As we prepare to move into the year’s ninth month and start thinking about how we’re going to fill our social calendars, movie lovers can rest easy in the fact that they could choose to visit the Oriental Theatre and simply never leave.
That is to say: Milwaukee Film has a lot going on in September — from a themed screening of The Big Lebowski to a series dedicated to legendary Black filmmaker Michael Schultz to an entire night dedicated to Milwaukee band Little Blue Crunchy Things.
But let’s start at the beginning, which in this case is the first Saturday of the month, Sept. 6. That’s when Milwaukee Film will team up with Awkward Nerd Events for Lebowlski Night, a multi-part celebration of the 1998 Coen Brothers’ classic. The first part (and your first opportunity to get a White Russian) is a screening of the movie itself at 6:30 p.m. Then comes the afterparty at Landmark Lanes featuring:
- Themed karaoke
- Costume contest
- Specialty drinks (more White Russians)
- VIP bowling upgrade option
Milwaukee Film seems to understand that bowling might not be for everyone, especially those who can navigate the seamless transition from late-’90s cult comedy to early ‘50s explorations of objective truth set in 12th century Japan. For those folks, the organization’s series looking back on the films of director Akira Kurosawa continues right after The Big Lebowski screening with a feature presentation of Rashomon at 9 p.m.
You can also catch that one at 4 p.m. Sept. 7, as well as the other two currently scheduled selections in the series: Stray Dog (Sept. 7 and 9) and Ikiru (Sept. 12, 14 and 16).
Another overlapping program happening in September is “High on Highsmith,” featuring a trio of movies based on the novels of Patricia Highsmith. All three will be shown at 7 p.m. on consecutive Monday nights at the Oriental Theatre:
- Sept. 8 — The Talented Mr. Ripley
- Sept. 15 — The American Friend
- Sept. 22 — Strangers on a Train
Around the middle of the month, Milwaukee Film will honor one of the city’s legendary creatives and the namesake of the organization’s recently announced award given annually to an exceptional Black filmmaker.
Michael Schultz is a Milwaukee native who became the first Black director nominated for an award at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival. The movie that received those plaudits at the 1977 festival, Car Wash, will show at the Oriental Theatre at 3 p.m. Sept. 13 with Schultz in attendance for a Q&A right after.
You can also catch two of his other landmark projects, The Last Dragon at 8 p.m. Sept. 12 and Cooley High at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 13. Prior to that last showing, Milwaukee Film will present the inaugural Michael Schultz Award to the man himself, and Schultz will participate in an extended Q&A.
On the music front, the spotlight turns to Milwaukee band Little Blue Crunchy Things on Sept. 12, when the group will be in the house for a screening of the new documentary Florence. The film focuses on their hit song of the same name, exploring the writing process and resonance of the track. Prior to the movie, you’ll also be able to check out concert footage from the band’s recent 30th anniversary performances.
Toward the end of the month, things shift to the Downer Theatre for a three-day run programmed in conjunction with The Popcorn List, an annual survey of acclaimed indie features without traditional distribution. Three pop-up screenings will offer a sneak peak at hand-picked films deserving of an audience, as well as pre-recorded Q&A’s. This is only happening at 10 theaters across the entire country and includes:
- Sept. 22 — The Everything Pot
- Sept. 23 — If That Mockingbird Don’t Sing
- Sept. 24 — New Wave
Milwaukee Film also has a couple other standalone events planned for September, including the monthly WMSE Friday Night Freak Show, which this time around features 1967’s To Sir, With Love on Sept. 26; and the September edition of The Rocky Horror Picture Show on Sept. 13. If you want to dig into that latter option a little more, you can catch the documentary about the cult classic, Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror, beginning Sept. 25.
Whew. That’s a lot to process, so if you need to catch up on any of Milwaukee Film’s September programming — or anything else they have going on — head over to the organization’s website.
