Will I have enough post-Festival strength to see Tsui Hark's The Blade on Saturday, April 18? Yes...I...must...
And Lea Jacobs discusses her new book, John Ford at Work, after the UW-Cinematheque screening of Stagecoach on Friday, April 17
Scroll down for Now Showing in Madison, April 15–20, 2026
A shortened newsletter today, appearing on Wednesday instead of Monday, due to the Wisconsin Film Festival (and the weather!).
Another short post this week, and a little late due to being a little bit busy at the Wisconsin Film Festival. I’ve seen 13 films, so I need to see a few more so that I don’t end up on that unlucky number. I’ve now missed a few from last minute scheduling conflicts and golf-ball sized hail. But I plan to see at least two more: Sholay tonight (which I’ve discussed before) , and The Furious on Thursday.
That is a lot of action. But if I can pace myself, I’ll go back for what is one of the most intense martial arts films I’ve ever seen, Tsui Hark’s The Blade (1995), on Saturday, April 18, 7:00pm, when the UW-Cinematheque resumes its regular programming this weekend.
The Blade is a pretty fantastic film, and I’ve owned both a crappy VCD (Video CD, common for a while in Hong Kong, how’s that for commitment?) and a not-so-great DVD. But I’m pretty sure I saw it for the first time in a 35mm film screening in Vilas Hall (so I’m not sure if it was for a class at the UW-Cinematheque). Purchasing the new Criterion Collection 4K of The Blade is a no-brainer (although I haven’t got around to it yet). But a chance to see it again, with a crowd, on 35mm should be a special treat on Saturday—if my brains have not been turned to mush by then.
Lea Jacobs’ new book: John Ford at Work
I’ve neglected to mention the new book, John Ford at Work, by Lea Jacobs, and I won’t be able to elaborate on it here and now. But if you haven’t caught any of the John Ford films screened at the UW-Cinematheque this season, you should try to catch Stagecoach on Friday, April 17 at 7:00pm. Jacobs will lead a post-screening discussion after the film.
Shortly before its demise, Tone Madison published a piece by Lance Li in which Jacobs discusses the period of Ford’s career she covers in the new book. If you have a moment to read that, it will likely inspire you to go see Stagecoach if you haven’t already made plans to do so.
Easy Come, Easy Go
Last week I mentioned three films whose theatrical run I hoped would last beyond the Festival: the Japanese animated film ChaO at Point, Exit 8, also from Japan, at AMC, and The King’s Warden from South Korea at AMC. Well, one out of three ain’t bad, I suppose: Exit 8 continues its run at Point into this weekend.
I don’t have time, unfortunately, to provide my commentary for this week’s Now Playing listings below. But two Wisconsin Film Festival films have opened commercially this week: Steven Soderbergh’s The Christophers and the Bob Odenkirk actioner Normal. Unless I had a glitch in my Now Playing assembly process, I don’t see any Indian popular cinema in the listings. [Edit, 11:20am: there was a glitch! AMC has Bhooth Bangla (Hindi) and Dacoit: A Love Story (Telugu). Listings below updated.] But unless you want to see Theo Von and David Spade in Busboys for some God-forsaken reason, you should be able to catch some of my alternative suggestions above and not miss a short window for other films playing this week.
Now Playing In Madison: April 15-20, 2026
Please confirm showtimes with the venues (follow venue links where provided). The commercial theaters update their weekend listings on Wednesdays. Another Now Playing source that posts on Wednesdays is The Horizon Line Madison.
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.).
UW Cinematheque
The following films are scheduled to play at UW Cinematheque between Friday, April 17, and Sunday, April 19, 2026, listed in chronological order:
STAGECOACH, 4070 Vilas Hall, Friday, April 17, 7 p.m.
John Ford, USA, 1939, 96 min.
THE BLADE, 4070 Vilas Hall, Saturday, April 18, 7 p.m.
Tsui Hark, Hong Kong, 1995, 105 min.
Wisconsin Union Directorate Film
ROOMMATES (2026) [ADVANCE SCREENING], Union South Marquee Theater, Thursday, 4/16, 7 p.m.
STOP MAKING SENSE (2023) [OPEN CAPTION SCREENING], Union South Marquee Theater, Friday, 4/17, 6:30 p.m.
IRON LUNG (2026), Union South Marquee Theater, Friday, 4/17, 9 p.m.
CINEMA PARADISO (1988), Union South Marquee Theater, Saturday, 4/18, 6 p.m.
THRONE OF BLOOD (1957), Union South Marquee Theater, Saturday, 4/18, 9 p.m.
According to the sources, these free screenings for the UW-Madison community take place in Union South’s state-of-the-art Marquee Theater. There are no film screenings listed in the provided schedules for Wednesday, April 15; Sunday, April 19; or Monday, April 20. As requested, information regarding WUD Film Committee meeting times has been excluded.
Commercial Theaters:
AMC Theatres
Flix Brewhouse
Marcus Theatres (Palace and Point)
AMC SCREAM UNSEEN: APRIL 20 at AMC.
BEAUTIFUL PLANET IMAX, A at AMC.
BHOOTH BANGLA at AMC.
BRIDESMAIDS: 15TH ANNIVERSARY at AMC, Flix, Palace, Point.
BTS WORLD TOUR ‘ARIRANG’ IN JAPAN: LIVE VIEWING at Palace, Point.
BUSBOYS at Palace.
CHRISTOPHERS, THE at AMC, Point.
DACOIT: A LOVE STORY at AMC.
DAZED AND CONFUSED at Flix.
DRAMA, THE at Flix, Palace, Point.
EXIT 8 at Point.
FACES OF DEATH at Flix.
FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF at AMC, Flix, Palace, Point.
HAMLET at AMC.
HOPPERS at Flix, Palace, Point.
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON at Flix.
LEE CRONIN’S THE MUMMY at AMC, Flix, Palace, Point.
LITTLE SOMETHING EXTRA, A at AMC.
LORNE at AMC, Point.
MARCUS MYSTERY MOVIE at Palace, Point.
NORMAL at AMC, Palace, Point.
PROJECT HAIL MARY at Flix, Palace, Point.
READY OR NOT 2: HERE I COME at Flix.
REMINDERS OF HIM at Palace.
SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE, THE at Flix, Palace, Point.
THAT TIME I GOT REINCARNATED AS A SLIME THE MOVIE: SCARLET BOND at Point.
UNDER THE SEA at AMC.
YOU, ME & TUSCANY at AMC, Flix, Palace, 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.
Side Room Cinematheque
Consult Instagram @sideroomcinematic for screening details, second Thursday of the month, and last Monday of the month.
Mills Folly Microcinema
PROJECT PROJECTION: LOCAL FILM AND VIDEO, Wednesday, April 29, 7:00pm
Submission deadline, Friday, April 24. Details at the Project Projection event page at artlitlab.org
Cinesthesia at Madison Public Library Central Branch
KISS ME DEADLY (Robert Aldrich, 1955), Tuesday, April 21, 6:30pm.