The Midtown Cinema hosts its annual Oscar Party!
What: Oscar Party
When: 6:00-10:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb 22, 2015
Attire: Red-Carpet Ready! Tickets:$30 ($35 after 2/1)
The MC hosts its annual Oscar Party from 6-10:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb 22, at 250 Reily St. in Harrisburg.
Guests will watch ABC’s telecast of the 87th Academy Awards® ceremony on the big screen! Complimentary wine and a buffet of appetizers will be served from 6:00-8:30 p.m.
The Oscar telecast will begin at 6 p.m. with red-carpet arrivals. Tickets are $30 ($35 after 2/1) . All guests will receive a gift bag. Free parking is available in the MC lots.
Sponsorships for the MC Oscar Party are available. Email stuart@midtowncinema.com for more information.
For advanced tickets, visit midtowncinema.com or call 717-909-6566. Seating is limited; reservations should be made before Feb 17, 2015.
Monday, June 30, 2014
Sam's Blog - Fed Up
With a few nutritionally zesty films under her belt (GMO OMG and Tapped), Stephanie Soechtig now brings us Fed Up, a documentary about the dangers of sugar. Focusing on childhood obesity, the film attacks the stigma that obesity is the individual's fault, and reiterates the truth about food companies through product labels, advertising, and pricing. Much of the content of the film is already public knowledge, though there were a few facts and statistics that were surprising; however, the compilation of these facts gives an organized view on the situation. Unfortunately, the spread of information was not quite balanced: many topics went either left untouched or were only briefly noted.
For example, the film attacks sugar and fat, but skips over the conversation that there are different types of fat, some better for you than others, and even that the body does need dietary fat in order to work properly. The film also treats obesity and body fat like it's the only thing that prevents a person from being healthy. However, a 92 minute film cannot hold all the necessary information on nutrition, so it is fair to say that within that time frame, they covered what they could.
As for the effectiveness of the film, one can only wait and see. I am a little wary of whether it will have any effect. If there's one thing society has learned, it is that negativity is a paralytic, and positivity is a motivator. If we had less "don'ts" and more "dos", perhaps we would see more of a change. Ultimately, the majority of the film is a display of negativity -- this is what you should NOT eat -- with a very, VERY brief positive note at the end, one that was a bit convoluted at that. We see snippets of real, healthy food, shots of farmer's markets and fresh produce and... then the film is over.
Overall, the film is well-constructed, and you do learn a thing or two. It also leads to great conversation about what we're putting into our bodies... one can only hope that it actually inspires people to start cooking their own food. Now playing at the Midtown Cinema! Come see the film and tell us what you think.
For example, the film attacks sugar and fat, but skips over the conversation that there are different types of fat, some better for you than others, and even that the body does need dietary fat in order to work properly. The film also treats obesity and body fat like it's the only thing that prevents a person from being healthy. However, a 92 minute film cannot hold all the necessary information on nutrition, so it is fair to say that within that time frame, they covered what they could.
As for the effectiveness of the film, one can only wait and see. I am a little wary of whether it will have any effect. If there's one thing society has learned, it is that negativity is a paralytic, and positivity is a motivator. If we had less "don'ts" and more "dos", perhaps we would see more of a change. Ultimately, the majority of the film is a display of negativity -- this is what you should NOT eat -- with a very, VERY brief positive note at the end, one that was a bit convoluted at that. We see snippets of real, healthy food, shots of farmer's markets and fresh produce and... then the film is over.
Overall, the film is well-constructed, and you do learn a thing or two. It also leads to great conversation about what we're putting into our bodies... one can only hope that it actually inspires people to start cooking their own food. Now playing at the Midtown Cinema! Come see the film and tell us what you think.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Sam's Blog - Obvious Child
Society likes to make up its mind about certain subjects through the use of film. As many know, films can be an outlet to give an audience a fresh perspective on a subject, or lay out a facet of an idea and let people chew on it even after the credits roll. This is the beauty of a good film: it leaves an impression on you, and allows you to form your own opinions on subjects that you may not have had any experience with prior to watching.
