Often filmgoers need reminding to take a chance on slightly offbeat films that are not so commercial. Art and independent films tend to deliver a storytelling experience much different than regular billboard features. Due to small budgets these films lack major studio advertising, but they are just as good a movie experience, if not better, to transport a viewer for an hour to two to another universe.
Before the "summer blockbuster season" hits, the Magic Lantern Cinemas and Screening Rooms will have a spring film festival of art and independent films. The festival begins on Friday, May 7, and will continue through Thursday, May 20.
"It is an ongoing experience to do art films in the spring," said Magic Lantern owner Rick Kessler. "We are bringing six films to play at the Screening Rooms and upstairs at the Magic Lantern."
The film festival will screen "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," "Oceans," "North Face," "The Runaways," "A Prophet" and "The Square."
Kessler said there will be plenty of opportunity to see the films with several screening times available.
"Since opening the Screening Rooms, we could convince distributors to give us some of the films we are showing for the festival earlier than later in the summer," Kessler said. "'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' and 'The Square' were not going to be available to the Magic Lantern, but I was able to convince the distributors to send them because of having more theater space."
Kessler said it is a solid line-up of art and independent films, which he is pleased to screen.
"It will be the last opportunity to see these types of films before the summer because the "summer blockbuster season" is here and will start simultaneously with the film festival with a screening of "Iron Man 2."
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" is a Swedish detective film directed by Niels Arden Oplev. It is based on the best selling novel of the same name by the late Swedish author and journalist Stieg Larsson, the first in his "Millennium Trilogy."
"Oceans" is a documentary film by Disneynature, which was released on Earth Day, April 22. The film chronicles the mysteries of what lies underneath the three-quarters of the earth's surface, which is covered by ocean. Pierce Brosnan narrates the film.
A sure hit for many valley residents, the film "North Face" is a film based on a true story of two German mountaineers who take on the challenge to become the first to climb the Eiger North Face in 1936.
Fresh from this year's Sundance film festival, "The Runaways," is based on the rock band The Runaways from 1975-77 and the book by The Runaways lead-singer Cherie Currie, "Neon Angel," which is a reflection of her experiences as a rock star. The film stars Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett and Dakota Fanning as Cherie Currie.
"A Prophet" is a French crime film directed by Jacques Audiard. "A Prophet" debuted to critical acclaim and received the Grand Prix award at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. In addition, the film was nominated for Best Foreign Language film for an Academy Award.
Finally, "The Square" is a stylish film noir movie about an adulterous couple whose scheming leads to arson, blackmail and murder.
Visit magiclanterncinemas.com for show times and look for the Magic Lantern Cinema and Screening Rooms advertisement in the Idaho Mountain Express newspaper.
Sabina Dana Plasse: splasse@mtexpress.com
“The Square” is an Australian film noir about a scheming couple. Photo by
