Wednesday
Citizenfour (Point)
Unbeknownst to me and well, everyone it seems, Laura Poitras’ new documentary Citizenfour opened at Marcus Point Cinema this past Wednesday. Its Madison release may have been kept under the radar, but don’t let the low-key release fool you. This startling document of the National Security Agency’s surveillance of American citizens follows Snowden’s leaks in real-time. It’s the one documentary the NSA (and Marcus Theatres) doesn’t want you to see.
Friday
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (8:30p — Majestic Theatre)
Doors for the Majestic’s annual “Brew ‘n View” open at 7:30p. Tickets are $8 in advance and $10 on the day of the show.
“The Found Footage Festival” (8:00p — Barrymore Theatre)
This traveling home video farm is now on its 10th go-round. Capital Times‘ Rob Thomas recently spoke to Wisconsin natives Nick Prueher and Joe Pickett about possible Black Friday tie-ins and a preview of the recycled and rediscovered insanity to come. There Will Be Cybersex. Barrymorelive.com has all your ticket information.
Monday
They Chose Freedom (7:00p — Union South Marquee)
This final film in a four-part series on Soviet decline features Russian dissenters projecting the uncertain future of a Vladimir Putin-led nation. Fingers crossed for a future that prominently features bear-riding. Co-presented FREE by CREECA and WUD Film.
Wednesday
The Polar Express (2:40p, 8:15p — Sundance)
I’ll play ball with the first of Robert Zemeckis’s forays into “uncanny valley” animation if it means never having to think about that Christmas Carol Jim Carrey. Whoops. Dammit.
Dostoevsky Behind Bars (7:00p — Union South Marquee)
I wasn’t kidding about this 2014 Golden Badger winner coming back to Madison. Director Marc Kornblatt will appear in person to discuss his film on Oregon, Wisconsin’s tremendous educational rehabilitation program with several instructors in tow. Co-presented FREE by the Oakhill Prison Humanities Project and WUD Film.
La mafia uccide solo d’estate (7:10p — UW Education Building, Rm L196)
Spanning two decades of mafia rule in Sicily, The Mafia Only Kills in Summer is a scathingly comedic shot across the bow of Italian organized crime. (I think I could handle the “mafia” thing if it meant we could have summer back.) FREE.