What’s Playing, Madison?

Thursday

Rosewater + Live Q&A (7:30p — Point)

While John Oliver went from Daily Show substitute to overnight sensation, Jon Stewart was off making a movie; this one, actually. After a 2009 interview on Stewart’s show, Maziar Bahari was imprisoned and interrogated in Iran for more than 100 days under the suspicion of selling the county’s secrets to spies. Fathom Events will present a “live” digital Q&A with Stewart and Stephen Colbert after Thursday’s screening.

Evolution of a Criminal (6:30p — Central Library, Rm 302)

“How does a 16-year-old evolve into a bank robber?” Community Cinema presents this iTV documentary on a Texas teen’s life-changing decision — as well as the circumstances that may have led him there.

Goodbye to Language in 3D (7:00p — Point)

Sharing the Cannes Jury Prize with Xavier Dolan’s Mommy, Jean-Luc Godard’s 39th feature sounds as fresh and inspiring as his very first. This time, he’s bringing the third dimension with him, toying with visual assumptions while prodding the popularity of 3D in the cinema. Cinematheque brings Madison its Goodbye to Language premiere. Proceeds from the $20 tickets, which as of this writing are still available, will go towards more Cinematheque goodness. (I’m crossing my fingers for Hitchcock in person.)

Guardians of the Galaxy (7:00p — Union South Marquee)

FREE.

Ida (9:30p — Union South Marquee)

FREE.

All freakin’ weekend

Rosewater (Sundance, Point)

Dumb and Dumber To (AMC Star, Point, Eastgate)

After, apparently, holding up the idea of a sequel, Jim Carrey’s agreed to return to Jeff Daniels and the Farrelly Brothers for a follow-up to the misadventures of Harry and Lloyd, who go in search of Harry’s long-lost daughter. 20 years after the original and 45 years after landing on the moon.

Beyond the Lights (AMC Star, Point, Eastgate)

After WUD Film’s unfortunate cancellation, this pop star drama opens wide — and for real.

Friday

A Most Wanted Man (5:30p — Hawthorne Branch Library)

A “Free Friday Feature,” Anton Corbijn’s John le Carré novel marks the last non-Hunger Games role from Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Fedora (7:00p — 4070 Vilas Hall)

Cinematheque describes this FREE special presentation as “a mysterious and fascinating variation on… Sunset Blvd.” and it’s not hard to see why. Billy Wilder directs William Holden’s Hollywood producer as he coaxes a reclusive actress (Marthe Keller) out of retirement.

Guardians of the Galaxy (7:00p, 8:30p — Union South Marquee)

FREE.

The Raid 2 (11:00p — Union South Marquee)

FREE.

Saturday

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. I (10:00a — Point, Eastgate)

$5.

Polish Film Festival Day #1 (1:00p — Union South Marquee)

Day #1 of the UW Polish Student Association’s film festival features Stones for the Rampart (1:00p) , about underground Nazi resistance fighters, and Wałęsa: Man of Hope (3:00p), recreating Lech Wałęsa’s rise from dockworker activist to President of Poland. FREE.

J’accuse (2:00p — 4070 Vilas Hall)

Abel Gance’s staggering mid-World War I silent film gets an uncut, digital restoration complete with a synchronized score from the Robert Israel Orchestra. Everyone’s talking about new Godard this week, but this might be the real rarity for my money. (It’s also FREE, which might invalidate my money.)

Ida (6:00p — Union South Marquee)

FREE.

The Big Parade (7:00p — 4070 Vilas Hall)

King Vidor’s World War I film straddles a very fine line between glorification and condemnation . The second in Cinematheque’s Saturday double feature, this FREE presentation comes with David Drazin tickling the ivories.

Guardians of the Galaxy (8:30p — Union South Marquee)

FREE.

The Raid 2 (11:00p — Union South Marquee)

FREE.

Sunday

“Rare Hitchcock!” (2:00p — Chazen Art Museum)

From World War II short films to footage from the incomplete Kaleidoscope, this FREE collection of Alfred Hitchcock gems is not to be missed.

Guardians of the Galaxy (3:00p — Union South Marquee)

FREE.

Menthol (7:00p — 4070 Vilas Hall)

Four friends turn back the clock to their high school days with a little help from drink, drugs, and videogames. That is, until their little reunion goes horribly awry. Micro-Wave Cinema is back with a FREE Q&A with director Micah Van Hove. Breathe in the indie goodness.

Monday

Escape From New York (7:00p — Union South Marquee)

In this FREE Marquee Monday presentation, Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell) must find and rescue the President of the United States (Donald Pleasance) after a devastating plane crash. Now how do I escape from Escape from L.A.?

Movie Night Out (7:00p — High Noon Saloon)

The High Noon presents a series of locally-made shorts. Proceeds will go toward Movin’ Out, an advocacy group that works to give affordable housing to people with disabilities. Admission is $20 for general audiences and $10 for students.

Tuesday

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. II (4:00p, 7:00p — Eastgate)

$5.

Facing Fear (7:00p — UW Hillel Building)

Jason Cohen will personally present his Oscar-nominated documentary short, which finds a man who was attacked by a gang of neo-Nazis confronting one of his assailants 20 years later. Earlier this year, Capital Times‘ Rob Thomas talked with Cohen, a UW-Madison grad, about his nomination. FREE, but RSVP is encouraged.

The Social Network (7:00p — Union South Marquee)

Co-presented FREE by WUD Film and the MAcc Ethics Committee.

Wednesday

Edward Scissorhands (1:40p, 7:15p — Sundance)

Zero Motivation (7:00p — MMoCA Lecture Hall)

A squadron of female Israeli soldiers is relegated to bureaucratic form-filing as they bungle their way through life, love, and any and all shreds of civil service. The takeaway here is Spotlight brings Zero Motivation to Madison ahead of any foreseeable stateside run and while MMoCA’s press release describes this Tribeca release as “Girls meets Catch-22,” the tone of its trailer is much more suggestive of a “Hogan’s Heroes meets Bridesmaids hybrid.” Same difference? $7 or FREE to MMoCA members.

Taken (7:00p — Union South Marquee)

Witness the rebirth of Liam Neeson’s career and the birth of ironic badasses. Co-presented FREE by WUD Film and The HOPE Movement.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. II (7:00p — Point, Eastgate)

$5.

Il divo (7:10p — UW Education Building, L196)

An apparent staple at La Cineteca, Paolo Sorrentino directs this biographical dramatization of Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti. It’s going to be a great week for European bureaucrats in cinema. FREE.