even more.

What’s playing in Madison theaters: March 29-April 4, 2013

BERGMAN BOGART

With the UW still on spring break, it’s a pretty dead weekend for movies around town. Things will pick up again during the middle of next week, but take heart — the Wisconsin Film Festival is less than two weeks away!

All week

“The Host” (Point, Eastgate, Star Cinema) — Having come to the end of her “Twilight” movies, Hollywood attempts to continue author Stephenie Meyer’s winning streak with this sci-fi film about aliens who control minds, and the ragtag group of hot teenage rebels fighting them. It’s adapted and directed by Andrew Niccol, which could be great news (“Gattaca”) or awful (“In Time”).

“GI Joe: Retaliation” (Point, Eastgate, Star Cinema) — Dwayne Johnson continues his successful strategy of jumping into sequels to movies he wasn’t in (“Fast and Furious,” “Journey 2 the Mysterious Island”) with this action sequel. Bruce Willis is also in there, and the shocking thing is that this is probably better than the last “Die Hard” movie.

“Tyler Perry’s Temptation” (Point, Eastgate, Star Cinema) — Tyler Perry’s temptation is that he can’t resist putting his name above the title. His latest is an attempt at “Fatal Attraction”-style romantic thriller about a woman who strays outside her marriage. Perry obviously wants to make a message about the importance of fidelity and taking marriage seriously — which is why he cast Kim Kardashian in a supporting role.

“The Gatekeepers” (Sundance) — This illuminating Oscar-nominated documentary looks at the heads of Shin Bet, Israel’s secret service, as they tell the inside story of 40 years of counter-terrorism. It’s a fascinating look as well as a sobering reminder of how futile even a well-managed occupation ultimately is.

“Like Someone in Love” (Sundance) — After filming “Certified Copy” in Italy, legendary Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami moves to Tokyo for this drama about a call girl and the three men in her life. My review is here.

Wednesday

“Casablanca” (Sundance) — Come on, it’s “Casablanca,” only one of the most quoted (and misquoted) movies of all time. If you know it only by reputation, check it out — it’s actually a highly entertaining melodrama, full of colorful characters, intrigue and a wounded romanticism. Not only is it a great film, it’s a good one, too.

“The Fade” (Union South Marquee Theatre, 7 p.m.) — This intriguing-sounding documentary looks at a week in the life of four barbers, all either African or of African descent, in America, Britain, Ghana and Jamaica. Free!

Thursday

“Lincoln” (Union South, 6 p.m.) — I expected another “War Horse” from Steven Spielberg, a gauzy paean that was as much a monument as a movie. Instead, I found “Lincoln” to be incredibly engrossing and even suspenseful, about a man living at the intersection of myth and mortal, idealism and pragmatism, and trying to pull off an audacious political masterstroke. Free!