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Cinema Chat: 'The Prophet', 'Goodnight Mommy', 'Bridge Of Spies', 'Crimson Peak' And More

www.michtheater.org

A Hollywood movie star makes her way to Ann Arbor to celebrate the release of a new book. Who? Find out in WEMU's weekly feature "Cinema Chat!"   David Fair will also talk with Michigan Theater Program Director Ruth Lednicer about all the movies available to you this weekend. 

Drew Barrymore, the multi talented actress, director and producer has a new movie coming out (“Miss You Already”) and a new book (“Wildflower”).  We are thrilled to say she is going to be at the Michigan Theater on October 28 to talk about her new book – one day after it comes out!  She was in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti in 2009, directing “Whip It”, her roller derby film, and even used the Michigan Theater to screen the dailies of the film – she must have enjoyed it here, since we are the first stop on her book tour!  Everyone attending the event also gets a copy of the book with their ticket purchase.

Opening Downtown

The Prophet

“The Prophet,” Kahlil Gibran’s beloved book of poetry, was thought by many to be almost impossible to bring to the big screen. But, animation director Roger Allers (“The Lion King”), aided by producer and star Salma Hayek, assembled an impressive lineup of animators, actors, directors, and musicians to create a series of stunning vignettes, breathing life into Gibran’s stories for a new generation.   Salma Hayek spent a decade trying to get this story brought to the big screen – and ended up taking 8 of the most popular poems from the book and assigning each to one of 8 of the most innovative animators working today – the result is stunningly beautiful stories set to original music written and performed by Damien Rice and Glenn Hansard.

Goodnight Mommy

In “Goodnight Mommy,” during the heat of summer, nine year old twin brothers await their mother’s return.  When she comes home, bandaged after cosmetic surgery, nothing is like before and the children start to doubt whether  this woman is actually who she says she is.  “Goodnight Mommy” opens Friday at the State.  This film premiered at the Venice Film Festival and was just at the Toronto Film Festival – the LA Times said “It’s tempting to call it a horror movie for people who don’t like this genre, but it’s more accurate to call it a movie for people who like good movies, no matter what type.”  Very creepy, more of a mind game than any outright gore or blood.  

Divers

Back in the day seeing a short film was part of the moving going experience at grand theaters The short film, “Divers,” is a music video from Joanna Newsom’s new album.  Joanna Newsome has a loyal (and large) following for her quirky independent song stylings and there is great buzz around her new album and the video for it. This short film/music video was directed by Paul Thomas Anderson (“Boogie Nights”).  “Divers” will play exclusively in front of “Goodnight Mommy” at the State and late screenings of “Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet” at the Michigan.

Special Screenings Downtown

E.T. The Extraterrestrial

“E.T. The Extraterrestrial,” with Henry Thomas as a troubled child who summons the courage to help a friendly alien escape Earth and return to his home-world.  AND it includes Drew Barrymore in her first film role (and famous scream scene!)  “E.T. The Extraterrestrial” plays Saturday at 1:30 at the Michigan.  Free for kids 12 and under!

War of the Worlds
 
The second installment in our Spielberg: Man & Monsters series is “War of the Worlds” on Monday at 7 PM at the Michigan.  This is Spielberg’s loose adaptation of the H.G. Welles novel, starring Tom Cruise as a father who finds himself fighting for his own and his family’s survival in the devastating wake of an alien invasion that has potentially been centuries in the making. The film was nominated for 3 Oscars and helped to launch a young Dakota Fanning’s career.  

They Live
 
Halloween Midnights at the State has John Carpenter’s “They Live!” to get you in the creepy season mood.  It tells the story of Nada (Roddy Piper), a wanderer searching for meaning in his life, who discovers a pair of sunglasses capable of showing the world the way it truly is. As he walks the streets of Los Angeles, Nada notices that both the media and the government are comprised of subliminal messages meant to keep the population subdued, and that most of the social elite are skull-faced aliens bent on world domination. “They Live!” plays Saturday at 11:59 PM at the State.  
 

 

Desperate Living

The Yours Truly, John Waters film series continues with “Desperate Living.” A recently released mental patient conspires with the maid to murder her husband, and then both escape to the equally demented village of Mortville for more murderous adventures involving transsexuality, disfigurement and lots of gore.  “Desperate Living” plays Wednesday at 7:00 at the State.

Opening at the Multiplex

Bridge of Spies

In “Bridge of Spies,” Tom Hanks stars as the American attorney tasked with negotiating the release of a U-2 spy plane pilot who was shot down over Russia at the height of the Cold War.  “Bridge of Spies” opens Friday.  

Crimson Peak

In “Crimson Peak,” when her heart is stolen by a seductive stranger, a young woman is swept away to a house atop a mountain of blood-red clay: a place filled with secrets that will haunt her forever.  “Crimson Peak” opens Friday. 

Goosebumps

“Goosebumps” finds Zach upset about moving from a big city to a small town, but he finds a silver lining when he meets the beautiful Hannah living right next door. However, every silver lining has a cloud, and Zach's cloud comes when he learns that Hannah’s mysterious dad is R. L. Stine (Jack Black), the author of the bestselling Goosebumps series – and the monsters that his books made famous are real. “Goosebumps” opens Friday.

Contact David: dfair@emich.edu