Belle et Sébastien Not Rated
Scenery plays a part in writer-director Nicolas Vanier’s adaptation of the popular children’s story Belle et Sébastien. The rugged French Alps with wildflowers on grassy upland fields is an idyllic yet troubled setting for this charming boy-and-his-dog story. With France under German occupation during World II, the shepherd boy Sébastien and Belle—the shaggy canine he tames—have more to do than herd sheep. Their adventures begin with Belle’s theft of sausages from a German kitchen and build as they help resistance fighters hiding from the Nazis. (David Luhrssen)
Shown as part of UW-Milwaukee Union Cinema’s Festival of Films in French on Sunday, Feb. 14 at 3 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 21 at 1 p.m.
Cinema Vivant
In the 1930s, virtuoso guitarist Django Reinhardt and violinist Stéphane Grappelli brought Gypsy music together with jazz in their band, The Hot Club of Paris. The Hot Club of San Francisco pays tribute to those pioneering masters, replicating their soulfully swinging music while providing accompaniment to a trio of silent animated films from the 1920s projected during their shows—two by French stop-motion animator Władysław Starewicz and one by American live action-animator Charley Bowers. (D.L.)
Saturday, Feb. 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the Schauer Center, 147 N. Rural St., Hartford.
Deadpool R
Marvel Comics reaches deep into its bag of superheroes and pulls out Wade Wilson, a veteran of special ops. Following a rogue experiment, Wilson gains an instant ability to heal, but loses his former good looks and now appears to be put through a meat grinder. Wearing a head-to-toe skintight suit, he assumes the alter ego Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) while seeking revenge against Dr. Ajax (Ed Skrein) and the Weapon X workshop responsible for Wilson’s condition. Ultra violent, the film features raunchy, rapid-fire jokes—a first for the superhero genre. (Lisa Miller)
Door County Short Film Fest
The seventh annual Door County Short Film Fest promises a variety of small, independent and lovingly crafted short films. More than 41 films are set to premiere at this year’s festivities, including entries from all over the world. New to the festival this year is “Best of the Fest” where the audience can vote on their favorite films, culminating with the presentation of the 2016 People’s Choice Golden Coffee Mug, awarded to the film with the most votes. (Jacob Culhane)
February 12 and 13 at the Sister Bay Village Hall. For more information, visit cometosisterbay.com.
How to be Single R
Produced by Drew Barrymore’s Flower Films company, this comedy treads the well-worn path blazed by “Sex and the City.” The story follows single New Yorkers Alice, Robin and Meg (Dakota Johnson, Rebel Wilson and Leslie Mann) as they search for love, one-night-stands and everything in between. A less-than-promising trailer features the girls seeking out free drinks along with that special someone—practices that often lead to waking up in unfamiliar surroundings. (L.M.)
The Lady in the Van PG-13
Calling it a “mostly true” story, screenwriter Alan Bennett and director Nicholas Hytner (The Madness of King of George) spin a whimsical, mordantly funny yet ultimately touching tale about a homeless old woman, Miss Shepherd (magnificently acted by Maggie Smith). OK, not exactly homeless—she lives in a van, huddled under coats and hats against the London damp—parked in Bennett’s driveway. The years pass into decades; Bennett considers whether his tolerance results from compassion, laziness or British politeness. Miss Shepherd is batty yet not without lucid observations. Bennett appears as two characters—the person and the writer who transforms the person’s life into stories. (D.L.)
Opens Feb. 12 at the Downer Theatre.
Zoolander 2 PG-13
It’s over a decade since the original Zoolander, and fashion models Derek (Ben Stiller) and Hansel (Owen Wilson) have become irrelevant...until someone begins assassinating famous, beautiful people, each wearing the pouty expression made famous by Derek. Busty Interpol agent Melanie Valentina (Penélope Cruz) arrives, asking Derek and Hansel to use their connections to catch the suspected killer, notorious fashionista Jacobim Mugatu (Will Ferrell). Kristen Wiig appears as Alexanya Atoz, an aging supermodel who hilariously hides her frozen facial expression under an assortment of avant-garde wigs. (L.M.)
