So much happening: Madison movie news highlights
Mary Sweeney at Ctek; Lori Felker at ArtLitLab; MMoCA Rooftop Cinema; Eephus at Bartell; new Wisconsin film office; and more.
Click here for Now Showing in Madison, July 8–July 14, 2025
Hot Times, Cinema in the City
Wow, there’s a lot going on! Even the commercial theaters have some interesting international offerings this week, see the embedded trailers in the Now Playing section below. Here’s a quick overview of what’s coming up and highlights of a few recent events.
Producer / Editor Mary Sweeney at UW-Cinematheque tomorrow night!
Longtime David Lynch collaborator and partner Mary Sweeney will introduce and discuss a program of early short films by Lynch, as well as a season two episode of Twin Peaks, “Lonely Souls.” If you’ve never had a chance to hear Sweeney discuss her work, you should try to catch this tomorrow night, 7pm, 4070 Vilas Hall. Or catch her other Ctek appearance this summer with Mulholland Dr. on July 23.
Filmmaker Lori Felker at Arts + Literature Laboratory, Monday, July 15, 7:00pm
Arts + Literature Laboratory welcomes filmmaker Lori Felker to present her short film, Patient (2023). The film will be followed by a discussion on empathy and healthcare between the director and members of the cast. Listen to Lori discuss the short film and her planned feature length version in the WORT-FM 8 O’Clock Buzz archives.
MMoCA Rooftop Cinema Schedule!
I’ll have a lot more to say about this in the coming days! But for now, I’m happy to announce the lineup for Rooftop Cinema this summer:
July 21: The Cathedral of New Emotions
August 7: Sugarcane
August 14: I-BE AREA
August 21: Milwaukee Experimental Films (lineup details coming soon).
Carson Lund’s Eephus at the Bartell Theatre, Saturday, July 19, 5:00pm
The film programming at the Bartell Theatre continues to evolve. I’m looking forward to speaking with Grant Phipps (Tone Madison film coverage editor) about his efforts to bring Eephus and the short film Deuce (Margo Budzyna, 2025) to the big screen in Madison.
Film Office and film incentives return to Wisconsin in new state budget
Following filmmaker Nathan Deming’s social media channels, I saw his updates on state support for filmmaking in Wisconsin. “Wisconsin will finally again have film incentives AND a film office,” Deming reported on Facebook shortly after the budget was signed last Thursday. Here’s some local coverage from WISC-TV/Channel 3000.
Grand Opening for Madison Museum of Art and Technology
Another topic I will return to in more detail in the coming weeks: The Madison Museum of Art and Technology held its grand opening in the Roundhouse Studios at 1741 Commercial Avenue back on June 29. I walked around and shot some video with the intention of editing something together for you. But then I discovered that Channel 3000 did a nice short piece, saving me the trouble.
I played more of an news aggregator role in this week’s Monday post, but stay tuned for more of that insightful film commentary that you know and love in upcoming editions.
Now Playing In Madison: July 8 to July 14, 2025
The Monday listings are now updates of the listings assembled on Thursdays for the Paid Subscription posts. The Monday listings still provide the best information available at the time of publication, but will not include many Thursday/Friday openings. Always confirm screening times with the venues.
Wisconsin Union Directorate Film
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD 7/14
DO THE RIGHT THING 7/21
Arts + Literature Laboratory
PATIENT (short), with filmmaker Lori Felker in person, Tuesday, July 15, 7:00pm
Visit Arts + Literature Laboratory website for details.
UW-Cinematheque
Cinematheque programming will resume on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays June 25 through August 1. All screenings begin at 7:00pm
SHORT FILMS OF DAVID LYNCH with Mary Sweeney in person, 7/9
Visit UW-Cinematheque website for details.
AND NOW MY LOVE (TOUTE UNE VIE) 7/10
IT’S A GIFT 7/11
SCARECROW 7/16
HAPPY NEW YEAR 7/4
THE MYSTERY OF CHESS BOXING 7/18
Really looking forward to this one!
