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Spring 2003 Movie Descriptions
| Movies |
| Classic/Foreign Movie Series |
| Lectures |
| Sneaks |
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The Ring (2002)
(PG-13) 115 minutes Monday February 03, 7pm and 10pm in 26-100 (Registration Day) |
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This remake of the critically acclaimed Japanese film of the same name
tells the story of a murderous video tape. Immediately following the
viewing of the tape, the phone rings, and the voice on the other end
gives the victim one week to live. A young reporter named Rachel is
investigating these events, but after she and her small son watch the
tape, it becomes a race against time to find out why the tape is killing
people and how it can be stopped.
Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, disturbing images, language and some drug references.
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Bowling for Columbine (2002)
(R) 119 minutes Friday February 07, 7pm and 10pm in 26-100 Sunday February 09, 7pm in 26-100 |
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Michael Moore (Roger and Me) delivers a hilarious,
caustic documentary about gun control in the United
States. A gun-toting member of the NRA, Michael is
nevertheless inclined to ask why guns are so often
used by one American to kill another. Is the media
to blame? Is American history? Is it the lack of
gun control? In his search for answers, Mr. Moore
interviews such notables as Dick Clark, Marilyn
Manson, Charlton Heston, and Matt Stone, as well as
some of the victims of the Columbine shooting.
This is interspersed with a ruthless review of
American History, in cartoon and documentary format,
and revealing footage from speeches by everyone
from Dylan Klebold to President George W. Bush.
Michael Wilmington of the Chicago Tribune writes
that Bowling for Columbine is "unnerving, stimulating,
likely to provoke anger and sorrow on both political
sides -- and, above all...extremely funny."
Rated R for some violent images and language.
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Punch-Drunk Love (2002)
(R) 94 minutes Saturday February 08, 7pm and 10pm in 26-100 Sunday February 09, 10pm in 26-100 |
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In this off-beat romantic comedy, Adam Sandler
plays a small-business owner who, in the same day,
finds a harmonium on the street, discovers a scheme
to get unlimited frequent flyer miles by buying
pudding, and meets the girl of his dreams. He embarks
on a romantic journey unlike any other, but not
before becoming entangled in a phone-sex scandal
attempting to steal his money. Watch as he attempts
to defeat four blonde brothers and his own repressed
violent nature, collect his miles, and find love.
Michael Rechtshaffen of the Hollywood Reporter
calls Punch-Drunk Love "a delightfully
idiosyncratic romantic comedy that manages to
give convention a swift jab in the gut while
still pushing all of the genre's requisite
buttons."
Rated R for strong language including a
scene of sexual dialogue.
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The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)
(Unrated) 91 minutes Friday February 14, 7:30 and 10:30 in 10-250 |
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Celebrate Valentine's Day with one of the most romantic and heartfelt
films ever made. A film that Siskel & Ebert gave "Two big thumbs up!
If you don't have a theatre in your town playing it... BUILD ONE!"
Acclaimed French actress Catherine Deneuve, in her first on-screen role, plays Geneviève Emery, an assistant in her mother's umbrella shop. In love with an auto mechanic named Guy (Nino Castelnuevo) who is drafted to fight in Algeria, she finds herself pregnant. Subsequent events and the too-emotional-for-words conclusion are guaranteed to leave every viewer misty-eyed. An international sensation -- nominated for five Academy Awards, and winner of the Palme D'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. A bold and innovative experiment in filmmaking, director Jacques Demy had every line of dialogue sung to Michel Legrand's masterful score. LSC will be showing the 1993 restoration of this film, which brought back the bright and vivid colors of the original film and features a Dolby Stereo mix. In (sung) French with English subtitles. |
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Secretary (2002)
(R) 104 minutes Friday February 14, 7pm and 10pm in 26-100 Sunday February 16, 7pm in 26-100 |
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Valentine's Day special: you've seen the straight, now see the kinky. Celebrate Valentine's Day in style by experiencing the unexpected chemistry between a young woman who likes to cut herself and the sadomasochistic lawyer who abuses her. Recently released from a mental institution, Lee Holloway (Maggie Gyllenhaal) seeks employment at the office of Mr. Grey (James Spader). "It's very dull," he warns. "I like dull work," she asserts. Is it just a bad job, or is it a match made in heaven? Rated R for strong sexuality, some nudity, depiction of behavioral disorders, and language. Discount offer for MIT secretaries: Bring your boss* and you can
both get in for $5.
