Scroll down for Now Showing in Madison, August 12–August 17, 2026
Weekly posts include short notes on various cinematic topics, followed by the Now Showing in Madison guide to commercial theaters and alternative venues.
There seem to be new events popping up all over the place, including some screenings that I have mentioned earlier that have been rescheduled. Unfortunately, I only have time to list them, without saying enough about them to get you to check them out!
Tonight at MMoCA’s Rooftop Cinema we will present Canadian experimental feature film Gangsterism, which was the closing night film at the most recent Onion City Experimental Film Festival in Chicago. The only question, as I type this Thursday afternoon, is whether the weather will force us to move the screening indoors. Either way, things will start at 8:30pm at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, 227 State Street. Again, you can read Grant Phipps’s comments on Gansterism in his overview of Rooftop Cinema at Isthmus.
Also going on tonight: Side Room Cinematheque presents “Works by Janicza Bravo: A Shortfilm, A Feature, and A Television Pilot” at 9:00pm, at the Aftershock Vintage Arcade (in the “side room,”) 1444 E Washington Ave.
Wisconsin 48hr Film Project and Madison Film Festival
Wisconsin 48hr Film Project has set the entry deadline for their September filming weekend, films from which will be showcased at the Badger Theater in Stoughton.
Early Bird Deadline: Tuesday, August 18
Regular Deadline: Friday, September 11
Filming weekend: September 11-13
World Premieres: Saturday, September 26, starting at 10:00am, Badger Theater, 255 E Main St, Stoughton.
Learn the details at the Wisconsin 48hr Film Project website.
The date for this year’s Madison Film Festival is unfortunately the same Saturday as the Wisconsin 48hr Film Project Premieres! The Madison Film Festival will take place at the Bartell Theater, with awards going to categories including: Best Animated Film; Best Narrative Short Film; Best Documentary Short Film; Best Student Film; Best Screenplay; Best Wisconsin Film; Best Poster. More information (and updates as the Festival approaches) at the Madison Film Festival website.
Two rescheduled screenings: Cinesthesia and Catfish Stephenson
The Madison Public Library Cinesthesia Series screening of WILD AT HEART (1990), directed by David Lynch, has been rescheduled for Tuesday, August 26, MPL Central Branch, 6:30pm.
The “Side Show Premiere” of THE CATFISH STEPHENSON PERFORMANCE FILM has been rescheduled for Friday, August 28, 8:00pm at the Weary Traveller Free House,1201 Williamson St. You can find more information about the film and Catfish Stephenson more generally at the Facebook event page for the screening.
Lea Jacobs discusses her book about director John Ford at University Place, PBS Wisconsin
An interview with film scholar Lea Jacobs, discussing her book John Ford at Work: Production Histories 1927–1939 (Indiana University Press, 2025) will air on the PBS Wisconsin series University Place on September 30. But there’s no need to wait that long! You can watch and listen right now at the PBS Wisconsin website.
UW-Cinematheque Fall 2026 Schedule announced
And talk about burying the lead! You can see what the UW-Cinematheque will be up to this Fall at their website, cinema.wisc.edu.
Too many highlights to go over right now, but two that stand out for me is a 4-film series of films by Indian Telugu-language action filmmaker S.S. Rajamouli, in one weekend, November 13-15. And the Madison premiere of John Wilson’s documentary The History of Concrete, Thursday, October 1.
Now Playing In Madison: August 5–August 10, 2026
Please confirm showtimes with the venues (follow venue links where provided). The commercial theaters update their weekend listings on Wednesdays. Another valuable source that posts on Wednesdays with now playing lists is The Horizon Line Madison. When possible, I will provide links to reviews by Rob Thomas at Not That Rob Thomas, who gets around to far more proper reviews than I do.
Comments here are not reviews of the films, they are usually a response to the trailer, a summary of the buzz I have heard, or just snark. They are not always particularly accurate, according to reader feedback. I add trailers to new films of interest that you might not know about (American indies, international features, etc.).
MMoCA Cinema, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art
GANGSTERISM (2025), Thursday, August 13, 8:30pm
See notes above.
Highway 18 Outdoor Theater, Jefferson, Wisconsin
WUD Film Lakeside Cinema
LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (1986), The Terrace @ Memorial Union, Monday, 8/17, 9:00 P.M.
Lakeside Cinema, Monday nights at the Memorial Union Terrace returns with monthly themes: “Back to the 80’s” (August).
