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Cinema Chat: 'Dear Evan Hansen,' 'Titane,' 'Venom: Let There Be Carnage,' And More

Michigan Theater
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WEMU wrapped up its most successful fall fundraiser last week, so let's celebrate with the movies! WEMU's David Fair connected with Michigan Theater Foundation executive director Russ Collins to chat about the latest movie news and new films coming your way this weekend.

CONGRATULATIONS TO WEMU LISTENERS FOR THE MOST SUCCESSFUL FUNDRAISER EVER!!!

COVID-19 PROTOCOLS FOR MICHIGAN THEATER AND STATE THEATRE

The Michigan and State theaters require all attendees over the age of 12 to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours before films or live events. Masks will also still be required at this time. Attendees under the age of 12 will need to have their temperature checked and wear a mask at all times at the event. This is a temporary safety policy, which we expect to stay in place until the current flare up of COVID-19 infections recede.

OPENING DOWNTOWN

"Titane"-- OPENS TONIGHT AT THE STATE
 
Winner of the 2021 Cannes Palme d'Or (Spike Lee, jury chair), from director Julia Ducournau ('Raw'), this thriller follows a series of unexplained crimes. A 2021 body horror thriller film written and directed by Julia Ducournau. It stars Agathe Rousselle as a female serial killer who becomes pregnant after having sex with a car. A review from the BBC called it "the most shocking film of 2021." The film had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on 13 July 2021, where Ducournau became the second female director to win the Palme d'Or, the film's top award. 

"The Hidden Life of Trees" -- OPENS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1 (7:15 PM & 10:30 PM) AT THE MICHIGAN

Based on his 2015 best-selling book, renowned forester and author Peter Wohlleben discusses the life, death, and regeneration of trees.

"I'm Your Man" -- OPENS TONIGHT AT THE STATE

Germany's entry to the 2022 Academy Awards for Best International Feature. In order to obtain funds for her research, Alma (Maren Eggert) is persuaded to participate in an extraordinary study. For three weeks she is required to live with Tom (Dan Stevens), a humanoid robot designed to be the perfect life partner for her, tailored to her character and needs. This film is a playful romance about relationships, love, and what it means to be human in the modern age.

"No Time to Die" -- OPENS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7 AT THE STATE (TICKETS ON SALE NOW!!!)

A 2021 British-American spy film and the 25th in the James Bond series stars Daniel Craig in his fifth and final outing as the fictional British MI6 agent. It is directed by Cary Fukunaga from a screenplay by Phoebe Waller-Bridge and others, including Fukunaga. Léa SeydouxBen WhishawNaomie HarrisJeffrey WrightChristoph WaltzRory Kinnear, andRalph Fiennes reprise their roles from previous films, with Rami Malek, plays a classic Bond adversary. The film’s release was delayed by over one year by the COVID-19 pandemic. The film received strong positive reviews from critics, who hailed it as a fitting and compelling sendoff to the Craig-era of Bond films.

 
SPECIAL SCREENINGS DOWNTOWN

ALFRED HITCHCOCK SERIES - Fridays

 LATE NIGHTS - Fridays at 9:30 PM

"Soul" -- ONE NIGHT ONLY! THURSDAY, OCTOBER 7 AT THE MICHIGAN (AND IT'S FREE!!)

Featuring an in-person discussion with Co-director & Writer Kemp Powers!

What is it that makes you...YOU? Pixar Animation Studios’ all-new feature film introduces Joe Gardner (voice of Jamie Foxx) – a middle-school band teacher who gets the chance of a lifetime to play at the best jazz club in town. But one small misstep takes him from the streets of New York City to The Great Before – a fantastical place where new souls get their personalities, quirks and interests before they go to Earth. Determined to return to his life, Joe teams up with a precocious soul, 22 (voice of Tina Fey), who has never understood the appeal of the human experience. As Joe desperately tries to show 22 what’s great about living, he may just discover the answers to some of life’s most important questions.

Directed by Academy Award® winner Pete Docter (“Inside Out,” “Up”), co-directed by Kemp Powers (“One Night in Miami”), written by Kemp Powers & Mike Jones, and produced by Academy Award nominee Dana Murray (Pixar short “Lou”), the film also stars the voice talents of Phylicia RashadQuestlove, and Daveed Diggs. It features original jazz music by globally renowned musician Jon Batiste, and Oscar® winners Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (“The Social Network”), from Nine Inch Nails, composed an original score that drifts between the real and soul worlds. 

