CHICO & RITA An Academy Award Best Animated picture nominee which The Hollywood Reporter called “a visually hypnotic, musically electric film.” With the directors in town for Q&As and a book signing in the cafe, CHICO & RITA is at the top of our weekend list. Opens Friday at the Angelika New York.
	A SEPARATION An Academy Award Best Foreign Language Film nomine that also snagged a nomination in for Best Original Screenplay, this intense Iranian drama has impressed international critics and film festival audiences all year. Opens Friday at the Angelika Plano, also playing at the Angelika Dallas.
	IN DARKNESS Another Oscar nominee! IN DARKNESS is “a grimy alternative to SCHINDLER’S LIST” from Polish director Agnieszka Holland, focusing on the story of a petty crook who helps hide Jews from Nazi-occupiers. Opens Friday at the Angelika New York and 3/2 at the Angelika Plano.
	RETURN Linda Cardellini (from Freaks and Geeks!) has been getting incredible reviews for her performance as a soldier struggling to reassimilate into small town life after her tour in the Middle East. Fellow small screen vets Michael Shannon (Boardwalk Empire) and John Slattery (Mad Men) costar, and Shannon and director Liza Johnson will be at the theater Friday night for a Q&A. Opens Friday at the Village East.

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The Academy Award nominations are finally out, and the list this year includes quite a few surprises – some snubs in the acting categories, Melissa McCarthy for BRIDESMAIDS, and of course the final amount of Best Picture nominations, since for the first time there could have been anywhere from 5 – 10 titles nominated. Topping this list is HUGO with 11 nominations and THE ARTIST with 10, with MONEYBALL and WAR HORSE a surprising second with 6 nominations each.

As always, many of the films are now playing at your local Angelika so whether you’re trying to see all the Best Picture nominees before the awards ceremony on February 26, or just looking to catch up on a few of the year’s best, we’ve got you covered.

BEST PICTURE
THE ARTIST – Now Playing Angelikas New York, Dallas, Plano, and Hawaii, and the Village East Cinema
THE DESCENDANTS – Now Playing Angelikas Dallas, Plano, and Hawaii
EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE

THE HELP
HUGO
MIDNIGHT IN PARIS – Now Playing at the Village East Cinema
MONEYBALL
THE TREE OF LIFE

WAR HORSE – Now Playing at the Village East Cinema

ACTOR
Demian Bichir, A BETTER LIFE
George Clooney, THE DESCENDANTS
Jean Dujardin, THE ARTIST
Gary Oldman, TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY - Now Playing Angelikas Dallas, Plano, and Hawaii
Brad Pitt, MONEYBALL

ACTRESS
Glenn Close, ALBERT NOBBS – Opens 1/27 Angelikas Dallas, Plano, and Hawaii
Viola Davis, THE HELP
Rooney Mara, THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO – Now Playing at the Angelika Dallas
Meryl Streep, THE IRON LADY – Now Playing at the Angelika in Hawaii
Michelle Williams, MY WEEK WITH MARILYN

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
BULLHEAD (Belgium)
FOOTNOTE (Israel) – Opens 3/9 Angelika New York, 3/30 Angelika Plano, 4/10 Angelika in Hawaii
IN DARKNESS (Poland) – Opens 2/10 Angelika New York, 3/2 Angelika Plano, 2/23 Angelika in Hawaii
MONSIEUR LAZHAR (Canada)
A SEPARATION (Iran) – Opens 2/3 Angelikas Dallas and Plano, 2/10 Angelika in Hawaii

DIRECTOR
Michel Hazanavicius, THE ARTIST
Alexander Payne, THE DESCENDANTS
Martin Scorsese, HUGO

Woody Allen, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
Terrence Malick, THE TREE OF LIFE

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Michel Hazanavicius, THE ARTIST
Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig, BRIDESMAIDS
J.C. Chandor, MARGIN CALL
Woody Allen, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
Asghar Farhadi, A SEPARATION

CLICK TO VIEW THE FULL LIST

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	MISS BALA Mexico’s official entry to the Academy Awards, which unfortunately didn’t make the Foreign category shortlist this week. Still, it’s impressed a lot of people at Cannes, Toronto, and NYFF, and Manohla Dargis at the NY Times calls it “a first-rate art-house thriller.” Opens today at the Angelika New York.
	CORIOLANUS Ralph Fiennes directorial debut, which Variety said “could easily pass for the work of an accomplished master,” updates Shakespeare’s play about a prideful, tormented tyrant and features a script which retains most of the Bard’s language and syntax. Opens today at the Angelika New York.
	HAYWIRE King-of-cool director Steven Soderbergh’s fresh take on the spy/revenge thriller. Chris Vognar at the Dallas Morning News gave it a B+, and everyone is loving real-life MMA fighter (and Dallas native!) Gina Carano in the lead role. Opens today at the Angelika Dallas.
	THE ARTIST Fresh from it’s Golden Globe Best Picture (comedy/musical) win, THE ARTIST expands to the Village East this weekend. Also playing at the Angelikas New York, Dallas and Plano, and the Angelika in Hawaii at Kahala 8.
	MY WEEK WITH MARILYN Reopens at the Angelika Plano and moves over to the Village East this weekend in honor of Michelle Williams’ Golden Globe win. Of Williams’ stunning performance, Rogert Ebert said: “She evokes so many Marilyns, public and private, real and make-believe. We didn’t know Monroe, but we believe she must have been something like this.”

