- This February, Alamo Drafthouse will be on fire. Calm down, arsonists, that’s not a challenge. Alamo will be hosting a Cinema on Fire series throughout the month, featuring films chosen to complement the new French film Portrait of a Lady on Fire. On Valentine’s Day, nothing sets the mood quite like a shirtless Armie Hammer, so enjoy Call Me By Your Name. This is followed by Dog Day Afternoon (Feb. 17), Orlando (Feb. 19), and Cabaret (Feb. 21), three films that I’m going to guess have never been grouped in the same series together before. Remember, while these movies should spark emotion in your heart, you should not actually spark anything at all inside the theater.
- Speaking of quirky, themed screenings, Film Streams is ready to paint February and March black with their 90s Noir repertory series. Anybody can put together a good theme, but the maestros at the Ruth Sokolof Theater have given us deliciously divided sub-themes. Talk about joy division, 90s noir is broken into six different categories, including comedic noir, buddy noir, black noir, teen noir, queer noir and sci-fi/horror noir, which features Strange Days. If you don’t remember that amazing, now-spectacularly-dated film, do yourself a favor and “wiretrip” with me on March 29 or 31. I’m not saying this series is in my wheelhouse, but I think I had posters for about 75% of the films in the series. See them and understand why I am the way I am!
- I’m gonna squeeze in a quick roundup and reactions to some TV series news for ya: The very good, slow-burn serial killer TV show Mindhunter is on hold because, apparently, series poohbah David Fincher wants to “make movies” or some nonsense. Boo! That awful-sounding, wholly dangerous Confederate show from GoT murderers David Benioff and B. Weiss is officially dead at HBO. Yay! The “cult classic” movie/SNL sketch MacGruber is going to be revived for NBC’s Peacock streaming service. Good news for people who like stuff in butts! And the Dark Tower series is dead at Amazon, because once Matthew McConaughey puts his stank on a project, that project stays stanked.
Cutting Room provides breaking local and national movie news … complete with added sarcasm. Send any relevant information to film@thereader.com. Check out Ryan on KVNO 90.7 on Wednesdays and follow him Twitter @thereaderfilm.