Pioneer
Theater
East
Village / Lower East Side Movies
March 2006
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Calendar style schedule - Pioneer Theater front page
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Newfest presents FAQs (dir. Everett Lewis, 95 mins, 2005) Weds Mar 1 7pm - buy tix This is an LGBT Wednesdays program. At 7pm on the First Two Wednesdays of every month, NewFest presents highlights from their festival. Other Wednesdays at 7pm often, though not always, feature LGBT programming. |
"The
most subversive aspect of Everett Lewis' FAQs is not the gun-totting drag
queen or the erotic sex scenes or its violent rebellion against the straights.
It is the somewhat overlooked fact that being gay is not about sexual
orientation or lifestyle at all but about being in love." Destiny (Allan Louis) is a drag queen with a deadly mission, patrolling the streets for instances of queer-bashing that continue to afflict the gay community. She comes to the aid of India (Joe Lia), a homeless teen who was set upon by a nasty gang, and takes him into her home despite the protests of Lester (Minera Vier), her butch lesbian roommate. Eventually the three set up house together, but India's bashers are not through with him yet; the strength and courage of this ragtag family, however, just might be enough to change their hearts. |
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Doors Art Foundation presents films from Croatia WITNESSES (dir. Vinko Bresan, 90 mins, 2003) Screening from DVD Thurs Mar 2 7pm - buy tix A Cultural Thursdays program. At 7pm on the First Thursday of the month, the Doors Art Foundation presents a film from Croatia. Other Thursdays at 7pm often feature programming presented with other ethnic and cultural groups. |
Golden Bear Nominee - Berlin International Film Festival Set amid the atrocities of war in the Balkans, SVJEDOCI (WITNESSES) is retold, Rashomon-style, from various characters` viewpoints, adding new information about the complexity of war and humanity. The film traces a murder and police investigation in a small town in Croatia where, fueled by alcohol, three Croatian soldiers try to plant a bomb at the home of a Serb alleged to be a smuggler and black marketer. Startled to find him home -- he is supposed to be away -- they are forced to shoot him. Then they discover a witness whom they capture and hide in a garage belonging to the mother of one soldier. An honest cop and a female journalist launch separate investigations. Then a crippled soldier, the boyfriend of the journalist and the mother's elder son, returns home, and more secrets and lies spill out.The different viewpoints reveal the interconnections of nearly everyone in the small town, a microcosm for what happened in Croatia, where everyone, in a sense, bore witness to crimes committed during the war. Screening from DVD |
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HOME (dir. Matt Zoller Seitz, 91 mins, 2005) Matt Zoller Seitz in person at every screening! Thurs Mar
2 9pm - buy
tix
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"As
dreams are interpreted, hearts are bruised and a loudmouth in a velour
tracksuit gets undeservedly lucky, HOME accumulates a blurry, on-the-fly
atmosphere spiked with moments of unexpected sweetness." Film and television critic Matt Zoller Seitz makes his feature debut with HOME, a laid-back comic drama set at an all-night party in Brooklyn. On a sweltering midsummer’s night, struggling playwright Bobby (Jason Liebrecht) heads off to a Brooklyn house party, hoping to reconnect with free-spirited ex-girlfriend Harper (Minerva Scelza), who is still very much on his mind. But when Bobby meets elegant editor and co-hostess Susan (Nicol Zanzarella), he reconsiders his options. Susan is still reeling from a recent breakup, but might be enticed into romance – if Bobby can make up his mind. Also on the prowl at the party is charismatic motormouth Tommy (Stephen T. Neave), who manages to charm the ladies even as he irritates Bobby. Red-headed singleton Rose (Erin S. Visslailli), Susan’s roommate and co-hostess of the party, fancies Tommy herself, but it’s Harper who catches Tommy’s eye. Over the course of the night, as wine bottles empty and inhibitions are lost, various couples court and spark, break up and get down. Harper and Tommy flirt outrageously; Bobby and Susan circle each other warily; and the relationship of Josh (Bradley Spinelli) and Annie (Jennifer Larkin), reaches the breaking point. Romantic banter gives way to startling moments of pain, loneliness and anger, and the cast of characters expands as the party rages on. There's Pete (Zach Oberzan), a neurotic obsessed with leaving New York City, and his patient partner Sammy (Rob Scorrano); newlyweds Mike (Marc Nolan) and Carmen (Jennifer Russo), Susan's brother and sister-in-law, who extol the virtues of suburbia; and Tim (John Sebastian), a shambling, bespectacled jazz buff. Some want sex; others want love. Some want freedom; others want stability. They all go home with someone. Written, produced, directed, and edited by Seitz, HOME is a funny, sexy, and bittersweet roundelay in the spirit of early Altman. Featuring the sharp writing and deep love of film that has earned Seitz a national readership, HOME is a romantic comedy that packs a lot of stories into just two floors. Statement by Matt Zoller Seitz Coverage: NY TIMES * FILM THREAT * "Filmmaking for the Poor" review * "Filmmaking for the Poor" interview * DOWNTOWN EXPRESS * NEW YORK Magazine * "Flickhead" * |
