30 Days of The Plaza, Day 16: Now Playing This Week!

Posted on: Jun 27th, 2012 By:

So many of us tend to only get down to The Plaza Theatre when there’s a special screening, but that’s part of the reason we could lose this Atlanta treasure if we’re not careful. So before you head down to the multiplex, how about instead seeing that first-run movie down on Ponce. You might even see a cool indie or foreign film that you didn’t even know about…

I WISH (Ends Thurs. June 28!)

Twelve-year-old Koichi lives with his mother and grandparents in a small town by a smoking volcano. His parents’ divorce has split the family, with his younger brother Ryu and their feckless rock musician dad living over a hundred miles away. Koichi yearns for his family to be reunited, and when he learns that a new bullet train line will soon open—linking the two towns—he starts to believe that the combined energy when two trains pass each other at top speed could make his wish come true. With the help of friends, Koichi organizes an expedition to the mid-point of the train lines, with Ryu coming from the other direction—all of them thinking about what they would most like to wish for. A sweet ode to what we value in life, written and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda (NOBODY KNOWS, STILL WALKING, AFTER LIFE), who is known for his keen depictions of the trials and tribulations of everyday existence, the innocent minds of children and the warmth of family life.

MARLEY

Bob Marley‘s universal appeal, impact on music history and role as a social and political prophet is both unique and unparalleled. MARLEY is the definitive life story of the musician, revolutionary, and legend, from his early days to his rise to international superstardom. Made with the support of the Marley family, the film features rare footage, incredible performances and revelatory interviews with the people that knew him best.

HUNGER GAMES

Every year in the ruins of what was once North America, the evil Capitol of the nation of Panem forces each of its twelve districts to send a teenage boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games. A twisted punishment for a past uprising and an ongoing government intimidation tactic, The Hunger Games are a nationally televised event in which “Tributes” must fight with one another until one survivor remains. Pitted against highly-trained Tributes who have prepared for these Games their entire lives, Katniss (Jennifer LawrenceWINTER’S BONE) is forced to rely upon her sharp instincts as well as the mentorship of drunken former victor Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson). If she’s ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love. Based on Suzanne Collins’ best-selling novel, the first in a trilogy that has developed a massive global following, the sci-fi action drama THE HUNGER GAMES also stars Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland and Lenny Kravitz, and is directed and co-written by Gary Ross (SEABISCUITPLEASANTVILLE).
Starts Friday June 29…
WHERE DO WE GO NOW?
Infused with songs and dancing, this serio-comic fable of a community beset by conflict between two faiths speaks out the desire of every citizen to live in peace. Set in a remote village where a Christian church and Muslim mosque stand side by side, director/co-writer/actress Nadine Labaki‘s (Caramel) ironically humorous drama follows the antics of the town’s women to keep their blowhard men from starting a religious war. Women heartsick over sons, husbands and fathers lost to previous flare-ups unite to distract their men with a variety of clever ruses, from faking a miracle to hiring a troop of Ukrainian strippers. Winner of the People’s Choice Award for Best Narrative Feature at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival.

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30 Days of the Plaza, Day 15, Now Playing This Week!

Posted on: Jun 19th, 2012 By:

So many of us tend to only get down to The Plaza Theatre when there’s a special screening, but that’s part of the reason we could lose this Atlanta treasure if we’re not careful. So before you head down to the multiplex, how about instead seeing that first-run movie down on Ponce. You might even see a cool indie or foreign film that you didn’t even know about. Here’s what’s playing through Thursday…

I WISH

Twelve-year-old Koichi lives with his mother and grandparents in a small town by a smoking volcano. His parents’ divorce has split the family, with his younger brother Ryu and their feckless rock musician dad living over a hundred miles away. Koichi yearns for his family to be reunited, and when he learns that a new bullet train line will soon open—linking the two towns—he starts to believe that the combined energy when two trains pass each other at top speed could make his wish come true. With the help of friends, Koichi organizes an expedition to the mid-point of the train lines, with Ryu coming from the other direction—all of them thinking about what they would most like to wish for. A sweet ode to what we value in life, written and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda (NOBODY KNOWS, STILL WALKING, AFTER LIFE), who is known for his keen depictions of the trials and tribulations of everyday existence, the innocent minds of children and the warmth of family life.

