This year marks the 50th anniversary of The Exorcist and Fathom Events is bringing it back to select theaters nationwide in the form of the Extended Director’s Cut as part of Fathom’s annual Fright Fest lineup. The film hits theaters on Sunday, Oct. 1 and Wednesday, Oct. 4.
A ‘possessed’ Linda Blair in a scene from the film.
Leading into each screening is an all-new exclusive tribute to legendary director William Friedkin—who passed away on August 7 at the age of 87—hosted by film historian Ben Mankiewicz.
In the film that tops IMDb’s list of the 101 Scariest Horror Movies EVER, “The Exorcist” stars genre icon Linda Blair as Regan MacNeil, a preteen girl who’s increasingly disturbing behavior soon gives way to demonic possession.
Max Von Sydow and Jason Miller also star, as the priests enlisted to save young Regan from the ultimate evil. The film fields an impressive ensemble that boasts Ellen Burstyn, Lee J. Cobb, and Mercedes McCambridge, and was the recipient of two Academy Awards® for Best Adapted Screenplay for scribe William Peter Blatty, as well as Best Sound.
The limited engagement puts the spotlight on William Friedkin’s Extended Director’s Cut, sourced from the Original 1973 Cut Camera Negative with newly restored and remastered picture and sound in stunning 4k.
The version is packed with footage previously unseen in the theatrical edition, including an alternate ending. Plus, all screenings will include a trip through the iconic landmarks that helped bring the shocker to life in The Exorcist Locations: Georgetown Then And Now. The piece features appearances by Friedkin, Blatty, Blair, and the film’s cinematographer Owen Roizman.
Locally, the film will be screened at AMC Loews Stony Brook 17, Island 16 Cinema de Lux in Holtsville, Regal UA Farmingdale and Showcase Cinema de Lux in Farmingdale on Oct. 1 at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. and on Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. To order tickets in advance, visit www.fathomevents.com.
Megan Suri in a scene from 'It Lives Inside.'
Photo courtesy of NEON
Reviewed by Jeffrey Sanzel
Director Bishal Dutta has directed nineteen shorts. He has received worldwide acclaim, garnering half a dozen Best Director laurels at various international film festivals. Most recently, Life in Color was an official selection at The American Pavilion Emerging Filmmakers Showcase (2018 Cannes Film Festival). His work has included music videos and broadcast commercials.
NEON (distributor of the Academy Award-winning Parasite), along with QC Entertainment and Brightlight Pictures, produced Dutta’s first feature, the horror film It Lives Inside. Indian-born Sam (Megan Suri) is a high school student whose goal is assimilation. Her mother, Poorna (Neeru Bajwa), clings to their cultural roots, while her father, Inesh (Vik Sahay), attempts to navigate the two worlds and make peace between mother and daughter.
Megan Suri and Gage Marsh in a scene from ‘It Lives Inside.’ Photo courtesy of NEON
At school, Sam’s childhood friend, Tamira (Mohana Krishnan), is something of an outcast. She comes late to class, wanders the halls, and lurks underneath the bleachers, muttering fiercely and tapping a glass container that never leaves her hands. (Until this point, the film’s subtitle could have been Monster in a Mason Jar.)
Concerned but hesitant to associate with Tamira, Sam confronts her former friend. Tamira attempts to explain the evil within. In the ensuing disagreement, Sam calls her “a psycho” and smashes the jar, releasing the trapped entity. Tamira disappears, and the spirit latches onto Sam.
The rest of the film follows Sam’s arc from the fear of losing her sanity to accepting the reality of the pishacha, a flesh-eating demon. The pishachi, part of Hindu and Buddhist mythologies, feed on dark feelings like anger and hatred. They attack by first isolating the target, then slowly eating the soul.
In many ways, It Lives Inside is standard monster fare, no different than dozens (hundreds?) of high-school-girl-in-terror movies. (The high school mascot—a bit on-the-nose—is a werewolf.) However, Dutta, who penned the screenplay, presents a unique reflection of the immigrant experience through this unusual horror prism.
The cultural elements are integral in the storytelling and ultimate resolution. The family celebrates Durga Puja, a holiday paying homage to the Hindu goddess Durga’s victory over the shape-shifting demon Mahishasura. The party offers a glimpse into the community, showing Poorna’s desire to honor her heritage and Sam’s desire to remain outside it. When Dutta shows these pieces, the film comes to life.
The most lingering moment involves the aftermath of a grisly death that Sam witnesses. The neighbors’ faces suggest suspicion, not compassion. Dutta comments boldly and effectively on “immigrant as other,” revealed in the brief visual commentary. This moment speaks more powerfully than a dozen speeches could convey.
Suri is first-rate as Sam, balancing the character’s struggles, seeming descent into madness, and inner strength. She is the modern Scream Queen: resourceful, smart, and brave; willing to sacrifice everything but her humanity. She manages to make even the weakest dialogue believable.