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Spirited Away (2001)
(PG) 124 minutes Saturday February 15, 7pm and 10pm in 26-100 Sunday February 16, 10pm in 26-100 |
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LSC presents the subtitled (not dubbed) version of this new animated
classic. Critically acclaimed director Hayao Miyazaki (Princess
Mononoke) presents the story of a young girl, Chihiro, who has become
lost in the spirit world with her parents. Upon encountering an empty
restaurant, Mom and Dad don't hesitate to sit down and dig in, but
Chihiro senses danger and refuses. As night falls, she is terrified to
see the area fill with faceless spirits, and when she runs to her parents,
she discovers that they have been turned into pigs. A mysterious boy
named Haku comes to her aid. In exchange for her name, he finds her
employment in a nearby bath-house which caters to thousands of Japan's
gods and spirits. The work is hard and the people strange, but Chihiro
succeeds through effort and perseverence. However, her parents
are still waiting in the bath-house's stockyard, and Chihiro must find a
way to break the spell on them before they end up as the main course of
some guest's dinner.
Rated PG for some scary moments. In Japanese with English subtitles.
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President's Day, MIT Student Holiday Monday February 17 |
| LSC Classics presents... |
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Dersu Uzala (1974)
(G) 137 minutes Friday February 21, 7pm and 10:30pm in 26-100 Sunday February 23, 7pm in 26-100 |
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A seldom-seen masterpiece from legendary Japanese director
Akira Kurosawa. Based on the memoirs of 19-century
Russian Army officer Vladimir Arseniev, the film chronicles
his explorations in Siberia, where he meets an Asiatic hunter,
the film's namesake. At first looking on him as an uncivilized
and comic character, Arseniev grows to respect him for his
skills in the wilderness. The bonds of friendship and loyalty
deepen, but Dersu finds his skills useless when Arseniev takes
him back to the city.
This is the first film made by Kurosawa after his suicide attempt. Spurned by Japanese funding sources, who considered his films too "western," he finally directed this film using Soviet funding. Photographed in 70mm Super Sovscope, this is his ONLY large-format film, showing off his masterful cinematography to even greater effect. LSC will be showing a BEAUTIFUL NEW PRINT of this 30-year old film. Not to be missed on the big screen! In Russian with English subtitles. |
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Igby Goes Down (2002)
(R) 97 minutes Saturday February 22, 7pm and 10pm in 26-100 Sunday February 23, 10:30pm in 26-100 |
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Combine a rebellious teenager named Igby (Kieran Culkin)
with his obsessive-compulsive mother (Susan Sarandon),
his pompous older brother (Ryan Phillippe), his
mother's lovers (Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum), and
some gorgeous but troubled ladies (Claire Danes,
Amanda Peet), and what do you get? Igby Goes Down,
a comedy with superb acting and perfect timing.
Part coming-of-age story, part romance, and part
delicious satire, this film will have you laughing
out loud during the movie, and thinking hard about
human nature afterwards.
Rated R for language, sexuality and drug content.
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Standing in the Shadows of Motown (2002)
(PG) 116 minutes Friday February 28, 7pm and 10pm in 26-100 Sunday March 02, 7pm in 26-100 |
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In 1959, Berry Gordy Jr. gathered the best musicians from Detroit's
thriving jazz and blues scene to begin cutting songs for his new record
company. Over a fourteen year period, they were the heartbeat on every
hit from Motown's Detroit era. By the end of their phenomenal run, this
unheralded group of musicians had played on more number one hits than
the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones, Elvis, and the Beatles
combined -- which makes them the greatest hit machine in the history of
popular music. They called themselves the Funk Brothers. Forty-one years
after they played their first note on a Motown record and three decades
since they last appeared together, the Funk Brothers reunite back in Detroit
to play their music and tell their unforgettable story, with the help of
archival footage, still photos, narration, interviews, re-creation
scenes, 20 Motown master tracks, and twelve new live performances of
Motown classics with the Brothers backing up contemporary performers.
Peter Travers of Rolling Stone Magazine writes, "It's a glorious groove
that leaves you wanting more."
Rated PG for language and thematic elements.
