Advertisement

Purple Rain, Mulholland Drive, Y Tu Mama También, and more

The BSR March 2025 repertory movie roundup

In
5 minute read
Movie poster of Purple Rain. Prince on a motorcycle, posing for camera, fog fills a dimly lit area
‘Purple Rain’ screens this month, celebrating 40 years. (Image courtesy of AMC.)

This month brings us another screening of a David Lynch classic, but perhaps it's not enough to honor the late filmmaker. While that can be changing in the spring, that season isn’t quite here just yet. With more chill to go, there are plenty of films to get cozy with, including another screening of Purple Rain, which continues celebrating its 40th anniversary, a deep dive into the 2001 hit Y Tu Mama También, and some rare screenings popping up around the area.

The highlights

Mulholland Drive
Sunday, March 2, 12:45pm
Colonial Theatre, 223 Bridge Street, Phoenixville

The recent passing of Lynch hasn’t quite kicked off a massive wave of local tribute screenings of his work—at least not yet. Some of that is coming later this spring, including a visit from one of the Bookhouse Boys.

But, in the meantime, the Colonial presents a screening of one of the most beloved works by the Eagle Scout from Missoula, Montana—2001’s dark Hollywood fantasia Mulholland Drive.

Screening the afternoon before Oscar night, it will feature a seminar and post-screen discussion led by Dan Santelli, the writer, programmer, and longtime clerk at Viva Video. The experience may or may not give you a greater understanding of the meaning of the Club Silencio scene and the monster behind Winkie’s Diner.

Purple Rain
Wednesday, March 5
Various theaters, 4pm, 7pm, and 10pm

Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called Purple Rain. In honor of its 40th anniversary last summer, Prince’s 1984 cinema classic is getting a one-night-only showing at AMC theaters nationwide.

In the Philadelphia area, participating theaters include AMC’s Fashion District 8, Cherry Hill 24, and Neshaminy 24.

McCabe and Mrs. Miller
Tuesday, March 11, 6:30pm
Bryn Mawr Film Institute (BMFI), 824 Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr

February 20 marked the centennial of Robert Altman’s birth. Just a few weeks after that, BMFI will present one of the late filmmaker’s most enduring classics, 1971’s revisionist Western McCabe and Mrs. Miller. The film stars Warren Beatty and Julie Christie, and the theater presents a seminar by Rachel McCabe, PhD, of LaSalle University.

Y Tu Mama Tambien
Wednesday, March 26, 6:30pm
Film Society Center, 1412 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia

Alfonso Cuarón’s 2001 film about two young men who go on a road trip through Mexico with an older woman is one of the most celebrated films of the last 25 years. The Film Society is showing it on March 26, with an encore on Saturday, March 29.

The showing on March 26 will feature a talk by Juan Llamas-Rodriguez, assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School for Communication. Llamas-Rodriguez will discuss the book he recently published on the film, which is part of the Queer Film Classics series.

More cinema screenings

Fast Times at Ridgemont High
Saturday, March 1
Friday, March 14
Friday, March 21
Film Society Center

A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night
Saturday, March 1
Saturday, March 8
Sunday, March 16
Film Society Center

Shaun of the Dead
Tuesday, March 4
Ritz Five

Inflatable Sex Doll of the Wastelands
Wednesday, March 5
Lightbox Film Center (Bok Auditorium)

The Spy Who Came in From the Cold (Cinema Classics Seminar)
Thursday, March 6
Bryn Mawr Film Institute

Westward the Women
Thursday, March 6
Ambler Theater

He Who Gets Slapped
Friday, March 7
Secret Cinema (Glen Foerd on the Delaware)

The Beastmaster
Friday, March 7
Colonial Theatre

Hot Fuzz
Tuesday, March 11
Ritz Five

America: Everything You’ve Ever Dreamed Of
Wednesday, March 12
Lightbox Film Center

Punishment Park
Wednesday, March 12
Bryn Mawr Film Institute

Primer
Thursday, March 13
County Theater

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Tuesday, March 18
Ritz Five

El Signo Vacío (The Empty Sign)
Wednesday, March 19
Lightbox Film Center (Bok Auditorium)

To Be or Not to Be
Wednesday, March 19
Ambler Theatre

Paris, Texas (Cinema Classics Seminar)
Thursday, March 20
Bryn Mawr Film Institute

The Raid: Redemption
Saturday, March 22
Film Society Center

The Sound of Music
Sunday, March 23
Colonial Theater

Donnie Darko
Sunday, March 23
Colonial Theater

Sabrina
Sunday, March 23
Hiway Theater

Mermaid Legend
Monday, March 24
PhilaMOCA

Raiders of the Lost Ark
Thursday, March 27
Bryn Mawr Film Institute

Spaceballs
Friday, March 28
Hiway Theater

Sign up for our newsletter

All of the week's new articles, all in one place. Sign up for the free weekly BSR newsletters, and don't miss a conversation.

Join the Conversation