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(dir. John Cassavetes, 123 mins, 1980) |
Writer-director
John Cassavetes presents one of his most touching motion pictures with
this story of the unlikely bond between a cynical New Yorker and a young
boy. Gloria (Gena Rowlands), the quintessential "tough-talkin' dame"--complete
with time in prison and ties to the mob--has put those days behind her,
now living a quiet, solitary life. That changes when the Mafia marks her
neighbors for death and Gloria is asked to care for their young son, Phil
(John Adames). She reluctantly agrees, but because the boy knows incriminating
information, they must immediately go into hiding, which takes them on
a journey through New York City and ends up sparking a mother-son bond
that neither could have ever expected. Cassavetes creates an empowering
female role with Gloria, and Rowlands (his real-life wife) runs with it,
making her transformation from bitter ex-criminal to overprotective, yet
still tough, mother figure seem honest and believable. It is this budding
maternal relationship that gives the film a sweetness even amid the gun
smoke. |
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COACHELLA (115 mins, 2006) Fri Mar 3
11pm - buy tix |
"An
excellent overview of the ambiance and showcased talent at arguably the
best annual U.S. rock festival ..." Experience it for the first time...or in a whole new way! Coachella will feature two-hours of highlights from the previous six years of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Featuring: |
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(dir. Sam Raimi, 85 mins, 1981) 35mm print is 1.33:1 aspect ratio Sat Mar 4 11pm - buy tix |
IT'S BACK! Director Sam Raimi's first film has achieved legendary status since its 1982 release, and for good reason. Though perhaps not as widely seen as its two sequels, EVIL DEAD 2 and ARMY OF DARKNESS, THE EVIL DEAD is arguably the best of the three. It is the story of five college-age friends who travel to a cabin in rural Tennessee where the stumble upon the Book of the Dead, an ancient tome bound in human flesh and inked in blood. After unwittingly awakening the unspeakable terror told of in the book, each of the friends is transformed into the evil dead, one by one, except for Ash (Bruce Campbell). So, Ash is left with no other way to survive than to dismember the living corpses of his sister, girlfriend, and two of his friends. Shot on a shoestring budget, the film boasts some impressive camera work and extremely over the top gore effects as well as a sense of humor much more subtle than the tongue-in-cheek aesthetic of the two sequels. |
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Chicago City Limits First Sundays Comedy Films Science Fiction Springtime First Sundays - in Space! Sun Mar 5 7pm - buy tix filmmakers & special guests will attend! This is a Sunday Shorts program. Early evenings on many Sundays, the Pioneer presents programs of short films. |
Part stand-up comedy act, part film festival, part party, First Sundays is a monthly festival featuring the best in short comedy films from around the world. Each screening features new films, audience and judges awards, and an after party sponsored by Stella Artois. This month: a science fiction-themed program. |
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Fangoria presents Robert Englund
in (dir. Tim Sullivan, 88 mins, 2005) Screening from 35mm Mon Mar 6 7pm - buy tix This is a "Bizarro Monday" program. Every Monday at 7pm the Pioneer presents the finest (and trashiest) in horror, sci-fi, freakshow, exploitation, martial arts, genre, b-movies, z-movies, and just plain weird stuff. |
"Refreshingly
vulgar, completely un-PC, and, much like the original, an expected excuse
for extremely sadistic humor and gore, 2001 MANIACS has all the elements
of a good time and still raises a dialogue among viewers that not many
have had the balls to address in horror, or filmmaking in general, since
the 70's. You'll squirm, screech and then writhe with laughter." |
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Tues Mar 7 7pm - buy tix This is a Tuesdays@7 program. Every Tuesday at 7pm features special guests presenting their film, and is followed by a beer and pizza reception for ticket holders. |
