Downton Abbey
2019, Michael Engler, UK, 122 min.
With Michelle Dockery, Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville
Film series:
Runs & Limited Engagements
“It works. It really works…good-hearted and clever.”—Matt Zoller Seitz, RogerEbert.com
"What a lovely and welcome encore...a real treat."—Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times
Come ’n' get it, Downton fans! We’ve got the upstairs, the downstairs, and everything in between. Writer Julian Fellowes and his team have whipped up the ultimate big-screen extravaganza for those who can’t get enough after six seasons of the popular BBC series. Britain’s historic Highclere Castle, otherwise known as the fictional Downton Abbey, hosts a homecoming of sorts, in this luscious self-contained saga of the aristocratic Crawley family and their household staff on the eve of a royal visit. It’s 1926, barely a shade beyond the Victorian era etiquette-wise, as these things go at Downton. With King George V and Queen Mary on the way, the clan’s smart and ever-spunky ingenue Lady Mary (Dockery) summons beloved old-school butler Mr. Carson (Jim Carter) out of retirement to rally the faithful crew of servants, including Mrs. Patmore, Bates, Thomas, Daisy, Anna, and all the regulars. Intrigues and crises take on personal dimensions, and the snooty demeanor of the royal entourage will prove a challenge to upstairs and downstairs alike. DCP digital widescreen. (BS)
The Thursday screening is a Movie Club event, moderated by Virginia Heaven, Associate Professor of Fashion Design at Columbia College Chicago.
The Friday (11/29) 2 pm and Tuesday (12/3) 6 pm screenings are Open-Captioned.
PREVIOUSLY
Chicago premiere! Filmmakers in person!
The Woman Who Loves Giraffes
2018, Alison Reid, Canada, 83 min.
Plays in:
Runs & Limited Engagements
Showtimes:
- Fri, Oct 11th 2:00pm
- Fri, Oct 11th 8:15pm
- Sat, Oct 12th 5:00pm
- Sun, Oct 13th 2:30pm
- Mon, Oct 14th 6:00pm
- Tue, Oct 15th 8:15pm
- Wed, Oct 16th 6:00pm
- Thu, Oct 17th 8:15pm
“Naturally enlightening, inspirational, and rousing…makes the viewer feel joy and pride.”—Andrew Parker, The Gate
“A fascinating tale…fine storytelling, combining ecology and social justice issues while focusing on a woman ahead of her times.”—Bruce DeMara, Toronto Star
In 1956, four years before there was Jane Goodall, there was Anne Innis Dagg, a 23-year-old Canadian woman with a passion for giraffes. Harboring a childhood interest in the long-necked creatures first ignited at Chicago’s Brookfield Zoo, she formed an unprecedented plan to travel alone to South Africa to study giraffes in their natural environment. This engaging documentary saga of scientific achievement, feminism, and heartbreaking discrimination features the now-86-year-old Innis Dagg traversing the path of her past work in Africa and finally realizing long-awaited acclaim for her pioneering research. Despite earning a doctorate, publishing scores of papers and a book considered the bible in her field, Innis Dagg was dismissively denied tenure at a major university, setting her on a lifelong parallel journey of feminist activism. Filmmaker Reid pulls the two strains of Innis Dagg’s story together, making effective use of inspiring vintage film footage from the giraffe studies, along with letters and photographs. DCP digital. (BS)
Director Alison Reid and subject Anne Innis Dagg are scheduled to appear for audience discussion on Saturday and Sunday.
Amy Roberts, Senior Curator of Mammals, Chicago Zoological Society/Brookfield Zoo, is scheduled to appear for discussion on Saturday and Wednesday.
The Wednesday screening is a Movie Club event.
Where is the Friend's House?
Khaneh-ye dust kojast?
1987, Abbas Kiarostami, Iran, 84 min.
With Babak Ahmadpour, Ahmad Ahmadpour
Film series:
Abbas Kiarostami
Showtimes:
- Sat, Sep 7th 3:15pm
- Thu, Sep 12th 6:00pm
“As refreshing and exciting as discovering an Orson Welles or Jean Renoir film for the first time. He’s that good.”—Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
Set in the mountain village of Koker in northern Iran, WHERE IS THE FRIEND’S HOUSE? is a tale of two boys and a problem. Eight-year-old Ahmad discovers that he has accidentally taken home the notebook of his friend, who risks expulsion if he comes to school without having done his homework. Refining a model of the narrative quest that resonates through Iranian cinema to this day, Kiarostami follows the boy in a frantic trek through a neighboring village in search of his friend’s home. In Ahmad’s small world, narrowly defined by his harried mother, his rigidly authoritarian teacher, and adult villagers dismissive of a child’s dilemma, the little boy becomes the film’s moral center as he earnestly pursues his mission undeterred. In Persian with English subtitles. New DCP digital restoration. (BS)
The Thursday, Sept. 12, screening is a Movie Club event, featuring a discussion facilitated by Jonathan Rosenbaum and Mehrnaz Saeed-Vafa, co-authors of the definitive monograph Abbas Kiarostami.