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Solaris (2002)
(PG-13) 99 minutes Saturday March 01, 7pm and 10pm in 26-100 Sunday March 02, 10pm in 26-100 |
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Steven Soderbergh (Erin Brokovich, Ocean's Eleven) directs this remake
of the 1972 Russian Science Fiction classic. Years of grieving for his dead
wife have worn Chris Kelvin (George Clooney) down to his core. A psychologist
by profession, Chris is summoned by the government to a remote space station
in the far reaches of the universe. The station is orbiting a mysterious
planet called Solaris, and the crew aboard is experiencing strange dream-like
manifestations that have led one crew member to suicide. Upon arrival,
Chris soon begins to experience the power of Solaris as his long dead
wife (Natascha McElhone) suddenly appears and attempts to rekindle their
romance. Apprehensive at first, Chris soon realizes that this bizarre alien
occurrence just might be his coveted second chance to live happily with his
wife, even when all the signs point to insanity and ultimately death.
Rated PG-13 on appeal for sexuality/nudity, brief language and thematic elements.
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Global Environmental Issues: Effects on the Atmosphere and the Biosphere
Thursday March 06, 7pm in 10-250 |
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Ford/MIT Nobel Laureate Lecture series presents: Eric Chivian and Mario
J. Molina.
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Steamboat Bill, Jr (1928)
(Unrated) 71 minutes (silent with live piano accompaniment) Friday March 07, 9pm in 10-250 |
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Return to the heydays of cinema and Hollywood with this well-known
silent film. One of Buster Keaton's many comedies, replete with
sight gags and clever on-screen imagery that only works in a silent
film. See an entire house fall on Buster, then watch amazedly as
he walks away unscathed! Made in the days when talking about digital
effects would have gotten you laughed at, this film will have you
marveling with the "How did they do that?" wonder that's missing
from the cinema today.
The difference between canned music and live accompaniment is
like night and day. LSC is pleased to announce that this film
will feature live piano accompaniment by Prof. Martin Marks,
who has contributed his talents to the musical accompaniment
of many silent film restoration projects. We would like to
express our appreciation for his time and help.
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| LSC Classics presents... |
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Le Placard a.k.a. The Closet (2001)
(R) 84 minutes Friday March 07, 7pm and 10pm in 26-100 (Add Date) Sunday March 09, 7pm in 26-100 |
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A hilarious film that will have you falling out of your seat with
laughter, The Closet plays subtle twists on the politics of
homosexuality. A worker in a condom factory pretends to be gay so
that his boss can't fire him, causing a bigoted coworker (renowned
French actor Gerard Depardieu) to befriend him so that he can
look gay too. As Stephen Holden writes in The New York Times,
this film has "more delicious, chortling fun ... than any movie I've
seen in ages."In French with English subtitles.
This program was made possible with the support of the Cultural Services of the French Embassy and the French Ministry of Culture (CNC). |
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Das Experiment (2001)
(R) 120 minutes Saturday March 08, 5pm and 8pm in 26-100 Sunday March 09, 10pm in 26-100 |
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Tarek Fahd (Moritz Bleibtreu, Run Lola Run) is a young,
fit, unemployed journalist who answers an advertisement for
subjects for a psychological study. He and the other
volunteers are to be divided into prisoners and guards
for a period of two weeks. Tarek plans to surreptitiously
photograph the experiment for a newspaper. He is assigned
the role of prisoner, and to make his article more
interesting, begins to challenge authority. Predictably,
the guards begin to escalate, and what began as a
mild role-playing game quickly turns to violence. Soon,
Tarek's journalistic goal is replaced by the necessity
simply to survive.
The premise of this film is based on the famous Stanford Prison Experiment, but this is no dry psychology lecture. The film extends the experiment to its logical conclusion, and the ending will leave you shocked. After the release of the film, the Stanford experimenters insisted that a disclaimer be added to distinguish the film from the actual experiment. Come see what the fuss is all about! In German with English subtitles |
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Water Drops on Burning Rocks (2000)
(Unrated) 90 minutes Friday March 14, 7:30 and 10:30 in 10-250 |
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...The newest film from Francois Ozon (See the Sea, Sitcom,
Criminal Lovers, and Under the Sand). Adapted from an unproduced
play written by the great Rainer Werner Fassbinder at the age of 19,
it is set in Germany in the 1970s. Leopold, a smug, still-hunky
50-year-old businessman, picks up and seduces fresh-faced,
carrot-topped 19-year-old Franz who swiftly moves into his bachelor
pad. Their cozy relationship soon sours as Leopold, a kind of
gone-to-seed Dirk Bogarde, turns cranky and argumentative. When
Franz's buxom blond girlfriend surfaces, and then Leopold's elegant
and enigmatic ex, things get funnier, steamier and a lot more
complicated.