The Slamdance Film Festival presents a highlight from their 2006 festival. Find Love The director and Slamdance staff will attend the screening. |
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Newfest presents Shorts Showcase Weds Mar 8 7pm - buy tix This is an LGBT Wednesdays program. At 7pm on the First Two Wednesdays of every month, NewFest presents highlights from their festival. Other Wednesdays at 7pm often, though not always, feature LGBT programming. |
Guest-curated by Roberta Marie Munroe, Shorts Programmer for the Sundance Film Festival, this collection of works spotlights some of the strongest LGBT shorts featured at Sundance and NewFest in recent years. Join Roberta and some of the featured filmmakers for a discussion of shorts and shorts programming following the screening. |
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GOODNITE CHARLIE (dir. Kenya Cagle, 118 mins, 2005) Thurs Mar 9 6:30pm - buy tix A Cultural Thursdays program. Thursdays at 7pm often feature programming presented with ethnic and cultural groups. |
GOODNITE CHARLIE is the story of a good boy that turned bad. A young man Charlie (portrayed by Ernest Dancy) is arrested and given a bail of $500,000. No one in his family has that kind of money except his uncle Kenneth (Kenya Cagle), a family therapist and former martial arts instructor. Against his better judgement Uncle Kenneth uses his house and car as collateral for Charlie's bail. Once out Charlie, decides to skip town. Uncle Kenneth must capture Charlie, and bring him to justice or lose every thing he has. Kenya Cagle in person |
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THE FALLEN (dir. Ari Taub, 115 mins, 2005) Thurs Mar
9 9pm - SOLD OUT
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"Don't
expect SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, but maybe something even better." "The
pea brains in charge of expensive Hollywood junk should be forced to watch
THE FALLEN an indie war movie shot for less than a million bucks over
10 years . . . They might learn that big isn't always better - THE FALLEN
is more compelling and intelligent than flicks made for 100 times that." "A
compelling indie war movie? Ari Taub has managed just that. The acting
is remarkable." "War
may be hell, but Italian women are heaven. . . finds its humanity in the
dailiness of a soldier's life. . .directed with a naturalistic style."
Best
Director/Best Film - Milan International Film Festival A new war classic - a stunning new perspective on World War II THE FALLEN is a three-sided story about German, Italian, and American soldiers, set in Northern Italy during the final weeks of the World War II. On the one side, a group of American supply soldiers delivers ammunition to the front line, a journey that becomes a descent into hell, the success of the mission becomes less likely with every setback. On the other, a doomed German unit and their ragtag Italian partners struggle to maintain morale and discipline amongst their beleaguered troops in the face of certain defeat. Torn between these are the divided loyalties of the Italians, both fascist soldiers and communist partisans, who have turned brother against brother in a bloody civil war. The film looks at the everyday life of the soldiers, their encounters on the road, their hopes and dreams, and the differences in values, morals, and patriotism between the cultures at the end of that era.
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(dir. Bettina Perut & Ivan Osnovikoff, 68 mins, 2005) Fri Mar 10 7pm - buy tix |
Welcome to New York is a set of impressions, an exercise of inverted ethnography - from South to North - in which the Chilean directors show their particular and sarcastic vision of the "Capital of the World." Tragedy and comedy alternate in strong contrasts while the camera goes in its journey across the city looking for humans, animals, politics, fashion, sense and nonsense, beauty and dead. All within the frame of the 2004 Presidential Campaign, in which George W. Bush was reelected. But WELCOME TO NEW YORK is also a reflection on the contemporary human being, his inescapable animal nature and tragic fate. Instead of disappearing under a heavy layer of civilization, these philosophical topics seem to become more evident in the most influential city of the present world. Bettina Perut & Ivan Osnovikoff in person |
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24 HOURS ON CRAIGSLIST (dir. Michael Ferris Gibson, 82 mins, 2005) Fri Feb 24
7pm - buy
tix
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one
city, one day, one website, no limits “It’s
an absolute blast. . .24 HOURS ON CRAIGSLIST is the ultimate people zoo.” “a whirlwind
tour. . .a colorful mosaic. . .crowd-pleaser. . .engaging. . .zippy. .