MARLEY

Bob Marley‘s universal appeal, impact on music history and role as a social and political prophet is both unique and unparalleled. MARLEY is the definitive life story of the musician, revolutionary, and legend, from his early days to his rise to international superstardom. Made with the support of the Marley family, the film features rare footage, incredible performances and revelatory interviews with the people that knew him best.

HUNGER GAMES

Every year in the ruins of what was once North America, the evil Capitol of the nation of Panem forces each of its twelve districts to send a teenage boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games. A twisted punishment for a past uprising and an ongoing government intimidation tactic, The Hunger Games are a nationally televised event in which “Tributes” must fight with one another until one survivor remains. Pitted against highly-trained Tributes who have prepared for these Games their entire lives, Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence, WINTER’S BONE) is forced to rely upon her sharp instincts as well as the mentorship of drunken former victor Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson). If she’s ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love. Based on Suzanne Collins’ best-selling novel, the first in a trilogy that has developed a massive global following, the sci-fi action drama THE HUNGER GAMES also stars Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland and Lenny Kravitz, and is directed and co-written by Gary Ross (SEABISCUIT, PLEASANTVILLE).

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30 Days of the Plaza, Day 11, Now Playing This Week!

Posted on: May 30th, 2012 By:

So many of us tend to only get down to The Plaza when there’s a special screening, but that’s part of the reason we could lose this Atlanta treasure if we’re not careful. So before you head down to the multiplex, how about instead seeing that first-run movie down on Ponce. You might even see a cool indie or foreign film that you didn’t even know about. Here’s what’s playing through Thursday…

GOD BLESS AMERICA

Frank (Joel Murray) has had enough of the downward spiral of American culture, which he sees as overrun with cruelty, stupidity and intolerance. Divorced, recently fired, and possibly terminally ill, Frank truly has nothing left to live for. But instead of taking his own life, he buys a gun and decides to take out his frustration on the cruelest, stupidest, most intolerant people he can imagine—starting with some particularly odious reality television stars. Frank finds an unusual accomplice in a high-school student named Roxy (Tara Lynne Barr), who shares his sense of rage and disenfranchisement, and together they embark on a nation-wide assault on our country’s dumbest, most irritating celebrities.

Written and directed by taboo-busting filmmaker and comedian Bobcat Goldthwait (Shakes the Clown, Sleeping Dogs Lie, World’s Greatest Dad), GOD BLESS AMERICA a truly dark and very funny comedy for anyone who’s had enough of the dumbing down of our society.

MARLEY

Bob Marley‘s universal appeal, impact on music history and role as a social and political prophet is both unique and unparalleled. MARLEY is the definitive life story of the musician, revolutionary, and legend, from his early days to his rise to international superstardom. Made with the support of the Marley family, the film features rare footage, incredible performances and revelatory interviews with the people that knew him best.
SOUND OF MY VOICE
In the mystery drama SOUND OF MY VOICE, a couple of young documentary filmmakers infiltrate a mysterious group led by an enigmatic young woman named Maggie (co-writer Brit Marling, ANOTHER EARTH). Intent on exposing her as a charlatan and freeing the followers from her grip, Peter (Christopher Denham) and Lorna (Nicole Vicius) start to question their objective and each other as they unravel the secrets of Maggie’s underworld. SOUND OF MY VOICE is the directorial debut of co-writer Zal Batmanglij.

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Weekend Update, June 3-5, 2011

Posted on: Jun 3rd, 2011 By:

Be sure to check out this Weekend Update even if you read This Week in Retro Atlanta for even more great vintage-inspired things to do on a very busy Retro weekend.

Friday, June 3

The 4th Annual Psychobilly Freakout Revival swings into action at the Star Bar as Rev. Andy Hawley gathers up some of Atlanta’s best bands in the genre, including  Rocket 350, McPherson Struts, and Hard Luck and TroubleLoysville Atlanta will also be there selling her delightful Dia De Los Muertos-inspired wares.

Hey, hey, it’s The Monkees 45th Anniversary Tour starting up this summer’s Delta Classic Chastain Series. Reggae legends Toots and the Maytals plays Variety PlayhouseJoe Gransden and his 16-piece big band team up with blues chanteuse Francine Reed at Eddie’s AtticAtlanta Botanical Garden launches its Concerts in the Garden summer series with blues guitarist extraordinaire Jonny LangCallanwolde’s Jazz on the Lawn 2011 summer outdoor series begins with high-powered jazz by Nick Longo. Electromatics merge Chicago/West Coast Blues, Blue Eyed Soul and an essence of Standard Jazz and Sinatra at Fernbank Museum of Natural History’s Martinis and IMAX.