Bajwa and Sahay avoid caricatures and find a nice contrast as the parents, both trying to understand and support their child. Gage Marsh is very “boy band” as a quasi-date who meets an inevitable end. Betty Gabriel plays Sam’s teacher, Joyce Dixon, one of those fantasy mentors who never seem to leave school and are always available. We know she is cool because she wears a Berkley sweatshirt (coincidentally, where Dutta teaches film). Gabriel makes the stock character completely real.
Strangely, the film seems underpopulated. Students barely register; party guests are mere ciphers.
Sadly, as a horror film, it falls short. The absence of tension is not replaced by any genuine atmosphere or style. The tired tropes—whispering voices, red lights, a journal with dire warnings and disturbing sketches, dreams within dreams—play strictly as clichés, making the short running time seem to plod towards its inevitable and strangely tacit conclusion. Often, it feels like a lesser episode of the 1970s television series Kolchak: the Night Stalker.
Of the monster itself, it remains invisible for most of the film. Occasionally, Dutta allows a glimpse—mostly a shape in the dark with eyes charged by a pair of old AAA batteries, accompanied by a growl that claims the eeriness of an annoyed Dachshund. The final encounter reveals a refugee from the creature-feature rubber suit brigade. The matinee monster looks slightly less than a Party City Alien or perhaps something ordered out of the back of a comic book. Spikey and mildly reptilian, it elicits no response outside of a mirthless and disappointed chuckle from the anesthetized audience.
If only Dutta had leaned further into the social core, he would have created something memorable. Instead, It Lives Inside remains a rather flabby thriller with a fascinating—but unrealized—potential.
Rated PG-13, the film is now playing in local theaters.
Cinema Arts Centre's new series will kick off with 'Ladybird' on Oct. 6.
December 1st, 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Cinema Arts Centre (CAC). To celebrate the milestone anniversary, the Huntington cinema will introduce a new series, CAC Through the Decades. The series will commemorate each decade that the Cinema Arts Centre has been in operation by presenting special screenings of some of the most important and popular films shown at CAC throughout its history.
The cinema was founded by Founded by Vic Skolnick, Charlotte Sky and Dylan Skolnick December 1st 1973 as the New Community Cinema – later changing its name to the Cinema Arts Centre following a move into the Town of Huntington’s John J. Flanagan Center.
Co-Founders Vic Skolnick and Charlotte Sky, with their son Dylan, were passionate organizers who sought to bring Long Islanders together to create a movement around film culture that would eventually help shape and define the very character of our area, now renowned as a cultural destination and an arts-rich community.
Robert Rossen’s ‘Lilith’ will be screened on Dec. 1.
Long-time supporters of the Cinema often reminisce about the “sheet-on-the-wall” days, when films were projected from a borrowed projector in a friend’s dance studio. From those early days, the Cinema Arts Centre has expanded into a state-of-the art theater with film and digital projection capabilities, newly renovated theaters, and a multi-use space called the Sky Room Café.
Today, the Cinema Arts Centre presents approximately 400 special screenings and events a year, along with a full slate of new release first-run features. Regular special programming includes film and discussion programs with film historians, directors, and critics, silent films with a live score, historically significant classics, international cinema, educational lectures, classes and workshops, live music, open mic nights, as well as weekly screenings of cult and family favorites.
CAC Through the Decades will launch on Oct. 6 with a screening of Greta Gerwig’s award-winning coming-of-age comedy/drama Ladybird which will represent the 2010s. The 2000s will be represented by a screening of Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth on Oct. 10, the 1990s with a screening of the Coen Brother’s The Big Lebowski on Nov. 3, and the 1980s with a screening of Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing on Nov. 17. Each screening will include a reception with fundraising raffles and other fun activities.
The series will culminate on Dec. 1 with a special celebration that will span the entirety of the Cinema Arts Centre’s space, including its three theaters, each of which will play an iconic and celebrated film shown at the Cinema during its early days in the 1970s.
Audience members will have the opportunity to attend one of three film screenings — Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather, Robert Altman’s Nashville, or Robert Rossen’s Lilith — which was the first film ever screened by the Cinema Arts Centre. Following the screenings on Dec. 1, the Cinema will hold an anniversary party and reception featuring live music, hors d’oeuvres, and even a film projected on a sheet on the wall as a call back to the Cinema’s early days.
The films featured in the series were selected, and voted on by close Cinema Arts Centre supporters, staff members, a committee of dedicated volunteers, and the CAC Board of Directors.
Tickets to the Oct. 6, Oct. 20, Nov. 3 and Nov. 17 screenings are $22, $15 members; tickets to the Dec. 1 event are $40, $30 members. You can purchase tickets to these and other events, and find more information about how to support the Cinema Arts Centre at www.cinemaartscentre.org.
From left, Kelly Reilly, Tina Fey, Kenneth Branagh, Michelle Yeoh, and Jamie Dornan star in 'A Haunting In Venice' Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios/Disney
Reviewed by Jeffrey Sanzel
With over two billion books in print, Agatha Christie remains history’s second best-selling author (just behind Shakespeare). Her works span sixty-six detective novels and fourteen short story collections. Having opened in 1952, The Mousetrap is the world’s longest-running play, with over twenty-nine thousand performances. Christie’s best-known creations are the private detective Hercule Poirot and the amateur sleuth Miss Marple.
