PLAYING OCTOBER 23 – OCTOBER 29: THE COVE, THIRST, COPYRIGHT CRIMINALS & THE FOURTH KIND

Led by the Oceanic Preservation Society and the dolphin trainer from the television show Flipper, THE COVE is a muckraking documentary that exposes the illegal slaughtering of dolphins off the coast of Taji, Japan. Employing secretive special-ops tactics and state-of-the-art spy technology, THE COVE simultaneously brings to light the awful circumstances at the Taji cove and captures the beauty of the dolphins whose numbers have decreased drastically in recent years. Directed by acclaimed National Geographic photographer, Louie Psihoyos, THE COVE is “visceral enough to inspire action, no matter your politics” (CHARLOTTE WEEKLY).

A test of faith in the most extreme way, THIRST tells the story of a selfless priest, Sang-hyun who volunteers to test a new vaccine aiming to eradicate a deadly virus. When the test goes awry and Sang-hyun contracts the deadly virus, he undergoes a blood transfusion which fully restores him to health, albeit with one major side-effect… he becomes a vampire. Spiritually tested by a newfound craving for human blood, Sang-hyun must come to grips with a sinful life that contradicts his priestly calling. The latest film from OLDBOY director, Park Chan-Wook, THIRST won the Jury Prize at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival and “brings [the vampire subgenre] back to bloody basics” (NEWARK STAR-LEDGER).

Produced by University of Iowa professor, Kembrew McCleod, COPYRIGHT CRIMINALS is a documentary that poses the question: Can you own a sound? The film traces the history of sampling in the music industry and the increasing government regulation on the practice, featuring interviews from music legends like Chuck D, George Clinton, and Clyde Stubblefield. Premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival, COPYRIGHT CRIMINALS has been garnering accolades in both the film and music communities. The Bijou Theater is proud to offer a *FREE* screening of Iowa's premiere of COPYRIGHT CRIMINALS, followed by a Q&A session with producer Kembrew McCleod.

In a *FREE* special, sneak peak event, the Bijou Theater presents THE FOURTH KIND. Starring Milla Jovovich, THE FOURTH KIND chronicles a series of strange occurrences in a small Alaska town. Combining fictional and real footage of chilling events, THE FOURTH KIND is a brand-new thriller just in time for Halloween. Come see THE FOURTH KIND for *FREE* in advance of its theatrical release, only at the Bijou Theater!

PLAYING OCTOBER 30 – NOVEMBER 5: WORLD'S GREATEST DAD & NO IMPACT MAN

Lance Clayton (Robin Williams) is a loser. He aspired to be a successful writer. Now he's a high school poetry teacher. His son won't give him the time of day (and seems to despise him without reason) and his girlfriend won't even publicly acknowledge that they are indeed dating. When a freak accident presents Clayton with a remedy for his life disappointments, he must decide whether or not to take the opportunity and, in doing so, shoulder an incredible weight on his conscience. THE WORLD'S GREATEST DAD is comedy at its darkest and is “Robin Williams' richest role in memory” (DETROIT NEWS).

How committed are you to living a green lifestyle? In the new documentary, NO IMPACT MAN, Colin Beavan makes a vow to completely erase his carbon footprint for an entire year. No automobile transportation, no electricity, and no non-locally grown foods. Beavan is convinced that the vow will be no problem for him. His family, on the other hand, finds that conforming to Beavan's new lifestyle is turning their world upside down. NO IMPACT MAN is an environmental documentary “for those of us who have the best of intentions but a weakness for…espressos [and] takeout dinners” (LOS ANGELES TIMES)

PLAYING NOVEMBER 6 – NOVEMBER 12: IN THE LOOP & RASHOMON

A political, ensemble comedy in the vein of DR. STRANGELOVE, IN THE LOOP takes place in the midst of a (fictional) crisis in the Middle East and follows the misunderstandings, lies, and other blunders made by the top brass that combined to create the political disaster. Although resting comfortably in the realm of comedy, IN THE LOOP examines the very real ways that miscommunication and face-saving denials can give birth to full-blown war. Equal parts Monty Python and THE WEST WING, IN THE LOOP is “an enormously witty satire” (CHICAGO READER).

The Akira Kurosawa classic is coming to the Bijou in glorious 35mm! Set in feudal Japan, RASHOMON unfolds in the wake of a violent crime occurring in the woods, in which a woman is assaulted and her husband is killed. Told through the perspective of four different characters, the details of the crime are anything but clear as the various accounts overlap and contradict each other. Hailed as a definitive classic of the cinema and noted for “its brilliance of conception, technique, acting and its theme of passion” (VARIETY), RASHOMON's influence can be seen in numerous films including THE USUAL SUSPECTS.

