Milwaukee Film is no stranger to themed programming, and this August has some of our most eclectic and exciting film programs to date. This month at the Oriental Theatre there is truly something for everyone, from the return of the beloved CatVideoFest, to a month-long celebration of the creepiest children in cinema, plus a special one-time only screening of Mike Nichols’ The Graduate, and a Werner Herzog double feature to round out the month.
Starting the month off strong, CatVideoFest makes its triumphant return to the Oriental Theatre at 1 pm on both Saturday, August 3rd, and Sunday, August 4th. The screening is a compilation reel of the latest and best cat videos culled from countless hours of unique submissions and sourced animations, music videos, and classic internet powerhouses. CatVideoFest is a joyous communal experience, only available in theaters, and raises money for cats in need through partnerships with local cat charities, animal welfare organizations, and shelters to best serve cats in the area. A portion of proceeds from Milwaukee Film’s screenings will be donated to Second Hand Purrs, a local, nonprofit cat rescue.
Throughout the month of August, Milwaukee Film is honoring some of the creepiest kids in cinema! August’s Creepy Kids film series features some of our favorite weird movie children, such as the infamous Eraserhead baby, the possessed daughter from Poltergeist, the dancing A.I. doll in M3gan, and a 40-year-old Martin Short portraying a 10-year-old boy in Clifford, just to name a few.
"We've had Cool Moms, Hot Dads, and the only natural progression is to now show films about...Creepy Kids!” Kerstin Larson, Milwaukee Film’s Programming Director, enthused. “And yes, children are the future, but with this crop of gremlins, the future is looking apocalyptic."
See the full line-up of films here:
-
THE SHINING - 8/2 6pm, 8/3 9pm
-
ERASERHEAD - 8/2 9:30pm, 8/3 6:30pm
-
VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED - 8/8 6:30pm, 8/10 9pm
-
POLTERGEIST - 8/8 9pm, 8/9 9pm
-
RINGU - 8/15 6:30pm, 8/16 9pm
-
LET THE RIGHT ONE IN - 8/15 9pm, 8/17 6:30pm
-
CLIFFORD - 8/16 6:30pm, 8/17 9pm
-
THE DEVIL'S BACKBONE - 8/22 9pm, 8/23 9pm
-
M3GAN - 8/23 6:30pm, 8/24 9pm
- PET SEMATARY - 8/29 9pm, 8/30 9pm
On Wednesday, August 21st at 7 pm, Milwaukee Film Board Member Steve Laughlin brings The Graduate to the Oriental Theatre as his Board Pick!
“I chose The Graduate for this screening for several selfish reasons, but ones I think I have in common with the audiences that give it an 83% rating on Rotten Tomatoes,” Steve Laughlin explained. “The most important is, for nearly 60 years, people who see it tend to love it. The film premiered in 1967. It's a coming-of-age movie from when I was coming of age.”
The film, now widely considered a classic, follows Ben Braddock (Dustin Hoffman), fresh out of college and disillusioned with life, as he finds himself stuck between his older lover, Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft), and her daughter (Katharine Ross).
“You'll ask yourself, ‘Can I root for a young man who beds a married woman, two-times her daughter, tries to break up her impending marriage, and feel wonderful at how it all works out?’ Yes. Yes. Yes. And absolutely,” Laughlin continued. “Yet if you do find yourself among the 17% of audiences who choose to throw a rotten tomato, there's kicky consolation in the joyous musical score by Paul Simon and soaring harmonies of Art Garfunkel,” he concluded.
Finally, to round out an already packed month, Milwaukee Film has programmed a Werner Herzog double feature that highlights the trials and triumphs of filmmaking. Starting with the backbreaking epic Fitzcarraldo at 3 pm on Saturday, August 31st, and 6 pm on Sunday, September 1st, followed by the 4K Restoration of Les Blanks’ behind the scenes view into Herzog’s process, Burden of Dreams at 6 pm on Saturday, August 31st, and 4 pm on Sunday, September 1st.
“Fitzcarraldo is famously one of the most complicated and miraculous uses of practical effects on film, and we are thrilled to give audiences the chance to experience it on the big screen, the way Herzog intended, paired with the equally enthralling doc portrait of Herzog’s madness and passion, Burden of Dreams,” Milwaukee Film’s Artistic Director, Cara Ogburn, shared excitedly. “Both of these pictures are a true testament to the human spirit and the unwavering power of a filmmaker’s persistent vision.”
All Tickets and showtimes can be found online at mkefilm.org/comingsoon
Posted by: