How many thumbs might Ebert have given his own screenplay for “Beyond the Valley of the Dolls?” The sexploitation film plays FREE on Friday at Union South.
Thursday
Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (7:00p — 4070 Vilas Hall)
What happens when a bartender and his prostitute girlfriend travel through Mexico to collect the million dollar bounty on the head of a dead gigolo? Well for one, you win the approval of Roger Ebert, who awarded the then-reviled film with four stars. Adding Alfredo Garcia to his “Great Movies” pantheon, Ebert believed it was “some kind of bizarre masterpiece.” Sam Peckinpah’s cult action film plays for FREE in 4070 Vilas Hall.
Friday
Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (7:00p — Union South Marquee)
Among any number of slurs, swears and death threats, one of the more common responses critics hear from the filmmakers they critique is “I dare you to make something better.” In 1970, Roger Ebert did just that, co-writing this melodramatic parody with sexploitation and bust “enthusiast” Russ Meyer. The film plays for FREE at the Union South Marquee.
The Sandlot (7:00p — Duck Pond at Warner Park)
Madison Parks’ FREE Moonlight Movie Series continues with a screening of this 90’s sports classic. A nostalgic postcard to the Great American pastime, The Sandlot is the story of a blossoming friendship between new kid Scotty Smalls and superstar ballplayer Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez, as the neighborhood baseball gang loses a ball autographed by Babe Ruth to James Earl Jones’ monstrous junkyard dog. Gates open at 6:30 so you have plenty of time to mix your Wheaties with your mama’s toe jam.
All freakin’ weekend
Blackfish (Sundance)
This documentary sparked controversy at the Sundance Film Festival this year for investigating the deaths of three killer whale trainers and exposing a darker side to Sea World. And you know your documentary is good when the folks at Pixar are revising their own fish movie because of it.
Dirty Wars (Sundance)
Consider 77 Square’s tremendous cover story on Jeremy Scahill and his investigation of covert overseas military operations a weekend preview. The journalist (and Wisconsin native) stops by Sundance for post-show discussions about the Dirty Wars documentary this Friday and Saturday at 6:50p.
Elysium (Sundance, AMC Star, Point, Eastgate)
District 9 director Neil Blomkamp’s follow up already sounds pretty crazy: In the year 2159, humanity has been divided into two civilizations, where the rich hover just above Earth’s orbit and the poor suffer on the planet’s scorched, polluted surface. Even crazier? Blomkamp originally wanted Eminem in the lead role.
Planes (AMC Star, Point, Eastgate)
More than one internet blogger has called out DisneyToon Studios’ pseudo-sequel as a cheap means of cashing in on the success of Pixar’s Cars. For my money, I’m still wondering why nobody’s talking about Asylum Studios’ Wings, a Russian knock-off featuring re-dubbed English voices. At least this explains why Rob Schneider was booked solid for Grown Ups 2.
Monday
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (9:00p — Memorial Union Terrace)
WUD Film’s next alien-themed summer entry is Don Siegel’s 1956 Invasion of the Body Snatchers, where a California town’s residents start to suspect their friends and family aren’t actually their friends and family. Sadly, that’s not the version with “Sutherland Face.” The FREE body snatching begins at 9:00p at the Terrace.
Oblivion (10:00p — AMC Star)
AMC ends their Summer Nights series with three $3 screenings of the Tom Cruise sci-fi film Oblivion, Monday through Wednesday. As always, proceeds go towards autism research. I may start my own research fund to explore how long Tom Cruise can continue being a romantic lead.
Tuesday
Epic 2D (10:00a — Point, Eastgate)
Marcus Theatres also wraps their Kids Dream series with $2 Tuesday and Wednesday morning screenings of Twentieth Century Fox’s animated forest fantasy, Epic in 2D. That’s a dollar per dimension, parents!
Wednesday
Dirty Dancing (1:20p, 6:45p — Sundance)
I’m glad Ryan Gosling’s character in Crazy Stupid Love acknowledged Swayze’s “Big Move” from Dirty Dancing. Credit where credit’s due.