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Cinema Chat: 'Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour' opens nationwide, plus 'Joan Baez: I Am a Noise' and 'Cat Person' open downtown

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COMING SOON (FROM THE CANNES FILM FESTIVAL)

"Killers of the Flower Moon" — OPENS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20 WITH A SPECIAL SCREENING ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19 AT THE STATE

A 2023 American epic crime drama film directed and produced by Martin Scorsese, who co-wrote the screenplay with Eric Roth, based on the 2017 book of the same name by David Grann. Its plot centers on a series of Oklahoma murders in the Osage Nation during the 1920s, committed after oil was discovered on tribal land. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, and Lily Gladstone, with Jesse Plemons, Tantoo Cardinal, John Lithgow, and Brendan Fraser in supporting roles. It marks the sixth feature film collaboration between Scorsese and DiCaprio and the tenth between Scorsese and De Niro.

Development on the film began in March 2016 when Imperative Entertainment won the film adaptation rights to the book. Scorsese and DiCaprio were attached to the film in 2017, with production initially expected to begin in early 2018. Following several pushbacks and delays in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, production was scheduled to commence in February 2021. Principal photography ultimately took place in Osage County and Washington County between the spring and fall of 2021. The film had a $200 million budget reportedly the largest amount ever spent on a film shot in Oklahoma.

The film premiered at the 76th Cannes Film Festival on May 20, 2023 to widespread critical acclaim for its screenplay, score, cinematography, production design, and performances of DiCaprio, De Niro, and Gladstone.

"Anatomy of a Fall" — COMING SOON!!!

A 2023 French courtroom drama thriller directed by Justine Triet from a screenplay co-written by Triet and Arthur Harari. It stars Sandra Hüller as a writer trying to prove her innocence in her husband's death.

It had its world premiere at the 76th Cannes Film Festival on 21 May 2023, where it won the Palme d'Or. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, with Triet's direction and Hüller's performance garnering universal critical acclaim. It has sold over 1 million admissions in France.

Sandra, a German writer, is arrested for murder in France following her husband's death in the snow under mysterious circumstances. Having the couple's 11-year-old, blind son as the only witness of her husband's death, Sandra tries to prove her innocence during the trial.

OPENING AND RE-OPENING DOWNTOWN

"Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour" — OPENS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13 AT THE STATE AND MULTIPLEX (TICKETS ON SALE NOW - michtheater.org)

The cultural phenomenon continues on the big screen! Immerse yourself in this once-in-a-lifetime concert film experience with a breathtaking, cinematic view of the history-making tour. Taylor Swift Eras attire and friendship bracelets are strongly encouraged! From director Sam Wrench.

The film is three hours, with a set list of 44 songs divided into 10 distinct acts that conceptually portray Swift's ten studio albums. The tour was a commercial success and received critical acclaim. It became a cultural and economic phenomenon, bolstered by a globally unprecedented ticket demand and fan frenzy.

Swift commissioned a recording of the Eras Tour to be theatrically released as a feature film. Sam Wrench, who previously helmed Billie Eilish's "Billie Eilish: Live at the O2" (2023) and Lizzo's "Lizzo: Live in Concert" (2022), was hired as director, and the film was recorded at the first three of six Los Angeles shows of the tour from August 3 to 5, 2023, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

"Joan Baez: I Am a Noise" — OPENS FRIDAY OCTOBER 13 AT THE MICHIGAN

Neither a conventional biopic nor a traditional concert film, this film is a raw and intimate portrait of the legendary folk singer and activist that shifts back and forth through time as it follows Joan on her final tour and delves into her extraordinary archive, including newly discovered home movies, diaries, artwork, therapy tapes, and audio recordings. Baez is remarkably revealing about her life on and off stage -- from her lifelong emotional struggles to her civil rights work with MLK and a heartbreaking romance with a young Bob Dylan. A searingly honest look at a living legend, this film is a compelling and deeply personal exploration of an iconic artist who has never told the full truth of her life, as she experienced it, until now.

"Cat Person" — OPENS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13 AT THE STATE

A 2023 black comedy psychological thriller film directed by Susanna Fogel from a screenplay by Michelle Ashford, based on the 2017 short story of the same name by Kristen Roupenian. The film stars Emilia Jones, Nicholas Braun, Geraldine Viswanathan, Hope Davis, Fred Melamed, and Isabella Rossellini.

