The reviews are in, and The Other Woman and The Amazing Spiderman 2 may not be worth the $11 ticket price or trek to Valley River Center or Gateway Mall. Luckily, the art house theater Bijou Metro is just downtown, conveniently located next to Sizzle Pie. Plus, student tickets are only $6. The Bijou Metro is currently playing nine films. Here are a handful to check out this week.
This documentary is about cult director Alejandro Jodorowsky’s attempt to adapt the 1965 popular science fiction novel, Dune, into a feature film in the mid-1970s. Jodorowsky had a bold vision for the film, saying that he wanted it to fabricate the effects of LSD for the audience and cast Mick Jagger, Salvador Dali and Pink Floyd, among other artists. Jodorowsky never created the film, which is the untold story director Frank Pavich explores in the documentary. The film was eventually made by surrealist director David Lynch in 1984. Playing at 2:25 and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1:00, 3:00 and 5:00 p.m. during the weekend.
Jude Law stars not as a heartthrob, but as a wild middle-aged ex-con recently released from a 12-year prison stint who’s trying to reconnect with his daughter and figure out his place in the world of crime, in this dark gangster comedy. Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a 60 percent, but seeing Jude Law with absurd facial hair is probably worth it. Playing at 2:45, 5:00, 7:15 and 9:25 p.m.
One of the cool things about the Bijou is how often it screens older films. Check out the Hayao Miyazaki classic anime film, presented by the Bijou Retro Anime Series, which screens a different anime film each week. This 1986 Japanese film is about a boy and girl who embark on an adventure to find a floating castle. The film has achieved cult status and is recognized for the quality of its animation and uplifting story. Playing at 8:30 p.m.
Think Banksy is mysterious? This documentary chronicles amateur historian’s Jon Maloof’s attempt to make the world aware of street photographer Vivian Maier. In 2007, Maloof discovered this unsung photographer after buying several boxes of negatives at an auction. What he found was tens of thousands of incredible photographs and even rolls of undeveloped film. He set out to discover who exactly this intensely private woman was through dozens of interviews, including Maier’s close friends and even the now-grown kids she nannied. Playing at 2:30, 4:30 and 6:30 p.m.
This dark thriller tells the story of Dwight Evans, who returns to his childhood home to get revenge on the man who murdered his parents. Unfortunately, he finds out he may not be as skilled a murderer as he thought. Praised for its use of tension, the critically acclaimed American film took home the International Critics Prize at the Cannes Film Festival as well as several other international film fest awards. Surprisingly, much of it was funded through Kickstarter, which describes the film as ”a deeply human story about a haunted man confronting his past.” Playing at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m.