.sharp” “Hilarious” “fun
and titillating. . .mesmerizing. . .this film is poignant” You know Craigslist-- it's the secret engine that drives the local economy, the place you likely found your last job, apartment, car, couch, bandmate, dance lesson, bankruptcy attorney or Friday-night date. Everybody's got a Craigslist story, and filmmaker Michael Ferris Gibson came up with an ingenious idea to find a few of them: he set out to document one random day on Craigslist. What he delivers is a rollicking portrait of the urban experience in all its eccentric glory - a cross section of folks doing everything from selling 250 pairs of women's army-surplus pants to everything-they-own (to finance a trip around the world); guys looking for roommates or wives; an Ethel Merman impersonator looking for a back-up band and a strange fellow hoping some hot chicks will show up for his basement sex party. Looking for a support group for your diabetic cat? Need to rent a husband, find a horny poodle, a gay sperm donor or a pre-op transsexual escort? Maybe you need a movie crew (that's right - Gibson's cast, crew and music were all found through Craigslist). Gibson even found what can only be called the Ultimate Craigslist Story, which you've just gotta hear. There may be Craigslists all over the globe at this point, but Craigslist will always be a uniquely American creation, and Gibson's terrific movie is a giddy celebration of total freedom and everything we love and hate about it. Find a date on Craigslist, and come and see it! |
NEIGHBOR
NO. 13 (dir. Yasuo Inoue, 115 mins, 2005, 35mm) Sat Mar 11 11:20pm - buy tix
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featuring
a cameo by Takashi Miike
Synopsis
from the Fantasia Festival
in Montreal: Acclaimed
Japanese music video director Yasuo Inoue makes his feature directorial
debut with this terrific adaptation of Santa Inoue's celebrated manga
from 1994. In spite of the manga's popularity, Santa resisted screen adaptation
for almost a decade. Once he discovered Yasuo's work, however, Santa immediately
changed his mind. So what exactly did he see? That becomes immediately
apparent in the film's beautiful opening sequence. Yasuo is a gifted visual
stylist with a refined, exacting precision that occasionally resembles
anime—in fact, there's a violently grotesque animated sequence in
the middle of the film—and there's plenty of over-the-top, music
video flourishes, throughout. At the same time, Inoue is capable of carefully
measured restraint. With some genuinely creepy imagery and a distinctive,
unusual pace, it's almost impossible to relax while watching this troubling,
atmospheric film. Takashi Miike fans should also take note. Look carefully
for both his influence and a brief cameo as an angry, irritating neighbour
who is attacked by the title character. In fact, like a lot of Takashi
Miike's films, this feels like an art film trapped in a horror film's
body. Fans of either should be pleasantly surprised. |
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(dir. Kathleen Slattery-Moschkau, 98 mins, 2005) Sun May 14 7pm - buy tix |
A
young woman fumbles with love and ethics as she navigates a career with
one of corporate America’s darlings. . . the pharmaceutical industry.
Karly Hert (Katherine Heigl, GREY'S ANATOMY) has spent the last ten years selling drugs. . . legally, that is. Although fiction, SIDE EFFECTS is closely based on the writer/director's decade working directly for the pharmaceutical industry as a sales rep. The film provides a satirical, insider’s look at the daily marketing practices of big pharma. Before you pop your next pill you should see SIDE EFFECTS! "The
timing of Side Effects couldn’t be better.”
- Rita Rubin, USA TODAY |
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Clayton Patterson presents Mon March 13 7pm - buy tix This is a "Bizarro Monday" program. Every Monday at 7pm the Pioneer presents the finest (and trashiest) in horror, sci-fi, freakshow, exploitation, martial arts, genre, b-movies, z-movies, and just plain weird stuff. |
Lower East Side Videographer and Documentarian extraordinaire Clayton Patterson presents a program drawn from his vast archives. |
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75 DEGREES IN JULY (dir. Hyatt Bass, 86 mins, 2000) Tues Mar 14 7pm - buy tix This is a Tuesdays@7 program. Every Tuesday at 7pm features special guests presenting their film, and is followed by a beer and pizza reception for ticket holders. |
Starring Karen Sillas, Harris Yulin, Shirley Knight, Heidi Swedberg and William Moses. A successful New York sculptor returns to her Texas home to reconnect with her family, only to encounter old patterns of miscommunication and jealously. From her emotionally distant father and her fiercely competitive mother to her sister and sister's husband who blame everyone else for their own sacrifices, it becomes clear that everyone is an outsider in this complex family. Hyatt Bass and producer Jeanne O'Brien-Ebiri in person |
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(dir. Greg Whiteley, 78 mins, 2005) Weds Mar 15 7:15pm - buy tix
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"As
journeys go, this is one to treasure." "Greg
Whiteley's small, tender documentary portrait looks at life after rock
'n' roll as experienced by the original bassist for the New York Dolls." A recovering alcoholic and recently converted Mormon, we first meet mild-mannered Arthur Kane on the LA bus he takes most days to his job at the Family History Center library. No one would connect the shy 55-year-old in the suit and tie to Arthur "Killer" Kane, statuesque bassist for the legendary '70s rock band, The New York Dolls. Arthur became the bass player for the Dolls in 1971 and helped form, in rocker Morrissey's words, "one of the most raucous, notorious bands in musical history." Decked out in platform heels, skin-tight pants, smeared lipstick and hair a mile high, the Dolls' gender-bending stage antics belied a ferocious sound that presaged punk and influenced a generation of musicians. But drug abuse and inner-band bickering led to a split in 1975, with Arthur himself bottoming out. In the early spring of 2004, Morrissey, former President of the New York Dolls fan club and curator of the 2004 Meltdown Festival in London, asked the Dolls to reunite for two shows. Arthur was ecstatic. But how would it all turn out? (synopsis adapted from RottenTomatoes) |
Cultural
Thursdays "Our Modern Times" Thurs March 16 7pm - buy tix A Cultural Thursdays program. Thursdays at 7pm often feature programming presented with ethnic and cultural groups.
