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A Jeff Bridges retrospective, Rocky, Mississippi Masala, and more
The BSR November 2022 movie repertory roundup
Stephen Silver
The calendar has turned to November, and now that we're past a month of Halloween horror, the November repertory offerings in the Philadelphia region have gotten more eclectic: There's Rocky, Rocky Horror, a Jeff Bridges retrospective, and a movie about a certain cartoon bear that happens to be the best-reviewed film of the century.
The Last Picture Show
Tuesday, November 1, 2pm and 7pm
Ritz Five, 214 Walnut Street, Philadelphia
Ritz Five is running a Jeff Bridges retrospective this month called Jeff Bridges Abides. It begins on the first day of the month with director Peter Bogdanovich's 1971 masterpiece, which arrives in a new 4K restoration of its director's cut.
Strangers on a Train
Wednesday, November 2, 7pm
Ambler Theater, 108 East Butler Avenue, Ambler
Strangers on a Train has had a lot of semi-remakes, from the 1980s comedy Throw Momma from the Train to the recent Netflix teen film Do Revenge. But the real thing is Alfred Hitchcock's 1951 thriller about two men who agree to exchange murders. On November 7, Bryn Mawr Film Institute's Andrew Douglas will host a virtual seminar on the film.
Thief
Thursday, November 3, 8:30pm
Philadelphia Film Center, 1412 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia
James Caan passed away earlier this year, and the most indelible film of his leading actor run was likely Michael Mann's 1981 Chicago-set thriller Thief. It's part of the Film Society's Cosmic Music series this month.
Bonnie and Clyde
Thursday, November 3, 7:15pm
Monday, November 7, 7pm
Tuesday, November 8, 1pm
Bryn Mawr Film Institute, 824 Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr
Arthur Penn's story of the titular bank robbers from 1967 is one of the most important films of all time, kicking off the "New Hollywood" era. It's getting three showings at BMFI, including a Cinema Classics seminar on Thursday, November 3, by Amy Corbin.
Word is Out
Friday, November 4, 7pm
Lightbox Film Center, 401 South Broad Street, Philadelphia
Lightbox's Pioneers of Queer Cinema continues into November with the groundbreaking 1977 documentary, in which Peter Adair, Nancy Adair, Andrew Brown, Rob Epstein, Lucy Massie Phenix, and Veronica Selver—collectively known as the Mariposa Film Group—traveled the country and interviewed people about their lives as gay men and lesbians.
Risky Business
Saturday, November 5, 6pm
Philadelphia Film Center, 1412 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia
Just take those old records off the shelf and see Tom Cruise's 1983 star turn in which he plays a teenager who ends up running a brothel out of his suburban Chicago home. The film is also part of the Cosmic Music series.
Ratatouille
Saturday, November 5
Saturday, November 19
Bryn Mawr Film Institute, 824 Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr
In a rare repertory showing of a Pixar film, 2007's Ratatouille heads to Bryn Mawr for a BMFI Family Matinee. The film, co-directed by Brad Bird and Jan Pinkava, starred Patton Oswalt as Remy, a rat who teams up with a dishwasher named Linguini to take over a Paris restaurant.
Suspiria
Thursday, November 10
PhilaMOCA, 531 North 12th Street, Philadelphia
The original Dario Argento Suspiria from 1977 is getting a 45th-anniversary showing complete with a live performance of the film's score by Claudio Simonetti's Goblin.
Mississippi Masala
Saturday, November 12, 7pm
Asian Arts Initiative, 1219 Vine Street, Philadelphia
As part of the 2022 Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival, there will be a "retrospective" showing of director Mira Nair's 1991 drama, which co-stars Denzel Washington and Sarita Choudhury. Earlier this year, Nair received the Richard Nichols Luminary Award at the BlackStar Film Festival.
