Steamboat Bill Jr.

Opening:

THE ORANGES—Suburban satire about two New Jersey families torn apart when the teenaged daughter of one sets her eyes on the dad next door. Starring Hugh Laurie, Leighton Meester, Catherine Keener, Oliver Platt, Alia Shawkat and Allison Janney. Directed by Julian Farino (Byron). North Park

RISE OF THE GUARDIANS—Animated fare about Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and other childhood favorites banding together to battle an evil spirit. Directed by Peter A. Ramsey. Aurora, Flix, Maple Ridge, Market Arcade, Regal Elmwood, Regal Niagara Falls, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive-In

RED DAWN—Remake of the 1980s fantasy about teens defending the homeland from enemy invaders (originally Chinese, but re-digitized into North Koreans after the filmmakers realized they’d lose the Chinese market). Starring Chris Hemsworth, Josh Peck, Josh Hutcherson, Adrianne Palicki, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Directed by Dan Bradley, Flix, Maple Ridge, Market Arcade, Regal Elmwood, Regal Niagara Falls, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria, Transit Drive-In

SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK—Romantic comedy starring Bradley Cooper as a troubled man trying to get his life in order after a spell in a mental-health institution. With Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver, Julia Stiles and Chris Tucker. Directed by David O. Russell (The Fighter). See the feature this issue. Regal Transit

ETC:

Buster Keaton double feature: THE GENERAL (1927). and STEAMBOAT BILL JR. (1928)—Two films by Buster Keaton that are guaranteed to make a convert of anyone who thinks they wouldn’t like “silent movies.” Both push the barriers of cinema in ways that still surprise modern audiences, and both are wildly funny. Sun, Thurs 7 pm. Screening Room

MADOKA MAGICA THE MOVIE—Anime about a 14-year-old girl who gains magical powers in exchange for agreeing to battle witches. Tickets for this four-hour event are $20. Fri 2 pm, Sat 1 pm. Screening Room

RAY HARRYHAUSEN: SPECIAL EFFECTS TITAN—Documentary with Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, Ray Bradbury and others talking about the creator of stop-motion effects whose name was often more prominent than the titles of the films he worked on. Fri-Sat 9 pm. Screening Room

SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN (1952)—The one Hollywood musical that everyone likes, even people who hate musicals. A story parodying the movies’ transition from silents to sound is the backdrop for some still astonishing dance numbers featuring Gene Kelly and Donald O’Connor (whose “Make ‘Em Laugh” sequence is one of the most amazing things you’ll ever see.) With Debbie Reynolds, Jean Hagen, Rita Moreno and Cyd Charisse. Fri—Sat 7 pm Screening Room

THE STORY OF FILM AN ODYSSEY—The fifth installment of the epic documentary by Irish film critic Mark Cousins, an ambitious history of cinema that covers the global filmmaking community from the 1890s through the present day. If you don’t have four years to spend in film school, this is the next best thing. Weds 7 pm Screening Room

WHITE MATERIAL (2009)— Isabelle Huppert stars as a Frenchwoman who refuses to abandon the African coffee plantation she owns despite a worsening political climate. Co-starring Isaach De Bankole, and Christophe Lambert. Directed by Claire Denis (Beau Travail). Presented as part of the Buffalo Film Seminar. Tues. 7 pm. Market Arcade.