We’ve got two good films this weekend—one from Japan and one from Germany.
UNDINE
Oct 29, 30, Nov 5 & 6 at 6:30 - IU Fine Arts Theater
At first blush, the new film from Christian Petzold might seem a departure for the German director, especially to those only acquainted with him from his most recent film, the award-winning Transit (which some of you may have seen at the IU Cinema). Like his earlier films, Undine tells a story of star crossed lovers but this time with a supernatural twist (it’s that time of year). 2021 • Germany • 96 min
CRITIC’S PICK! An offbeat gem! Christian Petzold’s latest begins in the middle of a breakup, with the standard explanations and platitudes, until Undine (Paula Beer), the woman on the receiving end, says something you don’t typically hear in such conversations: “If you leave me, I’ll have to kill you. You know that!” This is no ordinary romance; true to her name, Undine is a water nymph.” --The New York Times
WIFE OF A SPY
Oct 29, 30, Nov 5 & 6 at 7:15 - IU Radio & TV Theater
The new film by Kiyoshi Kurosawa is an espionage drama in the league of Hitchcock’s Notorious. Wife of a Spy is set in 1940 in Kobe, on the eve of the outbreak of World War II. After traveling to Manchuria, a Japanese colony, an amateur filmmaker decides to bring to light the things he witnessed there, and secretly filmed. Meanwhile, his wife must seduce, scheme, and even betray in order to outwit a ruthless secret police lieutenant who is suspicious of her husband’s activities.. 2021 • Japan • 115 min
“Critic’s Pick! Linear narrative perfection with every scene perfectly calibrated.” –The New York Times
“Worthy of John Le Carre’s storied blend of tradecraft, history and insight into the ramifications of duplicity.” –The Wrap
THE VELVET UNDERGROUND
Nov 5 & 6 at 8:30 at the IU Fine Arts Theater
Back By Popular Demand! Given the ingeniously imagined musical worlds of Velvet Goldmine and I’m Not There, it should come as no surprise that Todd Haynes’s documentary about the seminal band The Velvet Underground mirrors its members’ experimentation and formal innovation. Combining contemporary interviews and archival documentation with newscasts, advertisements, and a trove of avant-garde film from the era, Haynes constructs a vibrant cinematic collage that is as much about New York of the ’60s and ’70s as it is about the rise and fall of the group that has been called as influential as the Beatles. Filmed with the cooperation of surviving band members, this multifaceted portrait folds in an array of participants in the creative scene’s cultures and subcultures. Tracing influences and affinities both personal and artistic, Haynes unearths rich detail about Andy Warhol, The Factory, Nico, and others, adding vivid context and texture that never diminish the ultimate enigma of the band’s power.
The New York Times published two feature articles last week about the Velvet Underground. Here’s one of them. And here’s the other.
Covid Protocols: Filmgoers must be vaccinated and must show proof of vaccination. This includes IU students, faculty and staff. (You can photograph your vaccination card and show it to us on your phone.)
Filmgoers must wear masks in the theater. Seating will be capped at 35% of capacity.
Tickets: only $8
Where Are Films Shown? Where Can I Park for free on Campus?
