The hype awakens, Apur Sansar & a pair of local showcases
Thursday
Jaws: The Revenge (6:30p — Central Library, Rm 302)
There’s nothing personal about the original Jaws, which gets by on minimalist glimpses of the shark and an refusal to understand the nature behind its lifeless eyes. With the dubious tag line “This time, it’s personal,” the third sequel to Steven Spielberg’s ruthless, efficient blockbuster is more than a touch questionable. Lorraine Gary reprises her role as the wife of Roy Scheider’s Brody for Razzie and Saturn Award nominations. With her husband dead of a heart attack (from his fear of sharks) and her son murdered by another, Ellen Brody is convinced that a great white has been stalking her family — all the way to the Bahamas. (FREE.)
All freakin’ weekend
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Sundance, AMC Star, Point, Stoughton Cinema Cafe)
Well, sure. A new Star Wars film doesn’t need any more publicity than it’s already getting. Then again, this is a new Star Wars movie, and with any luck it will be the first good one in 32 years. The recipe for success is there, as director JJ Abrams forges a new Disney-approved timeline with something about a First Order of the Empire, what looks to be more upstart resistance fighters, a brand new cast, and a few familiar faces to boot. Lest ye think this is all to pad Disney’s coffers, Sundance Hilldale is hosting a benefit premiere party at 6:00p on Thurs, where non-perishable food items net you access to themed refreshments and snacks. Charity is great but frankly, I’m just glad the second floor of Sundance is getting some use.
Friday
Apur Sansar (7:00p — 4070 Vilas Hall)
The World of Apu‘s beginning is a familiar one: a young man (Soumitra Chatterjee, an unknown commodity at the time) is hesitant to continue his studies, opting instead to tread water as a struggling writer. The Apu Trilogy diverges from realistic happenstance when its central character finds unexpected romance in a spontaneous marriage before his love and ambitions slip away as tragedy strikes. The final chapter in the Satyajit Ray’s three-part meditation on the human condition is also Cinematheque’s final theatrical presentation of the semester. And it’s FREE.
Saturday
“Relationships in Film: A Local Filmmaker’s Showcase” (1:00p — High Noon Saloon)
Presented in part by Film Wisconsin, this local cinema showcase will play host to a number of locally-produced projects. Among them: Bob Boyle’s Dairyland Dare, a docu-short on a Wisconsin man who slugged out multiple races while battling cancer; Josh Landowski and Scott Kunkel’s WAVE Student Award-winning documentary on the genesis of a Madison skate park; Graphics work from Madison-based designer and artist Vivian Cruickshank; and a new trailer from Makeshift Media Group’s Ben Wydeven. A statewide non-profit partnership for promoting local cinema, Film Wisconsin is also set to make some kind of announcement. (Admission is $5, with proceeds going towards support for local cinema.)
Die Hard Christmas Brew ‘n View (7:00p — Majestic Theatre)
Die Hard remains among the tightest, well-paced action movies ever, propelled by Bruce Willis’s John McClane as he grins and bares it through a reunion with his estranged wife (Bonnie Bedelia). It’s a damn good twist on the holiday romp, too. Composer Michael Kamen weaves in smart ass references to a Beethoven-heavy score that pair delightfully with McClane’s wrapping paper’d pistol, an office holiday party gone awry and decked out henchmen. Ho ho ho. (Doors at 6:00p. Admission is FREE.)
Communication Arts Showcase (7:00p — 4070 Vilas Hall)
The end-of-semester capstone for UW’s Communication Arts Department is always a terrific gamble. You never know what the Film Department’s best and brightest will have in store but it’s a good bet it will feature narrative projects, documentaries (including one on cat surgery), a few ads, a music video, and a spoken word project. Okay, I cheated and asked. (FREE.)
Sunday
Miracle on 34th Street (2:00p, 7:00p — Point)
In the Oscar-winning role that would make Billy Bob Thornton blush, Edmund Gwenn scores a seasonal gig replacing a department store Santa after pointing out whomever Macy’s originally hired seems a little tipsy. Gwenn’s Kris Kringle is a little too good at his job, though. Kringle convinces, among the many shoppers that he sends away to rival chains, a young Natalie Wood that he’s the real deal. In 2015, it’s understandable to feel queasy about a Dutch-speaking rando who thinks he’s actually Saint Nick. But as a time capsule from 1947, George Seaton’s holiday dramedy feels like a rebuttal to the cynics.