Friends, foes, and film lovers, welcome back to another installment of your favorite Wesleyan movie watching advertisement and gushing love letter to the silver screen! We’ve had a busy week catching up on work after Fall Break and Halloweekend—it really piles up doesn’t it?—so we’ll keep this short and sweet.
We want to first thank you all for coming to the surreal, fantastical, and daring “The Shape of Water” last Tuesday. Guillermo Del Toro attached a nostalgic 1960s look to his signature grotesque narrative, making for a viewing experience that was more than joyously surprising. This week, we have another free special preview screening for you. This time we’re serving up “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” on Tuesday at 8 p.m., where Frances McDormand takes on the lead role in a characteristically darkly comic drama by Martin McDonagh. If you missed “The Shape of Water” (or even if you didn’t), be sure to come to this week’s delightful and sardonic romp.
Our Wednesday movie will be the second film in our Hispanic Film Series, which aims to showcase the most powerful recent works of film from across the Spanish speaking world. This Wednesday, we see the 2016 female-directed documentary “Tempestad,” followed swiftly on Thursday by another female-led film set on the open road with a special event screening of “Thelma & Louise.” Becky Aikman, author of “Off The Cliff: How the Making of Thelma & Louise Drove Hollywood to the Edge,” will be giving a talk after the showing, so be sure to stick around.
And if none of that is your cup of tea (suit yourself), there’s an old Hollywood classic on Saturday, featuring none other than the brilliant and ravishing Katharine Hepburn. George Cukor’s quick-witted romantic comedy “The Philadelphia Story” is sure to put a smile on your face.
Without further ado….
“Tempestad”
2016. Mexico. Dir: Tatiana Huezo. Documentary. 105 min.
Wednesday, Nov. 8. 8 p.m. Free.
“Tempestad” is an emotionally profound and insightful documentary that charts the experiences of two women plagued by the Mexican justice system. The film tells the harrowing tale of Miriam and Adela’s parallel journeys traveling from Northern to Southern Mexico, attempting to wrestle with the violence, corruption, and violation they’ve experienced in Mexico. Throughout the movie, a pervasive and potent sense of paralyzing fear draws us to both women and their journeys and makes us wonder at their enduring strength. Directed by award-winning Salvadoran filmmaker Tatiana Huezo, this story is sure to stay with you.
“Thelma & Louise”
1991. USA. Dir: Ridley Scott. With Susan Sarandon, Geena Davis. 130 min.
Thursday, Nov. 9. 8 p.m. Free.
This classic ’90s film showcases female friendship at its fiercest. English director Ridley Scott steps into U.S. territory and blows us all away with this oh-so-American road movie woven with social critique. The story follows best friends Thelma and Louise as they deviate from the monotony of their daily lives and decide to embark on a spontaneous fishing trip. What was meant to be a peaceful vacation soon becomes a riotous run from the law. On their journey, they encounter misogyny, physical danger, familial responsibilities, and potential freedom. Thelma and Louise are an undeniable powerhouse duo, smashing the patriarchy at every pitstop. A skillfully crafted feminist thriller of sorts that remains a milestone in cinema history, “Thelma & Louise” proves that not only can women be feature film leads, but they can also be badass criminals on their own action adventure! Make sure to stay for the talkback and Q&A with author Becky Aikman, whose most recent book tells the empowering story of how the film was made.
“Princess Mononoke”
1997. Japan. Dir: Hayao Miyazaki. With Yōji Matsuda. Animation. 134 min.
Friday, Nov. 10. 8 p.m. $5.
After Miyazaki’s 7th failed attempt at retiring from his deeply loved anime, we’re revisiting the ever-classic tale of 1997’s “Princess Mononoke.” Wounded by the demon’s curse when battling the god of boar, Ashitaka, the valiant young soldier goes on the journey to locate a cure. He soon finds himself entangled in a complex regional conflict between the gods of the forest and those who exploit it for survival. Pushed into an awkward position, Ashitaka will have to fight for what he believes to be good in the end.
“The Philadelphia Story”
1940. USA. Dir: George Cukor. With Katharine Hepburn. 112 min. 35mm print.
Saturday, Nov. 11. 8 p.m. Free.
A jewel of the classic Hollywood rom-com, “The Philadelphia Story” delicately depicts the changes that a socialite’s mind goes through before her remarriage. After her divorce from C.K. Dexter Haven (Cary Grant), Tracy (Katharine Hepburn) decides to marry the aspiring politician and prestigious businessman George Kittredge (John Howard). Everything goes as planned until the appearance of two unexpected guests at the ceremony, and all is chronicled by Mike Connor (James Stewart), a reporter working for the tabloid “Spy” magazine. With the stage set for drama, Tracy realizes that she is simultaneously drawn to her ex-husband, the bridegroom, AND the tabloid reporter. A lady who is soon to be married again, Tracy has to resolve the question she asks herself: what exactly does she want for her future?