Now Showing now, more Moving Image Madison soon
Catching up with non-Substack life, stay tuned for Moving Image Madison content when I catch up with some films.
Scroll down for Now Showing in Madison, November 4–11, 2025
A very short post today. I wanted to make sure to get the Now Showing list out to you, because there are some last-chance screenings before mid-week. In particular, we (you and I) have two more opportunities to see Kelly Reichardt’s The Mastermind before it leaves after Wednesday night (unless it gets another extension, which I doubt. I thought that Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein was going to leave Flix Brewhouse as well, but it looks like it will continue at least through the weekend.
It’s not like I’m not watching films. Over the weekend, I watched about 15 short films as a judge for the 48 Hour Film Project (I watched the other 15 or so at the Bartell screening the previous weekend). Then I had a wonderful experience determining the prize winners as a member of a three-person jury. The awards screening, Wisconsin Thrillers Awards 2025, will screen at the Bartell Theater on Saturday, November 22 at 2:00pm.
And if that weren’t enough, I start teaching my Film Conversations class tomorrow. We’ll be discussing Fellini’s 8 1/2, and discuss broad viewing strategies for classic art cinema. We’ll follow up with watching Godard’s Breathless and Tati’s Playtime on Kanopy, and discussing them on Tuesday nights. It is still possible to register as a drop-in for the remaining classes (there will be three meetings in December).
If you haven’t had a chance already, be sure to read Grant Phipps’ Tone Madison overview of Project Projection screenings of work by Madison and Dane County filmmakers. It has been very rewarding to nurture the screenings since 2018, and that work has started to pay off with regular contributors and new filmmakers every session. If you’re interested in screening your experimental film, short doc, animation, or music video, consider submitting it to the next Project Projection screening on Wednesday, January 21, 2026.
I really enjoyed writing the One Battle After Another piece, and received some very kind responses to it. I’m hoping to find the right balance so I can have fun writing deeper dives into individual films like that, while still maintaining a schedule for regular content. If you have any suggestions (about the current schedule, not about the self-imposed deadlines that I’ve missed!) please message me.
By the way, I’ve also enjoyed One Battle After Another-related installments of the comic Reel Politik at Instagram account @gelgud. Read one of the many good ones at this link.
Now Playing In Madison: November 4–11, 2025
Please confirm showtimes with the venues (follow venue links where provided). The commercial theaters update their weekend listings on Wednesdays.
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.
Wisconsin Union Directorate Film
STRANGE JOURNEY: THE STORY OF ROCKY HORROR 11/6
LABYRINTH (1986) 11/7, 6:30PM
PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE (1974) 11/7, 9PM
THE BIRDS (1963) 11/8, 6:30PM
YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (1974) 11/8, 9:15PM
POLISH FILM FESTIVAL 11/9
CHOPIN, CHOPIN, 3PM
BIAŁA ODWAGA (WHITE COURAGE, 2024) 6PM
UW-Cinematheque
LEFT-HANDED GIRL, 11/6
PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK, 11/7
THE GREAT DICTATOR, 11/8
AMC Theatres, Flix Brewhouse, Marcus Theatres
Always check the respective websites to confirm dates and showtimes. I add trailers to new films of interest that you might not know about (American indies, international features, etc.).
The following films are playing at AMC Fitchburg 18, Marcus Palace Cinema, Marcus Point Cinema, and Flix Brewhouse between Tuesday, November 4, and Monday, November 11:
AMC SCREEN UNSEEN: NOVEMBER 10 at AMC.
ANNIVERSARY (2025) at AMC, Palace, Point.
Dystopian political thriller, starring Diane Lane and Kyle Chandler.
BAAHUBALI: THE EPIC at AMC, Point.
Indian Telugu-language epic action film, which is a re-edited single-film version of Baahubali: The Beginning (2015) and Baahubali: The Conclusion (2017). Tempted to see this again (condensed) if I can find 225 minutes of spare time. Worth a look if you missed the originals.
BACK TO THE FUTURE: 40TH ANNIVERSARY at AMC, Flix, Palace, Point.
BLACK PHONE 2 (2025) at AMC, Flix, Palace, Point.
BLUE MOON at Point.
BUGONIA (2025) at AMC, Flix, Palace, Point.
The latest from director Yorgos Lanthimos, starring Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons
CHAINSAW MAN - THE MOVIE: REZE ARC (2025) at AMC, Flix, Palace, Point.
CHICKEN RUN 25TH ANNIVERSARY (2025) at AMC, Palace, Point.
CHICKEN RUN: DAWN OF THE NUGGET at Flix.
I didn’t realize that this was released on Netflix in December 2023. I’m really out of touch with Aardman Animations.
CHRISTY (2025) at AMC, Flix, Palace, Point.
Boxing drama starring Sydney Sweeney. Read Rob Thomas’ review.
DIE MY LOVE (2025) at AMC, Flix, Palace, Point.
Black comedy/drama directed by Lynne Ramsay (Movern Collar, 2002; You Were Never Really Here, 2017), starring Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson.
DOUBLE FEATURE: HALLOW ROAD / VINCENT MUST DIE at AMC.
