Movies
No more secrets
Mary Sewell writes a screenplay based on her memories of child sexual assault. The short film, “Let Your Sisters Be,” is designed to be a tool to identify signs of abuse. Read more
Culture clash
“Birds of Passage” examines the violence triggered by the Colombian marijuana trade of the 1970s through the eyes of the indigenous Wayuu community. Read more
Dynamic duo
“Stan & Ollie” introduces new audiences to the groundbreaking comedy of Laurel and Hardy. Read more
Fearsome filmmaking
The Outrider Foundation is sponsoring a showing of the experimental film “The Bomb,” hoping to reinvigorate public awareness of the ever-present nuclear threat. Read more
When grunge ruled
A double header of films featuring 1990s grunge pioneers screens at the Barrymore to celebrate the release of a new Smart Studios vinyl compilation. Read more
Naughty auteur
Mills Folly Microcinema screens a triple bill of videos from the brilliant and perverse George Kuchar, who died in 2011. The screening is at Arts + Literature Lab on Jan. 31. Read more
Domestic revolution
Don’t expect fireworks in “On the Basis of Sex,” the biopic about the early life of US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. But the film’s portrayal of Ginsburg’s balanced relationship with her husband, Marty, is worth the price of admission. Read more
"Marwencol" vs. "Welcome to Marwen"
After seeing both the indie documentary and the Hollywood film, Catherine Capellaro is happy to report that both films capture the essence of Mark Hogancamp, the artist who creates a fantasy world after a horrific beating. Read more
Dramedy on ice
UW grad Michael M. McGuire attempts to add to the Midwestern mythos with “Aquarians,” a low-budget dramedy set in the wintery wasteland of Marinette and Menominee counties. Read more
Films that rocked my world
Forget top-10 lists. Isthmus arts & culture editor Catherine Capellaro writes about 11 films that opened her heart or blew her mind in 2018. Read more
Palace intrigue
Director Yorgos Lanthimos has created a masterpiece in “The Favourite,” a behind-the-scenes palace thriller featuring a trio of strong women. Read more
"Schindler’s List" revisited
Film critic MaryAnn Johanson shares lessons for 2018 from revisiting the film “Schindler’s List.” The film is in theaters for a limited release 25th anniversary edition. Read more
Powless power
"Gold Balls," the documentary about senior league tennis star John Powless, will be shown to benefit repairs to his namesake stadium. The facility sustained major damage during August’s floods. Read more
Alabama up close
By focusing on the details of everyday life in a black community in Greensboro, Alabama, “Hale County This Morning, This Evening” strikes with the force of an imagist poem. Read more
Dogs at the movies
We love dogs. And we love watching dogs — in real life and onscreen. Here are some of Isthmus’ favorite movies (and one TV episode) featuring canines and their humans. Read more
Joe Tarr, Judith Davidoff, Catherine Capellaro, Aaron R. Conklin, Chelsey Dequaine Isthmus Cover Stories
Dogged determination
Despite a government ban, Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi has made another film: “3 Faces” is a low-key drama about a young girl who wants to become an actor. It shows as part of MMoCA’s Spotlight Cinema on Nov. 28. Read more
Addiction up close
In “Beautiful Boy,” Steve Carell delivers a heartbreaking performance as a father trying to help his meth-addicted son, played by the screen sensation Timothée Chalamet. Read more
Funny girl
The new documentary “Love, Gilda” is a loving, risk-free way to get to know the luminous Gilda Radner. Read more
The Arb wins an Oscar
The UW Arboretum, considered the birthplace of restoration ecology, attracted Disney Studios in the early 1950s. The resulting documentary, The Vanishing Prairie, won an Oscar in 1954. Read more
The reenactors
The “Bisbee Deportation” on July 12, 1917, resulted in the brutal death of 1,200 immigrant mine workers. A new film, “Bisbee ’17,” explores the past by gathering locals to confront and reenact the events. Read more