It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 21, 2023.

20-year-old sophomore college student Margot has a brief relationship with Robert, an older man who frequently visits the movie theater where she works. It is a bad date film riffing on toxic masculinity and the complicated dating realities of the 21st century.

SPECIAL SCREENINGS DOWNTOWN

"Jumanji"— PLAYS TONIGHT AT 7:15 PM AT THE STATE

Coinciding with author Chris Van Allsburg’s Penny Stamps lecture at the Michigan Theater at 5:30 PM.

When two kids find and play a magical board game, they release a man trapped in it for decades - and a host of dangers that can only be stopped by finishing the game. From director Joe Johnston and starring Robin Williams, Bonnie Hunt, Kirsten Dunst and Bradley Pierce.

"Seoul Station" — PLAYS TONIGHT AT 7:30 PM AT THE STATE

Part of the Late Nights at the State series

In this animated prequel to "Train to Busan" (2016), a man desperately searches for his runaway daughter as the government struggles to shut down the area around a zombie outbreak. Written and directed by Yeon Sang-ho.

"Friday the 13th" — PLAYS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13 AT 9:30 PM AT THE STATE

Part of the Late Nights at the State series

Starring Betsy Palmer, Adrienne King, Harry Crosby, Laurie Bartram, Mark Nelson,Jeannine Taylor, Robbi Morgan, and Kevin Bacon. Its plot follows a group of teenage camp counselors who are murdered one by one by an unknown killer while they are attempting to re-open an abandoned summer camp with a tragic past.

Prompted by the success of John Carpenter's "Halloween" (1978), director Sean S. Cunningham shot the film in the summer of 1979, on an estimated budget of $550,000, it was a major box office success, grossing $59.8 million worldwide. Being the first independent film of its kind to secure distribution in the U.S. by a major studio, its box office success led to a long series of sequels, a crossover with the A Nightmare on Elm Street film series, and a 2009 series reboot.

"The Nightmare Before Christmas" — PLAYS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15 AT 1:30 PM AT THE MICHIGAN

Part of the Not Just for Kids Family Friendly Series

The film follows the misadventures of Jack Skellington, Halloweentown's beloved pumpkin king, who has become bored with the same annual routine of frightening people in the "real world." When Jack accidentally stumbles on Christmastown, all bright colors and warm spirits, he gets a new lease on life -- he plots to bring Christmas under his control by kidnapping Santa Claus and taking over the role. But Jack soon discovers even the best-laid plans of mice and skeleton men can go seriously awry. From director Henry Selick, producer Tim Burton, and starring Danny Elfman, Catherine O'Hara, and Chris Sarandon.

"Gangs of New York" — PLAYS MONDAY, OCTOBER 16 AT 7:30 PM AT THE MICHIGAN

Part of the 50 Years of Scorsese film series

A 2002 American epic historical drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Jay Cocks, Steven Zaillian and Kenneth Lonergan, based on Herbert Asbury's 1927 book "The Gangs of New York". The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis and Cameron Diaz, with Jim Broadbent, John C. Reilly, Henry Thomas, Stephen Graham, Eddie Marsan and Brendan Gleeson in supporting roles.

The film is set in 1863, when a long-running Catholic–Protestant feud erupts into violence, just as an Irish immigrant group is protesting against the threat of conscription.

Scorsese spent twenty years developing the project. It was met with generally positive reviews and Daniel Day-Lewis's performance was highly acclaimed. It received ten nominations at the 75th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for Scorsese and Best Actor for Day-Lewis.

"Crossings"— PLAYS TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17 AT 4 PM AT THE STATE

Part of the Korean CinemaNow Series

Featuring a post-film Q&A with director Deann Borshay Liem

Thirty women activists including Nobel Peace Laureates and renowned feminist, Gloria Steinem, set out on a risky journey across the DMZ between North and South Korea, calling for an end to a 70-year war that has divided the Korean people. Presented in English and Korean with English subtitles.

"Shoebox" — PLAYS WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18 AT 7:30 PM AT THE STATE

Part of the 1st Annual South Asian Film Series

Featuring a post-film Q&A with writer/director Faraz Ali

Mampu watches her father struggle to keep his one screen theatre afloat, as her hometown acquires a new name, losing traces of its rich cultural past. Presented in Bengali and Hindi with English subtitles.