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OUR
MODERN TIMES
"There
is a new wave of filmmakers who are changing the entire approach to Indian
cinema. They are not churning out tired old stereotypes but are portraying
contemporary people in current settings. They are addressing a diverse
range of issues and are voicing modern-day concerns." PUNJABI
CAB DREAMING
IN CODE THIS
MOMENT ROAD
TO LADAKH |
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HATE CRIME (dir. Tommy Stovall, 104 mins, 2005) Fri Mar 17
6:30pm - buy
tix Thurs Mar
16 9pm - buy
tix |
Do unto others A suspense drama with a social conscience, HATE CRIME is the story of Robbie and Trey, a gay couple whose quiet life together is shattered when Trey is brutally beaten while walking the dog. The prime suspect is their neighbor Chris, a fundamentalist preacher’s son whose bigotry is no secret. When Chris and Robbie become the prime suspects, Robbie receives help from some unlikely sources to execute a dangerous plan that will expose many secrets. Directed by Tommy Stovall and shot on location in Dallas, Texas, HATE CRIME stars as Seth Peterson (PROVIDENCE), Bruce Davison (X-MEN, RUNAWAY JURY), Giancarlo Esposito (THE USUAL SUSPECTS, HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREETS), Cindy Pickett (FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF), Chad Donella (FINAL DESTINATION), Susan Blakely (THE TOWERING INFERNO), and Lin Shaye (THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY.)
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DR.
STRANGELOVE (dir. Stanley Kubrick, 93 mins, 1964) Fri Feb 24
11pm - buy
tix Fri Apr 7 11pm - buy tix |
MEMBERS OF THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION ADMITTED FREE "The most
shattering sick joke I've ever come across." "It's
one of the greatest - and undoubtably the most hilarious - antiwar statements
ever put to film. See it before the world ends." DR.
STRANGELOVE OR: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB is Stanley
Kubrick's Cold War masterpiece. Based on the novel RED ALERT by Peter
George, the film is set at the height of the tensions between Russia and
the United States, when all it would take to destroy the world was one
push of a button. And General Jack D. Ripper (Sterling Hayden) is just
the man to do it. |
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FearsMag.com presents One Dark and Stormy Night BROKEN SAINTS Mon Mar 20 7pm - buy tix filmmakers & special guests will attend This is a "Bizarro Monday" program. Every Monday at 7pm the Pioneer presents the finest (and trashiest) in horror, sci-fi, freakshow, exploitation, martial arts, genre, b-movies, z-movies, and just plain weird stuff. |
"What
do you get when you cross Philip K. Dick with the Tibetan Book of the
Dead? BROKEN SAINTS - a brooding piece of web noir for people high on
transcendental meditation instead of amphetamines," raved WIRED Magazine.