Poirot—the meticulous Belgian of the “little gray cells”— is featured in thirty-three novels and fifty-one short stories, with over a dozen films following his exploits.
Notable actors such as Albert Finney (nominated for an Academy Award for Murder on the Orient Express), Peter Ustinov, Alfred Molina, John Malkovich, and Tony Randall donned the waxed mustache. David Suchet has been the most successful and beloved with Agatha Christie’s Poirot series, which presented seventy episodes from 1989 to 2013. Suchet’s large-than-life Poirot remarkably manages to remain wholly dimensional.
Kenneth Branagh and Tina Fey in a scene from ‘A Haunting In Venice’. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios/Disney
In 2017, Kenneth Branagh directed and starred in Murder on the Orient Express, a labored adaptation that paled in comparison to the 1974 film and the 2010 television version. Branagh followed it up with the even less adept Death on the Nile (2022).
His newest entry, A Haunting in Venice, claims its source as Hallowe’en Party (1969). The crisp novel deals with a girl who claims to have witnessed a murder and, shortly after, is drowned in a bobbing-for-apples tub. The similarities between the source and the film are slim. Apart from one character, a few names, a tub of apples, and a Halloween setting, A Haunting in Venice is an unrelated tale.
Hercule Poirot (Branagh) lives in an unsettled Venetian retirement with a bodyguard, ex-policeman Vitale Portfoglio (Riccardo Scamarcio). Mystery writer Ariadne Oliver (Tina Fey), Poirot’s acquaintance with whom he shares a professional history and a slightly antagonistic bent, coerces Poirot into attending a séance at a nearby palazzo, which follows a children’s Halloween party. Skeptic Poirot agrees to accompany her, intending to reveal the medium as a fraud.
The palazzo’s owner, Rowena Drake (Kelly Reilly), wants to contact her daughter, Alicia (Rowan Robinson), who had committed suicide by throwing herself into the canal a year earlier. The guests include the family doctor, Leslie Ferrier (Jamie Dornan), his son, Leopold (Jude Hill), and the housemaid, Olga Seminoff (Camille Cottin). The medium, Joyce Reynolds (Michelle Yeoh), speaks in the daughter’s voice, proclaiming she was murdered. Poirot quickly exposes Reynolds as a fake. But is she? While Poirot reveals her confederates—Romani siblings Desdemona and Nicholas Holland (Emma Laird and Ali Khan)—doubt looms.
The ensuing plot hinges on the revelation of Alicia’s killer and the question of the palazzo’s haunting by the ghosts of children locked in to die during the plague years.
A Haunting in Venice is an old dark house thriller with the requisite rainstorm, a falling chandelier, strange shadows, whispering voices, and assorted things that go bump in the night. The real stars are the technical elements. Visually, the film is exquisite: Haris Zambarloukos’s whirring and winding cinematography complements John Kelly’s elegant and evocative production design.
The performances are solid enough, all playing in the same world—but certainly not Christie’s universe. In a complete departure from the author’s self-satirizing writer (cleverly played by Zoë Wanamaker in the series), Fey’s Oliver is a wise-cracking 1940s soubrette and Poirot’s active adversary. Yeoh brings a winking gravitas to the medium, and Reilly ably manages a mother’s grief. Laird and Kahn make for a mercurial pair.
The center of any Poirot mystery is, of course, Poirot. Branagh’s twenty-first-century reinterpretation of the role results in a unique, often troubled, human character. Oddly, the choice becomes problematic, offering a Poirot with a lack of “Poirot-ness.” Missing is the twinkling genius, one step ahead. Instead, this Poirot runs alongside the pack until the final moments. However, Branagh embraces Christie’s vision in the resolution, where he exercises his insights and logic in unraveling the solution. Here, Branagh finds a few moments to shine, offering a glimpse of his potential.
A Haunting in Venice is a distinct improvement over Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile. But whether Haunting is a Christie-inspired film or just a movie cashing in on the author’s fame, the answer must veer towards the latter. Viewers seeking a traditional Poirot murder mystery with the classic intrepid detective will most likely be frustrated and disappointed. Those more flexible (or less invested in the canon) will find a quick-paced and visually satisfying thriller.
Rated PG-13, the film is now playing in local theaters.
Researchers at Brookhaven National Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and Stony Brook University joined the chorus of moviegoers who enjoyed and appreciated the Universal film Oppenheimer.
“I thought the movie was excellent,” said Leemor Joshua-Tor, Professor and HHMI Investigator at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. “It made me think, which is always a good sign.”
Yusuf Hannun, Vice Dean for Cancer Medicine at Stony Brook University, thought the movie was “terrific” and had anticipated the film would be a “simpler” movie.
Jeff Keister, leader of the Detector and Research Equipment Pool at NSLS-II at Brookhaven National Laboratory, described the movie as “interesting” and “well acted.”
