There’s nothing like kicking back and watching a movie in the middle of the day, free from life’s responsibilities and requirements. Just you and a little story to enjoy for the next couple of hours. While the busy landscape of today makes that sort of thing less of an occurrence, it is always nice to stop and smell the flowers, or in this case, the popcorn. As the sun sets later and the days grow longer, make sure to pencil in some time for yourself and include a few of those lovable flicks on the big screen.
Whether you’re in the mood to watch a new indie release or revisit an old classic, be sure to check out these five movie events happening this month at independent theaters in the Hudson Valley.
Eephus
Baseball has always been considered one of the great American pastimes and Carson Lund’s recent film, Eephus, is a heartfelt and hilarious defense of that belief. The movie revolves around a New England recreational baseball league in the 1990s, where two teams square off in one final game before their stadium is demolished in order to build a new school. Filled to the brim with some of the best faces you’ve ever seen in a movie, the story is perfectly balanced between touching character moments and laugh-out-loud ridiculous conversations about time, love, friendship and, of course, baseball. Eephus has been slowly gaining popularity as word-of-mouth gains traction on how well-shot and charming the film is. The momentum is sure to continue as the film gets a wider release in more theaters over the coming months.
Eephus starts April 11 at The Moviehouse.
Adaptation
Everyone has their favorite Nicolas Cage performance. Whether you’re in the mood for Cage’s whacked-out-of-his-mind insanity, devastatingly somber dramatic vibes, or just him being flat-out attractive, there are over 100 films out there with seemingly endless variety for anyone. But arguably one of Cage’s best films actually contains two of his greatest performances: Spike Jonze’s Adaptation. The film follows a screenwriter who is dealing with writer’s block while attempting to adapt a book into a screenplay, all the while frustrated with his life and carefree twin brother. While Nic Cage is fantastic as both Charlie and Donald Kaufman, you also get amazing performances from Meryl Streep and Chris Cooper to sweeten the deal. It’s a shame Spike Jonze only made a few movies. Hopefully that changes one day soon, but in the meantime, we have films like Adaptation to remind us just how cool the movies can be.
Adaptation screens April 11 at Upstate Films Starr Cinema.
Strangers on a Train
When discussing some of the greatest directors of all time, there are a few names that will always be mentioned and Alfred Hitchcock is most assuredly one of them. Hitchcock is a master of his craft, equally capable of creating horrifying films, exhilarating adventures, or side-splitting comedies, there’s seemingly nothing the director couldn’t do. One of Hitchcock’s most regarded and entertaining thrillers, 1951’s Strangers on a Train, packs more charisma and surprises than most modernday nail-biters. Boasting fantastic performances from its two leads, Robert Walker and Farley Granger, as well as some great scenes with Ruth Roman, the film follows a very basic setup: Two strangers meet on a train and both have someone in their lives they’d like to see gone. After a few drinks and a bit of misunderstanding, our characters are thrust into a series of events that could ultimately ruin one, or both, of their lives. If you’re someone who has never experienced this movie on the big screen, you are in luck.
Strangers on a Train screens April 27 at Story Screen Cinema.
The Heartbreak Kid
The films of Elaine May, while few in number, remain some of the most fascinating to watch and discuss. From A New Leaf to Ishtar, and everything in between, May was truly a natural talent with one of the most unique comedic sensibilities in the craft. Her masterpiece just might be the 1972 film, The Heartbreak Kid, which features a performance from Charles Grodin for the ages. The story follows a newly wedded man, who on his honeymoon starts to have doubts about his marriage while simultaneously meeting an attractive younger woman, played by Cybill Shepherd. Hilarity ensues when the two women find out about one another. The Heartbreak Kid contains so many good jokes that it’s difficult to even think of a favorite, but it’s easy to point out one of the film’s greatest tools: Charles Grodin’s face. The actor has such an amazing sense of entitlement and embarrassment that leads to some of the most hilarious facial reactions ever documented on film. This special screening of The Heartbreak Kid will be followed by the phenomenal documentary, Charles Grodin: Rebel with a Cause, along with a virtual Q&A with director James L. Freedman.
The Heartbreak Kid screens April 29 at Jacob Burns Film Center.
THX 1138
Before Star Wars, George Lucas was already dabbling in the science fiction world of film. Based on a student short he made a few years prior, THX 1138 was released in 1971 and has remained one of the most stylish and influential depictions of the future. The film stars Robert Duvall, Donald Pleasence, and Maggie McOmie, who inhabit an Orwellian dystopia in the distant 25th century, where the population is heavily medicated and robots roam the streets as law enforcers. When our two main characters, THX 1138 and LUH 3417, start to not take their meds, their eyes are opened and they fall in love. However, being in love is against the law in this world, and they immediately become outlaws on the run from their controlled society. Even for its time, THX 1138 is filled with stunning special effects and completely anchored in reality by the phenomenal performances of its leads, especially Donald Pleasence, who turns in one of the most subtle yet overtly creepy performances you’ve ever seen.
THX 1138 screens April 30 at The Rosendale Theatre.
