This week at Theatre N:

This week signals the return of multi-showings!  The last couple of weekends, probably because of the jazz festival (which is put on by the same city office that oversees Theatre N), the showings have been really sparse.   And I thought "Oh man - the city finally figured out that not enough people go to the theatre to support 3 showings of each movie per weekend.  I knew this day was coming". 

But it's back to normal for the theater this week, and they've got some great films coming up (like Woody Allen's latest, which is supposed to be the "good one"  he makes every 3-4 years).  Do me a favor and go see a movie there once in a while, so the city doesn't ever cut down on showings or pull the plug.  It's the only art house theater we have.

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NEDS (Non-Educated Delinquents) (followed by Q&A with the filmmaker):

Wait, don't get turned off just yet by the name of the film.  This is a British film by the writer/director of The Magdalene Sisters (which was a terrific and haunting film) - who will be in attendance to answer questions after the showing, by the way.  It's a look at a boy living in 1970s Glasgow, Scotland, who starts out with a promising academic future but spirals into delinquency (alcoholic father, teachers who judge him based on their memories of his trouble-making old brother, peer pressure).   An excerpt of Theatre N's description:

"As with Mullan's previous films, he brings a raw intensity to the screen. This piercing authenticity comes from Mullan's attention to detail—from the Glaswegian accents to the period clothes and homes. The intense performances—from a mostly unknown cast, led by rare find Conor McCarron as John—heighten the authenticity. In his screen debut, McCarron effortlessly taps into John's inner complexity as he transitions through his rough downward spiral. NEDS is a hard-hitting coming-of-age drama wrapped inside a gripping period piece that still resonates today."

Saturday at 11am, $5.  Free and abundant street parking on Saturday mornings.

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The First Grader:

A moving Kenyan story, by the director of The Other Boleyn Girl and the script writer of The Chronicles of Narnia, The First Grader is about an octogenarian veteran freedom fighter who fights for the chance to learn how to read in a newly-created school.  Theatre N excerpt:

"Full of vitality and humor, the film follows the friendships formed by Maruge and his young classmates who, at first, regard him with curiosity. Throughout his studies, Maruge reflects on his past and the cost of freedom; his playful days of working alongside the children are punctuated by memories of living under British colonial rule and the harsh conditions of the British detention camps."

Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 2pm, Sunday at 5pm.  All showings $7.

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Midnight in Paris (Woody Allen):

Critically acclaimed film that is a fine example of Allen's hallmark of romance coupled with extreme skepticism.  The question Allen tries to answer this film is: What would we find if we could travel back to a place and time in the past that we've romanticized in our heads?

This one is a 4-shower, so the theatre is anticipating a big audience for this one.  You have your choice of Friday at 2pm, Saturday at 5pm & 8pm, or Sunday at 2pm. $5 and $7.

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And on Thursday there are two showings of a small-budget, locally-made film called Ignorance that the filmmakers have rented out the theatre to show.  The filmmakers are charging $20 to recoup their costs: http://www.theatern.org/Films/2011/July/Ignorance-Movie-Premiere

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Note: there are some exciting films in the line-up for the rest of the summer.  Check out the list here: http://www.theatern.org/Films