Film screenings to catch this month

With spring in full bloom, theaters around St. Louis are blossoming with many exciting rep screening options. Arkadin Cinema & Bar has a month’s worth of botanical wonders with their “How Does Your Garden Grow?” program, the Webster University Film Series continues its full career retrospective of arthouse Hong Kong director Wong Kar Wai, and the Hi-Pointe Theatre is pairing a silent classic with the first known student film, alongside other exciting restorations and premieres. With all of that in mind, here are some of the film screenings to keep on your radar this month.

Donnie Darko | April 3, 9 p.m.

Arkadin Cinema & Bar, 5228 Gravois

One of the defining cult films of the 2000s, director Richard Kelly’s debut feature still packs a punch 25 years later. With a premise that feels like a twisted take on Harvey set in the Reagan era, Donnie Darko stars Jake Gyllenhaal as the titular troubled high-schooler plagued with strange visions, most notably a demonic rabbit, after narrowly surviving a freak accident. The film is perfectly spooky and moody, with a New Wave-heavy soundtrack and a supporting cast of heavy-hitters, including Jena Malone, Patrick Swayze, Drew Barrymore, James Duval, and Seth Rogen. Donnie Darko is perfect for an off-kilter Easter weekend watch, and if you want to make it a double feature, Arkadin Cinema & Bar is also screening the irreverent Easter classic Monty Python’s Life of Brian the same evening at 7 p.m. 

The Thin Red Line | April 8, 7 p.m.

Hi-Pointe Theatre, 1005 McCausland

After releasing his masterpiece Days of Heaven in 1978, director Terrence Malick didn’t release another film for 20 years before finally returning to screens with 1998’s The Thin Red Line. Adapted from James Jones’ 1962 autobiographical novel of the same name, the film centers on the U.S. soldiers of C Company and what they experienced during the Battle of Mount Austen in the Pacific Theater of World War II. The primary ensemble cast includes Sean Penn, Jim Caviezel, Nick Nolte, Elias Koteas, and Ben Chaplin, as well as smaller parts from many other recognizable faces, such as Adrien Brody, George Clooney, and Jared Leto, among others. See this war epic—and critical comeback for Malick—presented in beautiful 35mm at the Hi-Pointe Theatre as part of the ongoing “Widescreen Wednesdays” program.

Koyaanisqatsi | April 12, 7 p.m.

Arkadin Cinema & Bar, 5228 Gravois

Director Godfrey Reggio’s Koyaanisqatsi, taken from a Hopi word meaning “life out of balance,” is an unconventional documentary that has a loyal cult following. The film is a collage of striking imagery, showing the progress and destruction caused by the Western world, notably including footage of the demolition of the Pruitt-Igoe housing project here in St. Louis, paired with an iconic, propulsive score from composer Philip Glass. Koyaanisqatsi is a feast for the senses, especially when seen on a big screen with a good sound system. Catch it playing as part of Arkadin’s April “How Does Your Garden Grow?” program of films featuring botanical wonders.

Something Wild | April 16, 

Alamo Drafthouse St. Louis, 3765 Foundry

What happens when a straight-laced businessman and a free-spirited, quirky woman meet at a diner and suddenly wind up on an impromptu road trip? This is the premise that kicks off director Jonathan Demme’s Something Wild, a wonderfully off-kilter romantic comedy starring Jeff Daniels, Melanie Griffith, and Ray Liotta (in one of his first feature film roles) that plays a lot with the malleability of identity. If that’s not enough, it also features a top-notch soundtrack featuring David Byrne, Celia Cruz, New Order, and The Feelies. If you’ve never seen it, Something Wild is absolutely a blind spot well worth clearing up.

Kontinental ‘25 | April 17-19

Winifred Moore Auditorium, 470 E. Lockwood

Romanian provocateur filmmaker Radu Jude always seems to have something new up his sleeve. While his previous film was a zany epic about AI and the Dracula myth, Kontinental ‘25 brings things back down to earth (sort of). The film centers on Orsolya (Eszter Tompa), who is caught in an existential spiral after overseeing the eviction of an elderly Transylvanian man that goes awry. While this certainly feels like a more social realist take from Jude, dinosaurs also play a part in this, which does feel very much in line with his brand of absurdism.

