
Dean Otto currently serves as the Curator of Film. To learn more about Dean and the Speed Cinema, read the full press release here. Photo by Rafael Gamo.
Speed Cinema entrance update: Our South Cinema entrance has reopened for all Cinema guests! Follow the Speed Cinema signs while exiting the Museum garage to the entrance while enjoying a small part of the Art Park that is now open.
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Blue Velvet
March 21
There’s something going on behind the white picket fences of Lumberton, North Carolina, and after stumbling upon a severed human ear in a field, mystery-loving college student Jeffrey Beaumont (Kyle MacLachlan) is determined to find out what. Teaming up with the daughter of a local police detective, Jeffrey’s investigation leads him into a strange world of sensuality and violence, with the intrigue of the missing ear seemingly stemming from the relationship between a troubled nightclub singer and a sociopathic sadomasochist.
Eraserhead
March 22
David Lynch’s 1977 debut feature, Eraserhead, is both a lasting cult sensation and a work of extraordinary craft and beauty. With its mesmerizing black-and-white photography by Frederick Elmes and Herbert Cardwell, evocative sound design, and unforgettably enigmatic performance by Jack Nance, this visionary nocturnal odyssey continues to haunt American cinema like no other film.
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me
March 22
In Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, David Lynch revisits Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) in the final week of her life, unraveling the secrets behind her murder. A homecoming queen by day and thrill-seeker by night, Laura spirals into horror as she uncovers the identity of her longtime tormentor. Both nightmarish and deeply compassionate, the film paints a haunting portrait of a doomed heroine.
The Short Films of David Lynch
March 23
Beginning his artistic career as a painter and sculptor, David Lynch quickly began to explore filmmaking through the creation of short films. Lynch would go on to produce shortform work throughout his career, experimenting with form and narrative construction to craft haunting films that are as vivid and unsettling as his feature-length output.
Dawn of Impressionism: Paris 1874
March 22 & 23
The Impressionists are the most popular group in art history—millions flock every year to marvel at their masterpieces. But, to begin with, they were scorned penniless outsiders. 1874 was the year that changed everything; the first Impressionists, “hungry for independence,” broke the mold by holding their own exhibition outside official channels. Impressionism was born and the art world was changed forever.
Thunder Road
March 26
Transporting illegal alcohol over dark two-lane mountain highways, Lucas Doolin (Robert Mitchum) races wildly through the night, crashing roadblocks and outrunning ambushes, defying anyone who tries to stop him. A man has a right to do anything, he says, including making whiskey, as long as he makes it on his own land.
CINEMA+ with a pre-screening talk with Jake Vollmer, Master Whiskey Taster for North American Distillers Limited, a division of Pernod-Ricard, and head blender and innovation lead for Rabbit Hole Distillery.
Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story
March 28 & 29
This star-studded tribute brings into focus the dazzling, complex period of Liza Minnelli’s life starting in the 1970s, just after the tragic death of her mother Judy Garland, as she confronts a range of personal and professional challenges on the way to becoming a bona fide legend.
Girls’ POV - New York International Children's Film Festival
March 30
Take in the audience favorite and award-winning films from the latest edition of New York International Children’s Film Festival! These amazing short films from around the world are sure to inspire curiosity and conversation for viewers big and small. This edition of Girls’ POV celebrates trailblazing young scientists who are developing creative solutions to some of the world’s biggest challenges. From a 19th century fossil hunter to today’s innovators, these girls lead the field!
Cabaret
March 29 & 30
Cabaret brings 1931 Berlin to life inside and outside the Kit Kat Klub. There, starry eyed American Sally Bowles (Liza Minnelli) and an impish emcee (Joel Grey) sound the call for decadent fun, while in the street the Nazi party is beginning to grow into a brutal political force. Into this heady world arrives British language teacher Brian Roberts (Michael York) who falls for Sally’s charm and soon the two of them find themselves embroiled in the turmoil and decadence of the era.
The Great Gatsby
May 17
The Great Gatsby follows would-be writer Nick Carraway as he leaves the Midwest and comes to New York City in the spring of 1922, an era of loosening morals, glittering jazz, bootleg kings, and sky-rocketing stocks. Chasing his own American Dream, Nick lands next door to a mysterious, party-giving millionaire, Jay Gatsby, and across the bay from his cousin, Daisy, and her philandering, blue-blooded husband, Tom Buchanan.
Michelangelo: Love and Death
May 31 & June 1
The spectacular sculptures and paintings of Michelangelo seem so familiar to us, but what do we really know about this Renaissance giant? Spanning his 88 years, Michelangelo: Love and Death take a cinematic journey through the print and drawing rooms of Europe through the great chapels and museums of Florence, Rome, and the Vatican to seek out a deeper understanding of this legendary figure’s tempestuous life, his relationship with his contemporaries, and his incredible legacy.