This program was made possible with the support of the Cultural Services of the French Embassy and the French Ministry of Culture (CNC). |
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Real Women Have Curves (2002)
(PG-13) 90 minutes Friday March 14, 7pm and 10pm in 26-100 Sunday March 16, 7pm in 26-100 |
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This is the story of Ana, a first generation Mexican-American teenager
on the verge of becoming a woman. Freshly graduated from high school,
Ana receives a full scholarship to Columbia University. However, her
very traditional old-world parents feel that now is the time for Ana
to help provide for the family, not the time for college. Torn between
her mainstream ambitions and her cultural heritage, she agrees to work
with her mother at her sister's downtown LA sewing factory. Over the
summer she learns to admire the hardworking group of women who teach
her solidarity and teamwork. Still at odds with what her mother
expects of her, Ana realizes that leaving home to continue her
education is essential to finding her place in the world as a proud
American and Chicana. Elvis Mitchell of The New York Times
calls this film "effervescent and satisfying, a crowd pleaser that
does not condescend," while Roger Ebert says Real Women Have Curves
is "enormously entertaining for moviegoers of any age."
Rated PG-13 for sexual content and some language.
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Star Trek X: Nemesis (2002)
(PG-13) 116 minutes Saturday March 15, 7pm and 10pm in 26-100 Sunday March 16, 10pm in 26-100 |
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The crew of the Enterprise NCC-1701E reunite for one
final journey as crew...and family. This story begins
with the wedding of two beloved characters, and ends
with an epic space battle. In between, we are introduced
to a new Data-like android and a villian who is as
familiar as he is sinister. Along the way, we see
tragedy, heroism, a search for humanity's defining
traits, and of course, the Earth saved from destruction.
Return to a treasured world where people...and
aliens...are good at heart, and evil can always be
defeated. And yes, this is an even one, so it's good!
Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence and peril
and a scene of sexual content.
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Frida (2002)
(R) 118 minutes Thursday March 20, 7pm and 10pm in 26-100 Friday March 21, 7pm and 10pm in 26-100 (Last Day Before Break) |
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Nominated for two Golden Globes, and the winner for Best Original Score,
Frida chronicles the life artist Frida Kahlo (Salma Hayek) shared
unflinchingly and openly with Diego Rivera (Alfred Molina) as the young
couple took the art world by storm. From her complex and enduring
relationship with her mentor and husband to her illicit and
controversial affair with Leon Trotsky, to her provocative and romantic
entanglements with women, Frida Kahlo lived a bold and uncompromising
life as a political, artistic, and sexual revolutionary. Richard Roeper
of Ebert & Roeper writes that "Frida is a film that celebrates but
never sugarcoats the hard but exciting life of a brave artist." Michael
Wilmington of the Chicago Tribune says this movie "seizes you up,
catches fire, and dances."
Rated R for sexuality/nudity and language.
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Spring Break Saturday March 22 Sunday March 30 |
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FREE SNEAK PREVIEW
What a Girl Wants (2003)
(PG) Tuesday April 01, 8pm in 26-100 |
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Daphne, a free-spirited 19-year-old New Yorker (Amanda Bynes) raised
by her equally free-spirited mother (Kelly Preston) goes to England to
establish a relationship with her father (Colin Firth), who doesn't
know that she exists. He turns out to be a prominent political figure
heavily involved in social customs. Daphne must attempt to fit in with
the social requirements demanded of her, while also getting to know
her father, dealing with his territorial other daughter, and
maintaining her own self-identity.
Tickets available at 6pm in lobby 16. MIT ID required.
Rated PG for mild language.
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FREE SNEAK PREVIEW
A Man Apart (2003)
(R) Thursday April 03, 8pm in 26-100 |
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A Man Apart features Vin Diesel (Xander Cage from XXX) in a
compelling role as tough DEA agent Sean Vetter, who sets out to avenge
the brutal murder of his wife in a botched hit. As the drug wars rage
along the US/Mexican border, a major player from the Baja Cartel is
imprisoned and a mysterious figure known as Diablo wrests control over
the entire operation. Vetter, consumed by his desire for revenge, and
his partner Demetrius Hicks (Larenz Tate) must join forces with the
jailed Cartel boss to hunt down this dangerous and elusive new player.
Tickets available at 6pm in lobby 16. MIT ID required.
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| LSC Classics presents... |
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Spartacus (1960)
198 minutes Friday April 04, 6pm and 10pm in 26-100 Sunday April 06, 6pm in 26-100 (Daylight Savings Time Begins) |
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An epic in every sense of the word, Spartacus will show you
just what was missing from Gladiator. Legendary director
Stanley Kubrick (Dr. Strangelove, 2001: A Space
Odyssey) spares no effort (or expense) to bring to the screen
a story of love, privilege, turmoil, and the birth of freedom.