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Sunday, November 13, 4pm
Colonial Theatre, 223 Bridge Street, Phoenixville
The second and greatest Star Trek movie turns 40 this year and is coming to Phoenixville in 35mm. The Enterprise takes on old foe Khan (Ricardo Montalbán) and (spoiler alert) Mr. Spock dies at the end—but he doesn't stay dead…
The Fisher King
Tuesday, November 15, 2pm and 7pm
Ritz Five, 214 Walnut Street, Philadelphia
The Bridges retrospective continues with Terry Gilliam's 1991 film, starring Bridges, Robin Williams, and Oscar winner Mercedes Ruehl in a one-of-a-kind New York story.
The Talented Mr. Ripley
Wednesday, November 16, 7pm
Ambler Theater, 108 East Butler Avenue, Ambler
Featuring one of Matt Damon's best performances, Ripley was an adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's novel about a gay con artist who insinuated himself in high society while also doing some killing. The film co-stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law, Cate Blanchett, and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Purple Rain
Thursday, November 17, 7pm
Philadelphia Film Center, 1412 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia
Dearly beloved: the greatest film of Prince's life is November's Throwback Quizzo and movie at the Film Center. Starring Prince, Apollonia Kotero, and Morris Day, the film told the story of a musician trying to rise in the music scene of Minneapolis. It also has one of the greatest openings of any movie.
Funny Girl
Friday, November 18, 11am
Kaiserman JCC, 45 Haverford Road, Wynnewood
This year's Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival is set for mid-November. In addition to lots of new films is a showing of William Wyler's 1968 film starring Barbara Streisand based on the life of Fanny Brice and the earlier Broadway musical. In addition to the film, brunch will be served.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Friday, November 18, 10pm
Ritz Five, 214 Walnut Street, Philadelphia
The RHPS returns to Old City once again with Transylvania Nipple Productions providing the "shadow cast."
Rocky
Tuesday, November 22, 1pm
Wednesday, November 23, 7pm
Monday, November 28, 7:15pm
Bryn Mawr Film Institute, 824 Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr
This month, you'll have a chance to see the most Philadelphia movie of them all on the big screen. It includes a Cinema Classics seminar on November 28 taught by Jennifer Fleeger.
The Big Lebowski
Tuesday, November 22, 2pm and 7pm
Ritz Five, 214 Walnut Street, Philadelphia
The Jeff Bridges retrospective, of course, includes the big one: the Coen brothers' 1998 stoner masterpiece about a 1960s washout called the Dude (Bridges), who stumbles into a Raymond Chandler-esque L.A. mystery plot.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Friday, November 25, 6pm and 8pm
Saturday, November 26, 6pm and 8pm
Sunday, November 27, 6pm
Colonial Theatre, 223 Bridge Street, Phoenixville
Monty Python's parody version of the King Arthur legend, complete with killer bunnies, enchanters, and knights who say "Ni," gets a weekend of screenings in Phoenixville right after Thanksgiving.
Elf
Saturday, November 26, 10:30am
Hiway Theater, 212 York Road, Jenkintown
Will Ferrell's 2003 Christmas comedy about Buddy the Elf was another film fondly remembered upon James Caan's passing. It gets a Saturday morning showing in Jenkintown.
True Grit
Tuesday, November 29, 2pm and 7pm
Ritz Five, 214 Walnut Street, Philadelphia
The Jeff Bridges Abides series concludes with the other film Bridges did with the Coens: the 2010 version of True Grit—in a 4K digital restoration. Bridges played Rooster Cogburn with a cast that also included Josh Brolin, Matt Damon, and Hailee Steinfeld.
Paddington 2
Tuesday, November 29, 7pm
Philadelphia Film Center, 1412 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia
Out five years ago, Paddington 2 was a family comedy that not only cleaned up at the box office but was rated 100 percent positively on Rotten Tomatoes for nearly five years. And yes, it's the one where Paddington is sent to prison. It's a pay-what-you-wish screening to mark Giving Tuesday.
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