The Point is movies.
First off, a big “thank you” to everyone who came down for The Evil Dead at our first 35mm show. You were nothing but supportive while we dealt with the (thankfully minor) hiccups that come along with resurrecting a 70-year-old machine.
We’re already hard at work on a long list of changes and improvements to the 35mm setup, especially when it comes to sound. It only gets better from here.
The Point: An Arrow Video Showcase
We’ve set the CInemagic up to play a lot of different formats, including digital cinema, 35mm film, 16mm film, Blu-ray, DVD, VHS, and even Laserdisc.
It isn't just about image quality and nostalgia. Movies go in and out of print all the time, and there are a shocking number of films that fail to make the jump with each new generation. Streaming used to look like a solution, but it turned out even worse. On the internet, films appear and disappear with a logic that only makes sense to lawyers.
That's why we're teaming up with Arrow Video. Arrow Video is a distributor/restorer with a focus on off-the-grid genre films. They produce top notch remasters of films that could otherwise disappear and release them to Blu-ray with tons of extra content.
From May 5 to 11, we’ll be playing a mix of heavy-hitters and obscure favorites from Arrow Video, with Blu-rays of every film on hand for purchase. Learn More.
Re-Animator on 35mm Film
Headlining the weel is splatter-comedy masterpiece Re-Animator, projected from glorious 35mm film. In the 80's and 90's, there were plenty of splatter flicks that pushed at the boundaries of good taste. Most weren't terribly good, but Re-Animator is a stand-out exception thanks to a career-defining performance from Jeffrey Combs.
Re-Animator on 35mm plays May 6th at 7:00, and May 11th at 7:00. Tickets.
Django
Django is the most influential film no one seems to have seen. While Sergio Leone (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly) pushed Spaghetti Westerns into more reputable territory, Sergio Corbucci (director of Django) made tight, vicious, colorful films. His work didn’t receive the same critical acclaim, but it inspired countless remakes, spin-offs and re-imaginings from filmmakers ranging from Tarantino to Japanese auteur Takashi Miike.
Django plays May 6th at 4:30, and May 9th at 7:00. Tickets.
Horror Express
Horror Express stars Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, horror royalty with no less than 20 shared credits. I've seen pretty much all of those films, and this underseen gothic-horror oddball is still my favorite (a supporting role from Telly Savalas doesn’t hurt).
Horror Express shares an unlikely inspiration with a second, very important, horror film. If we told you which film, we would sell more tickets, but we won’t, because it would give away too much. Just trust us and check this one out, OK?
Horror Express plays May 5th at 7:00, and May 7th at 4:45. Tickets.
Girls Nite Out
If Animal House was a Giallo film, the end result would look something like Girls Nite Out. Originally released under the unfortunate and/or awesome title The Scaremaker, this is the kind of movie that would vanish without the care and dedication of publishers like Arrow Video.
Girls Nite Out plays May 6th at 9:30. Tickets.
12 Monkeys
When 12 Monkeys is the most popular film of the week, you know you're out in the weeds. Terry Gilliam has a long history of visually inventive films, but sometimes that visual ingenuity overpowers the rest of the film. 12 Monkeys finds him in rare form, with a film that deftly balances story, character and bleak visual marvel. It's one of his best films, and one of the best intellectual science-fiction films ever made.
12 Monkeys plays May 7th at 7:00, and May 8th at 7:00. Tickets.
Millionaire's Express
Millionaires' Express is doing double duty. It's part of The Point, but it's also the third entry in the series of films now known as CINEMA CITY, a monthly(ish) series of films from the boom era of Hong Kong cinema.
Millionaires Express is a western-kung-fu-action-comedy from director/star Sammo Hung. It's packed to the brim with the biggest names of 80’s Hong Kong, including Jimmy Wang Yu (The One Armed Boxer), Yuen Biao (Wheels on Meals), Rosamond Kwan (Once Upon a Time in China), and Cynthia Rothrock (Above the Law). Check out the Cinema City page to learn more.
Millionaires’ Express plays May 10th at 7:00. Tickets.
VHS Night: Blood Diner
First things first: VHS Night is $5. Last month an error caused tickets to go live at $9, and while we’re flattered by how many of you were cool paying that much*, we want to keep VHS Night cheap.
When she signed on to direct Blood Diner, Jackie Kong was given a straight up splatter picture. But Kong saw a lot of comedy in the script, so she played it up. Hard. Randomly shifting accents, brains in jars, and the cannibal goddess Sheetar make for 90 minutes tasteless madness.
*If you’re one of those people, thanks! But we still refunded your $4.
Blood Diner plays May 5th. VHS Trailers at 9:30, movie at 10:00. Tickets.
Family Matinee: The Land Before Time
Kids can be smarter than we give them credit for, and director Don Bluth understood that. He made films for kids that acknowledged the more difficult feelings a child might be wrestling with.
The Land Before Time is no exception. Though it’s ultimately a high-spirited fable about acceptance and friendship, it isn’t afraid to be a little bit sad, and a little bit scary.
The Land Before Time plays May 6th at noon. Tickets.