Obvious Child is a refreshing example of a film that delves into the world of a woman who has abortion on her mind. Donna Stern (Jenny Slate) is a twenty-something standup comedian/bookstore clerk living in Brooklyn. After a dismal breakup, Donna has a fling with a stranger that results in a pregnancy. One look at her financial situation makes her quickly decide to get an abortion, but first she wants to tell her one night stand... however, various circumstances make it harder and harder for her to tell him.
The film is clearly a vehicle for Jenny Slate to strut her stuff, and she does it well: the film is peppered with silly situations and one-liners, making it enjoyable simply from a comedic standpoint. Plot-wise, the beginning is a little expository, but as Donna begins to tackle her problem head on, the progression of the story becomes a little more comfortable. Donna is a very relatable character, wearing her emotions on her sleeves and, while this reveals the fact that she's kind of a mess, it also reveals that she's a sweet person. It is easy to take this journey alongside her as she comes closer to the day of the abortion.
Unlike other films that grapple with the idea of abortion, Obvious Child does not try to weigh you down with the typical debate: it avoids meddling with both the pro-life argument ("Getting an abortion is like murder") and the pro-choice argument ("it's your body and you should be the one to decide what happens to it"), ultimately skipping past the theoretical part and focusing on the situational part. This can be seen both as a positive and a negative: while it's refreshing to see a film that doesn't try to shove politics down your throat, it is also a bit cavalier with the subject (example: every single one of the female characters in the film has had an abortion).
The message is very clear that abortion is a perfectly viable option (just a heads up for you pro-life supporters), and so the filmmakers opted for a story in which the main character does not change her mind at the very last minute and keep the child... in keeping with that goal, the film lacked a certain amount of conflict, peripherally anyway. But it is Donna's internal struggle that should be focused on, the shoes of which any woman can try on and relate to. Finally we see an honest depiction of a woman's struggle, instead of just the effect of society on said woman's decision.
Come check the film out at the Midtown Cinema!
Obvious Child is a refreshing example of a film that delves into the world of a woman who has abortion on her mind. Donna Stern (Jenny Slate) is a twenty-something standup comedian/bookstore clerk living in Brooklyn. After a dismal breakup, Donna has a fling with a stranger that results in a pregnancy. One look at her financial situation makes her quickly decide to get an abortion, but first she wants to tell her one night stand... however, various circumstances make it harder and harder for her to tell him.
The film is clearly a vehicle for Jenny Slate to strut her stuff, and she does it well: the film is peppered with silly situations and one-liners, making it enjoyable simply from a comedic standpoint. Plot-wise, the beginning is a little expository, but as Donna begins to tackle her problem head on, the progression of the story becomes a little more comfortable. Donna is a very relatable character, wearing her emotions on her sleeves and, while this reveals the fact that she's kind of a mess, it also reveals that she's a sweet person. It is easy to take this journey alongside her as she comes closer to the day of the abortion.
Unlike other films that grapple with the idea of abortion, Obvious Child does not try to weigh you down with the typical debate: it avoids meddling with both the pro-life argument ("Getting an abortion is like murder") and the pro-choice argument ("it's your body and you should be the one to decide what happens to it"), ultimately skipping past the theoretical part and focusing on the situational part. This can be seen both as a positive and a negative: while it's refreshing to see a film that doesn't try to shove politics down your throat, it is also a bit cavalier with the subject (example: every single one of the female characters in the film has had an abortion).
The message is very clear that abortion is a perfectly viable option (just a heads up for you pro-life supporters), and so the filmmakers opted for a story in which the main character does not change her mind at the very last minute and keep the child... in keeping with that goal, the film lacked a certain amount of conflict, peripherally anyway. But it is Donna's internal struggle that should be focused on, the shoes of which any woman can try on and relate to. Finally we see an honest depiction of a woman's struggle, instead of just the effect of society on said woman's decision.
