Kino treats, Found Footage, a sinking ship and Jim Henson
Seattle International Film Festival this week continues its “30 Years of Kino” celebration of the acclaimed international film distributor, with a treat for the entire family: Charles Chaplin’s classic 1931 comedy “City Lights” screens in a new 35mm print five times daily (at 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 p.m.) today through Sunday and at 7 and 9 p.m. Monday.
The series continues Tuesday with a decidedly less family-friendly double feature: Michael Haneke’s tale of obsession and sexuality, “The Piano Teacher” (featuring a savagely good performance by Isabelle Huppert), screens with the 1988 Canadian story of a woman’s sexual odyssey, “A Winter Tan.” Wednesday brings a single screening of Raul Ruiz’s epic Marcel Proust adaptation, “Time Regained,” with Catherine Deneuve and John Malkovich. And Thursday features Andrei Zvyagintsev’s haunting drama of a father’s troubled reunion with his young sons, “The Return” - one of the best films released in 2004. All screenings in the series are $10 ($8 SIFF members) for single or double features. Buy tickets at the door at SIFF Cinema, 321 Mercer St., Seattle; online at www.seattlefilm.org, or by phone at 206-324-9996.
The traveling Found Footage Festival, billed as “A Celebration of Odd and Hilarious Found Videos,” returns to Seattle Thursday for two screenings. The festival includes more than an hour’s worth of found video footage, including “an all-new collection of exercise videos featuring Marky Mark Wahlberg, O.J. Simpson and a group of rapping pregnant ladies” (OK, I’m officially scared now) and live comedy from curators Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher. 7 and 9:30 p.m. at Central Cinema, 1311 21st Ave., Seattle; tickets are $8 and available at the door or through www.brownpapertickets.com (877-278-4842). For more information, see www.foundfootagefestival.com.
A young Beau Bridges stars in “The Landlord,” Hal Ashby’s 1970s comedy about a kid who buys a Brooklyn tenement. The film, which explores issues of race and class, was Ashby’s debut; he would, in the next four years, make “Harold and Maude,” “The Last Detail” and “Shampoo.” “The Landlord” screens at Northwest Film Forum this week in a new 35mm print: 1515 12th Ave., Seattle; 206-267-5380 or www.nwfilmforum.org.
The 1997 multiple-Oscar winner “Titanic,” complete with that enormous iceberg and Celine Dion’s equally enormous rendition of “My Heart Will Go On,” gets supersized this week and next at Cinerama, in a crisp 70mm print. It screens Sunday at noon and Tuesday at 8 p.m.: 2100 Fourth Ave., Seattle; for more information, see www.cinerama.com.
The Metro Classics series continues this week with “The Thin Red Line,” Terrence Malick’s 1998 epic tale of the battle of Guadalcanal. It screens in 35mm Wednesday only, at 6 and 9:15 p.m. at the Metro, 4500 Ninth Ave. N.E., Seattle; 206-781-5755 or www.landmarktheatres.com.
And finally, this holiday weekend’s midnight movie is Jim Henson and Frank Oz’s 1982 fantasy adventure “The Dark Crystal,” celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. It screens late tonight and Saturday at the Egyptian: 805 E. Pine St., Seattle; 206-781-5755 or www.landmarktheatres.com.
Moira Macdonald: 206-464-2725
or mmacdonald@seattletimes.com