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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“Interstellar”: A space odyssey that’s more ‘2010’ than ‘2001’

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“Interstellar” opens Wednesday in 35mm at Sundance, and opens Friday in digital and IMAX at Point, Eastgate, Star Cinema and Sundance. PG-13, 2;45, three and  a half stars out of four.

Part of me wants to write the most negative 3.5-star review ever written. Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi epic “Interstellar” soars so close to greatness, just almost reaches that the ambitious director of “Inception” and “The Dark Knight” is grasping for, that there’s an undeniable feeling of disappointment that it falls short.

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“The Strange Little Cat”: The tabby is the least of your problems

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“The Strange Little Cat” screens at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, 227 State St. Not rated, 1:09, three stars out of four. FREE for museum members, $7 for all others.

There’s a little moment early on in “The Strange Little Cat” where a woman is feeding the titular cat. As the orange tabby slurps away happily, the woman dangles her foot over the cat’s head, as if idly contemplating crushing its little skull into the bowl. Then she pulls her foot away.

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Instant Gratification: “Snowpiercer” and four other good movies just added to Netflix Instant

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“Snowpiercer” — My full review is here. Bong Joon-ho’s wildly imaginative sci-fi epic, in which what remains of humanity is crammed aboard a supertrain endlessly circling a frozen Earth, starts off as an action film and turns into a surreal allegory that would make Terry Gilliam proud.

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UW Mini Indie Film Festival brings “God Help The Girl,” “The One I Love” to town

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In September, I mentioned that the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art’s Spotlight Cinema season seemed curated to bring the movies to Madison that weren’t going to play here theatrically otherwise — movies like Jim Jarmusch’s “Only Lovers Left Alive,” Roman Polanski’s “Venus in Fur” and the upcoming “Force Majeure.”

Well, the Wisconsin Union Directorate’s Film Committee released its schedule for the Mini Indie Film Festival over the weekend, and it’s four-day schedule (Nov. 20-23) is packed with movies that wouldn’t have played here either. Steven Knight’s “Locke”, Stuart Murdoch’s “God Help The Girl” and the Oscar-nominated animated film “Ernest and Celestine” are all on the calendar. The films will all play for free in the Union South Marquee Theatre, 1308 W. Dayton St.

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“The Notebook”: Learning the lessons of war only too well

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“The Notebook” opens Friday at Sundance Cinemas. R, 1:52, three stars out of four.

I’ll admit it, there’s a perverse appeal in the thought of somebody thinking they’re going to the theater of seeing a 10th-anniversary screening of the Ryan Gosling-Rachel McAdams romantic drama and instead seeing this pitiless World War II drama from Hungary.

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The five movies you have to see in Madison, Oct. 31-Nov. 6, 2014

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1. “Nightcrawler” (all week, Point, Eastgate, Star Cinema, Sundance) — Every generation gets the Rupert Pupkin it deserves, and ours apparently is Jake Gyllenhaal as a twisted freelance photographer whose thirst for grotesque crime scene photos takes him into some very dark places. No way he doesn’t get an Oscar nomination for this.

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“Birdman”: What we talk about when we talk about superheroes

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“Birdman” is now playing at Sundance Cinemas. R, 1:59, three and a half stars out of four.

What is “Birdman”? A Hollywood in-joke, an existential drama, a backstage face, a magical realist drama, and a work of technical virtuosity so dazzling that it can only mean to to dazzle. This is a nutty, chewy, wildly ambitious film that leaps tall buildings in a single take.

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“Sundance 2014 Live Action Shorts”: Short cuts from Park City

 

 

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“Sundance 2014 Live Action Shorts” opens Friday at Sundance Cinemas. Not rated, 1;39, three stars out of four.

The Oscar-nominated short film collections have been a popular annual tradition at Sundance Cinemas in February, and not just for audiences filling out their Oscar ballots who want an edge. The chance to see an eclectic mix of shorts is like a sampler platter — if you don’t like what you’re tasting, the next one’s coming soon.

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