Come check the film out at the Midtown Cinema!
Monday, June 16, 2014
Sam's Blog - The Rover
I'll be completely up front with you. The Rover is a frustrating film. But maybe it will relieve you somewhat when I tell you that this emotion is exactly what it sets out to accomplish.
Writer/director David Michôd tosses us into the near future, after an economic meltdown in Australia leaves society on its knees. People must resort to a more rudimentary way of living, with limited provisions and minimal law enforcement -- causing a steep incline in crime. With this fend-for-yourself mentality in the foreground, we meet our main character: an unnamed man with an unstable presence (played by Guy Pearce) stops at a rundown bar for a drink, only to get his car stolen by three men. He goes after them, and along the way, he meets Rey (Robert Pattinson in easily his best performance), the slow-minded brother of one of the previously mentioned car thieves, who was left behind to die in an incident. He takes Rey as his unwitting hostage, and the two set off, one to get back to his brother, and the other on a dogged mission to get his car back.
Honestly, to tell you any more of their journey would detract from your experience of the film; but suffice it to say, this dark story is best viewed as a mood piece rather than a puzzle to be solved. It will give you answers, but not necessarily ones that you're going to like... and that's the point.
Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson deserve a hell of a nod... the nuances in their performances give more insight into their characters than the story allows -- it is as if Michôd gave the actors the responsibility of telling their characters' stories, while his script focused more on playing with the idea of the economic collapse and what life would be like within it. This collaboration leaves us with a strange, purposely stilted story, only giving you enough details to get you through to the end.
Pearce's character is fascinating, breaking free of all expectations of human decency as the film progresses. The film leaves little clues about what the essence of his character might be, but ultimately, there is a lot left unsaid about him. And perhaps that is the point: the motivation behind his actions is meant to be frustrating, and this frustration is never fully resolved.
And this is what carries the tone of the film: the film is beautifully shot, the acting is impeccable, and the music is jarring and (apart from one strange song choice halfway through the film) adds the perfect atmosphere... but you will still leave the theater with an incredible weight added to your shoulders. The Rover is not meant to give you warm fuzzies, or show you the meaning of life. It is meant to show how screwed up the world and its inhabitants can be sometimes.
Come check out the Rover this week at the Midtown Cinema!
Writer/director David Michôd tosses us into the near future, after an economic meltdown in Australia leaves society on its knees. People must resort to a more rudimentary way of living, with limited provisions and minimal law enforcement -- causing a steep incline in crime. With this fend-for-yourself mentality in the foreground, we meet our main character: an unnamed man with an unstable presence (played by Guy Pearce) stops at a rundown bar for a drink, only to get his car stolen by three men. He goes after them, and along the way, he meets Rey (Robert Pattinson in easily his best performance), the slow-minded brother of one of the previously mentioned car thieves, who was left behind to die in an incident. He takes Rey as his unwitting hostage, and the two set off, one to get back to his brother, and the other on a dogged mission to get his car back.
Honestly, to tell you any more of their journey would detract from your experience of the film; but suffice it to say, this dark story is best viewed as a mood piece rather than a puzzle to be solved. It will give you answers, but not necessarily ones that you're going to like... and that's the point.
Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson deserve a hell of a nod... the nuances in their performances give more insight into their characters than the story allows -- it is as if Michôd gave the actors the responsibility of telling their characters' stories, while his script focused more on playing with the idea of the economic collapse and what life would be like within it. This collaboration leaves us with a strange, purposely stilted story, only giving you enough details to get you through to the end.
Pearce's character is fascinating, breaking free of all expectations of human decency as the film progresses. The film leaves little clues about what the essence of his character might be, but ultimately, there is a lot left unsaid about him. And perhaps that is the point: the motivation behind his actions is meant to be frustrating, and this frustration is never fully resolved.
