A chance to say goodbye to some cinematic legends, here is your #movienerdreport!
Wow, it’s hard to believe that it is already Labor Day, but here we are! Last week, movie fans were saddened by the deaths of two cinematic icons, Dolly Parton and Tim Curry. This weekend you have the opportunity to see both actors on local screens!
Starting Thursday at the B&B Theaters Macedonia (8161 Macedonia Commons Blvd, Macedonia 44056) at 4 p.m. you can see Dolly in her 1989 tearjerker “Steel Magnolias” and it will play at a number of other theaters throughout the weekend including the Cedar Lee Theatre (2163 Lee Rd, Cleveland Heights 44118) on Sunday at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. as well as Tuesday at 7 p.m.
If you want to see Curry in probably his most iconic role in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” it will be playing, as it always has for 30+ years, on the first Saturday of the month, at the Cedar Lee Theatre at 10 p.m. which features Simply His Servants shadow cast, and as of this writing, there are very few tickets left for the 10 p.m. but they have also added a 10:30 p.m. show which will not feature the shadow cast.
Over at the Cleveland Cinematheque (11610 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland 44106):
Thursday at 6:45 p.m. they will be showing the documentary that premiered earlier this year at the Cleveland International Film Festival, “Slowburn Shoot,” which looks at the Cleveland-based wrestling promotion AIW. Director Adam J. Wilde and other guests will be on hand for a post-film Q&A!
Thursday at 9 p.m. they will be kicking off a Cult Musical series with Brian DePalma’s 1974 film “Phantom of the Paradise.” The film, which is a play on “The Phantom of the Opera” stars Paul Williams (who scored the film) and Jessica Harper!
Friday at 6:45 p.m. and Sunday at 5:10 p.m. they will be showing a 4K restoration of Jane Campion’s Oscar winning film “The Piano.” It tells the story of a mute Scottish woman who travels to colonial New Zealand with her daughter for an arranged marriage to a local frontier landowner. It stars Holly Hunter (in the role that won her an Oscar), Anna Paquin (who became one of the youngest Oscar winners ever), Harvey Keitel and the late Sam Neill.
Friday at 9:05 p.m. and Saturday at 6:15 p.m. they will show “Blue Film.” The film tells the story of a fetish camboy who agrees to spend the night with an anonymous client, only to discover a disturbing tie to his past.
Saturday at 4:15 p.m. and Sunday at 7:35 p.m. they will be showing the award-winning French film “The Marching Band.” The film tells the story of a world-famous orchestra conductor (in the film he’s with the Cleveland Orchestra!) who discovers the brother he never knew he had – a school cafeteria worker who plays trombone in a local marching band.
This film will also be opening at The Nightlight Cinema in Akron!
Saturday at 8 p.m. they will present a 10th Anniversary screening of the Korean horror-thriller, “The Wailing.” The film tells the story of a sickness that spreads in a village after the arrival of a stranger. A policeman, drawn into the incident, is forced to solve the mystery in order to save his daughter.
Sunday at 3 p.m. they will present a 4K restoration of Italian filmmaker Luchino Visconti’s “Bellissima.” The film tells the story of a lower-class woman who desperately tries to get her daughter into the movies.
Over at The Nightlight Cinema (30 N High Street, Akron 44308):
After a successful opening weekend elsewhere, The Nightlight will be opening the filmed-in-Cleveland horror-comedy “Buddy.” Friday, after the 8:30 p.m. show, there will be a Q&A with Producer Tyler Davidson and Executive Producer Ryan Kelly!
They also will be opening the indie dramedy “Dreams In Nightmares.” It follows three friends in their mid-thirties as they road trip across the Midwestern United States in search of their friend who seemingly disappeared off the grid.
The Case Western Reserve Film Society (Strosacker Auditorium on the Case Western Campus) is back up and running for a new semester and this weekend they have two features:
On Friday at 7 p.m., 9 p.m., and 11 p.m. they will present Hayao Miyazaki’s 1992 feature “Porco Rosso” and on Saturday at 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. they will show the 1968 Barbara Streisand musical “Funny Girl.”
We also have a few films opening widely this weekend, first up is the latest from filmmaker Adam Wingard (“You’re Next” and “Godzilla Vs. Kong) in “Onslaught.” The synopsis reads: when a rogue squad of genetically engineered super soldiers break loose in the desert, a badass Army sniper must unleash hell to protect her young daughter. Adria Arjona, Dan Stevens, and Rebecca Hall star.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Mark Wahlberg star in the drama “By Any Means.” It tells the story of a notorious mafia hitman and a young Black FBI agent who team up to investigate the murders of civil rights leaders in 1966 Mississippi.
Rounding out things, there are a few films celebrating anniversaries that are coming back to theaters: Pixar’s “Cars” is celebrating its 20th Anniversary, Eddie Murphy’s “The Nutty Professor” is celebrating its 30th Anniversary, and the Anime classic “Akira” will also be showing in a handful of places.
Have an amazing Labor Day, and next week will start off the Fall Movie Season! Until next time, we’ll see you at the movies!
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