CONTINUING DOWNTOWN

"Stop Making Sense"

A 1984 American concert film featuring a live performance by the American rock band Talking Heads. Directed by Jonathan Demme, it was shot over three nights at Hollywood's Pantages Theater in December 1983, when the group was touring to promote their new album Speaking in Tongues. The concert serves as a band retrospective, featuring many of their popular songs from their first single "Psycho Killer" (1977) through to their most recent hit "Burning Down the House" (1983). The group also performs songs from frontman David Byrne's solo career, and from Tom Tom Club, the side project of two other band members.

The band raised the budget of $1.2 million themselves. The four core members of Talking Heads—lead singer and guitarist David Byrne, drummer Chris Frantz, guitarist and keyboardist Jerry Harrison, and bassist Tina Weymouth—are joined on stage by an extensive supporting band, including backing singers Lynn Mabry and Ednah Holt, guitarist Alex Weir, keyboardist Bernie Worrell, and percussionist Steve Scales.

This film is considered by many critics to be one of the greatest concert films of all time, and a cult classic. The film is a pioneering example of the use of early digital audio techniques. In 2021, it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

"A Haunting in Venice"

An American supernatural mystery film co-produced, directed by and starring Kenneth Branagh from a screenplay by Michael Green, based on the 1969 novel "Hallowe'en Party" by Agatha Christie. The film serves as the sequel to "Death on the Nile" (2022), and it is the third one overall in which Branagh portrays the Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. The ensemble cast includes Kyle Allen, Camille Cottin, Jamie Dornan, Tina Fey, Jude Hill, Ali Khan, Emma Laird, Kelly Reilly, Riccardo Scamarcio, andMichelle Yeoh.

The film is set in eerie, post-World War II Venice on All Hallows’ Eve and is a terrifying mystery featuring the return of the celebrated sleuth, Hercule Poirot. Now retired and living in self-imposed exile in the world’s most glamorous city, Poirot reluctantly attends a séance at a decaying, haunted palazzo. When one of the guests is murdered, the detective is thrust into a sinister world of shadows and secrets.

"Dumb Money"

A 2023 American biographical comedy-narrative film directed by Craig Gillespie and written by Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo. It is based on the 2021 book "The Antisocial Network" by Ben Mezrich and chronicles the GameStop short squeeze of January 2021. The film features an ensemble cast that includes Paul Dano, Pete Davidson, Vincent D'Onofrio, America Ferrera, Nick Offerman, Anthony Ramos, Sebastian Stan, Shailene Woodley, and Seth Rogen.

The ultimate David vs. Goliath tale, based on the insane true story of everyday people who flipped the script on Wall Street and got rich by turning GameStop (yes, the mall videogame store) into the world's hottest company. In the middle of everything is regular guy Keith Gill (Paul Dano), who starts it all by sinking his life savings into the stock and posting about it. When his social posts start blowing up, so does his life and the lives of everyone following him. As a stock tip becomes a movement, everyone gets rich -- until the billionaires fight back, and both sides find their worlds turned upside down.

"Bottoms"

This film premiered at South by Southwest on March 11, 2023.

The film, a refreshingly unique teen comedy, focuses on two girls, PJ (Rachel Sennott) and Josie (Ayo Edebiri), who start a fight club as a way to lose their virginities to cheerleaders. Their bizarre plan works. The fight club gains traction and soon the most popular girls in school are beating each other up in the name of self-defense. But PJ and Josie find themselves in over their heads and in need of a way out before their plan is exposed.

From director Emma Seligman ("Shiva Baby," a 2020 American comedy film written and directed by Emma Seligman, Seligman’s feature directorial debut. The film starred Rachel Sennott as Danielle, a directionless young bisexual Jewish woman who attends a shiva with her parents).

"The Exorcist: Believer" 

Since the death of his pregnant wife in a Haitian earthquake 12 years ago, Victor Fielding (Tony winner and Oscar® nominee Leslie Odom, Jr.; "One Night in Miami," "Hamilton") has raised their daughter, Angela (Lidya Jewett, "Good Girls") on his own. But when Angela and her friend Katherine (newcomer Olivia Marcum), disappear in the woods, only to return three days later with no memory of what happened to them, it unleashes a chain of events that will force Victor to confront the nadir of evil and, in his terror and desperation, seek out the only person alive who has witnessed anything like it before: Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn).

LIVE EVENTS COMING TO THE MICHIGAN THEATER

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