Hudson Valley Crucial Viewing: February 15-29

Hello again! I know I said the first half of February was lean, but the second half of February is leeeeeeean on second-run cinema, mostly due to understandable extra screenings of this year’s Oscar nominees before the ceremony. But there are still some options out there, including a pair of free screenings, a newly restored James Baldwin doc, and a fun Godzilla sequel for all you Kaiju-heads out there.

To briefly touch on another topic: Kingston Film Foundation has a logo! And a website! And an Instagram page! It’s really coming together. Our Movies About Movies series kicks off at Headstone Gallery in Uptown on March 2 with Jean-Luc Godard’s Contempt.

Alright, let’s get to what we came here for. Behold…

Paul Thomas Anderson's BOOGIE NIGHTS
Beacon Music Factory, Beacon – Friday, February 16, 6:30pm

Eagle-eyed readers will note that BMF screened this in January. And they’re doing it again, and it’s still a great movie worth seeing on the big screen, so if you missed it last time, go go go. My description from last month: Paul Thomas Anderson's 70s porn drama masterpiece on the big screen. If you've seen it, you already know; if you haven't, you need to. Perfectly crafted film with unbelievably great performances from a legendary ensemble cast (Burt Reynolds, Mark Wahlberg, Julianne Moore, John C. Reilly, Heather Graham, Luis Guzmán, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Don Cheadle, William H. Macy, Alfred Molina...I could go on.) Worth it for the "Jessie's Girl" scene alone. Even the poems are great. One of those movies you can watch a thousand times and enjoy just as much as the first time. One month later, I still think so.(1997, 155min)

Nick Park and Steve Box's WALLACE & GROMIT: THE CURSE OF THE WERE RABBIT
Orpheum, Saugerties – Saturday, February 17, 1:00pm
Starr, Rhinebeck – Sunday, February 18, 1:00pm

While this may technically be for kids, Wallace & Gromit are true charmers for audiences of all ages. Beautifully weird and wonderful claymation. Unique, engaging characters with a true Englishness about them. Witty dialogue like “If ya ask me, this was arson. Aye, someone arsin' around”. What’s not to love? Plus these are FREE screenings, you just have to RSVP at the link provided. Part of Upstate Films’ Mighty Blighty series of UK family films. (2005, 85min)

Dick Fontaine and Pat Hartley's JAMES BALDWIN: I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE
Time and Space Limited, Hudson – Saturday, February 17 through Monday, February 19

A new 4K Restoration, commemorating The James Baldwin Centennial in 2024. “James Baldwin retraces his time in the South during the Civil Rights Movement with his trademark brilliance and insight on the passage of more than two decades. From Selma to Birmingham, Atlanta to the battleground beaches of St. Augustine, Florida, accompanied by Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe, and back north for a visit to Newark with Amiri Baraka, Baldwin lays bare the fiction of progress in post-Civil Rights America — wondering ‘what happened to those who did not die, but whose lives were smashed on Freedom Road.’” – Rich Blint, writer/Baldwin scholar. (1982, 92min)

Ishiro Honda's GODZILLA VS. MOTHRA
Rosendale Theatre, Rosendale – Saturday, February 17, 9:30pm; Sunday, February 18, 5:00pm

Our love for the original Godzilla and the subsequent Godzilla features is well documented. This is the Japanese version with subtitles, rather than the dubbed American version. Despite its sequel status, this one is helmed by original Godzilla director Ishiro Honda and is generally considered one of the better Godzilla sequels. As a bonus, get a discounted ticket if you come in costume! (1964, 78min)

Tim Burton's MARS ATTACKS!
Hudson Valley Brewery, Beacon – Thursday, February 29, 7:00pm

A FREE screening of the sci-fi black comedy with a star-studded ensemble cast including Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Annette Bening, Pierce Brosnan, and a bunch more. Based on a series of sixties Topps trading cards, and a faithful homage to the 1950s science fiction B-movie. Maybe a little bit too faithful an homage. Your mileage may vary, but it’s hard to argue with a free movie! (1996, 106min)

Since we have a little extra bandwidth in this edition, we thought it would be good to showcase a project that looks to have a big impact on area filmgoing: Upstate Films’ THE MARK, a new, state-of-the-art screening room, featuring a Dolby Atmos sound system, currently in the works at The Orpheum in Saugerties. Upstate has a progress blog you can follow here, and here’s an HV One article with a general overview of the project and its namesake. We’re excited to take in movies at The Mark in the near future!