Films this week 3/10 – 3/12/2023
by Gary Palmucci | 10th March 2023 | Gary's Corner
It’s Oscar weekend, and we’ve added another nominee — and odds-on favorite in the Best Original Song category — to our lineup. You may have heard of the Indian epic RRR (‘Rise Roar Revolt’), which has been playing to packed houses in both art and commercial theatres for the past year. Set in 1920s India, this non-stop, action-packed tale of two young men who join forces to battle the country’s British Raj rule has been a singular “crossover” hit, in addition to winning numerous awards including Best Director for S.S. Rajamouli from the prestigious NY Film Critics Circle.
New Plaza Cinema has been tracking RRR since we opened in October — there always seemed to be some special event holding up its availability: a sold out IMAX screening at our local multiplex, the Oscar campaign, a “fan appreciation” re-release, but distributor Variance Films has given us the green light at what I think is the perfect moment. On Sunday night’s telecast there’s likely to be an exuberant rendition of the film’s show-stopping, Oscar-nominated musical number “Naatu Naatu,” ( a staple in virtually all ‘Bollywood’ releases) which kicks in near its halfway mark. You can see it on screen here first, on Saturday afternoon.
We’ll be showing the original Telugu language version with English subtitles, with a special introduction from New Plaza assistant manager Arunima Mekala, who is related (on her mother’s side) to one of the film’s kinetic co-stars, Ram Charan — a unique “added-value” screening!
In addition to Oscar-nominees The Quiet Girl, Living, and Argentina 1985, we’ll be reprising by popular demand Jafar Panahi’s No Bears and of course, Turn Every Page…Caro and Gottlieb. As always, we strongly recommend advance, online ticket purchase.
And coming next Friday, March 17 — a special screening of the new documentary Ithaka, reporting on Julian Assange’s ongoing confinement in a British prison as he awaits possible extradition to the US, and the issues that won’t go away. Assange’s father will join us for an after-screening Q&A.
Good luck in your Oscar pools…
Gary Palmucci, Film Curator
New Plaza Cinema