Plus the 15th Annual Atlanta Tattoo Festival gets rolling at Crowne Plaza Hotel Atlanta-Perimeter Northeast. The three-day event presented by Sacred Heart Tattoo attracts thousands to see world-class artists, live tattooing, seminars, contest, unique vendors, and live music.

Saturday June 4

During the day, browse and buy art, eat and listen to live music at Virginia-Highland Summerfest, a street festival in one of Atlanta’s historic neighborhoods. The whole family will enjoy a vintage Locomotive Celebration at the Southeastern Railway Museum. The 15th Annual Atlanta Tattoo Festival continues with a bikini contest at 6 PM and live music by Six Shot Revival, Killer and the Savage with Cool Breeze from the Dungeon Family, and Kadense.

At night, The Official Monster Bash Pre-Party rocks the Star Bar. Get revved up for a horror-ific Sunday at the Starlight Six Drive-In with bands MC45’s (The Forty-Fives all MC5 set)BitersBoozeThe CluttersThe Brimstones from New Jersey and Dusty Booze & the Baby Haters.

Andrew & the Disapyramids, featuring recent Kool Kat Joshua Longino, will be surfing it up with Fishhawk and Modern Paranoia at the Drunken Unicorn. Bluegrass meets rockabilly with a punk attitude at Highland Inn Ballroom Lounge tonight in a triple-header show featuring Hymn for HerI Want Whisky and Barebones BettiesBareknuckle Betties playing as a duo with pal Johnny McGowan. DJ Romeo Cologne transforms the sensationally seedy Clermont Lounge into a ’70s disco/funk inferno.

Andrew & the Disapyramids

Sunday June 5

Gates open at 10 am at Starlight Six Drive-In for the 2011 Rock ‘n’ Roll Monster Bash. The all-day party is a Retro horror fan’s righteous nightmare with live music, vendors and movies. Bands this year are Super X-13Brimstones, LUSTRadio Cult and Spooky Partridge. At dusk, the reels roll with GODZILLA 2000, RINGU and crazed J-horror classic HOUSE. Check out a scary sneak preview from Kool Kat of the Week and “Horror Host with the Most” Professor Morte himself Shane Morton here.

Legendary blues performers BB King and Buddy Guy begin the Georgia Natural Gas series at Chastain Park AmphitheatreNathan Nelson & His Entertainment Crackers headline blues “dunch” between 1 and 4 PM at The Earl. Also continuing today is Virginia-Highland Summerfest and the vintage Locomotive Celebration at the Southeastern Railway Museum.

Opening this weekend:

MODERN BY DESIGN, the High‘s newest special exhibition opening on Sat. June 4, celebrates three key moments in modern design and also the Museum of Modern Art, New York‘s (MOMA) collection history. The works on loan from MODA cover “Machine Art” (1934), “Good Design” (1950-55) and “Italy: The New Domestic Landscape” (1972), with the latter addressing modernism in the context of 1960s and ’70s counterculture.

The ever irreverent Dad’s Garage Theatre takes a stab at the ’80s horror genre of camp slasher films in SLAUGHTER CAMP about a homicidal maniac terrorizing a theatre camp. June 2-25 on the main stage.

Get a rare chance to view original manuscript pages from the last four chapters of ATLANTA’S BOOK: THE LOST GONE WITH THE WIND MANUSCRIPT at the Atlanta History Center. The new exhibit, which opens today and runs through Sept. 5, is part of a series of activities celebrating the 75th anniversary of the publication of the international bestseller and also includes foreign and first edition copies, the desk Margaret Mitchell used while writing it and select images.

Ongoing:

See the original images which inspired Ray Harryhausen‘s amazing stop-motion cyclops, centaurs and other mythological beasts in the special exhibition, MONSTERS, DEMONS AND WINGED BEASTS: COMPOSITE CREATURES IN THE ANCIENT WORLD at the Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University. The exhibition of monstrous art, drawn from the museum’s permanent collections, shows how the ancient Greeks were inspired by other Middle Eastern cultures in developing a vast repertoire of richly imagined creatures.

Tune back in on Monday for This Week in Retro Atlanta. If you know of a cool happening next week, send suggestions to ATLRetro@gmail.com.


 

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