The Maid of McMillan + The Freshman | April 19, 1 p.m.

Hi-Pointe Theatre, 1005 McCausland

Presented in conjunction with the University Archives and the Film & Media Archive at Washington University Libraries, this free screening at the Hi-Pointe Theatre showcases a rarity with local roots screening on 35mm alongside a Harold Lloyd classic. The Maid of McMillan is a silent film written and produced by WashU students through the Thyrsus Dramatic Club in 1916. Shot over the course of four days, The Maid of McMillan is believed to be the first known student film. To go along with the collegiate theme, the screening also includes the Harold Lloyd silent comedy The Freshman, in which Lloyd stars as a new college student whose dreams of becoming the “big man on campus” go horribly awry. Don’t miss your chance to see a piece of film history from right here in St. Louis.

Godzilla vs. Biollante | April 22, 7 p.m.

Arkadin Cinema & Bar, 5228 Gravois

Godzilla had something of a comeback in the ‘80s, and Godzilla vs. Biollante, the second entry in the Heisei era of the franchise, stands as one of the great films that brought new life to everyone’s favorite kaiju. As the title suggests, the film sees Godzilla facing off against Biollante, a mutant plant genetically engineered from the cells of a rose, a renegade scientist’s dead daughter, and Godzilla. From there, the plot devolves into espionage, biotechnology, and psychic children, with incredible special effects. So, more or less, exactly what you want from a kaiju movie. Celebrate Earth Day in style with this screening at Arkadin, as another entry in their “How Does Your Garden Grow?” program, complete with a kaiju pre-show.

Miss Congeniality | April 25, 4:30 p.m.

Arkadin Cinema & Bar, 5228 Gravois

When asked to describe her idea of the perfect date, a wise woman once said, “I’d have to say April 25th. Because it’s not too hot, not too cold, all you need is a light jacket.” With this in mind, there’s truly no better day to watch Miss Congeniality. For those who may be unfamiliar, the film stars Sandra Bullock as Gracie Hart, a tomboy-ish FBI agent who must go undercover as a contestant at the Miss United States beauty pageant following a terrorist bomb threat. A beloved comedy of the early 2000s, Miss Congeniality is well worth catching on the big screen with a crowd, whether it’s your first time or 50th.

Happy Together | April 23 & 29

Winifred Moore Auditorium, 470 E. Lockwood

A landmark of Hong Kong LGBTQ cinema, and New Queer Cinema at large, Wong Kar Wai’s Happy Together is yet another masterpiece in his illustrious career. The film follows a gay couple (Leslie Cheung and Tony Leung) whose relationship is on the rocks when they decide to go on a road trip through Argentina, where their relationship threatens to break for good. Happy Together was the first of Wong’s films to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in 1997, where he received the Best Director award. As the Webster University Film Series continues to make its way through the work of Wong Kar Wai, Happy Together is one well worth seeking out, especially if you’ve already seen classics such as In The Mood For Love or Chungking Express.

Serpent’s Path + Chime | April 28 & 30

Hi-Pointe Theatre, 1005 McCausland

Director Kiyoshi Kurosawa is likely best known for his dread-soaked horror film Cure, but now his follow-up film, 1998’s Serpent’s Path, is back in theaters with a spiffy new 4K restoration, coupled with the U.S. theatrical premiere of his 2024 short film, Chime. Serpent’s Path is a gangland thriller about a former low-level yakuza member and his schoolteacher friend who work together to track down the man who kidnapped and murdered his daughter, only to uncover a much thornier situation. Preceding Serpent’s Path, Chime focuses on a culinary instructor who witnesses a young student’s suicide after he is seemingly driven to insanity by a chiming sound that controls his mind. Soon, the instructor begins hearing it as well. What makes Chime particularly interesting is that it was originally released as an NFT, but is now only available to see in theaters and will never be released on streaming services. Don’t miss your chance to see these two gems from Kurosawa when they screen at the Hi-Pointe Theatre.