Dollar Movie
Wednesday, January 31
American Beauty
7:30 10 12:30
Kevin Spacey plays a surburban dad becoming increasingly disaffected with the life he lives, which drives him to take more risks and live out his fantasies. What he doesn’t realize, though, is how his actions are affecting the rest of his family and neighbors. This movie won five Oscars, including Best Picture, and if you haven’t seen it, you absolutely should.
Thursday, February 1
Yaji & Kita: The Midnight Pilgrims
7:30 10 12:30
What’s the Japanese word for absurdist? This tale revolves around two men who run off together in medieval Japan only to find themselves, somehow, in modern-day Tokyo. Here, the two encounter a massive game of Tetris played with corpses in a river, among other absurdities. Word on the Internet is that a lot of the jokes are lost in translation, so to speak: They rely on Japanese pop culture and wordplay, which non-natives typically have a hard time picking up on. Nevertheless, if you’re feeling silly and want a ridiculous foreign-language romp to end your evening, this might be a good choice.
Friday, February 2
Babel
7:30 10 12:30
Language barriers are all around us. Many times people assume, “Oh, everyone knows English, even if they choose not to speak it.” Babel is a sobering reminder that language and culture can divide us all. Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett star in a smart, complicated movie about humanity and conflict in the vein of Crash and Syriana. The plot is dense, following six different families from all different cultures as their stories twist in and out of each other, all tied together by seemingly random (and sometimes not-so-random) circumstances. It’s not exactly pick-me-up Friday night fare, but if you’re looking for an alternative to hating your life thanks to thermodynamics problem sets and six inches of snow, Babel might be a pleasant alternative.
Saturday, February 3
Bobby
7:45 10 12:15
As President Kennedy’s younger brother, Robert Kennedy (Bobby) was attorney general and later a senator. Assassinated in 1968, his tragedy has been overshadowed by his brother’s in the history books. This movie is about the assassination, but it focuses on the other people who were in the hotel where RFK was shot. It was directed, written, and stars Emilio Estevez (The Mighty Ducks), who hasn’t really been in much lately, so that’s kind of awesome. Bobby’s got tons of other big names, including Helen Hunt, Anthony Hopkins, Laurence Fishburne, Lindsay Lohan, William H. Macy, and Ashton Kutcher. It also features Nick Cannon, but don’t hold that against this movie — it might actually teach you a thing or two about some of America’s lesser-known history.
Sunday, February 4
Equilibrium
8 10 12
Do you enjoy awesome fight scenes? Do you think trench coats are cool? Do you enjoy future dystopias where mankind is subjugated by its own technology? No, AB Films isn’t showing The Matrix — they’re showing a movie that tried desperately to be The Matrix. Its setup is anything but original: After WW III, the world government decides anger and aggression need to be expunged if the race is to survive. The entire city of Libria takes a dose of Prozium every few hours and an elite cadre of gun-toting clerics is responsible for destroying any works of art or culture that might make a person feel. Christian Bale is the main character, with Taye Diggs as his constantly-grinning foil. The action sequences are unique and memorable, and if you consider yourself an action or sci-fi fan, you’ll have to check it out.