Kirk Douglas (Michael Douglas' father), stars as Spartacus, a Thracian slave purchased by Lentulus Batiatus (comic actor Peter Ustinov), owner of a gladiatorial school. The ever-present specter of death comes to a head when Spartacus barely escapes death in a gladiatorial joust for the amusement of Marcus Licinius Crassus (the legendary Laurence Olivier). The slaves break out in revolt, and the subsequent challenge to Republican Rome brings in such characters as Lucullus, Pompey, and, of course, Julius Caesar. More true to history than most other sword-and-sandal epics, this film features a screenplay by Dalton Trumbo, one of the Hollywood Ten blacklisted during the McCarthyist days for suspected Communist affiliation. A vast drama, filmed in the sprawling canvas of large-format Super Technirama 70, Spartacus combines vast battles with moments of quiet contemplation, and features literate and intellectual dialogue that Hollywood gave up decades ago. LSC will be showing the uncut 1991 restoration of this film, which includes the (in)famous "oysters and snails" homosexual scene (with Anthony "Hannibal Lecter" Hopkins dubbing for the late Olivier). Due to the length of this feature, there will be an intermission. |
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The Trials of Henry Kissinger (2002)
(Unrated) 80 minutes Saturday April 05, 7pm and 10pm in 26-100 Sunday April 06, 10pm in 26-100 (Daylight Savings Time Begins) |
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Part contemporary investigation and part historical inquiry, this
documentary follows the quest of one journalist in search of justice.
The film focuses on Christopher Hitchens' charges against Henry
Kissinger as a war criminal -- allegations documented in Hitchens' book
of the same title -- based on his role in countries such as Cambodia,
Chile, and Indonesia. Kissinger's story raises profound questions
about American foreign policy and highlights a new era of human rights.
Increasing evidence about one man's role in a long history of human
rights abuses leads to a critical examination of American diplomacy
through the lens of international standards of justice. Wesley Morris
of the Boston Globe calls The Trials of Henry Kissinger "a stunning
and overwhelmingly cogent case for Kissinger as a calculating war
criminal," and Michael Rechtshaffen of the Hollywood Reporter
exclaims, "both damning and damned compelling."
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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
(PG) 161 minutes Friday April 11, 7pm and 10:30pm in 26-100 Sunday April 13, 7pm in 26-100 |
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In this second installment of the cinematographic version of the literary
phenomenon known as Harry Potter, the boy wizard is about to enter his second
year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He is visited by a
mischievous and self-effacing house-elf named Dobby and warned not to go back
to Hogwarts. However, desperate to escape the abuses of his muggle family and
return to his friends in the magic world, Harry ignores this warning. At
school, strange things start to happen. People are becoming petrified, and
noone knows who -- or what -- is responsible. Harry repeatedly hears a voice
-- a voice which seems to be coming from within the walls. He fears that a
mythical and dangerous room called the Chamber of Secrets has been opened,
but legend dictates that only Salazar Slytherin's true descendent can open
it. When the students realize that Harry has many of the qualities attributed
to the Slytherin heir, he is immediately suspect. Harry must fight bolder
challenges and more dangerous threats than last year's in order to prove his
innocence and rescue the students from a sinister and powerful villain.
Rated PG for scary moments, some creature violence and mild language.
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About Schmidt (2002)
(R) 125 minutes Saturday April 12, 7pm and 10pm in 26-100 Sunday April 13, 10:30pm in 26-100 |
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Warren Schmidt (Jack Nicholson, Golden Globe 2003 Best Actor in a
Drama) is dealing with several life-changing events, including his
retirement, his wife's death, and his daughter's marriage, and is
feeling utterly adrift. He sets out on a journey of self-discovery,
exploring his roots across Nebraska in the 35-foot motor home in which
he had planned to drive around the country with his late wife. His
ultimate destination is Denver, where he plans to make peace with his
estranged daughter by helping with the wedding preparations. However,
he detests the groom-to-be, and doesn't feel much more kindly towards
his soon-to-be in-laws. He begins to contemplate halting the marriage
altogether. Meanwhile, he finds an unexpected new friend and confessor
-- a six-year-old Tanzanian orphan whom he sponsors through an
organization he saw advertised on television. While writing long
letters to the young boy, Warren begins for the first time to glimpse
himself and the life he has lived. Manohla Dargis of the Los
Angeles Times writes, "Perfectly pitched between comedy and
tragedy, hope and despair, About Schmidt instead comes far closer
than many movies to expressing the way most of us live -- someplace
between consuming self-absorbtion and insistently demanding
otherness." Rated R for some language and brief nudity.