"One Night in Miami..." -- ONE NIGHT ONLY! FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8 AT THE MICHIGAN

Featuring an in-person discussion with Screenwriter Kemp Powers! Directed by Regina King.

On one incredible night in 1964, four icons of sports, music, and activism gathered to celebrate one of the biggest upsets in boxing history. When underdog Cassius Clay, soon to be called Muhammad Ali, (Eli Goree), defeats heavyweight champion Sonny Liston at the Miami Convention Hall, Clay memorialized the event with three of his friends: Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir), Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.), and Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge).

CONTINUING DOWNTOWN

"The Eyes of Tammy Faye" 

An intimate look at the extraordinary rise, fall, and redemption of televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker. In the 1970s and 80s, Tammy Faye and her husband, Jim Bakker, rose from humble beginnings to create the world's largest religious broadcasting network and theme park, and were revered for their message of love, acceptance and prosperity. However, it wasn't long before financial improprieties, scheming rivals, and scandal toppled their carefully constructed empire.

"Dear Evan Hansen"

The screening was arranged for University of Michigan students, faculty and staff by U-M graduates (from the acclaimed Musical Theater Program by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who wrote the music and lyrics for this award-winning Broadway hit. It opened at the Music Box Theatre (designed by C. Howard Crane, who designed our very own State Theatre) in 2016. It was nominated for nine Tony awards, winning six, including Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical for Ben Platt, Best Featured Actress in a Musical for Rachel Bay Jones, Best Musical, and Best Score. The movie stars Ben Platt, who also stared in the Broadway production. 

"Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings"

Based on the Marvel Comics featuring the character Shang-Chi, it is the 25th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). It stars Simu Liu as Shang-Chi alongside AwkwafinaMeng'er ZhangFala ChenBenedict WongMichelle YeohBen Kingsley, and Tony Leung. In the film, Shang-Chi is forced to confront his past after he is drawn into his father's Ten Rings organization.

This is the first Marvel Studios film with an Asian director (Destin Daniel Cretton) and a predominantly Asian cast. The film received positive reviews from critics, praising the film's fight choreography, its exploration and representation of Asian culture, and the performances (particularly that of Simu Liu and Tony Leung). 

"The Lost Leonardo"

This film tells the inside story behind the painting “Salvator Mundi,” which, many, but not all art experts consider to be a lost painting by Leonardo da Vinci, which  at $450 becomes the most expensive painting ever sold. From the moment it is purchased from a shady New Orleans auction house, and its buyers discover masterful brushstrokes beneath its cheap restoration, the fate of “Salvator Mundi” is driven by an insatiable quest for fame, money and power. But as its price soars, so do questions about its authenticity. Is this multi-million dollar painting actually by Leonardo -- or do certain power players simply want it to be? Unravelling the hidden agendas of the world's richest men and most powerful art institutions, the film reveals how vested interests became all-important, and the truth secondary.

"The Alpinist"

Marc-André Leclerc climbs alone, far from the limelight. On remote alpine faces, the free-spirited 23-year-old Canadian makes some of the boldest solo ascents in history. Yet, he draws scant attention. With no cameras, no rope, and no margin for error, Leclerc's approach is the essence of solo adventure. Nomadic and publicity shy, he doesn't own a phone or car, and is reluctant to let a film crew in on his pure vision of climbing. Veteran filmmaker Peter Mortimer ("The Dawn Wall") sets out to make a film about Leclerc but struggles to keep up with his elusive subject. Then, Leclerc embarks on a historic adventure in Patagonia that will redefine what is possible in solo climbing.

OPENING AT THE MULTIPLEX

"Venom: Let There Be Carnage" -- OPENS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1

Tom Hardy returns to the big screen as the lethal protector Venom, one of MARVEL's greatest and most complex characters. Directed by Andy Serkis, the film also stars Michelle Williams, Naomie Harris, and Woody Harrelson, in the role of the villain Cletus Kasady/Carnage.

COMING SOON DOWNTOWN

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— David Fair is the WEMU News Director and host of Morning Edition on WEMU.  You can contact David at734.487.3363, on twitter @DavidFairWEMU, or email him at dfair@emich.edu

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