Commercial Theaters:
AMC Theatres
Flix Brewhouse
Marcus Theatres (Palace and Point)
Please confirm showtimes with the venues (follow venue links where provided). The commercial theaters update their weekend listings on Wednesdays. Another valuable source that posts on Wednesdays with now playing lists is The Horizon Line Madison. When possible, I will provide links to reviews by Rob Thomas at Not That Rob Thomas, who gets around to far more proper reviews than I do.
Comments here are not reviews of the films, they are usually a response to the trailer, a summary of the buzz I have heard, or just snark. They are not always particularly accurate, according to reader feedback. I add trailers to new films of interest that you might not know about (American indies, international features, etc.).
AUGUST CRUNCHYROLL ANIME NIGHTS - YOUR LETTER (2026) at AMC, Point.
BATWARA 1947 at AMC
BRINK OF WAR, THE (2026) at AMC, Point, Palace, Flix.
CATVIDEOFEST at Flix.
COOKIE QUEENS (2026) at AMC, Point.
DC (2026) at AMC.
EAST OF EDEN (1955) at AMC.
ELIJAH PEEL (2026) at Point.
END OF OAK STREET, THE (2026) at AMC, Point, Palace, Flix.
HADESTOWN: THE MUSICAL (2026) at AMC, Point.
I WANT YOUR SEX (2026) at AMC.
ICE CREAM MAN (2026) at AMC, Point.
IMAX SPACE STATION 3D at AMC.
KATSEYE: WILD HEARTS (2026) at AMC, Point, Palace.
MINIONS & MONSTERS (2026) at AMC, Point, Palace.
MOANA (2026) at AMC, Point, Palace.
MUPPET MOVIE, THE at Point.
MUPPET TREASURE ISLAND at AMC.
NIMRODS (2026) at AMC.
ODYSSEY, THE (2026) at AMC, Point, Palace, Flix.
ONE NIGHT ONLY (2026) at AMC, Point, Palace, Flix.
PAW PATROL: THE DINO MOVIE (2026) at AMC, Point, Palace, Flix.
POINT BREAK 35TH ANNIVERSARY (2026) at AMC, Point, Flix.
RIVALS OF AMZIAH KING, THE (2026) at AMC, Point.
SHE’S THE MAN at Flix.
SHEEP IN THE BOX (2026) at AMC, Point.
SIX: THE MUSICAL LIVE! (2026) at AMC, Point, Palace.
SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY (2026) at AMC, Point, Palace, Flix.
SUPER TROOPERS 3 (2026) at AMC, Point, Palace, Flix.
TOY STORY 5 (2026) at AMC, Point, Palace, Flix.
TRAIN TO BUSAN - 10TH ANNIVERSARY REMASTERED & REVIVED (2026) at AMC.
UECK (2026) at Point.
VISHWANATH AND SONS (2026) at Point.
WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER: 25TH ANNIVERSARY (2026) at AMC, Point, Flix.
WRONG GIRLS, THE (2026) at AMC, Point.
YOUR NAME. 10TH ANNIVERSARY (2026) at AMC, Point.
Have you used the Now Showing in Madison listings at least once to find something interesting to see? Have you discovered a film that you didn’t realize was playing in town? Please consider supporting these efforts directly by clicking the “Buy Me a Popcorn” button and making a modest donation on those occasions when you find this resource valuable to your moviegoing in Madison.
Looking Ahead:
Local filmmaker Michael Doyle Olson has started what he hopes to be a comprehensive, collaborative public calendar of alternative film screenings in Madison. It is still a work in progress, but check it out at www.mdo.me/film.
MMoCA Cinema, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art
Screenings begin about 20 minutes after sunset.
KIN DZA-DZA!, Thursday, August 20
Side Room Cinematheque
Second Thursday of the month, and last Monday of the month.
DM @sideroomcinematic (Instagram) for screening details.
Cinesthesia at Madison Public Library Central Branch
WILD AT HEART (David Lynch, 1987), Wednesday, August 26, 6:30pm
Four Star Video at Lola’s Sidecar Lounge, 617 North Sherman Avenue
THE LOVED ONE (1965), Wednesday, August 19, 7:00pm
Marquee Cinema, Union South, 1308 West Dayton Street
THE UGLY LITTLE MONKEYS, Thursday, September 10, 6:00pm.
Documentary about Los Changuitos Feos de Tucson, a group of kids who grew up in the 1960s, in the working class barrios of Tucson, Arizona. Filmmakers David Valdez and Enrique Castillo will be in attendance. Free, reserve seats at Eventbrite page.
Also: August 19th and 26th are Wednesdays.
Batwara 1947 (2026) @ AMC
East of Eden is 1955.
Cheers!
JoAnne