New York City may get all the new releases first, but there’s a lot more to the film culture here than just what’s in the mainstream theaters! Every week we bring you the top 5 cinematic events to check out.
1. New Directors/New Films 2013 (Film Society of Lincoln Center & MoMA)
Here’s the best way to see fresh talent all in one place. You’ll see black comedy like The Color of the Chameleon, crafty political satire via Emperor Visits the Hell, Penny Lane’s found-footage project Our Nixon–really, there’s no overarching theme to this work, which allows for such variety. (Tues-Sun, March 26-31; check official website for schedule)
2. A Tribute to Heather (Museum of the Moving Image)
If you came of age on the Internet in the ’90s, chances are you stumbled across the mythical Heathers Animations, a database of cheesy GIFs. For his lobby installation, artist Evan Roth embeds a single GIF — “Deer on Silver,” “E-mail on Floral White” — hundreds of times on a website, making the images stumble onto each other in a strange tapestry that you probably won’t be able to look away from. Especially when the lobby wall is 50 feet wide. (Ongoing until June 30, museum hours)
3. Dial M for Murder in 3-D (Film Forum)
Alfred Hitchcock really was looking ahead of all of us: This 1954 classic is his only film he shot in 3-D. As part of a push to digitally restore films originally shot in 3-D, Warner Bros. has spruced up this thriller so that you really feel the tension as society woman Grace Kelly’s jealous husband arranges for her murder… only for the harrowing murder scene to feature someone else’s death. (Fri-Fri, March 29-April 4, various times)
4. The Maybe (MoMA)
OK, so it’s not a film event per se–but how could I let the week pass without telling you about Tilda Swinton sleeping in a box at the Museum of Modern Art? The eccentric actress has revived her 1995 performance art piece The Maybe, which involves her reclining in a box for several hours, not interacting with the folks gawking at her. Since she quietly set up shop at MoMA — and they’ve neither advertised her visit nor provided a schedule of when to see her — she’s been visited by the likes of Patton Oswalt, James Franco, and David Lindsay-Abaire. (No set schedule; consult #TheMaybe on Twitter for times)
Photo: Jen Chung/Gothamist
5. Stranger Than Fiction Spring 2013 (IFC Center)
Though it’s not specifically pegged to April Fools’ Day, the IFC Center’s ongoing documentary series is still well-placed to coincide with next Monday’s festivities. Follow the Leader is a coming-of-age story starring three teenage boys who all want to be President. Free Angela & All Political Prisoners combines civil rights, courtroom intrigue, and gun control issues. And Hands on a Hard Body takes the very American notion of trying to win a truck and says so much more about our culture as a whole. A season pass will get you 9 films (and popcorn!) for $100. (Ongoing until May 21)