Joshua-Tor indicated she didn’t know anything about Robert Oppenheimer, the title character and leader of the Manhattan Project that built the atomic bomb. She “learned lots of new things” about him, she wrote. “I knew he was targeted by McCarthy-ism, but didn’t realize how that came about and the details.”
Keister also didn’t know much about Oppenheimer, who was played by actor Cillian Murphy in the film. “Oppenheimer seemed to quietly struggle with finding his role in the story of the development of the atomic bomb,” Keister said. “At times, he wore the uniform, then later seemed to express regret.”
Like other researchers, particularly those involved in large projects that bring together people with different skills and from various cultural backgrounds, Oppenheimer led a diverse team of scientists amid the heightened tension of World War II.
Oppenheimer was “shown to have been granted an extremely powerful position and was able to form a relatively diverse team, although he was not able to win over all the brightest minds,” Keister wrote.
Joshua-Tor suggested Oppenheimer “charmed” the other scientists, who were so driven by the science and the goal that they “accepted him. The leader of the team should be a great scientist, but doesn’t necessarily have to be the biggest genius. There is a genius in being able to herd the cats in the right way.”
Joel Hurowitz, Associate Professor in the Department of Geosciences at Stony Brook University, “loved” the movie. Hurowitz has worked with large projects with NASA teams as a part of his research effort.
Hurowitz suggested that the work that goes into coordinating these large projects is “huge” and it requires “a well laid out organizational structure, effective leadership, and a team that is happy working hard towards a common goal.”
‘Stunning’ first bomb test
Keister described the first nuclear bomb test as “stunning” in the movie. “I have to wonder how the environmental and health impacts of such a test came to be judged as inconsequential.”
Some local scientists would have appreciated and enjoyed the opportunity to see more of the science that led to the creation of the bomb.
Science is the “only place the movie fell short,” Hannun said. “They could have spent a bit more time to indicate the basic science behind the project and maybe a bit more about the scientific accomplishments of the various participants.”
Given the focus of the movie on Oppenheimer and his leadership and ultimate ambivalence about the creation of the atomic bomb, Keister suggested that scientists “could be better encouraged to understand the impacts of applied uses of new discoveries. Scientists can learn to broaden their view to include means of mitigating potential negative impacts.”
Research sponsors, including taxpayers and their representatives, have an “ethical responsibility to incorporate scientists’ views of the full impacts into their decisions regarding applications and deployment of new technology,” Keister said.
Joshua-Tor thinks there “always has to be an ongoing conversation between scientists and the citizenry” which has to be an “informed, somewhat dispassionate conversation.”
Recommended movies about scientists
Local researchers also shared some of their film recommendations about scientists.
Hurowitz wrote that his favorite these days is Arrival, a science fiction film starring Amy Adams. If Hurowitz is looking for more lighthearted fare, he writes that “you can’t go wrong with Ghostbusters,” although he’s not sure the main characters Egon, Ray and Peter could be called scientists.
Keister also enjoys science fiction, as it “often challenges us with ethical dilemmas which need to be addressed.” While he isn’t sure he has a favorite, he recommended the sci-fi thriller Ex Machina starring Alicia Vikander as a humanoid robot with artificial intelligence,.
Joshua-Tor recalls liking the film A Beautiful Mind starring Russell Crowe and Jennifer Connelly as John and Alicia Nash. She also loved the film Hidden Figures, starring Taraji P Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monáe.
‘The Color Purple’ heads to theaters on Christmas Day. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
By Tim Haggerty and Jeffrey Sanzel
Filmgoers can look forward to an excitingfield of offerings for the fall and holiday season. A wide range of releases promises a host of titles in a strong cross-section of genres including horror, musicals, historical dramas, and family movies. Here are some of the most anticipated movies for the rest of 2023, listed in order of release date. Ready, set, … action!
A Haunting in Venice
Kenneth Branagh’s follow-up to Death on the Nile is A Haunting in Venice, his third outing as celebrated sleuth Hercule Poirot. The Agatha Christie-inspired story focuses on murder during a séance and promises thrills offered up by a star-studded. Along with director-actor Branagh are Tina Fey, Jamie Dornan, Kelly Reilly and Michelle Yeoh, among others.
Rated PG-13· Release date September 15
Saw X
While not for the faint of heart (or stomach), Saw X marks the tenth in the Jigsaw saga. The film is set between the events of Saw and Saw II and follows a desperate man traveling to Mexico for a medical procedure, which is revealed to be a scam. Tobin Bell once again takes on the role of John Kramer/Jigsaw.
Rated TBA· Release date September 29
The Exorcist: Believer
David Gordon Green appropriately follows the end of his recent Halloween trilogy with The Exorcist: Believer. Originally, the producers were going to reboot the series, but instead have opted for a direct sequel to the landmark 1973 original. Ellen Burstyn reprises her starring role.
