City Guide
December Films
Everyone's a Critic: arborweb's culture blog
Ann Arbor Docu Fest. Screening of a different documentary film every Mon. FREE. 929-9979. Café Ambrosia, 326 Maynard, 7 p.m.
Dec. 5: “The Shock Doctrine” (Alfonso & Jonas Cuaron, 2007). Documentary about the destructive force of reactionary policies and procedures inspired by the ideas of economist Milton Friedman.
Dec. 12: “The Weight of Chains” (Boris Malagurski, 2010). Documentary about the role of the U.S., NATO, and the EU in the breakup of Yugoslavia.
Dec. 19: “Mohamed Atta and the Venice Flying Circus” (Daniel Hopsicker, 2007). Documentary about the political and criminal connections of the Florida flight school where some of the 9/11 terrorists trained.
Ann Arbor District Library. FREE. 327-4555. AADL multipurpose room, 343 S. Fifth Ave., 7 p.m.
Dec. 22: “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians” (Nicholas Webster, 1964). Martians kidnap Santa because there is nobody on Mars to give presents to their children (one of whom is played by the eminently forgettable Pia Zadora in her film debut) in this icon of what the library is touting as a “truly terrible (but hilarious)” movie.
Ann Arbor Film Festival. Pay what you can. 995-5356. 327 Braun Ct., 8 p.m.
Dec. 1: David Gatten. This former AAFF juror and filmmaker screens his own work, which explores the intersection of the written word and the moving image. His work is showcased in Texts of Light, a 14-film retrospective currently traveling to the National Gallery of Art and other venues. Gatten also gives a free talk on “Working with Words” at 6 p.m. in the Ann Arbor District Library multipurpose room (343 S. Fifth Ave.).
Interfaith Center for Spiritual Growth. $5 suggested donation. 327-0270. 704 Airport Blvd., 8 p.m.
Dec. 17: “Spiritual Cinema.” Screening of a feature film or several shorts TBA with spiritual themes. Followed by discussion.
Jewel Heart Buddhist Center. FREE. 994-3387. Jewel Heart (1129 Oak Valley Dr. between Ann Arbor-Saline Rd. & Ellsworth), 7 p.m.
Dec. 16: “A Christmas Carol” (Edward Marin, 1938). Adaptation of Dickens’ Christmas classic. Followed by discussion.
Michigan Theater Foundation. Unless there is a live show in the main theater, 2 or 3 different films are shown, usually twice, almost every night. For complete, updated schedules, see michtheater.org or call 668-TIME. Tickets (unless otherwise noted): $10 (children under 12, students with ID, seniors age 55 & older, & U.S. veterans, $8; MTF members, $7.50; matinees before 6 p.m., $7). Michigan Theater, times TBA unless otherwise noted.
Nov. 23-Dec. 1: “The Descendants” (Alexander Payne, 2011). Comedic drama that stars George Clooney as a Hawaiian land owner who tries to reconnect with his daughters when his wife falls into a coma after a boating accident.
Dec. 3: “Cinematic City: Seoul.” A series of films from South Korea. Korean, subtitles. Sponsored by the U-M Center for Korean Studies. Today: The Chaser (Na Hong-jin, 2008). Thriller about a former police detective turned pimp who tracks down the serial killer who is killing his prostitutes. FREE. 2 p.m.
Dec. 3: “Like There’s No Tomorrow” (Warren Miller, 2011). Recognized as the world’s premier ski filmmaker, Miller has been making family-oriented ski adventure films for 60 years. He’s a major star on the West Coast, where his films draw packed houses for weeklong runs, and the annual Michigan Theater showing usually draws 800 to 1,000 viewers. Tickets $15 (kids age 12 & under, $12) in advance at Sun & Snow Sports (2471 W. Stadium) & all other Ticketmaster outlets, and at the door. To charge by phone, call (800) 745-3000. 7 p.m.
Dec. 4: “Miracle on 34th Street” (George Seaton, 1947). Heartwarming comedy about an amiable old man working as a department store Santa who ends up in court on trial for insanity when he tells a skeptical young girl that he’s the real thing. Edmund Gwenn, Natalie Wood, Maureen O’Hara. Free. 1:30 p.m.
Dec. 5: “Eyes Wide Shut” (Stanley Kubrick, 1999). When the threat of infidelity poisons a doctor’s marriage, he drifts into a dangerous sexual underground. Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Sydney Pollack. 7 p.m.
