Weirdos need weirdos. It is a recurring theme across the history of movies, with titles as diverse as “Freaks,” “The Breakfast Club,” and “The Suicide Squad” all heralding the need for outcasts to find their people. But what happens when those people aren’t people at all? Or even from this planet?
Ever since “E.T.” phoned home in 1982, filmmakers have used alien encounters as metaphors for the outsider experience, crafting some of the most heartfelt coming-of-age stories in movie history. Sometimes the alien comes to town (think “Iron Giant,” “Lilo & Stitch,” and cult curio “Mac and Me”), other times our hero gets whisked away, like in ’80s adventures “The Last Starfighter” and “Flight of the Navigator.”
Pixar’s “Elio,” a new animated feature coming to The Triplex this week, continues the tradition with the story of a young boy beamed up to an intergalactic assembly when he is mistaken as the ruler of Earth.
Like the classics before it, “Elio” is a tribute to empathy—to what happens when we stop being afraid of the unknown and start trying to understand it. These stories remind us that connection can come from the most unexpected places and that, sometimes, the best way to find ourselves is by reaching out to someone—or something—completely different.
Now Playing
“How to Train Your Dragon”
A high-flying adaptation of the animated classic.
Set a course for the Isle of Berk next Friday when “How To Train Your Dragon” comes soaring into The Triplex! The live-action adaptation of the beloved animated franchise follows young viking Hiccup as he defies centuries of tradition by befriending Toothless, a feared Night Fury dragon. Along with their friends, Hiccup and Toothless confront a world of fear and misunderstanding while taking on an ancient threat that endangers humans and dragons alike.
Continues this week.
“The Phoenician Scheme”
A madcap caper from Wes Anderson.
Packed to the brim with an ensemble led by Benecio Del Toro and featuring Mia Threapleton, Michael Cera, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Willem Dafoe, Riz Ahmed, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, and many more, “The Phoenician Scheme” follows Del Toro’s businessman Zsa-zsa Korda as he appoints his only daughter, a nun (Threapleton), as sole heir to his estate, making them the target of scheming tycoons, foreign terrorists, and determined assassins.
Continues this week.
“F1”
Thirty years after an accident derailed his career, Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) is pulled back into the world of Formula 1 racing by a former teammate (Javier Bardem) looking to save his team. Director Joseph Kosinski (“Top Gun: Maverick”) puts you in the driver seat for “F1,” a high-octane exploration of the world’s most elite racing circuit that follows Sonny as he tries his best to outrun his past and find the road to redemption.
Starts June 27.
“Jurassic World Rebirth”
Gear up for director Gareth Edwards’ (“Rogue One,” “Godzilla”) new take on the iconic franchise that sees a group of scientists and mercenaries (including Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, and Jonathan Bailey of “Wicked”) venture into the dinosaur hot zone to extract the genetic material needed to make a life-altering drug in “Jurassic World Rebirth.”
Starts July 2.
“Monty Python and the Holy Grail”
We are teaming up with Berkshire Busk! and Boondocks Film Society to take our “1975 at 50” series outside! Join us at sundown on Friday, July 4, as we screen the comedy classic “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” on the lawn at Great Barrington Town Hall Park. Bring a picnic and sit under the stars as we trek along with the Pythons for a surreal medieval quest featuring fierce knights, puzzling bridgekeepers, and the most ferocious rabbit you will ever encounter.
July 4 at sundown in Great Barrington Town Hall Park.
“Superman”
Eyes up here! Director James Gunn (“Guardians of the Galaxy”) brings his kinetic love of comics to one of the most iconic figures in American pop culture with “Superman,” coming to The Triplex on July 11! A new take on the story of Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and the citizens of Metropolis sees Kal-El (David Cornsweat) trying to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage while dealing with the mounting pressures of being the protector of Earth.
Starts July 11.
