A thinned-down Matthew McConaughey stars as AIDS-afflicted Ron Woodroof in “Dallas Buyers Club.” It opens at Sundance Cinemas Madison, AMC Star, and Eastgate this weekend.
All freakin’ weekend
Dallas Buyers Club (Sundance, AMC Star, Eastgate)
Matthew McConaughey slimmed down his trademark physique to dangerous levels to play Ron Woodroof, who began an underground AIDS treatment ring in the 1980s after being diagnosed with the disease.
Kill Your Darlings (Sundance)
Daniel Radcliffe stars as a young Allen Ginsberg on the cusp of the beat generation. Perpetually glowering Dane DeHaan co-stars as Lucien Carr, a colleague of Ginsberg’s indicted on murder charges in 1944.
The Delivery Man (AMC Star, Point, Eastgate)
Oh, you didn’t know Vince Vaughn was a daddy? Ken Scott directs the American remake of his own French-Canadian comedy Starbuck, where an overly generous sperm donor finds his past catch up with him.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (Sundance, AMC Star, Point, Eastgate)
After their rarified double victory in Gary Ross’ The Hunger Games, Catching Fire finds Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) inspiring rebellion in the subjugated districts, drawing the ire of Donald Sutherland’s President Snow.
Sunday
Reel Love LGBT Film Festival
The final day of WUD Film’s FREE LGBT-focused film festival, programming concludes with a 5pm screening of Cloudburst, the story of two older women whose 30 year relationship is tested by the inevitable travails of aging.
The Hidden Fortress (2:00p — Chazen Art Museum)
In Kurosawa’s classic, two peasants escort a princess and general across enemy territory. FREE.
Monday
Doctor Who: Day of the Doctor (7:30p, 10:00p — Point, Eastgate)
Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of BBC’s beloved sci-fi staple with this theatrical presentation of the Doctor Who special. Presented by Fathom Events.
Darius Goes West (7:00p — Union South Marquee)
While suffering from muscular dystrophy, Darius Weems traveled the United States in the summer of 2005 to promote awareness of his illness. This documentary is co-presented by WUD Film and Advocates for Diverse Abilities. FREE.
Tuesday
World War Z (7:00p, 9:30p — Union South Marquee)
Headlined by Brad Pitt, Marc Forster’s adaptation of this Max Brooks zombie epic comes to Union South for two FREE screenings.
Wednesday
The Book Thief (Sundance)
Sophie Nélisse delivers a break-out performance as Liesel, a young German girl who copes with the desolation of World War II by stealing books from the Nazis and sharing their knowledge. Emily Watson and Geoffrey Rush co-star.
Philomena (Sundance)
Struggling to find a story, a journalist (Steve Coogan) follows Philomena (Judi Dench) as she tries to find her long-lost son. High Fidelity‘s Stephen Frears directs this award-winning drama.
Frozen (AMC Star, Point, Eastgate)
Walt Disney produces this animated feature, in which Kristen Bell’s Anna traverses a frigid kingdom’s terrain to find her sister, a powerful Snow Queen. Loosely based on Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale, The Snow Queen.
Homefront (AMC Star, Point, Eastgate)
Jason Statham plays a former DEA agent who runs into trouble with James Franco’s meth kingpin in this Sylvester Stallone-penned crime thriller.
Black Nativity (AMC Star, Point, Eastgate)
This modernized update of the Biblical “Nativity story” stars Forest Whitaker, Jennifer Hudson, and Tyrese Gibson.
Elf (1:15p, 6:30p — Sundance)
Madison Movie blog has a yuletide rundown of Sundance Cinemas Madison’s holiday film series, which begins this Wednesday with Will Ferrell and Elf.