Rated R· Release date October 13
Killers of the Flower Moon
It has been four years since Academy Award-winner Martin Scorsese’s much-lauded The Irishman. Now, the great director presents Killers of the Flower Moon. Based on David Grann’s bestseller of the same name, the film centers on a series of Oklahoma murders in the Osage Nation during the 1920s, committed after oil was discovered on tribal land. The film, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Lily Gladstone, John Lithgow, Jesse Plemons, Tantoo Cardinal and Brendan Fraser, promises to be one of the fall’s best and most exciting films.
Rated R· Release date October 20
Priscilla
Sofia Coppola tells the Elvis story through meeting, courtship, and marriage in Priscilla. Based on Priscilla Presley’s memoir Elvis and Me, Coppola creates the private life of the superstar in what will hopefully be her signature brilliance, blending high art with raw emotion. Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi star as Priscilla and Elvis.
Rated R· Release date October 27
Five Nights at Freddy’s
Taking its cue from the video game, Five Nights at Freddy’s follows a security guard (Josh Hutcherson) on night-time patrol at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, an abandoned family entertainment center, where animatronic mascots kill anyone there after midnight.
Rated PG-13 Release Date October 27
Pain Hustlers
David Yates features Emily Blunt, Chris Evans, Andy Garcia, and Catherine O’Hara in Pain Hustlers, a true-events crime drama centered on a criminal conspiracy at a pharmaceutical start-up.
Rated R· Release date October 27
The Marvels
The Marvel Universe expands with The Marvels, a Captain Marvel sequel starring Nia DaCosta, along with Brie Larson as Carol Danvers, and Iman Vallanis’ Kamala Khan (Ms. Marvel of the Disney+ series).
Rated PG-13· Release date November 10
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
The multi-million-dollar Hunger Games franchise returns with a prequel based on Suzanne Collins’ novel The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. Series vet Francis Lawrence directs the story that follows young Coriolanus Snow (played by Donald Sutherland in the previous four films) and his involvement with the Hunger Games.
Rated PG-13· Release date November 17
Next Goal Wins
Based on the 2015 documentary, Next Goal Wins tells the story of Dutch American soccer coach Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender), hired to help turn around the American Samoa national team, considered one of the worst in the world. (The trailers suggest a warm Ted Lasso vibe.)
Rated PG-13· Release date November 17
Napoleon
Napoleon joins director Ridley Scott with Joaquin Phoenix as the French general-turned-emperor. While the film will include a number of Napoleon’s most famous battles, its primary focus is on his tempestuous love story with his first wife, Joséphine (Vanessa Kirby).
Rated R· Release date November 22
Maestro
Perhaps one of the most anticipated fall films is Bradley Cooper’s biopic Maestro. Director Cooper has co-written (along with Josh Singer) the screenplay in which he stars as the extraordinary and complicated musician Leonard Bernstein. The film also stars Carey Mulligan, Maya Hawke and Jeremy Strong.
Rated R· Release date November 22
Wish
Disney’s Wish chronicles the origin story of the Wishing Star, with Ariana DeBose,Chris Pine and Alan Tudyk starring in Frozen writers Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck’s screenplay. When darkness falls upon the Kingdom of Wishes, a young girl wishes upon a star to save her home, only to have the star physically come to her aid and becomes her sidekick. If the advance buzz is any indication, the animated film could become another Disney classic.
Rated TBA· Release date November 2
Poor Things
Emma Stone plays Bella Baxter, a young suicide brought back to life by a scientist (Willem Dafoe) in the unusual and surreal Poor Things, based on the 1992 Alasdair Gray novel.
Rated R· Release Date December 8.
Wonka
Timothée Chalamet takes on the title role in Wonka, an origin story of the eccentric candy maker. Paddington director Paul King has assembled an all-star cast with Olivia Colman, Sally Hawkins, Keegan Michael-Key, and Rowan Atkinson. The film promises to be a visual feast and a fascinating take on Roald Dahls’ legendary character.
Rated PG· Release date December 15
The Color Purple
Stephen Spielberg filmed Alice Walker’s indelible novel The Color Purple in his Oscar-nominated 1985 film. Now Blitz Bazawule brings the Broadway musical to the big screen, withDanielle Brooks, Halle Bailey, Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, and Louis Gossett Jr., showcasing the Tony-nominated score by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray.
Rated PG-13· Release date December 25
This article originally appeared in TBR News Media’s Harvest Times supplement on Sept. 14.
Movieland Cinemas, a longtime fixture in the community, has closed. The announcement was made on its Facebook page on Sept. 7. General Manager Nicole Rapp cited high rent and declining foot traffic as the reason for the closure.
Located in Coram at 1850 Route 112 in the Pine Plaza, the theater opened in 1995 and changed hands many times, most recently in 2022 after extensive renovations.
“Over the years, our theater has been a place where the community has come together to enjoy films … and celebrate the magic of cinema. We have cherished every moment spent with you, our loyal patrons, and the support you have shown us,” read the post.
Many patrons reacted to the announcment with sadness and thanked the theater for the many years of memories.
“We want to extend our sincere thanks to each and every one of you who has been a part of our theater’s journey. It’s been an incredible ride, and we couldn’t have done it without you. We are going to miss hosting your birthday parties, special events, gaming tournaments, sensory friendly screenings, Princess/ Superhero meet-and-greets, and so much more,” said Rapp.
