It’s been about two years since we started Operation: Get Awesome Projector and we’re happy to announce that it’s finally here! A tremendous thanks to everyone who donated their time and dollars to make this happen. Unfortunately, this is just stage one in the journey to full digital cinemaness (and only in the big theater). But let’s not think about that right now. Let us revel in its beauty and hugeness. Here are some photos from the install:
Steve, keeping an eye out for trouble.
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A new version of Georges Méliès’s 1902 sci-fi classic Le Voyage dans la lune (A Trip to the Moon) is out, as of last week. It’s a full restoration (or as close as you’ll ever get) of the hand-colored print found in 1993, with soundtrack by the French duo Air. We just watched it in movie club. Sixteen minutes of fun.
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I know many of you will probably be in a post-True/False cinema-burnout stupor for most of March, but after you shake that off, think of coming out to watch a film at your friendly neighborhood cinema. (We’re closed March 5-7 after the fest, by the way.)
Here’s what we’re working on:
A Separation This looks like it’s going to be good. A lot of people’s favorite to win Best Foreign Film at this year’s Oscars (come to our watch party). It’s also nom’d for Best Original Screenplay.
Pina Like modern dance? Then don’t miss this documentary. Don’t care for modern dance? Come see it anyway. It’s a celebration of the choreography genius of the late Pina Bausch. It was shot in 3D, but Ragtag will be screening it in glorious 2D. (We’ll probably have 3D capabilities in about a thousand years.) Directed by Wim Wenders and nominated for Best Doc in this year’s Oscars.
Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie Want to watch something really dumb but probably have a lot of fun? Come to this. For fan’s of Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! and those agreeing with my first sentence.
Pariah Come see this award-winning drama about a black Brooklyn lesbian teenager and her struggles with identity, friendship and family. Looks like it’s going to be good.
Coriolanus Lord Voldemort’s—I mean, Ralph Fiennes’s directorial debut (he also stars in it). Based on the play by Bill Shakespeare. Set in the Balkans instead of Rome, I believe. Looking forward to it.
Chico & Rita Nominated for Best Animated Feature in the Academy Awards. For fans of jazz and Cuban music. That’s two animated features in two months here at Ragtag! Maybe a first. Not Rated…and not for kids. Four stars from Peter Bradshaw at the Guardian.
Box Elder You guys have been asking for it, so we’re giving it up. Columbia’s very own homegrown bro comedy. March 8 at 9:15pm. Mark your calendars.
And this is just a taste. Expect the full calendar in a few days.
Chico & Rita.
There will be blood.
It’s such a rarity that we have a fun G-rated film for kids that I thought I’d make a special announcement.
We just opened Studio Ghibli’s The Secret World of Arrietty, based on Mary Norton’s novel The Borrowers. It’s about a young girl Arrietty and the everyday adventure of her life as a two-inch-high borrower and her friendship with a visiting (full-size) boy.
It’s a little more mature than the screamtastic Ponyo, yet not a war movie like Princess Mononoke and Nausicaä.
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Gorgeously hand-drawn and movingly told, The Secret World of Arrietty is another knockout from the great Japanese animation company Studio Ghibli and is based on a screenplay from animation legend Hayao Miyazaki. Will Arnett, Bridgit Mendler, David Henrie, Carol Burnett and Amy Poehler provide voice talent.
The five nominees in this category represent some of the most promising filmmakers of tomorrow. Includes: “Pentecost” (dir. Peter McDonald and Eimear O’Kane), Raju (dir. Max Zahle and Stefan Gieren), “The Shore” (dir. Terry George and Oorlagh George), “Time Freak” (dir. Andrew Bowler and Gigi Causey) and “Tuba Atlantic” (dir. Hallvar Witzo).
Scotland, PA (2001) is a funny retelling of Macbeth (1611) set in the 70s during those heady days of fast food. Featuring Christopher Walken and Ragtag-favorite Speed Levitch. A welcomed surprise at movie club. Rent it from 9th Street Video.
The Three Witches
It reminded me in tone of another everything-goes-to-hell murder movie: the underrated Drowning Mona (2000), featuring Danny DeVitto, Bette Midler, and Casey Affleck. A great early-Naughties black comedy.
Possession is a 1981 West German film from director/writer Andrzej Zulawski featuring Sam Neill (of Jurassic Park fame) and Isabelle Adjani, who won Best Actress at Cannes for her performance—and rightly so. She is stunning.
The most important thing I learned from this film: Do not go off to be some Cold War spy and let your wife get possessed by some nasty demon. It is not pretty.
I won’t tell you too much about what happens, but Possession is kind of like Rosemary’s Baby meets Antichrist plus Invasion of the Body Snatchers with a Euro-arthouse slant. That’s right.
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We just watched this 1936 comedy classic at movie club. A “Park Avenue brat” finds a “forgotten man” in the city dump during a society scavenger hunt and invites him to be her butler. Hilarity ensues. If you rent the copy from 9th Street Video it comes with His Girl Friday (1940 Cary Grant) on the flipside.
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I’m a big fan of Nick Cave and his dark wit. He’s probably best known for his work with The Bad Seeds. But he’s also a screenwriter and (recent) novelist. I first experienced his cinema side watching The Proposition back at the old Ragtag in 2005. Directed by fellow Aussie John Hillcoat, it’s an Australian western based loosely on true events (I’m pretty sure). There are four brothers: two in the bush, two in the hands of the law. One is given a proposition: bring in the psychotic, murderous two and save the younger third from the gallows pole. It’s one of my favorites.
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