HAPPENING DOWNTOWN: ONE NIGHT ONLY EVENTS
"Daddy" — OPENS TONIGHT AT 7:30 PM AT THE MICHIGAN
Featuring a post-film discussion from directors Neal Kelley and Jono Sherman, graduates of the University of Michigan!
Set in a dystopian society where the state has the power to determine who can and cannot father children. Four men attend a government-mandated retreat in the remote mountains of California. When they arrive, there’s no guide or instructions waiting for them. So left to their own devices, they must prove to themselves that they have what it takes to become fathers.
Neal and Jono grew up in Ann Arbor and met at Tappan Middle School. Daddy is their feature debut and includes cast and crew that they met during their time at U-M. Guided by humor and a passion for narrative.
"The Wind" — PLAYS SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7 AT 7 PM AT THE MICHIGAN
Live musical accompaniment by the Little Bang Theory, consisting of Frank Pahl, Terri Sarris and Doug Shimmin, will perform an ingenious original score performed live on-stage with toy instruments. A beautifully unique event not to be missed!
The final silent film for one of MGM’s greatest stars, Lillian Gish as Letty Mason, an emotionally fragile woman from Virginia who relocates to West Texas and finds herself unsettled by the ever-present wind and sand. Arriving at her new home at the ranch of her cousin (Edward Earle), she receives a surprisingly cold welcome from his wife (Dorothy Cumming). Soon tensions in the family and unwanted attention from a trio of suitors, including neighbor Lige Hightower (Lars Hanson), leave Letty increasingly disturbed, resulting in tragedy. Beautifully directed by Victor Sjöström ("The Phantom Carriage"), this is silent film at its finest.
OPENING THIS WEEK
"Nightbitch" — OPENS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6 AT THE MULTIPLEX
Amy Adams stars as an artist who pauses her career to be a stay-at-home mom and seeks a new chapter in her life. But her nightly routine takes a surreal turn when her maternal instincts begin to manifest in canine form.
From director Marielle Heller ("A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" and "Can you Ever Forgive Me").
"Y2K" — OPENS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6 AT THE MULTIPLEX
An alternate telling of the dreaded Y2K bug about two loser friends who crash a high school party on New Year's Eve 1999, and the bug causes all technology to come to life and turn against humanity.
Written and directed by Kyle Mooney ("Saturday Night Live") and starring Rachel Zegler ("West Side Story"), Jaden Martell ("Stranger Things"), and Julian Dennison ("Hunt for the Wilderpeople," "Deadpool 2")
"Flow" — OPENS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6 AT THE MICHIGAN
Selected as the Latvian entry for Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards.
The film follows a courageous cat after his home is devastated by a great flood. Teaming up with a capybara, a lemur, a bird, and a dog to navigate a boat in search of dry land, they must rely on trust, courage, and wits to survive the perils of a newly aquatic planet.
A wondrous journey, through realms natural and mystical. An animated spectacle as well as a profound meditation on the fragility of the environment and the spirit of friendship and community.
"All We Imagine as Light" — OPENS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6 AT THE STATE
Sponsored by the University of Michigan Center for South Asian Studies
The light, the lives, and the textures of contemporary, working-class Mumbai are explored and celebrated by writer/director Payal Kapadia, who won the Grand Prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
Centering on two roommates who also work together in a city hospital, Kapadia’s film alights on moments of connection and heartache, hope and disappointment to create a soulful study of the transformative power of friendship and sisterhood, in all its complexities and richness.
SPECIAL SCREENINGS DOWNTOWN
"Love Actually" — PLAYS FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6 AT 9:30 PM AND THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12 AT 7 PM AT THE MICHIGAN
Part of the Late Night Classics Film Series
Nine intertwined stories examine the complexities of the one emotion that connects us all: love. Among the characters explored are David (Hugh Grant), the handsome newly elected British prime minister who falls for a young junior staffer (Martine McCutcheon), Sarah (Laura Linney), a graphic designer whose devotion to her mentally ill brother complicates her love life, and Harry (Alan Rickman), a married man tempted by his attractive new secretary. From writer/director Richard Curtis.