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The Lady and the Duke (2001)
(PG-13) 125 minutes Friday April 18, 7:30 and 10:30 in 10-250 |
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A stunning use of digital technology, The Lady and
the Duke takes the viewer back two hundred years with
meticulously recreated French Revolution backdrops framing
the digitally-"filmed" actors.
Based on the autobiography of Englishwoman Grace Elliot (Lucy Russell), the film follows her adventures in France with her lover Philippe, the Duke of Orléans. As the clouds of Revolution approach, she clings to her aristocratic upbringing, while the Duke aligns himself with Revolutionary politics. When the Terror arrives, the pair faces a stark moral choice between giving in to the mob and dying for their principles. Historically accurate, and replete with links to royalty (Elliot was a onetime lover of the Prince of Wales, future King George IV of England, and the Duke is the father of future King Louis Philippe of France), The Lady and the Duke is for everyone who wants to be educated, entertained, and challenged. In French and German with English subtitles. This program was made possible with the support of the Cultural Services of the French Embassy and the French Ministry of Culture (CNC). |
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Die Another Day (2002)
(PG-13) 132 minutes Friday April 18, 7pm and 10pm in 26-100 Sunday April 20, 7pm in 26-100 |
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James Bond returns in this latest franchise installment, starring Pierce
Brosnan and Oscar winner Halle Berry, with Golden Globe nominated musical
theme by Madonna. Bond is captured during a failed assassination attempt
on Colonel Moon, a North Korean army officer and arms dealer, after someone
alerts Moon's hitman Zao to the plot. Released several years later in a
prisoner exchange, Bond sets out to discover the traitor and kill Zao.
The trail leads him to evil genius Gustav Graves. With the help of Bond
girls Jinx and Miranda Frost, 007 pursues Graves to Iceland, where he
experiences the power of an amazing new weapon destined for use in the
Korean demilitarized zone.
Rated PG-13 for action violence and sexuality.
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Adaptation (2002)
(R) 114 minutes Saturday April 19, 7pm and 10pm in 26-100 Sunday April 20, 10pm in 26-100 |
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Winner of two Golden Globes and an Academy award, this film is an
account of screenwriter Charlie Kaufman's attempt to adapt Susan
Orlean's non-fiction book "The Orchid Thief." The book is the story of
John Laroche (Cooper), a plant dealer who clones rare orchids then
sells them to collectors. Scenes from the book are interspersed with
Kaufman's struggle to adapt it into a movie. Oscar-winner Nicholas
Cage portrays both Kaufman (who wrote Being John Malkovich as well
as this film) and his twin brother Donald, while Meryl Streep brings
Orlean to the screen with poise and presence. Roger Ebert states
simply, "what a bewilderingly brilliant and entertaining movie this
is."
Rated R for language, sexuality, some drug use and violent images.
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Patriots Day, MIT Student Holiday Monday April 21 Tuesday April 22 |
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The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
(PG-13) 179 minutes Thursday April 24, 8pm in 26-100 (Drop Date) Friday April 25, 6pm and 10pm in 26-100 Sunday April 27, 6pm in 26-100 |
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The Fellowship has been broken. Boromir is dead, Frodo Baggins and
Samwise Gamgee have gone to Mordor alone to destroy the One Ring, Merry
and Pippin have been captured by the Uruk-hai, and Aragorn, Legolas, and
Gimli have made friends of the Rohan, a race of humans that are in the
path of the upcoming war, led by its aging king, Theoden. The two towers
between Mordor and Isengard, Barad-dur and Orthanc, have united in their
lust for destruction. The corrupt wizard Saruman, under the power of the
Dark Lord Sauron, and his slimy assistant, Grima Wormtongue, have
created a grand Uruk-hai army bent on the destruction of Man and
Middle-earth. The rebellion again Sauron is building up and will be led
by Gandalf the White who was thought to be dead after the Balrog
captured him. One of the Ring's original bearers, the creature Gollum,
has tracked down Frodo and Sam in search of his 'precious', but is
captured by the Hobbits and used as a guide to lead them to Mordor. The
War of the Ring has now begun... Winner of two Academy Awards.
Rated PG-13 for epic battle sequences and scary images.