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The first nominations of the season were announced today, and many were surprised at the list:

BEST FEATURE
50/50
BEGINNERS
DRIVE – Now Playing Village East Cinema
TAKE SHELTER – Now Playing Village East Cinema
THE ARTIST – Now Playing Angelika New York, the Paris Theatre; Opens 12/16 Angelikas Dallas and Plano
THE DESCENDANTS – Now Playing Angelikas Dallas, Plano, and Hawaii

DIRECTOR
Michel Hazanavicius, THE ARTIST
Mike Mills, BEGINNERS
Jeff Nichols, TAKE SHELTER
Alexander Payne, THE DESCENDANTS
Nicolas Winding Refn, DRIVE

SCREENPLAY
Joseph Cedar, FOOTNOTE
Michel Hazanavicius, THE ARTIST
Tom McCarthy, WIN WIN
Mike Mills, BEGINNERS
Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash, THE DESCENDANTS

Film Independet’s annual Spirit Awards are given to primarily American-made films of $20 million or less budget. Of note this year is the amount of nominations for THE ARTIST, which some weren’t sure would qualify as a film by a French director and starring mostly French actors; as well as the big names left off the list: George Clooney for THE DESCENDANTS, Woody Allen for MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, Glen Close for ALBERT NOBBS.

Several nominated films are on screen now at the Angelika - click your location below for showtimes and tickets

Angelika New York | Angelika Dallas | Angelika Plano

Angelika in Hawaii at Kahala 8 | the Paris Theatre | the Beekman Theatre | Village East Cinema

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Earlier this year, SEX AND ZEN 3D: EXTREME ECSTASY was released in Hong Kong with an opening day take that beat out AVATAR. Chinese nationals visited the island in droves to see The World’s First 3D Erotic Film. Australia and New Zealand next experienced the film’s glossy production, revolutionary 3D effects, and yes: erotica, Thanks to our friends at China Lion Entertainment, who import first run Asian titles for the SpotlightAsia! program at our affiliated theaters in Hawaii, SEX AND ZEN is coming to America!

READ MORE…

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Meet the cast and win a signed poster of SYMPATHY FOR DELICIOUS at the Village East this weekend! 

Following the 7:55PM show on Friday 4/29, star Orlando Bloom and star/writer Christopher Thornton will be in attendance for a Q&A. Come back on Saturday, 4/30 and star/director Mark Ruffalo will join his cast mates for another Q&A after the 7:55PM show.  Advance tickets available online.

Win a commemorative poster autographed by the cast!

How to enter:

1.       Follow @CityCinemasNYC

2.       Retweet our post, “ Win SYMPATHY FOR DELICIOUS poster signed by cast, just RT! At Village East 4/29 – Q&As w/Orlando Bloom, Mark Ruffalo & Christopher Thornton”

3.       Winners will be notified on Friday, 4/29

No ticket purchase necessary.

About the film:

SYMPATHY FOR DELICIOUS marks the feature film directorial debut of Academy Award nominated actor Mark Ruffalo, starring Orlando Bloom, Laura Linney, Juliette Lewis, Christopher Thornton and Mark Ruffalo.  Winner of a Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, this inspired and wildly original story follows Dean O’Dwyer (Christopher Thornton), also known as “Delicious D,” an up-and-coming DJ.  When a motorcycle accident leaves Dean paralyzed, he abandons his turntables for a wheelchair.  SYMPATHY FOR DELICIOUS is an edgy rock-and-roll spiritual journey that explores the lasting effects of tragedy, the search for meaning, and the ultimate redemptive power of compassion.  The film features original songs from punk icons Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler.

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Monday night, DOCTOR WHO fans from across the country traveled in throngs to the Angelika New York’s sister theatre, the Village East Cinema.  The occasion?  BBC America treated enthusiasts of the cult-classic British sci-fi TV show to a free advance screening of this season’s two-part premiere followed by a Q&A with the cast. 

The Doctor (Matt Smith) and his companions Amy (Karen Gillan), Rory (Arthur Darvill) and River Song (Alex Kingston) were in attendance with the fans to celebrate the first DOCTOR WHO episode filmed in American - and to kick off the first season to be broadcast by BBC America simultaneously with the BBC UK broadcast.