The post went on to the thank “the dedicated movie theater staff … who tirelessly worked behind the scenes” and hinted at reopening the theater in the future with a potential buyer.
“While our doors may be closing for now, the memories we’ve created together will live on. Thank you for being a part of our theater’s story, and we hope that this is a temporary speed-bump and soon be able to make a comeback,” added Rapp.
The first of eight documentaries will be 'Rather' on Sept. 18 — At the age of 92, iconic journalist Dan Rather reflects on his career that spans seven decades.
By Tara Mae
Whether there is too much or never enough of it, time may either soften memories with nostalgia or sharpen remembrances with accrued insight. Through art and action, the Fall 2023 Port Jefferson Documentary Series (PJDS) highlights the intricacies of this dynamic both onscreen and behind-the-scenes.
On specific Monday evenings between September 18 and November 13, at Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson and John F. Kennedy Middle School, 200 Jayne Blvd., Port Jefferson Station, the award-winning doc series will share eight distinct stories.
Encompassing reflections on a career well-chronicled; a quickly encroaching catastrophe; a calamitous crisis averted; or, a curious occurrence, screenings will be followed by Q&As with guest speakers. Tom Needham, executive producer and host of “Sounds of Film” on WUSB, will once again serve as moderator.
“Our setup has not changed either behind-the-scenes or in how we choose the documentaries,” said PJDS co-director Lyn Boland. “We assess production values, whether it is a good story, and if it is available to film festivals instead of streaming — we want it to be new. We also prefer films where the director is available to talk in one sense or another.”
Now in its 38th season, the PJDS, which began in 2005, excavates tangible accomplishments and existential inquiries. In interactive interviews with documentarians, it seeks answers from those who first sought to ask the questions.
Sponsored by Maggio Environmental and Wellness; Covati & Janhsen, CPAS PC; and Port Jeff Storage,the season opens with Rather, a film that examines Dan Rather’s ongoing seven decade journalistic career and his continued dedication to making a difference.
We Dare to Dream traverses the triumphs and trials of 29 elite athletes. Deprived of their home countries, they strive for international success while preparing to participate in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as part of the International Olympic Committee’s Refugee Olympic team. (This event will also feature a pre-show concert at Port Jefferson Methodist Church by pianist Jacqueline Schwab.)
Time Bomb Y2K revisits when, on the verge of a new millennium, the world feared that all of technology was about to have a nervous breakdown on New Year’s Day.
Between the Rains covers a 4 year period when record low rainfall in Kenya caused a reckoning for children caught in a culture being eroded by climate change.
Israel Swings for Gold traces the trajectory of Israel’s baseball team as it makes it Olympic debut in 2021.
Rolling Along recounts Bill Bradley’s revelatory professional career as informed by his personal ethos: Rhodes Scholar, champion New York Knicks recruit, and noted New Jersey senator.
Maestra showcases the melodious moments and discordant dilemmas women face as they compete in the world’s only all-female conducting competition.
Lastly, A Revolution on Canvas investigates the intriguing disappearance of more than 100 “treasonous” paintings by contemporary Iranian artist Nickzad Nodjoumi.
(For dates and times, please see Film Schedule below.)
Each documentary is selected by one of the “film ladies,” as Lyn Boland, Wendy Feinberg, Barbara Sverd and Honey Katz are known. They present their choices to the PJDS board. Top contenders from those viewings are shared with three esteemed longtime volunteers, Denise Livrieri, Yvonne Lieffrig, and Debbie Bolvadin, who then also vote on the films.
“It is important to have a wide variety of people choosing films; we know we each have private preferences that we always gravitate towards. If you do not have a wide group, you may leave out some of your audience,” Boland said. “We are lucky that our audience really trusts us. They know that we are invested and looked into the films personally, so we feel the documentaries are special to include.”
According to Boland, once the films are chosen, securing the rights to them and gaining access to the speakers is a game of cat and mouse. So, the hunt is on as soon film festivals announce their lineups. The Series’ cast of characters divides and conquers, attending screenings and identifying potential contenders for PJDS.
“Once I have focused on a film I would like to present, the fun of the chase begins! Nailing down films, dates, directors or producers, and working out schedule conflicts are issues we have to contend with when programming a series. So, it [helps] when you have a connection to anyone associated with the film,” explained Sverd.
Such relationships have been forged and nurtured over the years with different producers and directors who have previously shown their work during the Series. Rather and Time Bomb Y2K come from creators who screened earlier films through PJDS. Between the Rains and Rolling Along were acquired through Sverd’s and Feinberg’s respective personal connections.
“I am looking forward to seeing many of our repeat guests and also the new folks who will be attending the films this season,” said Feinberg.
In addition to making contacts and advancing the films, each member brings their individual skill sets, contributing what best aligns with their interests and industries, including law, event planning, education, and graphic design. Primary and paramount requirement for joining the team — it is looking for new volunteers — is simply being a film buff.