The show of LOTR on Thursday 4/24 at 8pm (and only that show) will be free, thanks to Spring Weekend. |
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Dr. Fulvio Melia: "The Black Hole at the Center of Our Galaxy"
Saturday April 26, 4pm in 6-120 |
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Dr. Fulvio Melia
Prof. of Astronomy, Univ. of Arizona
Could Einstein have possibly anticipated directly testing the most captivating prediction of general relativity, that there exist isolated pockets of spacetime shielded completely from our own? Now, almost a century after that theory emerged, just such an entity, with a mass of about three million suns, has been found lurking at the center of our galaxy. Excitement is mounting in the astronomical community with the growing realization that we are now on the verge of actually seeing this exotic object within the next few years. Free event.
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Catch Me If You Can (2002)
(PG-13) 141 minutes Saturday April 26, 7pm and 10:30pm in 26-100 Sunday April 27, 10pm in 26-100 |
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Frank Abagnale Jr. learned early on that looks could be deceiving: his
parents' fairy tale romance didn't include a 'happily ever after' ending
and although Frank Sr. claimed to know the secret to success, it
continued to elude him. Rather than be discouraged, Frank Jr. embraced
these lessons and adopted deceit as his career, assuming the guise of
doctor, lawyer, and pilot (among others). Not content to look like a jet
setter, Frank embarked on a global cheque bouncing spree to the tune of
$2.5 million that earned him a spot on the FBI's Most Wanted
List -- quite a feat for a 17-year-old high school dropout.
Rated PG-13 for some sexual content and brief language.
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FREE SNEAK PREVIEW The Italian Job (2003) Tuesday April 29, 8pm in 26-100 |
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The plan was flawless... the job was executed perfectly... the escape
was clean. The only threat mastermind thief Charlie Croker (Mark
Wahlberg) never saw coming was from a member of his own crew. After
pulling off an amazing gold bullion heist from a heavily guarded
palazzo in Venice, Italy, Charlie and his gang -- inside man Steve
(Edward Norton), computer genius Lyle (Seth Green), wheelman Handsome
Rob (Jason Statham), explosives expert Left-Ear (Mos Def) and veteran
safecracker John Bridger (Donald Sutherland) -- can't believe it when
one of them turns out to be a double-crosser. Now the job isn't about
the payoff, it's about payback!
Enter Stella (Charlize Theron), a beautiful nerves-of-steel safecracker, who joins Charlie and his former gang when they follow the backstabber to California, where they plan to re-steal the gold by tapping into Los Angeles' traffic control system, manipulating signals and creating one of the biggest traffic jams in L.A. history! A contemporary update of Paramount's 1969 classic, "The Italian Job" features the ever-popular MINI Cooper in state-of-the-art chase scenes down Hollywood's Walk of Fame, through the Metro Rail tunnels and down narrow escape routes where only the MINI can go. Full of twists, turns and exciting stunts with armored cars, motorcycles and helicopters, this action-packed thrill-ride takes audiences on wild curves they'll never see coming. Tickets available at 6pm in lobby 16. MIT ID required. |
| LSC Classics presents... |
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North By Northwest (1959)
(Unrated) 136 minutes Friday May 02, 7pm and 10:30pm in 26-100 Sunday May 04, 7pm in 26-100 |
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One of Alfred Hitchcock's cleverest and fastest-paced films,
North by Northwest features many great snippets that have
embedded themselves in movie history. Biplane attacks on Cary
Grant, midnight train rides on the Twentieth Century Limited,
escaping from foreign agents by climbing down the side of
Mount Rushmore -- who but Hitchcock can put all these into one
film?
Cary Grant plays Roger Thornhill, a suave Madison Avenue adman who is mistaken for the spy George Kaplan. Framed for a murder at the United Nations, he is forced to go on the run. Discovering a plot to smuggle classified microfilm out of the country, he collaborates with government agents while brushing off the beautiful Eva Marie Saint. Filmed in large-format VistaVision. |
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The Hours (2002)
(PG-13) 114 minutes Saturday May 03, 7pm and 10pm in 26-100 Sunday May 04, 10:30pm in 26-100 |
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See the Golden Globes' Best Dramatic Picture of the year!