BROKEN SAINTS is a flash-animated comic book-style epic apocalyptic adventure
that follows the harrowing quests of four very different protagonists
- a bitter American programmer, an aging Japanese priest, a troubled Arabic
mercenary, and a mysterious Fijian girl - after they receive the same
dreams and visions. As the pieces slowly begin to fall into place, it
is revealed that these strangers are inextricably linked. and somehow
part of a terrifying conspiracy. "In a collage taking aspects from
comic books, animation, film, and prose, BROKEN SAINTS is revolutionary
in style... watch with the lights out and a jaw locked," praised
Ain't It Cool News. Now in a rare opportunity, you can see several episodes
of this groundbreaking series on the big screen! |
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SEPTEMBER 12th (dir. John Touhey, 77 mins, 2005) Tues Mar 21 6:30pm - buy tix This is a Tuesdays@7 program. Every Tuesday at 7pm features special guests presenting their film, and is followed by a beer and pizza reception for ticket holders. |
"A
heartfelt exploration into a family's grieving...a truly unique drama
about [the] tragedy...Star Joe Iacovino gives a great performance as the
bitter and conflicted Frank who struggles to decide how he felt about
his sister. A more than worthy addition to the legacy of that tragedy,
it's highly recommended." Set in New York on the third anniversary of 9/11, SEPTEMBER 12TH is a powerful drama about memory and those left behind. A family remembers Lori Riga, a victim of the tragedy. Her fiancé Rick reveres her, but Lori's younger brother, Frank, has a very different recollection of the girl. That night, their opposing views violently collide. What is the truth about Lori? And who is the mysterious lawyer who interrupts her memorial service? A fiction feature dealing directly with 9/11, SEPTEMBER 12TH is a surprising take on the tragedy that changed our world. Ultimately, this award-winning film is a moving story of humanity and hope. |
Science Fiction Springtime The Pioneer's first annual foray into the world of independent and classic science fiction launches on March 23! The Centerpiece film is PUZZLEHEAD, a mesmerizing and provocative modern take on the Frankenstein legend. Other films include the documentary NO ONE'S WATCHING: AN ALIEN ABDUCTEE'S STORY, and SECRETS OF THE SHADOW WORLD (in which avant-garde legend George Kuchar is visited by aliens), as well as PRIMER, MUPPETS IN SPACE, SOLARIS directed by Andrei Tarkovsky, and the Tobe Hooper chiller LIFEFORCE. The Science Fiction Springtime is programmed by the esteemed Professor Reinhardt van Nostrand, Professor Emeritus of Schlechtendingen at the University of Würms, Germany, and a special consultant to the Pioneer Theater on matters of the Paranormal and the Occult. Read filmmaker Jeremy Vaeni's interview with Dr. van Nostrand |
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Chicago City Limits First Sundays Comedy Films Science Fiction Springtime First
Sundays Sun Mar 5 7pm - buy tix filmmakers & special guests will attend! This is a Sunday Shorts program. Early evenings on many Sundays, the Pioneer presents programs of short films. |
Part stand-up comedy act, part film festival, part party, First Sundays is a monthly festival featuring the best in short comedy films from around the world. Each screening features new films, audience and judges awards, and an after party sponsored by Stella Artois. This month: a science fiction-themed program. |
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Cultural Thursdays is abducted by aliens! NO
ONE'S WATCHING: (dir. Jeremy Vaeni, 99 mins, 2006) Thurs Mar
23 6:30pm - buy
tix A Cultural Thursdays program. Thursdays at 7pm often feature programming presented with ethnic and cultural groups. In this case, alien abductees. Also, the Monday screening is a Bizarro Mondays program. As you realize. |
An
alien abductee embraces his surreal side JEREMY VAENI IN PERSON * FOLLOWED BY BOOK SIGNING You remember that movie you've always wanted to see? The one where an alien abductee confronts his friends and family about what they really think of his outrageous claims? The one where he reveals that not only is he an abductee, but he has recently become possessed by some mystical energy that physically contorts his body into yogic postures, Tai Chi exercises, and Whirling Dervish twirls? Remember how you've always wondered what would happen if a group of abductees met up on a UFO hotspot together in the dark of night? Remember that? No? Well now you don't have to--it's all right here! Come live the memory you should be reliving but didn't experience in the first place and wonder no more! Jeremy
Vaeni in person |
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Feature presentation PUZZLEHEAD (dir. James Bai, 81 mins, 2005) Thurs Mar
23 9pm - buy
tix
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"A
witty mix of FRANKENSTEIN and David Lynch's ERASERHEAD - with a tip of
the hat to Hitchcock's SABOTEUR - PUZZLEHEAD is an indie delight." "Unnerving
ambition. . . a stunning conceit. . .fusing form and content with a sureness
that eludes all but a handful of first timers, [writer / director James]
Bai shapes the movie to illustrate and emphasize the creature's fragmented
perceptions."
