Pioneering

Everybody knows February is a strange month. However, this year we're making it even stranger. But to be nice, let's not say strange but special. Yes, that's right, the Pioneer presents a very special February, with many very special events.


Early February means Groundhog Day, and, in celebration of that, on Wednesday, Groundhog Day Eve, we're showing GROUNDHOG DAY, starring Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell, directed by Harold Ramis. Best groundhog costume wins a delicious salad of vegetables, nuts, and insects, and seats reserved for Murray, MacDowell, and Ramis, if they decide to show up. Weds Feb 1, 7pm.

On Groundhog Day proper, our terrific, monthly Croatian series continues with SORRY FOR KUNG FU - a satire on Croatian xenophobia. (Thurs Feb 2, 7pm.) This Croatian program, presented with the Doors Art Foundation, has been a staple in the growing Central and Eastern European presence at the Pioneer, continued later in the month by the ass-kicking Serbian-American drama LOVE, directed by Vladan Nikolic. Later this spring, look for an entire month focused on Central and Eastern Europe. This will probably be one of the most daring and ambitious programs the Pioneer has ever attempted.


From Eastern Europe to the world of rock. This weekend we have three shows of ANDREW W.K.: WHO KNOWS?, a rockumentary about and made with the rock superperformer. The shows are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, all at 11pm. After the Friday and Saturday shows, W.K. will perform solo on the keyboard. Tickets for those shows are sold out; however, tickets for Sunday, which will still be a rocking good time, can be smuggled out here.


And back to Eastern Europe. Sort of. On Monday, Malcolm McDowell is coming to the Pioneer for EVILENKO, a movie about a notorious Soviet Serial Killer. The screening is presented by our friends from Fangoria, in association with TLA. Mon Feb 6 6:30pm.


February is customarily saddled with many themes; perhaps the most famous is Valentine's Day. Around Valentine's Day, we're doing a "Love-A-Thon," with many romantic or at least erotic movies. The idea is, you have already seen these movies a zillion times, and you really just want to make out during the movie anyway. So come see ANNIE HALL, ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND, or, um, LAST TANGO IN PARIS, GAY SEX IN THE 70s, or DEEP THROAT. Come and make out, but, please, don't take it too far. We don't want anyone arrested.

A Bizarro Monday falls on February 13, the day before Valentine's Day, so naturally we'll take the Valentine's love theme to even further abstraction. FearsMAG's "One Dark and Stormy Night" promises a bunch of short films about horrific love. (Mon Feb 13 7pm.) Later that evening we screen PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK, set on Valentine's Day 1900. Mon Feb 13 9pm.


February is also Black History Month (and as more than one comedian has noticed, of course Black History Month is the shortest month of the year. . .) Partially to recognize that and partially because we want to show the film again, we're doing two more screenings of ARISTIDE and the Endless Revolution, the film that tore up our boxoffice earlier this year. Those shows are Sat Feb 18 5pm and Sun Feb 19 5pm.


Later on, there is that uncomfortable holiday of President's Day. As Loudon Wainwright III put it a few years back, "for me it's blue Monday on President's Day." But we have to confront the current state of the Presidency. So, we're doing an "un-President's Day" screening of BUSH'S BRAIN, about Karl Rove. Best Karl Rove impression wins a copy of the Satanic Bible, by Anton Lavey. That's February 20 7pm.


February 21, we celebrate Mardi Gras prematurely by one week, with the movie MARDI GRAS: MADE IN CHINA. The ultimate downer, but still a very good movie, MARDI GRAS: MADE IN CHINA shows where and how Mardi Gras beads are made. Following the screening is a Mardi Gras-themed beer & pizza reception, starring Two Boots' "Bayou Beast" pizza. Tues Feb 21 7pm.


There's so much more going on; it's hard to keep up. And this post has veered a little off the general purpose of this blog: that is, to comment specifically on events rather than to do basic announces. I'll hope you'll forgive me for that, this time, and take into consideration just how special, and strange, the events are.