In 1929, Virginia Woolf (Nicole Kidman and prosthetic nose, Academy Award Best Actress 2003), writes a novel. In the 1950's, Laura Brown (Julianne Moore), reads the book. In 2001, Clarissa Vaughn (Meryl Streep, Golden Globe Best Supporting Actress 2003), lives the story. A tapestry of events unfolds, and as the camera switches between the women and their eras, we see the connections that unite them...and us. The Tech calls The Hours "a fantastic film with outstanding acting and an incredibly human theme." Steven Holden of The New York Times raves, "Ms. Kidman, in a performance of astounding bravery, evokes the savage inner war waged by a brilliant mind against a system of faulty wiring that transmits a searing, crazy static into her brain." Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements, some disturbing images and brief language. |
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25th Hour (2002)
(R) 135 minutes Friday May 09, 7pm and 10pm in 26-100 Sunday May 11, 7pm in 26-100 |
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Acclaimed director Spike Lee (Malcolm X, Summer of Sam)
delivers the film Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle labels
"the first great 21st century movie about a 21st century subject."
Montgomery Brogan (Edward Norton)'s life is nearly perfect. He's got a spacious apartment, a loyal dog, a father whose pride in his son is evident even when they disagree, and a beautiful girlfriend with whom he is completely in love. Unfortunately, he's also got an imperfect past, which, when the police receive an anonymous tip, returns full-force to haunt him. Monty has just 24 hours as a free man to figure out who turned him in, and why. Set against the backdrop of post-September 11 New York, the story reflects the setting, providing no easy answers or clear morals, and plenty of complex characters with whom we can all identify. Rated R for strong language and some violence. |
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Rabbit-Proof Fence (2002)
(PG) 94 minutes Saturday May 10, 7pm and 10pm in 26-100 Sunday May 11, 10pm in 26-100 |
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From the director of The Quiet American comes a unique
tale of courage in the picturesque Australian outback.
Roger Ebert writes, "this journey...is beautiful, harrowing,
and sometimes heartbreaking" while Richard Roeper calls it
"one of the best movies of the year."
In 1931 Australia, all "half-castes," a derogatory term for those with mixed European and aboriginal blood, were, by law, under the jurisdiction of a government official named Mr. Neville (Kenneth Branaugh). It was believed that the aborigines were an inferior race who were not capable of functioning within the European-Australian society. By taking the mixed children away from their aboriginal families, Mr. Neville sought to educate them, and gradually, through generations of marriages only to people of European descent, "breed out" the inferior blood and allow their descendents to become full members of society. However, when he ordered the removal of two sisters and their cousin from their homes, three incredible young women made a decision to walk home, 1500 miles with a government-hired aboriginal tracker on their trail, and only a rabbit-proof fence to guide their way. This is a true story. This is their story. Rated PG for emotional thematic material. |
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The Pianist (2002)
(R) 148 minutes Thursday May 15, 7pm and 10:30pm in 26-100 Saturday May 17, 7pm in 26-100 |
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Winner of three Academy Awards (Best Actor Adrien Brody, Best Director
Roman Polanski, and Best Adapted Screenplay)! Rex Reed of The New
York Observer calls The Pianist "a great film of integrity and
unforgettable power that leaves you breathless with gratitude."
This is the harrowing story of a real-life Jewish pianist who miraculously survived through World War II in Poland. Through his eyes, we see an incredible transformation of his country, which, if it were not absolutely true, we could not believe. First, there is vague anti-Semitism, which is quickly fueled by increasing restrictions on the Jewish people's lives. Then, the torture and slaughter begins. Some risk their lives to help, others stand idly by in an attempt to secure their own survival. Still others take advantage of the situation, or worse, unleash an inner cruelty most of us hope we do not possess. This story is told without sentimentality or exaggeration; this is the tragedy of human evil which can come to pass. Learn about your history and yourself, and bring a box of tissues. Rated R for violence and brief strong language. In English and German with subtitles. |
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Talk to Her (2002)
(R) 112 minutes Friday May 16, 7pm and 10pm in 26-100 Saturday May 17, 10:30pm in 26-100 |
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Winner of the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film, and the
Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay!
Pedro Almodovar (Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, All About My Mother) writes and directs this fascinating and artistic look at two men whose lady loves are comatose. Begnino works at the hospital so that he may tend to the dancer Alicia, injured in an automobile accident. Meanwhile, Marco spends time in a room nearby, visiting Lydia, a lady bullfighter who was gored in the arena. As they talk to each other and to the women they love, the two men become friends. However, they are soon put to task dealing with a surprising event which lands one of them in serious trouble. Elvis Mitchell of The New York Times exclaims, "When it's over, the realization of how much the movie means to you really sinks in; you can't get it out of your heart." Rated R for nudity, sexual content and some language. In Spanish with English subtitles. |