A hand holds up a Polaroid of the Salemi, Sicily, Italy location of "Kim's Video Upground" against a shelf of DVDs, titles partly obscured. Those DVDs include "Videodrome," "Chronicle Of A Summer," "The Gleaners And I," and "Gummo" amongst others.

“Kim’s Video” reaffirms the value of physical media in storytelling

By Grant Phipps ● Film ● September 28, 2023

David Redmon and Ashley Sabin’s new documentary about the storied video rental store premieres at Arts + Literature Laboratory on October 4 as a benefit for Four Star Video Rental.

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An image distorted in splotches of neon yellow and pink light halos gradually turning to blue, purple, and green also displays a woman (Bianca Martin) sitting and staring at the camera. Her mirror image is projected larger to her right. The negative image of a crystal ball rests below her to the right of that.

Enter the glitchy, experimental world of Alex T. Jacobs’ video art

By Grant Phipps ● Film ● September 18, 2023

Catch the premiere of his new short “Hdyk,” starring Bianca Martin, at Project Projection at Arts + Literature Laboratory on September 20.

A basic collage shows two images. The top features Lon Chaney as Alonzo the Armless, who drinks tea with his feet in "The Unknown" (1927). Below, the sideshow performers celebrate the wedding of Hans and Cleopatra in "Freaks" (1932). Minnie Woolsey aka Koo-Koo the Bird Girl dances on the table.

Tod Browning celebrated the “freaks” in his subversive silent and early sound cinema

By C Nelson-Lifson ● Film ● September 12, 2023

“The Unknown” (1927) and “Freaks” (1932) screen in new restorations at UW Cinematheque on September 16 starting at 6 p.m.

In the backyard of a house, a man in his late twenties wears a tan jacket, looking and pointing at his shorter, younger sister. She wears a green jacket and returns his gaze while making an exaggerated gesture with her hands.

A whimsical childhood world lost within adulthood: Dustin Guy Defa on “The Adults”

By Grant Phipps ● Film ● September 5, 2023

We talk with the indie writer-director about his new personal dramedy, which premieres locally at UW Cinematheque on September 7.

A man (Pee-wee Herman) with an exaggerated, yet ambiguous expression wears a glen plaid suit and red bowtie. He puts his left hand to his ear and stares off-screen to the left.

Childhood dreams (and nightmares) brightly live again in “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure”

By Sara Batkie ● Film ● August 29, 2023

UW Cinematheque celebrates Paul Reubens with a screening of Tim Burton’s absurdist adventure-comedy on September 1.

Against a black background, jazz pianist Thelonious Monk sits at a piano that has two glasses of water on the edge of the lid. The image captures him playing intensely, mid-motion.

“Rewind & Play” re-presents a raw, quietly devastating, and sensitive portrait of Thelonious Monk

By Jason Fuhrman ● Film ● August 28, 2023

Alain Gomis’ revealing found-footage documentary closes out MMoCA’s 2023 Rooftop Cinema season on August 31 at sundown.

An over-the-shoulder screenshot from "Elysium" shows a bald thirtysomething man (Matt Damon) with a back tattoo staring into a smudgy bathroom mirror.

“Earth II” is a mixtape of Hollywood destruction fantasies

By Maxwell Courtright ● Film ● August 21, 2023

Anti-Banality Union’s experimental video essay screens at MMoCA’s Rooftop Cinema on August 24 at sundown.

Three Black teenagers in colorful, custom-made clothing that displays their names and "A-Tracks" stare off to the left in front of the Lafayette Memorial in Prospect Park Brooklyn. Their boombox sits on the ground behind Pepper, the tallest of the A-Tracks team. Rainbow stands out on the right in her yellow and pink attire and red backwards hat.

“Alma’s Rainbow” puts the Black culture of early ’90s Brooklyn on center stage

By Grant Phipps ● Film ● August 14, 2023

Ayoka Chenzira’s 1994 family dramedy screens at MMoCA’s Rooftop Cinema at dusk on August 17.

Scott Pilgrim throws a red Rickenbacker bass to the right side of the image. He's wearing a yellow-orange Plumtree t-shirt. Stage lights can be seen behind him, as well as his band's drummer.

Blown-out details give “Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World” its staying power

By Steven Spoerl ● Film ● August 10, 2023

Edgar Wright’s most frenetic film screens the night of August 14 at Memorial Union Terrace.

A white marquee with black lettering above a green awning reads "Village Players SOGO Film Fest 3 Locations August 11-13."

The SOGO Film Festival captures the heart and spirit of Wisconsin filmmaking

By Grant Phipps ● Film ● August 7, 2023

The Stoughton-based indie film festival expands to three venues across three days—August 11 through 13—for its second year.