That passion translates to the audience, which includes familiar faces and new fans.
“In this day and age, with so much available to see and watch, it is just great that people appreciate the kind of experience that we offer,” Boland said.
Individual tickets are $10 (cash only) at the door, a combination ticket for the concert and documentary on is $15, or in advance at www.portjeffdocumentaryseries.com.
FILM SCHEDULE
A scene from ‘Rather’
◆ The Fall 2023 season kicks off with a screening of Rather at Theatre Three on September 18 at 7 p.m. Guest speakers will be Co-Producer Taylor Wildenhaus and Sarah Baxter, Director of the Marie Colvin Center for International Reporting. Co-sponsored by the Stony Brook University School of Communications & Journalism and the Marie Colvin Center for International Reporting.
‘We Dare to Dream’
◆ We Dare to Dream will be screened at Theatre Three on October 2 at 7:30 p.m. Preceded by a special concert featuring pianist at First United Methodist Church, 603 Main St., Port Jefferson at 6:30 p.m. Guest speaker via Zoom will be Director Waad Al-Kateab. Sponsored by Danfords Hotel & Marina and The Waterview at Port Jefferson Country Club.
‘Time Bomb Y2K’
◆ Next up is Time Bomb Y2K at Theatre Three on October 9 at 7 p.m.Guest speakers will be Co-Directors Brian Becker and/or Marley McDonald.
‘Between the Rains’
◆ Between the Rains will be screened at JFK Middle School on October 16 at 7 p.m. Guest speakers will be co-director Andrew H. Brown via Zoom and Dr. Dino Martins, CEO of the Turkana Basin Institute. Co-sponsored by the Turkana Basin Institute of Kenya and its affiliate, Stony Brook University.
‘Israel Swings for Gold’
◆ The season continues with Israel Swings for Gold at JFK Middle School on October 23 at 7 p.m. Guest speaker will be Co-Director Jeremy Newberger. Co-sponsored by North Shore Jewish Center in Port Jefferson Station and Temple Isaiah in Stony Brook.
‘Rolling Along’
◆ A special screening of Rolling Along will be held at JFK Middle School on October 30 at 7 p.m. Guest speaker will be former U.S. Senator and screenwriter Bill Bradley in person.
‘Maestra’
◆ Maestra heads to JFK Middle School on November 6 at 7 p.m. Guest speakers will be Director Maggie Contreras via Zoom and Melisse Brunet, Conductor and subject in the film. Sponsored by Danfords Hotel & Marina and The Waterview at Port Jefferson Country Club.
‘A Revolution on Canvas’
◆ The season concludes with a screening of A Revolution on Canvas at Theatre Three on November 13 at 7 p.m. Guest speakers will be Co-Directors Sara Nodjoumi and Till Schauder. Sponsored by Danfords Hotel & Marina and The Waterview at Port Jefferson Country Club.
For more information, call 631-473-5220 or visit www.portjeffersondocumentaryseries.com.
Fathom Events’ Big Screen Classics series continues with the beloved 1988 road trip saga Rain Man — returning to select theaters nationwide in honor of its 35th anniversary on Sunday, Sept. 17 and Wednesday, Sept. 20.
A scene from ‘Rain Man’
The film stars Tom Cruise as Charlie Babbitt, a self-centered car dealer caught in a financial bind. Charlie’s life becomes even more complicated when his estranged father’s will reveals the existence of an older brother he never knew existed: Raymond (played by Dustin Hoffman in the role that would earn him his second Oscar® for Best Actor in a Leading Role), an autistic savant who stands to inherit their father’s three-million-dollar estate.
Determined to get his own cut of the money, Charlie kidnaps Raymond from the institution he calls home, with plans to head out for Los Angeles to settle some debts. What follows is a powerful cross-country odyssey of brotherhood and self-discovery that will change both of their lives forever. The film is the winner of four Academy Awards®, including Best Picture, Directing, Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen), and Best Actor in a Leading Role.
Each screening includes an exclusive introduction by legendary film critic and historian Leonard Maltin.
Locally, the film will be screened at AMC Loews Stony Brook 17, Island 16 Cinema de Lux in Holtsville and Showcase Cinema de Lux in Farmingdale on Sept. 17 at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. and on Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. To order tickets in advance, visit www.fathomevents.com.
Xolo Maridueña in a scene from 'Blue Beetle.' Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/DC Comics
Reviewed by Jeffrey Sanzel
For every superhero blockbuster, an equal number are box office disasters. For each Avengers: Endgame or Iron Man 3, there is Shazam! Fury of the Gods and The Flash. Many superheroes have risen and fallen, only to rise again in a parade of reboots and colored tights.
The Blue Beetle first appeared in Fox Comics’ Mystery Men Comics #1 (1939). The titular hero, Dan Garet, took Vitamin 2X, which gave him “super-energy.” When Fox went out of business, Charlton Comics bought the character, reprinting some of the stories before launching its version in 1955. In 1964, Charlton re-envisioned the character: Dan Garrett acquired an extra “r” and “t” along with a new origin story centered around a mystical power-giving Egyptian scarab. In 1966, inventor Ted Kord became a gadget-centric Blue Beetle following Garrett’s death. Next, the character’s mythology was reinvented with both Blue Beetles—Garrett and Kord—in Americomics (published by AC Comics).
