Featured Film:
Anatahan at the Grand Illusion
Josef von Sternberg’s final film, long unavailable in anything like a proper form in the US, has been newly restored and its playing this week at the Grand Illusion. Based on a true legend about a dozen Japanese sailors who are stranded on a remote island in 1944 and remain there for seven years, where their struggles for dominance and the island’s lone woman (daughter of a plantation owner) play out in lush, lurid dementia. Shot entirely outside the studio system on an artificial jungle set, it’s a harrowing vision of a world gone Sternberg, society reduced to its most basic urges and plays for power, yet twisted just enough to create an uncertain self-awareness of its own artificiality. It doesn’t have a Dietrich, but it might be the great director’s greatest film. We talked about it a few years ago on the Josef von Sternberg episode of They Shot Pictures.
Playing This Week:
Headshot (Timo Tjahjanto & Kimo Stamboel) Fri-Thurs
The Red Turtle (Michaël Dudok de Wit) Fri-Thurs
I Am Not Your Negro (Raoul Peck) Fri-Thurs Our Review
Fantastic Mr. Fox (Wes Anderson, 2009) Fri-Tues
Snatch (Guy Ritchie, 2000) Fri, Sat, Mon-Weds
The Great Muppet Caper (Jim Henson, 1981) Sun Only Free Admission & Popcorn for Kids
All About Eve (Joseph L. Mankiewicz, 1950) Sun & Weds Only
I Am Not Your Negro (Raoul Peck) Fri-Thurs Our Review
A United Kingdom (Amma Asante) Fri-Thurs
Shaun of the Dead (Edgar Wright, 2004) Sat Only
Sweet Bean (Naomi Kawase) Mon Only
Fire at Sea (Gianfranco Rosi) Tues Only
Deconstructing the Beatles: Sgt. Pepper (Scott Freiman) Thurs Only
Anatahan (Josef von Sternberg, 1953) Fri-Thurs Our Podcast
Saturday Secret Matinees: Presented by the Sprocket Society (Various directors & years) Sat Only 16mm
A United Kingdom (Amma Asante) Fri-Thurs
Kedi (Ceyda Torun) Fri-Thurs
Kittu Unnadu Jagratha (Vamsi Krishna) Fri-Thurs
Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai (Keshhav Panneriy) Fri-Thurs
Commando 2 (Deven Bhojani) Fri-Thurs
A United Kingdom (Amma Asante) Fri-Thurs
All About Eve (Joseph L. Mankiewicz, 1950) Sun & Weds Only
The Dazzling Light of Sunset (Salomé Jashi) Fri & Sat Only
Enemy Mine (Wolfgang Petersen, 1985) Fri Only Live Score
XX (Roxanne Benjamin, Sofia Carrillo, Annie Clark, Karyn Kusama, & Jovanka Vuckovic) Fri-Sun
The Road to Nickelsville (Derek McNeill) Sun Only Filmmaker in Attendance
Happy Hour (Ryûsuke Hamaguchi) Weds Only Part One Weds, Part Two Friday
A United Kingdom (Amma Asante) Fri-Thurs
The Dragon Painter (William Worthington, 1919) Mon Only Live Wurlitzer
I Am Not Your Negro (Raoul Peck) Fri-Thurs Our Review
Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai (Keshhav Panneriy) Fri-Thurs
My Ex and Whys (Cathy Garcia-Molina) Fri-Thurs
The Red Shoes (Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger, 1948) Mon Only 35mm Thelma Schoonmaker in Attendance
The King of Comedy (Martin Scorsese, 1983) Tues Only 35mm Thelma Schoonmaker in Attendance
City of Women (Federico Fellini, 1980) Thurs Only
The Brand New Testament (Jaco Van Dormael) Fri-Sun Only
The Red Turtle (Michaël Dudok de Wit) Fri-Thurs
A United Kingdom (Amma Asante) Fri-Thurs
I Am Not Your Negro (Raoul Peck) Fri-Thurs Our Review
I Am Not Your Negro (Raoul Peck) Fri-Weds Our Review
The Salesman (Asghar Farhadi) Fri-Thurs
Kedi (Ceyda Torun) Fri-Thurs
All About Eve (Joseph L. Mankiewicz, 1950) Weds Only
In Wide Release:
Seattle Screen Scene 