The first film in this horror double feature stars Rosamund Pike and Matthew Rhys. I didn’t read much further about the second feature because I’m not going to a horror double feature after Halloween.
FRANKENSTEIN (2025) at Flix.
I’m still hoping to see this on the big screen rather than on Netflix, if I have a chance in the next few days.
GABBY’S DOLLHOUSE: THE MOVIE (2025) at AMC.
GOOD FORTUNE (2025) at AMC, Palace, Point.
GRAND PRIX OF EUROPE (2025) at AMC, Palace, Point.
This week’s children’s animated feature without any recognizable intellectual property assets.
IF I HAD LEGS I’D KICK YOU (2025) at AMC, Point.
Rose Byrne won Best Leading Peformance at the Berlin Film Festival for her work here, directed by Mary Bronstein (director of Yeast, actress in Ronald Bronstein’s Frownland).
KAREN KINGSBURY’S THE CHRISTMAS RING at AMC, Palace, Point.
‘Tis the season for holiday romance, like this adaptation of Karen Kingsbury’s novel, which itself was just released on October 21, according to Amazon.
LITTLE AMÉLIE OR THE CHARACTER OF RAIN (2025) at AMC.
French/Belgian co-produced animated feature. Winner of the Audience Award at the 2025 Annecy Animation Film Festival. Man oh man, this looks so much better than Grand Prix of Europe (see above).
LOST & FOUND IN CLEVELAND at Palace, Point.
Indie comedy with an ensemble cast.
MARCUS MYSTERY MOVIE at Palace, Point.
MARY J. BLIGE: FOR MY FANS at Palace.
MASTERMIND, THE (2025) at AMC.
As far as I can tell, we only have until Wednesday evening to see the latest film from Kelly Reichardt. Gonna try to catch it.
METROPOLITAN OPERA: LA BOHEME, THE (2025) at Palace, Point.
NOBODY (2025) at AMC.
NUREMBERG (2025) at AMC, Flix, Palace, Point.
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER (2025) at AMC, Flix, Point.
ORACLES OF GOD: THE STORY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT at Palace, Point.
Faith-based documentary.
PARANORMAN (REMASTERED) at AMC.
PETS ON A TRAIN (2025) at AMC, Palace.
PREDATOR: BADLANDS (2025) at AMC, Flix, Palace, Point.
I recently read Harry Harrison’s Deathworld (1960), and the Badlands trailer made me think of it immediately. I might eventually catch up with this one at some point.
REGRETTING YOU (2025) at AMC, Flix, Palace, Point.
Adaptation of the 2019 best selling novel by Susan McMartin, starring Allison Williams, Mckenna Grace, and Dave Franco
ROCKY IV: ROCKY VS. DRAGO - THE DIRECTOR’S CUT at Flix, Palace, Point.
ROOFMAN (2025) at AMC, Palace, Point.
SARAH’S OIL (2025) at AMC, Palace, Point.
Based on a true story in 1910 Oklahoma. A young girl inherits land, and she’s convinced that there’s oil to be discovered.
SECRET FLIX at Flix.
SELF-HELP (2025) at AMC.
Horror film.
SHELBY OAKS (2025) at AMC, Flix, Palace, Point.
SPRINGSTEEN: DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE (2025) at AMC, Flix, Palace, Point.
STITCH HEAD (2025) at AMC, Palace, Point.
STRANGERS: CHAPTER 2, THE at Palace, Point.
TRON: ARES (2025) at AMC, Flix, Palace, Point.
TWILIGHT (2025) at AMC.
TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PART 1, THE (2025) at AMC.
TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PART 2, THE (2025) at AMC.
TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE, THE (2025) at AMC.
TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON, THE (2025) at AMC.
V FOR VENDETTA at Flix.
VIOLENT ENDS (2025) at AMC, Point.
Good guy raised in violent Ozark Mountain family gets pulled back into the violence.
VIRGIN PUNK CLOCKWORK GIRL at Palace, Point.
Anime feature film.
WHEN HARRY MET SALLY... at Flix.
WRECKER, THE (2025) at AMC.
Action film starring Danny Trejo, Mena Suvari, and Harvey Keitel.
Looking Ahead:
Mills Folly Microcinema
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS: VIDEOS BY HUGO LJUNGBÄCK 11/19
Hugo Ljungbäck is a Swedish filmmaker, archivist, curator, and media scholar. His videos explore queer history, identity, representation, and sexuality through an autobiographical lens, emphasizing the possibilities afforded by found footage filmmaking in response to the ephemerality of queer history.
Side Room Cinematheque
Consult Instagram @sideroomcinematic for upcoming screenings, second Thursday of the month, and last Monday of the month
Bartell Theatre
DIE HARD 11/21, 8PM
WISCONSIN THRILLERS AWARDS (48 HOUR FILM PROJECT) 11/22, 2PM
GREMLINS 11/23, 3PM
THE WIZARD OF OZ 11/28 7PM
“THE DARK SIDE OF THE RAINBOW” (Wizard of Oz / Dark Side of the Moon) 11/28, 9PM
Atwood Music Hall
A JOHN WATERS CHRISTMAS, Monday, December 15, 7:30pm
[Sold out]