Still to come:
- "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians" – Friday, December 13 and Thursday, December 19
- "Die Hard" – Friday, December 20 and Thursday, December 26
- "Eight Crazy Nights" – Friday, December 27 and Thursday, January 2
"Dr. Seuss' The Grinch" — PLAYS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8 AT 1:30 PM AT THE MICHIGAN
The Grinch and his loyal dog, Max, live a solitary existence inside a cave on Mount Crumpet. His main source of aggravation comes during Christmastime when his neighbors in Whoville celebrate the holidays with a bang. When the Whos decide to make Christmas bigger and brighter, the disgruntled Grinch realizes there is one way to gain peace and quiet. With help from Max, the green grump hatches a scheme to pose as Santa Claus, steal Christmas and silence the Whos' holiday cheer once and for all. From directors Scott Mosier and Yarrow Cheney and starring Benedict Cumberbatch as The Grinch.
More Free Holiday Classics Coming Soon:
- "Miracle On 34th Street" – Sunday, December 15
- "A Christmas Story" - Sunday, December 22
Benshi Attack! Silent Sword Films with Benshi Narration — PLAYS MONDAY, DECEMBER 9 AT 7 PM AT THE MICHIGAN
Presented with the University of Michigan Center for Japanese Studies.
Free and open to the public (with RSVP)! With accompaniment by DJ arwulf arwulf spinning the tunes.
Silent films were never silent in Japan. A benshi always stood to the side of the screen, providing spectacular narration and imitating the voices of characters. This evening presents a tour through the history of the samurai film, starting with the first film ever made in Japan and ending with an Ozu comedy. In between, we’ll see early anime, the oldest Japanese-American film, and one of the greatest action films of all time. Join us for an evening of action!
"Hundreds of Beavers" — PLAYS WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11 AT 7 PM AT THE MICHIGAN
Back for yet another encore! A slapstick epic about a frostbitten battle between Jean Kayak and diabolical beavers--hundreds of them--who stand between him and survival. From writer/director Mike Cheslik.
CONTINUING DOWNTOWN
Walt Disney Animation Studios' epic animated musical takes audiences on an expansive new voyage with Moana, Maui and a brand-new crew of unlikely seafarers. After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she's ever faced. From directors David G. Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, and Dana Ledoux Miller.
After two decades as one of the most beloved and enduring musicals on the stage, Wicked makes its long-awaited journey to the big screen as a spectacular, generation-defining cinematic event this holiday season. The untold story of the witches of Oz, stars Emmy, Grammy and Tony winning powerhouse Cynthia Erivo ("Harriet," Broadway’s "The Color Purple") as Elphaba, a young woman, misunderstood because of her unusual green skin, who has yet to discover her true power, and Grammy-winning, multi-platinum recording artist and global superstar Ariana Grande as Glinda, a popular young woman, gilded by privilege and ambition, who has yet to discover her true heart. Also starring Oscar® winner Michelle Yeoh, Tony nominee Ethan Slater (Broadway’s "Spongebob Squarepants," "Fosse/Verdon"), Bowen Yang ("Saturday Night Live"), four-time Emmy winner Peter Dinklage ("Game of Thrones") and Jeff Goldblum as the legendary Wizard of Oz.
Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Jon M. Chu ("Crazy Rich Asians," "In the Heights"), this is the first chapter of a two-part immersive, cultural celebration. Based on the bestselling novel by Gregory Maguire, it is adapted for the screen by the stage production’s book writer Winnie Holzman and by legendary Grammy and Oscar® winning composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz.
Presented in association with the U-M Kelsey Museum of Archaeology.
Years after witnessing the death of Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius must enter the Colosseum after the powerful emperors of Rome conquer his home. With rage in his heart and the future of the empire at stake, he looks to the past to find the strength and honor needed to return the glory of Rome to its people. From director Ridley Scott.
Mismatched cousins David (Jesse Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin) reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother. The adventure takes a turn when the odd-couple's old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history.
Anora, a young sex worker from Brooklyn, gets her chance at a Cinderella story when she meets and impulsively marries the son of an oligarch. Once the news reaches Russia, her fairytale is threatened as the parents set out for New York to get the marriage annulled.
From director Sean Baker ('The Florida Project', 'Tangerine') and WINNER of the Palme d'Or at this year's Cannes Film Festival.
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