"Maintains a delicious tension between narrative wildness and compositional
discipline. Mining the Frankenstein myth and finding psychosexual gold,
the movie creates a love triangle that seems to share a single disturbed
personality. . .PUZZLEHEAD reveals the selfishness of creation with style,
originality and the understanding that even a tin man can have a heart." Director-writer James Bai employs special effects wizardry and sci-fi storytelling in this futuristic take on the conflict between man and machine. In a dreary, depopulated world where technology has been outlawed, a reclusive scientist named Walter secretly creates a self-aware android in his own image and names him Puzzlehead. Walter finds Puzzlehead useful - as a project, his companion, his housekeeper, and most significantly his connection to the outside world. Like a child, Puzzlehead develops his own personality and self-awareness through his experiences, ultimately leading to a curious love triangle when Puzzlehead meets Julia, a woman whom Walter has yearned for but never dared to approach. When Walter impersonates Puzzlehead to pursue Julia himself, the android and his maker are drawn into a sinister spiral of passion and betrayal. |
Pioneer
Late Nights MUPPETS FROM SPACE (dir. Tim Hill, 87 mins, 1999) Fri Mar 24
12:15am - buy
tix Sat Mar 25
12:15am - buy
tix |
One
of the best Muppet features, MUPPETS FROM SPACE begins with Gonzo wondering
where he came from and then promptly receiving messages from his alien
brethren. Though the rest of the Muppet clan believe Gonzo insane, especially
after he announces his revelation on Mrs. Piggy's talk show, he arouses
the interest of an idiotic government official, which leads to his imprisonment.
Kermit reluctantly realizes Gonzo is in trouble and brings his fellow
Muppets to try and help him escape. This one features a soundtrack made
up of mostly 70s funk and introduces a new Muppet - Pepe the prawn,
who gets quite a few laughs here. |
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SECRETS OF THE SHADOW WORLD (dir. George Kuchar, 140 mins, 1999) Sat Mar 25 6pm - buy tix |
GEORGE KUCHAR IS ABDUCTED BY ALIENS!!! This
three-part mini-series explores the mysterious and the mundane in a
splash of digital dioramas that wipe across the screen in a cascade
of electronic barfs. Zeroing in on the paranormal theories of UFO author
John A. Keel, this leisurely exposition, which was funded by the ROCKEFELLER
FOUNDATION, sweeps the viewer into a candy-colored world of scintillating
mysteries made all the more intriguing by culinary digressions. Sit
back and let the aromas of kitchen coziness clash with the stench of
marauding monstrosities as the shadow world engulfs the many who probe
its delectable appetizers. Here, in this kalaeidoscopic videotape, you
will meet and marvel at the talking heads and chewing mouths that fill
the soundtrack with the jingles of juju-land—jingles that sing
of songs we, as a people of earth, have forgotten in our mad rush to
fill the void with various vapors of vacuous virtue. Taste the treats
of our ancestors and the hearty heritage of our heretics as we probe
the black holes that litter the plane of cosmic luminescence above our
heads. Feast upon the food of the Gods and regurgitate with scriptural
elegance, the message that takes shape in the shimmering sludge. |
Science
Fiction Springtime (dir. Andrei Tarkovsky, 165 mins, 1972) Sun Mar 26 3pm - buy tix
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"It
is science-fiction in the formal sense of the word; in substance, it
is a parable about the nature of mankind." SOLARIS,
director Andrei Tarkovsky’s science fiction cult classic, presents
an uncompromisingly unique and poetic meditation on space travel and
its physical and existential ramifications. When a long-standing Russian
space station hovering above the planet Solaris begins to report strange
phenomena, Kris Kelvin (Donatas Banionis), an eager and intrepid cosmonaut,
departs for the station in order to investigate. Warned by former Solaris
specialists that the planet presents incomprehensible obstacles, Kelvin
is nevertheless secure in his mission. However, the minute he steps
foot onto the haunted and desolate space station, everything changes.
Kelvin learns that of the three members left on board, one has killed
himself and the remaining two have seemingly become schizophrenic recluses.
When Kelvin’s dead ex-wife appears out of the shadows, the reports
that Solaris is a thinking being capable of reading human minds and
materializing their desires and memories are proven true. As Kelvin
joins the rest of the crew in a seemingly life-or-death struggle to
understand this phenomena, Tarkovsky crafts a mind-altering earthbound
space odyssey. Filled with visions of humanity versus itself, SOLARIS
takes the philosophical investigations of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001:
A SPACE ODYSSEY to extravagant lengths and offers no answers except
this: The only frontier humanity has yet to conquer is that of its own
existence. |
|
Vampires from space! Tobe Hooper directs! LIFEFORCE (dir. Tobe Hooper, 101 mins, 1985) Sun Mar 26 6:45pm - buy tix |
"Its
style is shrill and fragmented enough to turn LIFEFORCE into hysterical
vampire porn." When alien vampires terrorize London, it's up to a determined police inspector and an astronaut to stop them. American and British space travelers discover humanoids while exploring near Halley's Comet. The astronauts bring three of these aliens aboard their spaceship and head back to earth. However, their guests turn out to be evil vampires who kill all but one of the astronauts - Carlsen. After the ship arrives in London, the monsters -- led by a beautiful female -- escape and wreak havoc throughout the city, transforming humans into zombies. Meanwhile, the surviving astronaut and Caine, a determined police inspector, frantically try to track down the creatures, and destroy them. But the "Space Girl" has a strange hold over Carlsen, and he has trouble fighting the urge to join her.