Xolo Maridueña in a scene from ‘Blue Beetle.’ Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/DC Comics
DC Comics bought Charlton’s superhero collection in 1983, changing Ted Kord to a billionaire industrialist. This Ted Kord appeared in various titles, including Justice League, Justice League America, and Birds of Prey, the identity continuing through 2005. DC presented a new Blue Beetle in 2006: teenager Jaime Reyes, whose powers came from the scarab, a piece of alien technology. While the initial series was cancelled due to poor sales, a revival came in 2011, disconnecting Reyes from previous Beetles. In 2016 Garrett and Kord were restored as previous Blue Beetles. Jamie Reyes was the focus of a limited series, Blue Beetle: Graduation Day, offered from 2022 to 2023.
Enter DC studio’s Blue Beetle. After a prologue establishing Kord Industries locating the scarab in a frozen tundra, the action quickly shifts to bright-eyed pre-law college graduate Jamie Reyes returning home to the fictional Texan town of Palmera City. As he rides down the airport escalator, he adjusts his mortarboard. Turning to the gentleman beside him, he asks, “How do I look?” The man dryly responds, “Like you’re six figures in debt.” The smart quip establishes the tone and world that Jamie faces.
Jamie is greeted by his family—mother, father, grandmother, sister, and eccentric uncle. During a celebratory meal, Jamie learns that his auto mechanic father lost his job due to a heart attack. They are now in danger of losing the family home, three months in arrears. His sister, Milagro, gets them a job working in the mansion of Kord Industries CEO Victoria Kord (whom Milagro describes with begrudging respect as “Cruella Kardashian”). They lose their positions when Jamie steps into a fight between Victoria and her niece, Jenny. In gratitude, Jenny offers Jamie employment and tells him to come to Kord Tower.
The next day, Jenny discovers that Victoria uses the scarab for her OMAC (One Man Army Corps) project. Jenny steals the scarab in a fast-food hamburger container, but the laboratory director discovers its theft, and the building is put on lockdown. In danger of being caught, Jenny passes the box to Jamie, who takes it home, warning him not to open it or touch its contents.
Upon returning, the family pressures him to see what is in the box. In full view of his family, Jamie touches the scarab, which attaches itself to him. He is immediately surrounded by an exoskeleton/armored suit, complete with a guidance voice and myriad abilities, including flight and a host of defensive and offensive capacities. (Jenny later tells Jamie that the scarab is an ancient sentient weapon that has chosen him as host.)
The plot is traditional: a struggle between the emerging hero and the dastardly villain. Jamie learns to harness the powers as Victoria sets out to reclaim the scarab. Victoria is a classic nemesis cut in the Bond villain mode. Susan Sarandon chews the scenery, practically singing the watchcry, “Sacrifices must be made for the greater good.” Her main conflict is with her brother’s daughter, Jenny (Bruna Marquezine), an underdeveloped and bland character. Victoria has a traditional henchman, Ignacio Carapax (Raoul Max Trujillo, expressive with only a few lines), with an important backstory.
A scene from ‘Blue Beetle.’ Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/DC Comics
There are references to Jenny’s father, Ted Kord, as well as Ted’s professor, archaeologist Dan Garrett, bringing the Blue Beetle’s entire history into superficial play. The effects are pure videogame, with an excessive amount of blue electricity. The action often resembles Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots.
On the surface, little new or exciting is on offer. However, director Ángel Manuel Soto and writer Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer manage one important coup: the extraordinary bond of the Reyes family.
Unlike many genre movies, Blue Beetle uses family not as a vehicle but as the core force. If the theme of familial bond is heavy-handed, the first-rate cast engages us on a genuinely human level. Xolo Maridueña shines as Jamie, easily holding center for the film’s stretched two hours. Damián Alcázar makes the father, Alberto, wise and touching, a patriarch of great understated strength. He is matched beautifully by Elpidia Carrillo as Rocio, Jamie’s mother. Adriana Barraza, as Nana, the matriarch, avoids cliché and has a fun eleventh-hour reveal. Belissa Escobedo brings humor and caring to Milagro, Jamie’s sister. George Lopez takes Uncle Rudy to the limit and beyond, both hilarious and touching. Each stands out individually, but as a whole, they are an exceptional unit.
While there have been Latino superheroes, Blue Beetle puts representation at its center. An important moment comes late in the film involving the laboratory director (played with conflicted integrity by Harvey Guillén). The exchange leads to a bold choice, highlighting racial issues that weave through the film.
In the end, Blue Beetle is uneven and occasionally uninspired, but a superior cast and a celebration of family let the film soar. Rated PG-13, Blue Beetle is now playing in local theaters.
Located in Coram at 1850 Route 112 in the Pine Plaza, the theater opened in 1995 and changed hands many times, most recently in 2022 after extensive renovations.
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