PLAYING NOVEMBER 13 – NOVEMBER 19: BIG FAN & LORNA'S SILENCE

A cautionary tale for overzealous football fans, BIG FAN centers on “world's biggest New York Giants fan,” Paul Aufiero. Paul constantly wears a Giants jersey, talks football with his mother, and calls into sports-radio stations during his free time, but when he approaches his favorite player in a nightclub, things don't go as he had hoped. With the illusion of his favorite player shattered, Paul is faced with the decision to look out for himself or look out for his beloved football team. Starring comedian Patton Oswalt and written/directed by the screenwriter of THE WRESTLER, BIG FAN is a dark-comedy examining “the hidden…pathology of American sports mania, in which the power and victory of your team becomes the sole conduit of your self-worth” (ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY).

In order to settle down with her boyfriend in Belgium, Albanian-born Lorna must strike a deal with a notorious mobster, Fabio, in order to secure Belgian citizenship through a false marriage with a man named Claudy. When a Russian crime boss offers Fabio money to replace Claudy as Lorna's false husband, Claudy's life becomes expendable. Caught up in a swirl of underworld activity, Lorna is met with the choice of either saving Claudy's life or gaining Belgian citizenship. Relying on subtlety over loud displays of emotion, LORNA'S SILENCE “speaks volumes” (BALTIMORE SUN).

PLAYING NOVEMBER 30 – DECEMBER 3: 4-DAY *FREE* MOVIE SERIES!!

Looking to watch some great movies but have nothing but lint in your pockets? Come to the Bijou during the week following Thanksgiving and enjoy some definitive cinema classics for FREE!!

Vampires are all the rage right now. Come see the granddaddy of all vampire films, the one that spawned them all: NOSFERATU!

From the master of all things zombie, George A. Romero, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD did for zombies what NOSFERATU did for vampires, making the flesh-eating reanimated corpses part of the cultural lexicon.

Popping up in many discussions of the greatest films of all time, M follows the pursuit of a child-murderer by both the police and other criminals.

Arguably the 1st science-fiction film ever made, METROPOLIS is a dystopian film where the future has created a major class divide and the invention of a new robot threatens the survival of the working class.

PLAYING DECEMBER 4 - 10: ANTICHRIST & THE BEACHES OF AGNES

An explicit and controversial film from director Lars Von Trier, ANTICHRIST made waves across the film community after its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. A couple (Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg) seeking seclusion after losing a child, move to a rundown cottage in the middle of the forest. Unluckily, the forest is the home of Satan's essence and pure evil enters the soul of the couple. A challenging film, which will be unsettling for many, is a cinematic experience to say the least, and “could well be the best horror film since the genre's 70s heyday” (DAILY MIRROR UK). Note: Though it doesn't have an MPAA rating, ANTICHRIST contains scenes that are graphic in nature.

Notable French New Wave filmmaker, Agnes Varda, turns the camera on herself in the autobiographical documentary THE BEACHES OF AGNES. Recounting vivid memories of the French film scene, Varda shares stories of various filmmakers including Alain Resnais and her deceased husband, Jacques Demy. More than simply an extended talking-head interview, THE BEACHES OF AGNES presents a visual scrapbook of Varda's memories, combining film clips, photos, and whimsical animation to tell her life story. THE BEACHES OF AGNES is a “vivid story of a life well-lived, reminding us at the end of how we create our own safe havens within our families” (SEATTLE TIMES). On Sunday, December 6th the Bijou Theater will host a panel for Beaches of Agnes after the 5:10 screening with Steven Ungar (Professor of French and Comparative Literature), Sasha Waters Freyer (Associate Professor of Cinema and Comparative Literature and filmmaker) and Andrew Peterson (Film Studies grad student and filmmaker).

PLAYING DECEMBER 11 - 17: ONG BAK 2: THE BEGINNING & CRUDE

Amping up the physical martial arts action that made Tony Jaa a cult-figure following the release of ONG BAK in 2003, ONG BAK 2 is set in the distant past and follows a nobleman (Jaa) who exacts revenge against the warlord who is responsible for killing his family, racking up a major body count in the process. Jaa pulls double duty on ONG BAK 2 as both director and actor and performs all of his stunts without the wires and effects that mark most contemporary martial arts films. With ONG BAK 2, Tony Jaa cements himself as one of the definitive action stars of recent years.

A documentary exposé inspecting oil drilling practices in South America, CRUDE aims to maintain an even keel by refusing to directly take sides with either the corporate interests funding and operating the oil mines or the area locals who suffer the many negative effects of the oil invasion. Playing out similarly to a fictionalized legal drama despite being a documentary, CRUDE serves as a wake-up call about the ways in which foreign invasion on the basis of financial interests can have massive repercussions. CRUDE is a “powerhouse of a documentary that makes you feel mad as hell and unwilling to take it anymore” (Peter Travers, ROLLING STONE).

The Bijou Theater is located in the Iowa Memorial Union.
Regular admission is $5.00 and tickets and can be purchased day-of-show at the IMU Box Office (319-335-3041).