Dec. 9 & 10: “Rare Export: A Christmas Tale” (Jalmari Helader, 2010). Darkly comic tale, set on Christmas Eve in northern Finland, about an archaeological dig that unearths the real Santa Claus. 7 & 10 p.m.
Dec. 11: “It’s a Wonderful Life” (Frank Capra, 1946). Sentimental classic about a man who gets a second chance at his own life on Christmas Eve. James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore. Free. 4 p.m.
Dec. 12: “A.I. Artificial Intelligence” (Steven Spielberg, 2001). Sci-fi drama, adapted from a Stanley Kubrick script, about a child-like android programmed with the ability to love. 7 p.m.
Dec. 14: “American Teacher” (Vanessa Roth & Brian McGinn, 2011). Award-winning documentary produced by the Teacher Salary Project about the daily lives of teachers told through the careers of 4 teachers interwoven with interviews with policy experts. Followed by a discussion with Jonathan Dearman, one of the teachers featured in the film. Proceeds benefit 826michigan. $6. 7 p.m.
Dec. 18: “The Shop Around the Corner” (Ernst Lubitsch, 1940). Romantic comedy about 2 rival employees in a Budapest gift shop who don’t realize they are romantic pen pals. James Stewart, Margaret Sullavan. Free. 1:30 p.m.
Dec. 25: “Temple Beth Emeth Double Feature.” Joseph: King of Dreams (Robert LaDuca & Robert C. Ramirez, 200) is an animated musical adaptation of the story of Joseph in Genesis. Ben Affleck as the voice of Joseph. The Prince of Egypt(Brenda Chapman, 1998) is an animated feature about the Egyptian prince who learns about his Hebrew heritage and his destiny to become the deliverer of his people. Features Val Kilmer as the voices of Moses and of God. Bagels available before the film; lunch available at intermission. $7.50 in advance, $8 at the door. 10:30 a.m.
“A Christmas Carol” (Brian Desmond Hurst, 1951). Alistair Sim stars as Scrooge in this superb adaptation of the Dickens Christmas classic. With the 1948 Max Fleischer cartoon Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Free. 4 p.m.
“The Artist” (Michel Hazanavicius, 2011). Black-and-white silent film set in Hollywood in the late 1920s about a May-December romance between a declining silent film actor and a rising actress in the talkies.
Temple Beth Emeth “Movie Wednesday.” FREE. 665-4744. 2309 Packard, 1 p.m. Followed by discussion. Snacks.
Dec. 21: “Driving Miss Daisy” (Bruce Beresford, 1989). Beguiling tale of the “odd couple” friendship between an elderly Southern lady and her black chauffeur. Jessica Tandy, Morgan Freeman.
U-M English Department Fantasy and Science Fiction/Theory Reading Group. FREE. 764-2253. 2455 Mason Hall, 419 S. State. 7 p.m.
Dec. 13: “Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind” (Hiyao Miyazaki, 1984). Classic anime about a young princess trying to save her country from war and environmental devastation. Pizza. Age 21 & older admitted.
U-M Japanese Animation Film Society. U-M campus admission policy: No one under 18 admitted without an adult. FREE. umichanime.com. MLB, 812 E. Washington at Thayer, 10 a.m.-midnight.
Dec. 10: “Animania.” Monthly anime-a-thon of feature films and episodes from Japanese TV series.
U-M Screen Arts and Cultures. FREE. 764-0147. Natural Science Auditorium, 6 p.m.-midnight.
Dec. 16 & 17: “Lightworks Festival.” Screenings of animated, digital, and 16mm movies made by film students. Note: The Saturday show is usually “packed,” says an organizer; get there early.
Washtenaw Whole Foods Market. $3. 875-4500. WWFM, 3135 Washtenaw, 6-8 p.m.
Dec. 2: “Forks Over Knives” (Lee Fulkerson, 2011). Documentary examining the claim that most degenerative diseases can be controlled by adopting a diet that excludes animal-based and processed foods. Followed by discussion.
WCBN-FM. FREE admission. 763-3500. Arbor Brewing Company (114 E. Washington), 8:30 p.m.
Dec. 14: “The Decline of Western Civilization II: The Metal Years” (Penelope Spheeris, 1988). Documentary about the L.A. metal scene from 1986 to 1988. Aerosmith, Kiss, Megadeath, Motörhead, Ozzy Osbourne, Alice Cooper.