Can Carlsen overcome the alien's mysterious powers and help Caine stop
the fiends before London and the rest of the planet are destroyed? |
|
Fri Mar 24 7pm - buy tix (dir. Ilil Alexander, 52 mins, 2004) |
Ilil Alexander’s stunning debut film boldly documents the clandestine struggle of three women fighting for their right to love within their beloved Orthodox communities in Jerusalem. All three are pious, religiously committed women. All three are lesbians, and members of a secret support group called the “Ortho-dykes.” Ilil Alexander in person! |
|
Cinewomen NY Tues Mar 28 7pm - buy tix This is a Tuesdays@7 program. Every Tuesday at 7pm features special guests presenting their film, and is followed by a beer and pizza reception for ticket holders. |
a program of short films presented by the Cinewomen, NY filmmaker group THE
ART OF LOVE AND STRUGGLE Harlem
Sistas Double Dutch DANCIN
' IN THE STREET |
|
GAY SEX IN THE 70s (dir. Joseph Lovett, 67 mins, 2005) Weds Mar 29 7:15pm - buy tix
|
"Lovett
employs bittersweet but blissful recollections of men who can only be
described as survivors." "The
director, Joseph Lovett, wants us to ask if there's such a thing as too
much freedom, and he has the sobriety to say yes - and no." Documentary producer/director Joseph Lovett focuses his lens on the unbridled sexual passion and exploration that marked the twelve years from Stonewall (1969) to the first reported cases of AIDS (1981). With access to a filmic and photographic treasure trove of erotic life on New York's West Side Piers, trucks, bars, dance clubs, baths and beaches, Lovett's cast of storytellers takes us from the remarkably repressed pre-Stonewall period to an era of sexual excess unparallelled since ancient Rome. Straightforward, funny and titllating at the same time, they tell their stories with remarkable wit, humor and perspective. For younger people - those who became sexually active after the age of AIDS - this film may be a startling revelation of what everyday life was like when American youth were cutting loose from Puritanical values and ascribing to the watchword of the time, "If it feels good, do it." |
Cultural
Thursdays Oy
Gay! Thurs Mar 30 7pm - buy tix A Cultural Thursdays program. Thursdays at 7pm often feature programming presented with ethnic and cultural groups. |
Sexuality, identity, and family values collide in this hilarious, touching, and gender-bending night of film exploring two gay men's experience growing up Jewish. TOMBOYCHIK
(Sandi DuBowski, 2001; 15 minutes) other titles to be announced |
|
TORO NEGRO (dir. Pedro González Rubio & Carlos Armella, 87 mins, 2005) Fri Mar 31
7pm - buy
tix
|
"Undeniably
powerful, and quietly devastating." "Harsh,
intense. . .continually takes you one step further than you thought you'd
go." "You end
up on the scary, decaying lip of civilization. . . a monstrous portrait
of economic annihilation on the outskirts of the global village." "Harrowing,
deeply suspect. . .an unflinching look at bullfighting and debasement
in the Yucatán Peninsula." "I was
profoundly impressed; the impact was 100% emotional." "These
talented co-directors create an especially intimate environment; at times
it seems they must be invisible to their subjects, as several of the moments
they capture on film are hard to believe – and, at times, hard to
stomach." Best
Film (Horizontes) – San Sebastian Film Festival 2005 Fernando Pacheco, aka El Suicida, is a young bullfighter who doesn’t fight in the great arenas of Mexico, but rather in the popular festivals of the small Mayan communities of the Yucatan Peninsula. With unbelievable, and at times disturbing, closeness, documentary filmmakers González-Rubio and Carlos Armella follow Pacheco’s life in and out of the bullring. A warm-hearted and honest character, Pacheco is a man whose self-destructive behavior – heavy alcohol and drug use, even in the ring – bring his private life and public performance to extremes of insanity. But it is ultimately Pacheco’s wife (who is also his manager) who pays the highest price for his behavior, and the camera relentlessly stays on their relationship, even during the crude scenes of domestic violence. Toro Negro achieves moments of extreme realism that fascinate and produce high tension. Human passions and conflicts are explored with rawness and humor and the film proves that reality can have much greater suspense and be far more captivating than fiction. |
Pioneer Theater
Calendar-style schedule - Pioneer Theater front page
Directions to the theater - Press materials
