Moonrise Kingdom and Arts + Lit Lab’s first “Off the Wall” program save a slim week in Madison movies
Thursday
Moonrise Kingdom (6:30p — Central Library, Rm 302)
It must be Wes Anderson Month in Madison. This past Tues, Majestic shook up its Brew ‘n Views with arguably the director’s finest, Bos Meadery’s showing Bottle Rocket next week, and this Thurs, “Cinesthesia” presents Moonrise Kingdom. In the summer of 1965, Sam Shakusky (Jared Gilman) abandons his Khaki Scout troop for an awkward rendezvous with Suzy Bishop (Kara Hayward). The pair abscond into the wilderness, pursued by police captain Sharp (Bruce Willis) and Khaki Scout Master Ward (Edward Norton). After all, they’re not even teenagers. True to Andersonian form, this lovable band of eccentrics must learn to set aside differences and evade a much larger threat: the gigantic coastal storm approaching the fictional island of New Penzance. Both Gilman and Hayward are rare victories for child actors everywhere, and their inexperience actually embellishes flattened dialogue. Madison Library makes a fine choice for the dog days of summer, a melancholy reminder that we all have obligations to fulfill. (FREE admission.)
All freakin’ weekend
Suicide Squad (Sundance, AMC Star, Marcus Point)
The heroes of DC Comics have enjoyed a mostly successful string of television properties, with The Flash topping out as a legitimate serialization of fun pulp stories. But with Batman v Superman (and its promised string of follow-ups), the Warner Bros has seen neither a “legitimate” nor “fun” turn on the big screen in years. It’s only mid-week, but David Ayer’s (Street Kings, Fury) rough-and-tumble Suicide Squad isn’t helping. So why bother? For one thing, Margot Robbie and Will Smith are still earning praise for their turns as Joker’s second-in-command Harley Quinn and assassin Deadshot respectively. And while Guardians of the Galaxy paid lip service to the idea of a team of anti-heroes, the murky, muddled ethics of the DC Universe seem better suited to test the moral meddle of garish comic book B-listers. If nothing else, Marcus Theatres’ $5 Tues discount seems like a fair price to watch Warner Bros try and clean up its own mess. (Showtimes and admission vary.)
Friday
Respire (7:00p — Alicia Ashman Library)
(FREE admission.)
Saturday
“Off the Wall” (9:00p — Arts + Lit Laboratory)
The first of two “nighttime outdoor screening series” from the Arts + Literature Laboratory (2021 Winnebago St.), “Off the Wall” is a curated collaboration from Madison-based duo Simone and Max. Featured video art will include the cold and spacey work of Jerusalem’s Eden Auerbach Ofrat and credited Wisconsin artists Rebecca Kautz (Sun Prairie) and Paige Mostowy (Madison). (FREE admission. Doors at 8:30p.)
Monday
Space Jam (9:00p — Memorial Union Terrace)
(FREE admission.)