Time is the great equalizer. Reflecting on this idea can lead to either nihilism (nothing matters!) or a deep embrace of life (everything matters!).
When movies tackle time, they are usually bittersweet affairs. There is the real-time loss of innocence and stability in Richard Linklater’s “Boyhood”; the examination of where our stories exist among the long history of the universe in Terrence Malick’s “Tree of Life”; or how seemingly mundane people interact with the historical zeitgeist in Robert Zemeckis’ “Forrest Gump.”
Zemeckis returns to the theme of time in “Here,” which opens at The Triplex this week. Reuniting with his “Forrest Gump” writer Eric Roth and stars Tom Hanks and Robin Wright, Zemeckis plants his camera down in one spot and tells the story of generations of families as they live, lose, and move on from a place they all called home.
Megan Park’s “My Old Ass,” also opening at The Triplex this week, gets at this dynamic in a different way. When Elliott (Gotham Award nominee Maisy Stella) takes mushrooms on her 18th birthday, she begins to communicate with her 39-year-old self (Aubrey Plaza). This quasi-time-travel device allows Park to explore the relationship between our present and past selves and the hindsight that we develop after those moments have passed.
An examination of time can be a celebration of the small moments that make up most of our lives, and also a mourning for the fact that we don’t realize how good we have it until it is too late. Though bittersweet, movies like these remind us to savor the present. This moment will never come again, because—whether we like it or not—time is always moving forward.
Now Playing
“Wag the Dog”
Barry Levinson’s political satire closes out our “Dying in Darkness” series.
As a presidential sex scandal begins to go public, spin doctor Conrad Brean (Robert DeNiro) enlists Hollywood producer Stanley Motss (Dustin Hoffman) to produce a fictional war that will distract the media and the public. Released shortly before the real-life Clinton-Lewinsky scandal swept the nation, “Wag the Dog” perfectly predicted the ways political narratives could be manipulated in the cable-news era.
Before the movie, Bill Shein, founding editor of The Berkshire Argus and a recipient of the National Press Club’s Award for Humor for his column “Reason Gone Mad,” will discuss the way that Hollywood has influenced political narratives in the post-Clinton media era.
Part of The Triplex’s “Dying in Darkness” series, “Wag the Dog” screens on November 3 at 4 p.m.
“Conclave”
A religious thriller with Ralph Fiennes.
A politically tinged thriller perfect for election season, “Conclave” delves into one of the world’s most secretive events: the election of a new pope. Ralph Fiennes leads an all-star cast, including Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Isabella Rossellini, in this twisty tale of a cardinal who uncovers a conspiracy that could shake the Church to its core.
“Saturday Night”
A kinetic recreation of the moments before “Saturday Night Live” premiered.
At 11:30 p.m. on October 11, 1975, television changed forever. Experience the chaos that came before in “Saturday Night,” director Jason Reitman’s recreation of the 90 minutes leading up to the premiere episode of “Saturday Night Live.” Featuring a cast of rising stars stepping into the shoes of legends like John Belushi, George Carlin, Gilda Radner, and more, “Saturday Night” is a frenetic tribute to the iconic comedy institution.
Coming Soon
“A Different Man”
Surreal, unsettling, and dryly funny, Aaron Schimberg’s “A Different Man” plays as part of The Triplex’s Limited Engagement series starting on November 8. When aspiring actor Edward undergoes a radical medical procedure to drastically transform his appearance, his new dream face quickly turns into a nightmare as he loses out on the role he was born to play and becomes obsessed with reclaiming what was lost.
Director Aaron Schimberg joins us for a Q&A after the 7 p.m. screening on November 9!
Part of The Triplex’s Limited Engagement Series, “A Different Man” plays from November 8 to 14.
“Total Recall”
Who says special events can only happen on the weekend? We are teaming up with our friends at No Comply Foods for a screening of “Total Recall,” Paul Verhoeven’s 1990 sci-fi classic with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sharon Stone, on Tuesday November 12. Join us for themed food and drink specials, a costume contest, and some early ’90s sci-fi action on the big screen!
November 12, at 8 p.m.
“A Book By Their Cover”
We are honored to host a special screening of “A Book By Their Cover,” a short film that was shot locally in the Berkshires earlier this year, on November 14. The emotional journey of a tween girl as she discovers her sexual orientation through a book, the film explores the reactions of her small town, highlighting the challenges LGBTQIA+ youth face when seeking understanding and acceptance.
Inspired in part by true (and local) events, “A Book By Their Cover” addresses the need for open conversations and support, emphasizing that self-discovery should never be a secretive process.
After the screening, writer and director John Tedeschi and members of the cast will join us for a Q&A.
November 14, at 7 p.m.
“Farming While Black”
BIFF returns to The Triplex with “Farming While Black,” the next installment in their Environmental Film Focus Series, on November 15, at 7 p.m.
“Farming While Black” examines the historical plight of Black farmers in the United States and the rising generation of Black farmers reclaiming their rightful ownership of land and reconnecting with their ancestral roots. Focusing on Leah Penniman, co-founder of Soul Fire Farm in upstate New York, “Farming While Black” follows Leah and other compatriots as they propel the next generation of Black farmers and help them find strength in the deep historical knowledge of African agrarianism—and its potential to save the planet.
November 15, at 7 p.m.
“A Real Pain”
From writer and director Jesse Eisenberg comes a powerfully funny exploration of family, grief, and the history that ties us together. Cousins David (Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin) reunite to tour Poland after the death of their grandmother, visiting the home she fled during World War II and resurfacing old tensions along the way.
Starts November 15.