Whovians began lining up the day before, camping out on the hard city streets of Manhattan’s East Village for this very exciting event.  We filled three of our largest auditoriums and even added a second show to accommodate the crowds (many in costume!), who were mostly patient and never lacking in enthusiasm. Judging from the cheers we heard inside throughout the screening, the audience was not disappointed!

Check out the below video chronicling the exciting event, and head over to the Village East and BBC America Facebook pages for photos of the cast and fans at the premiere.

  If you couldn’t make it to the Village East on Monday, don’t miss the all-new season of DOCTOR WHO, starting Saturday April 23 at 9/8c only on BBC America.

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EVEN THE RAIN, Spain’s critically acclaimed entry to the Academy Awards, opens this Friday 2/18 at the Angelika New York - but Angelika Blog readers have a chance to win tickets to an advance screening tomorrow!

ABOUT THE FILM:

This powerful story, starring Oscar-winning actors Gael García Bernal (BABEL, AMORES PERROS) and Luis Toscar (TAKE MY EYES) follows two men whose journey to Bolivia to make a film about Christopher Columbus lands them at opposite ends of a moral and political battle that not only hinders the shoot, but also spurs a violent civil war over basic human rights.  

THE SCREENING:

TUESDAY, 2/15 @ 7:00p AT THE VILLAGE EAST CINEMA

HOW TO WIN TICKETS:

1. Follow @CityCinemasNYC or @AngelikaNewYork

2. Retweet our post, “Win tickets for you+guest to sneak preview of EVEN THE RAIN set during #water uprising in Bolivia. At the Village East 2/15″

3. Check your inbox tomorrow - we’ll let you know if you’re on the list!

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Friday 2/4 through Thursday 2/10, see international sensation HOME for FREE at the Village East.

Yann Arthus-Bertrand’s first feature film makes its US premiere this weekend. Arthus-Bertrand’s aerial photography is renowned for its sweeping views of Earth’s most impressive landscapes. He explains his unique environmental perspective and self-taught art in a New York Times article:

“No one is an environmentalist by birth,” he said, “It is only your path, your life, your travels that awaken you.”Mr. Arthus-Bertrand first found inspiration in a small, solitary experience, when three decades ago he painstakingly observed a family of lions in Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya.“The lions taught me photography,” Mr. Arthus-Bertrand said. “They taught me patience and the sense of beauty, a beauty that penetrates you.”A former actor with no higher education, Mr. Arthus-Bertrand described himself as a “violent child,” attending 15 different schools as a boy. He discovered aerial photography working as a hot-air balloon pilot in Kenya. From the air, he explained, you see the world differently, and borders disappear.For years he shot photos for the Paris-Dakar rally, Club Med catalogs and various clients in Morocco. In 1992 he stumbled across the notion of “sustainable development” in an article in the newspaper Le Monde, and that serendipitous moment changed his life.“I didn’t know what it was,” he said, “but started looking into concepts such as fair trade and ozone layer.”His work on “Earth From Above” made him an environmentalist, he said. Over eight years, he photographed about 160 countries and read dozens of books on environmental issues. Few publications were willing to publish his work at first. He sold prints to pay for his flights and mortgaged his apartment to finance the book.“Earth From Above” has come to be viewed in France as the bible of aerial photography and has spawned similar books like “Paris From the Air” and “New York From the Air.” For Mr. Arthus-Bertrand, the experience has been “like winning the lottery.”

(Full article here)Reserve your FREE tickets online now at www.VillageEastCinema.com - use Fandango promo code NYCHOME.Bringing a large group? Contact Andrew Smoker at 212.871.6839 to make arrangements for 10 or more.

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While surfing Wikipedia one night a few years ago, filmmaker Eyad Zahra stumbled across influential American Muslim writer and performance artist Michael Muhammad Knight. Intrigued, Zahra picked up Knight’s novel The Taqwacores, a story about a fictional group of misfit Muslim Americans living in Buffalo, NY. Taqwacore, a term that combines the word Taqwa (the Islamic concept of higher consciousness) with (hard)core punk-rock, describes Knight’s imagined culture collision of Muslim punks…which in turn developed a real life Muslim punk scene!

Reading The Taqwacores was no less than a life-changing experience, setting forth the novel’s film adaption. Along with the inevitable financial restraints of independent filmmaking, The Taqwacores had to overcome being told that the film was uncastable. Against all odds the film debuted at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival and was called one of The Ten Best Films of The Sundance Film Festival 2010 by Time Out London! We are proud to present The Taqwacores this Friday, October 22nd at the Village East Cinema along with special Q&As with the cast and crew.

Q&A Friday, October 22nd following the 8PM Show: Eyad Zahra (Writer/Director), Michael Muhammad Knight (Writer), Volkan Eryamn (Actor), Allison Carter (Producer)

Q&A Saturday,October 23rd following the 8PM Show: Michael Muhammad Knight (Writer), Volkan Eryamn (Actor), Allison Carter (Producer)

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