AMC Theatres, Flix Brewhouse, Marcus Theatres
40 ACRES (2025) at AMC.
ABRAHAM'S BOYS: A DRACULA STORY (2025) at AMC.
Adapted from a Joe Hill short story, this followes Max and Rudy Van Helsing, sons of Abraham Van Helsing of vampire hunting fame. AMC doesn’t have an image on their page for this. Shudder acquired this after its premiere at the Overlook Film Festival.
BALLERINA (2025) at AMC.
DESPICABLE ME 4 (2024) at AMC.
28 YEARS LATER (2025) at AMC, Point, Palace, Flix.
ELIO (2025) at AMC, Point, Palace, Flix.
F1 THE MOVIE (2025) at AMC, Point, Palace, Flix.
GALAPAGOS 3D (1999) at AMC.
Educational IMAX film.
GARFIELD MOVIE (2025), THE at Point, Palace.
Marcus Kids Dream Summer Series
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON (2025) at AMC, Point, Palace, Flix.
JURASSIC WORLD REBIRTH (2025) at AMC, Point, Palace, Flix.
KUNG FU PANDA 4 (2024) at AMC, Point, Palace.
Hmm, overlap between Marcus Kids Dream Summer Series and AMC Summer Movie Camp. There must not be enough kids films out there.
LIFE OF CHUCK (2025), THE at AMC.
LILO & STITCH (2025) at AMC, Point, Palace, Flix.
MAALIK (2025) at AMC.
Indian Hindi-language gangster action drama.
MALICE (2025) at AMC.
Chinese mystery thriller. Journalist investigates malpractice at a hospital after the deaths of a cancer patient and a nurse.
MATERIALISTS (2025) at AMC, Point, Flix.
M3GAN 2.0 (2025) at AMC, Point, Palace, Flix.
METRO... IN DINO (2025) at AMC.
Indian Hindi-language romantic drama. Portraits of contemporary couples. Described as a spiritual sequel to director Anurag Basu’s 2007 Life in a . . . Metro.
MINIONS (2015) at Flix.
Flix Faves series.
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - THE FINAL RECKONING (2025) at AMC, Point, Palace, Flix.
ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST 50TH ANNIVERSARY (2025), THE at Palace.
PHOENICIAN SCHEME (2025), THE at AMC, Point.
QUEEN OF MY DREAMS (2024), THE at AMC.
This premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, and played South by Southwest and BFI London, among other festivals. Raised in Canada, Azra (Amrit Kaur) returns to Pakistan after the death of her father.
SCREAM (1996) at Flix.
SKILLHOUSE at AMC, Point, Palace.
Social media influencers are kidnapped and forced into a fight for survival. “From the writer of Saw,” because of course it is. Not my cup of tea, but the presence of 50 Cent, who has an interesting cinematic legacy all his own, intrigues me. Might have been an interesting hate-watch if this were a slower week.
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG (2020) at Flix.
SUPERMAN (2025) at AMC, Point, Palace, Flix.
Remember how great it felt in the first few minutes of Superman Returns (2006) to hear John Williams’s Superman theme, and then see Superman intervene against bad guys with bullets bouncing off his chest like in a Fleischer Superman cartoon? And then how bad it felt coming out of the theater when the great potential for Superman Returns was squandered? This better not repeat that experience. I’m talking to you, James Gunn.
THAMMUDU (2025) at AMC.
THIS IS SPINAL TAP 41ST ANNIVERSARY (2025) at Point.
I’m still waiting for the “Big Bottom Cut” or the 4.5 hour workprint bootleg to get some kind of official release.
Looking Ahead:
Cinesthesia, Madison Public Library Central Branch
DOUBLE INDEMNITY, Wednesday, July 16, 6:30pm
Bartell Theatre
EEPHUS (with short DEUCE) Saturday, July 19, 5pm
See news highlights, above.
Rooftop Cinema, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art
THE CATHEDRAL OF NEW EMOTIONS 7/31, 9pm (after sunset)
SUGARCANE 8/7
I-BE AREA 8/14
MILWAUKEE EXPERIMENTAL FILMS 8/21