indieND

19 Oct

Perks of Being A Wallflower is now available in several theatres in North Dakota! At last!!

So I thought I’d do a bit of a round-up update of all of the “smaller” films playing in North Dakota right now, just to give you all a head’s up. Sadly, ND still doesn’t really get many smaller, indie, or foreign films (at least not until they’ve proven bankable in other parts of the country), so I’d like to promote the ones that we DO get as much as possible.

I’m still crossing my fingers that we’ll get Perks of Being a Wallflower, Seven Psychopaths, and The Master, but I’ve given up on Celeste & Jesse Forever. Boo. ANYWAY, now playing we have:

IN FARGO

SLEEPWALK WITH ME

16 Sep

The Fargo Theatre is the only theatre I’m aware of in the entire state of ND that plays independent films. Large multiplexes will sometimes play smaller films if they’ve proven lucrative, but at the Fargo Theatre it’s all rarities, all the time, including film events, foreign films, art films and indie theater.

It’s also a fantastic building, built in 1929 for cinema and vaudeville. Listed on the National Register of Historical Places by the United States Department of the Interior, The Fargo Theatre is also a venue for hot live performances.

And then, of course, there’s the crazy awesome sign which is iconic for Fargo natives and perhaps ND dwellers in general. I heart this.

(Source: christopherasmith58102)

14 Sep

GUYS. The Grand in Bismarck is stepping up their game and will be participating in TCM’s Event Series 2012! This is fantastic news for film geeks or those with a budding interest in cinema. The film is The Birds, one of the all-time horror classics, and the director is the untoppable master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock. The film is newly restored with an introduction by my favorite, Robert Osbourne, and star of the film Tippi Hedren. It will be showing at The Grand on September 19th!

I would really encourage all of you to go so that we can encourage The Grand to continue this kind of thing!

7 Sep

Film Alert: Derby, Baby! at the Fargo Theatre TONIGHT!!!

DERBY, BABY!

The Fargo-Moorhead Derby Girls and the Fargo Theatre are proud to present a special ONE NIGHT ONLY screening of the new documentary DERBY, BABY!

Friday, September 7

8:00pm

The Fargo Theatre

Admission $8

Tickets are NOW ON SALE at the Fargo Theatre

Beer and Wine available with ID

Synopsis:

If you’ve attended a women’s roller derby bout in the sport’s post-modern incarnation, you’ve seen it, maybe even smelled it: the love, the pure addiction that drives tens of thousands of women around the globe to don fishnets and pseudonyms for the privilege of kicking each others asses.

For the first time ever, the story of women’s roller derby is covered from both a national and international perspective, as Emmy Award-winning filmmakers Robin Bond and Dave Wruck take you with them on their international quest to learn why women’s flat track roller derby is the fastest growing sport in the world. Derby, Baby! explores the drama, the friendships, and the addictive nature of the women’s flat-track roller derby, including never-before-seen bout footage of the international flat-track roller derby champions.

Narrated by Whip It star and actress/musician Juliette Lewis, who also appears on-camera, the Derby, Baby! story spans the most turbulent and exciting time for the sport in decades, featuring interviews with promoter Jerry “The Commissioner” Seltzer, whose father Leo Seltzer invented roller derby in the 1930s; and Chuck Morris, President of AEG Live Rocky Mountains and one of the most ardent promoters of modern roller derby. The film looks at the many incarnations of the sport since its invention 77 years ago, and explores the WWF-like legacy and over-played television coverage of the past that threatens the sport’s image even today. Also featured are the new “rock stars” of roller derby, whose charisma and athleticism may be the key to pushing the sport over the “tipping point.” Super-fans, critics, sponsors, prominent sports writers, authors and sociologists weigh in on the phenomenon that is roller derby, and the sport’s organic — and possibly short-lived — growth as a unique athletic expression of women’s empowerment.

Join us for a fabulous night of fun while supporting two awesome organizations (ticket proceeds support the FMDG’s and the Fargo Theatre!)

Visit the movie’s official website!

