Screen Machine

To-do: Week starting 4/3

Click on the links for trailers.

Mia Wasikowska in "Alice in Wonderland"

THURSDAY

Alice in Wonderland (3D), Tim Burton’s re-imagining of Lewis Carroll’s world, opens.

The Men Who Stare at Goats, Grant Heslov’s film about the US military’s “psychic spies” (starring George Clooney) opens.

Dear John, the latest Nicholas Sparks adaptation (starring Channing Tatum SQUEAL!), directed by Lasse Halstrom, opens.

Hadewijch, Bruno Dumont’s divisive film about a young woman grappling with faith, mysticism and religious fundamentalism, opens at ACMI and plays until Sunday.

Channing Tatum in "Dear John"

Ricky, the baby horror film from Francois Ozon, plays its last week at ACMI finishing on Wednesday.

Zoolander (Ben Stiller, 2001) at Moonlight Cinema.

Shaun of the Dead (2004), Edgar Wright’s very funny zombie film/romantic comedy, at Rooftop.

FRIDAY

The French FIlm Festival begins, with screenings at Palace cinemas (Kino, Como, Westgarth and Balwyn), running until the 21st. Films include Claire Denis’ White Material, Alain Resnais’ Wild Grass (screening Friday at Westgarth at 6:45pm), Claude Chabrol’s Bellamy, Tony Gatlif’s Korkoro, Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s Micmacs, and the new Serge Gainsbourg biopic.

In the Zone, a two-channel video work and installation from Blaine Cooper, opens at Rearview Gallery in Collingwood.

Freaky Fridays presents Pink Flamingos (1972), the trash masterpiece from John Waters, at ACMI.

Divine in "Pink Flamingos"

Cinema Fiasco presents The Vampire Lovers (1970), the Hammer Horror film about a lesbian vampire run amok, at Astor.

SATURDAY

White Material, the widely praised new film from Claire Denis (whose 35 Shots of Rum was one of our favourites of 2009), screens as part of the French Film Festival (see above) at the Palace  Westgarth cinema at 6:45. Follow-up screenings at the Kino and Como cinemas next week.

A Fish Called Wanda (1988), an absurd crime comedy starring John Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline and Michael Palin, at Rooftop.

Puberty Blues, Bruce Beresford’s 1981 coming-of-age beach drama, at ACMI.

SUNDAY

"Withnail and I"

Fantastic Mr. Fox, Wes Anderson’s adaptation of the Roald Dahl novel, at Moonlight. We wrote about it here.

Withnail and I (1987), the tale of two drug-addled actors taking a rest in the country (with Richard E. Grant and Robert McGann) at Rooftop.

TUESDAY

A Serious Man, The Coen Brothers tale of meaningless catastrophe and faith tested, at Moonlight. It was one of our favourites of 2009.

Marcello Mastroianni and Anita Ekberg in "La Dolce Vita"

WEDNESDAY

Cinematheque presents a Fellini double at ACMI: La Dolce Vita (1960), a bittersweet tale of a vain journalist living amidst the glamour of Rome, and Fellini’s contribution to the portmanteau film Boccaccio ‘70, about a prude who is outraged by some lusty advertising and is then pursued by the object of his outrage in the form of a 50 ft Anita Ekberg.

Suspiria (1977), Dario Argento’s gory tale of a cursed dance school, at Rooftop.

The Indian Film Festival opens at Cinema Nova.