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AT THE TRIPLEX: Epic runtimes

A three-hour-plus film is like a cinematic house of cards: The bigger it gets without collapsing under its own weight, the more impressive it becomes.

Who has the time for a four-hour movie?

Arguably, all of us. In the post-COVID landscape, it is hard to find someone who hasn’t sunk an afternoon into binging an entire season of a show. But episodic television provides the illusion of control: built-in breaks, the ability to pause, get up, and restart at your convenience. Movies, on the other hand, demand commitment. You have to drive to a theater. Sit in a chair. Wear clothes.

“Lawrence of Arabia,” 2024. Photo courtesy of Sony.

But fully immersing yourself in a long movie pays off in a way television can’t. A three-hour-plus film is like a cinematic house of cards: The bigger it gets without collapsing under its own weight, the more impressive it becomes.

These are movies that often carry the label of “epic” to a Best Picture win at the Academy Awards—think “Gone with the Wind,” “Lawrence of Arabia,” “Titanic,” or “Oppenheimer.” (“The Brutalist,” now playing at The Triplex, is poised to join this list next month.) Long runtimes also allow for large-scale spectacle in movies like “Spartacus,” “The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King,” “Avengers: Endgame,” and “Avatar: The Way of Water.”

“The Brutalist,” 2024. Photo courtesy of A24.

This kind of large-scale experience allowed movies like “Gone with the Wind” to offer advance ticketing at sky-high prices in the 1930s. In the late ’50s and ’60s, extended runtimes saw a resurgence as studios fought to win back audiences from television. Today, studios seem to be using event films to combat the distractions of social media. When so much digital content is designed for quick consumption, these movies are designed to pull you in completely—the lights go down, and for a few hours, your perspective shifts.

They are a reminder of what movies can do—and why it is worth going to the theater to see them. Even if it means putting on pants.

Now Playing

“The Brutalist”
Nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

Director Brady Corbet (“Vox Lux”) creates a towering cinematic tribute to the immigrant experience in “The Brutalist.” The story of brilliant architect László Tóth (Oscar winner Adrien Brody), who comes to America after surviving the holocaust and struggles to achieve the American dream while realizing his architectural masterwork. A Golden Globes winner for Best Picture, Actor, and Director, “The Brutalist” is a sweeping cinematic epic that needs to be seen on the big screen.

Join Elihu Rubin, architectural historian and Henry Hart Rice Associate Professor of Architecture and Urban Studies at the Yale School of Architecture, joins us for a discussion about “The Brutalist” following the 1:30 p.m. screening on February 2. 

“The Brutalist,” 2025. Photo courtesy of A24.

“Dog Man”
A new family film from the creators of “Captain Underpants.”

When a faithful police dog and his human police officer owner are injured together on the job, a harebrained but life-saving surgery fuses the two of them together and Dog Man is born. Based on Dav Pilkey’s beloved graphic novels, “Dog Man” features the voice talents of Pete Davidson, Isla Fisher, Lil Rel Howery, Ricky Gervais, and more in this mad-cap adventure that is a celebration of silliness.

Starts Friday!

“Dog Man,” 2025. Photo courtesy of Universal.

“A Complete Unknown”
The story of how Bob Dylan transformed into a defiant icon.

James Mangold, director of “Walk the Line,” brings the electric true story of Bob Dylan to the big screen in “A Complete Unknown.” Timothée Chalamet stars and sings in this depiction of Dylan’s transformation from an enigmatic 19-year-old from Minnesota to the defiant icon who changed music forever.

Continues this week!

“A Complete Unknown,” 2024. Photo courtesy of Disney.

“The Room Next Door”
A meditation on life, loss, and friendship from Pedro Almodóvar.

Legendary director Pedro Almodóvar makes his English-language debut with “The Room Next Door,” a moving meditation on the beauty of friendship, life, and death. Academy Award winners Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore star as Ingrid and Martha, two women who reconnect when Ingrid learns that Martha has terminal cancer. As the old friends come together for an extreme yet strangely sweet reunion, they explore the memories of what brought them together in the first place.

Ends Thursday!

“The Room Next Door,” 2024. Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Classic.

Coming Soon

“The Last Showgirl”

Pamela Anderson takes on the role of a lifetime in “The Last Showgirl,” Gia Coppola’s tender look at the waning days of a long-running Las Vegas show. Featuring superb performances from Jamie Lee Curtis, Dave Bautista, Billie Lourd, and Kiernan Shipka, “The Last Showgirl” is a testament to the resilience and spirit of the working class artist.

Our first limited engagement of 2024, “The Last Showgirl” plays for one week from February 7 to 13.

“The Last Showgirl,” 2024. Photo courtesy of Roadside Attractions.

“Borderland”

Join director Pamela Yates and producer Pablo de Onis as they lead a conversation following a screening of their film “Borderland | The Line Within,” a documentary that follows immigrant activists as they organize against the militarized border industrial complex. Presented by the Anti-Imperialist Solidarity, tickets are offered on a sliding scale with proceeds going toward Roots, Dreams, and Mustard Seeds to help fund know-your-rights training.

February 13.

“Borderland,” 2024. Photo courtesy of Skylight.

“Roman Holiday”

Enjoy a Valentine’s Day matinée of one the greatest romantic comedies of all time! Winner of three Academy Awards including Best Actress, “Roman Holiday” follows Audrey Hepburn’s beleaguered Princess Ann as she sneaks away from her responsibilities for an incognito trip through Rome. When American journalist Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck) discovers her true identity, he accompanies her in the hope of scooping a story—only to fall in love along the way.

Friday, February 14, at 5 p.m.

“Roman Holiday,” 1953. Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

“Wild at Heart”

We are honoring the legacy of visionary director David Lynch with “Time to Wake Up,” a new series celebrating the swirl of darkness, romance, and Americana that made Lynch one of the greatest to ever step behind a camera.

We kick things off on Valentine’s Day weekend with “Wild at Heart,” Lynch’s Palme D’Or-winning love story starring Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern and featuring Willem Defoe, Diane Ladd, Isabella Rossellini, and more in supporting roles. When young lovers Sailor (Cage) and Lulu (Dern) hit the road to escape Lulu’s domineering mother (Ladd), they become entangled in a violent criminal underworld that will test the strength of their love.

Saturday, February 15, at 8:30 p.m.

“Wild at Heart,” 1990. Photo courtesy of Park Circus.

“Paddington in Peru”

The very best bear returns for another adventure in “Paddington in Peru”! The third installment in the beloved family franchise follows Paddington and the Browns as they travel to Paddington’s native Peru to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy, only to discover that she has gone missing. Featuring an over-the-top Antonio Banderas and Olivia Colman in supporting roles, “Paddington in Peru” is a heartwarming adventure that is as sweet as marmalade.

Starts February 14.

“Paddington in Peru,” 2025. Photo courtesy of Sony.

“Captain America: Brave New World”

Anthonie Mackie picks up the shield in “Captain America: Brave New World,” the latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Drawing on inspiration from conspiracy classics from the 1970s, “Brave New World” finds Mackie’s Sam Wilson as the one man who can stop a shadowy cabal from provoking a hot-head president (Harrison Ford) into bringing the world to war.

Starts February 14.

“Captain America: Brave New World,” 2025. Photo courtesy of Disney.
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