And this is what carries the tone of the film: the film is beautifully shot, the acting is impeccable, and the music is jarring and (apart from one strange song choice halfway through the film) adds the perfect atmosphere... but you will still leave the theater with an incredible weight added to your shoulders. The Rover is not meant to give you warm fuzzies, or show you the meaning of life. It is meant to show how screwed up the world and its inhabitants can be sometimes.
Come check out the Rover this week at the Midtown Cinema!
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Sam's Blog - Ida
Poland's post-war landscape is beautifully drawn in Ida, Pawel Pawlikowski's latest masterpiece about a nun who discovers her Jewish heritage.
Agata Trzebuchowska stuns in her debut screen performance as Anna, a novice nun who was raised in the convent. About a week before she takes her final vows, she learns that she is Jewish, and that her ex-state prosecutor aunt, Wanda (Agata Kulesza), is still alive. Anna meets with Wanda to learn about her past -- she discovers that her name was supposed to be Ida -- and the two of them set off on a road trip to their hometown to find the bodies of Anna's parents (Wanda's sister), who were killed in the war. Along the way, Anna begins to see a different picture of the world through her aunt, and learns about some of the secrets that Wanda has held onto for so many years.
Anna and Wanda have a fascinating relationship. While Anna has little knowledge of the secular world outside the convent, Wanda is well aware of it, making a habit of drinking, smoking, and having sex. The two characters stand out starkly against each other, but still find a connection in the events of their past. It quickly becomes apparent that it is not just Anna embarking on a spiritual journey, but Wanda as well, reopening a box of memories that she meant to leave behind.
The cinematography in this film is beautiful: shot in black and white and in 4:3 (the perfect 1960's feel for the story's setting), it relies on some unexpected mise en scene, asymmetrical and sparse, reflecting the stoic nature of Anna's character and the weight of the post-war atmosphere that still lingers. The sound also contributes to this: more often than not giving an echoey, bare feel to the scenes. It is clear that Pawlikowski crafted every inch of this film, and it is easy to see why: taking place in his native country, the project must have been intensely personal. And the effect is breathtaking... it is a story which I feel will stick with the viewer long after watching it.
Come see Ida this week at the Midtown Cinema!
Agata Trzebuchowska stuns in her debut screen performance as Anna, a novice nun who was raised in the convent. About a week before she takes her final vows, she learns that she is Jewish, and that her ex-state prosecutor aunt, Wanda (Agata Kulesza), is still alive. Anna meets with Wanda to learn about her past -- she discovers that her name was supposed to be Ida -- and the two of them set off on a road trip to their hometown to find the bodies of Anna's parents (Wanda's sister), who were killed in the war. Along the way, Anna begins to see a different picture of the world through her aunt, and learns about some of the secrets that Wanda has held onto for so many years.
Anna and Wanda have a fascinating relationship. While Anna has little knowledge of the secular world outside the convent, Wanda is well aware of it, making a habit of drinking, smoking, and having sex. The two characters stand out starkly against each other, but still find a connection in the events of their past. It quickly becomes apparent that it is not just Anna embarking on a spiritual journey, but Wanda as well, reopening a box of memories that she meant to leave behind.
The cinematography in this film is beautiful: shot in black and white and in 4:3 (the perfect 1960's feel for the story's setting), it relies on some unexpected mise en scene, asymmetrical and sparse, reflecting the stoic nature of Anna's character and the weight of the post-war atmosphere that still lingers. The sound also contributes to this: more often than not giving an echoey, bare feel to the scenes. It is clear that Pawlikowski crafted every inch of this film, and it is easy to see why: taking place in his native country, the project must have been intensely personal. And the effect is breathtaking... it is a story which I feel will stick with the viewer long after watching it.
Come see Ida this week at the Midtown Cinema!
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