[taken from the Fargo Theatre’s website]

3 Sep

Film Alert: Ruby Sparks

Ruby Sparks

This CHARMING indie flick is now showing in North Dakota! Directed by the duo responsible for the breakout hit Little Miss Sunshine, written by the film’s tenacious and loveable star, Zoe Kazan (granddaughter of the legendary Elia Kazan). It contains a sparkling cast, starting with indie darling Paul Dano (Little Miss Sunshine, There Will be Blood—- have I mentioned I LOVE HIM??), Annette Benning, Antonio Banderas and many more. The plot may seem thin (a young man tries to overcome his writer’s block by creating his dream girl on paper, and one day she comes to life), but the praise of the film from critics nation-wide may hint at something deeper (it has “teeth” teases Rolling Stone film critic Peter Travers).

So far the only place to see this is FARGO. Check it out now while you still can!!

8 Aug

FILM ALERT: MOONRISE KINGDOM

As of today Moonrise Kingdom is playing nationwide! Which means, of course, that the wait is over and every North Dakotan that’s had quite enough of explosions and checking one’s brain (and heart) at the door when they head to the theatre can settle in for a treat.

Moonrise is the latest effort from auteur Wes Anderson (my personal favorite filmmaker. Living, anyway). If you haven’t sampled Mr. Anderson’s work I highly recommend The Royal Tenenbaums and Rushmore for examples of his deeply detailed style that makes you want to view his work multiple times just in case you missed a single quirky visual. Anderson is a master of visual oddities sometimes to the point of hilarity, but he is nothing if not consistent and knows how to use this specificity to his advantage when he mixes in absolutely the most perfect song (usually from a classic rock band that you’d never expect to pop up in this kind of movie), pushing his more nostalgic scenes into euphoric moments. My favorite quality of Anderson’s work— and it’s taken me 11 years to put my finger on it— is his MASTERY of poignancy. Through rich characterization and blunt, beautiful dialogue, Anderson’s characters always find a moment to hit just the right note in order to break or mend your heart. You may not get it right away, but you’ll know something has affected you.

Moonrise is a story about a little girl and a boy scout that run away together, sending their small town, made up of a variety of characters, into a tizzy.

GO SEE MOONRISE KINGDOM THIS WEEKEND, NORTH DAKOTA. You won’t be sorry.

(Source: scrumptiouscrumpet, via indindb)

16 Jul

Why Indie ND?

Hello, my fellow chill North Dakotans!

So, here’s the thing. I’ve been living in (Western) North Dakota for some time now, and there are things that I’ve noticed. First of all, North Dakota has alot of things going for it. It’s a pretty prosperous state and right now (at least the oil boom areas) are seeing a mesh of cultures that I believe is unprecedented in regards to this state’s history. I mean, I could win the license plate game in my town alone. That’s impressive. The rest of the country is starting to notice that North Dakota is more than that sparsely populated state right above Mt. Rushmore that gets alot of snow.

Also, North Dakota, believe it or not, has YOUNG PEOPLE living here. Yes, that’s right, I know you might not realize it but ND is not solely comprised of elderly cowboys and middle aged oil riggers (though obviously I’m not knocking either of those.) There are, in fact, young people a-plenty! Young people who like to DO THINGS, young people who like music, young people who like to go out. These kiddos, like me, are readers, writers, artists, students. They have interest in health, style, concerts, and film, but it seems to me that they (we) are more limited than other states in our opportunities to share these interests. Either there’s just not that much up here to do, or we’re just not aware of the network that we could have.

AND WHAT DO I HAVE TO SAY TO THAT? STUPID. If there are have 5000 blogs devoted to California-centric concerts, free music, where one can locate a pair of skinny jeans, hipster DIY, ETC (!!!) why not North Dakota? I realize to keep this blog going we might have to do some digging, but my intention is to bring our attention to the genuinely cool scene in this state. I want to blog about events, cool places, ND bands, shops, art, the ND film scene, and so on, with a light peppering of general coolness (mp3s, personal experience, randomness).

The goal of this blog isn’t to be pretentious— I use the terms “indie” and “hipster” with affection but with an awareness that those are LABELS and they may carry snobbery and narrow definitions along with them. But of course you don’t have to identify as either to like cool things, and you don’t have to reject labels in order to be a snob.

I am open to absolutely any suggestions as I formulate this blog. Hit me with your best shot, Indie ND!