Looks like Cronenberg is finally getting weird and perverted again, which needless to say is a good thing. I don’t know how many more times I could have watched The Brood.

photo c/o Mike Thompson

Enjoying the warm weather this week? Well friends, don’t be fooled by global warming- it’s not summer quite yet. Here, in no particular order, are 10 summertime activities to mark in your calendar and start getting pumped for:

10. Kickball- Hardcore kickball fanatics already know that May 6^th is opening day, but here’s a head’s up for all of you newbies out there. Sign up now if you’re interested in joining a team and prepare for a summer full of glory, camaraderie, and frequent Turkey’s Nest runs.

9. Brooklyn Flea- The eclectic shopping mecca will grace the East River Waterfront with its presence once again when it reopens on Sunday, April 8. That weekend also marks the return of Smorgasburg on Saturdays at the waterfront, which promises to be as mouthwatering as ever with favorite vendors including Porchetta and People’s Pops making a comeback.

8. Baseball- The Mets kick off their season on April 5^th, which means those sweaty summer baseball games are just around the corner. It’s only a matter of time before you’ll be dodging stray baseballs in McCarren park.

7. Waterfront Concert Series- The new location is confirmed, and the season kickoff is June 1st. Now all we need is a band line up! (more…)

This month, we’ll be checking out the Andrzej Zulawski film retrospective at BAM.

Dubbed the enfant terrible of Polish cinema, Andrzej Zulawski is one of the most controversial and polarizing filmmakers in the world. BAMcinématek is proud to present the first US retrospective of the uncompromising auteur’s complete work in partnership with the Polish Cultural Institute.

The series includes two rare, early shorts Zulawski directed for Polish television—Pavoncello and The Song of Triumphant Love—along with a new 35mm print of his first feature, The Third Part of the Night. A true cinematic agitator, Zulawski squeezed fervent performances from all of his actors in these films that rise to ecstatic heights yet dive deep into the nadirs of the human condition: birth, love, loss, death, and everything in between.

Here’s a taste of the campy hysterical excess to expect:

Possession (1981) – International Trailer

Aching for a little borough adventuring on this pretty, crisp winter day? Then head to Queens tonight where the Sunnyside CSA is screening the documentary, American Meat. The film surveys the current state of the US meat industry, interviewing farmers across the country who have changed their life to start grass-based farms and find tangible solutions to change agriculture in America. After the film, join a panel discussion with co-owner of the restaurant Bare-Burger, the head butcher/co-owner of Meat hook and a member of the film’s production team.

All Saints Church
43-12 46th Street
Sunnyside, NY
Friday, December 2
7:30 Doors / 8pm Film
$5 suggested donation w/ popcorn

All proceeds support the Subsidized Share Program which provides fresh, local, organic produce to low-income families.

Starting tomorrow, the Williamsburg Film Festival will once again bring new independent full length features, short films and documentaries to the waterfront.

Find some potential faves from the schedule, and bask in some cinematic pleasure with film industry professionals, filmmakers and fans.

The 2nd Annual Williamsburg Independent Film Festival
November 17th to 20th
IndieScreen
285 Kent at S. 2nd

Gothamist reports that on Thursday, June 23, cops shut down a Rooftop Films screening on Wythe and South 2nd for public drinking despite having a valid liquor license.

Calling the incident a “permit misunderstanding,” Rooftop Films issued a statement saying:

If any patrons received summonses at the event, we will be more than happy to provide a copy of the valid liquor permit that covered the event, and Rooftop Films and the owners of the establishment will assist those patrons in dealing the NYPD in any way we possibly can. Please email Lela Scott MacNeil at lela@rooftopfilms.com.

Rooftop Films will also refund ticket sales from that night and offer two additional tickets to another show. Simply email lela@rooftopfilms.com.

Nighthawk Cinema

After all our complaints about wanting a movie theater in Williamsburg (in addition to IndieScreen) we can finally rejoice that not only has a theater opened that plays indie first run films, but also serves booze! Nighthawk Cinema officially opens this weekend with showings of Midnight in Paris, The Trip, and Submarine. Zagat has the full scoop on the theater.

“There are tables between every two seats, complete with drinks holders, and you can place written orders from a waiter throughout the flick. The drink list contains options that are themed around movies, while the food options range from homemade beef jerky to watermelon salad. If you don’t want to stay for a show, there is a bar area that is open to the public as well.”

Tickets are $11, and the food is all prepared by Chef Saul Bolton who won a Michelin star for his restaurant Saul on Smith Street. Here’s a peek at the whole menu.

Nighthawk Cinema; 136 Metropolitan Avenue Brooklyn, NY; 718.963.2917

Indie rock is such an overused term that defining it and charting the genre’s evolution is almost impossible, but with his new film Just Gimme Indie Rock!: The Story of an Underground Uprising, Brad Katz is attempting to do just that.

Just Gimme will cover indie music history of the past 40 years, from genre pioneers Sonic Youth and Hüsker Dü to current heavy hitters Arcade Fire and Vampire Weekend. According to the website, the film, “will be the first to connect the dots between divergent eras of indie,” using archival concert footage and “insider” interviews.

For this epic undertaking Katz is relying on support from the fans themselves. Indie loving rockers can donate their funds to a Kickstarter account until August 23. Pledge today, and help preserve indie rock history so that future generations of hipsters can be as pretentious about their obscure music knowledge as the hipsters of today.

image c/o Guerilla Geek

Why not break up the music monotony with some visual indie stimulation? Northside introduces the Do-It-Yourself Film Festival hosted by Union Docs, where emerging filmmakers will showcase shorts and features before a jury comprised of local luminaries. The winner will score a coveted Northside Rooftop Films screening among other prizes.  The screening series at indieScreen also returns.

The impressive full lineup can be found at the Official 2011 Northside Festival Site.

But here are some picks in the moving pictures category:

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From TribecaFilm.com:

Acclaimed actor Michael Rapaport (Zebrahead, Mighty Aphrodite) paints a remarkably personal portrait of the characters behind the group’s sonic genius through their five albums, their highly publicized breakup in 1998, and beyond. Emotionally honest and forthright interviews with group members are intercut with electrifying footage of live performances, music videos from back in the day, and commentary from Common, Busta Rhymes, Mary J. Blige, De La Soul, Kanye West, Common, Mos Def, Ludacris, and the Beastie Boys.

Check it out this Wednesday or Thursday at the Tribeca Film Festival. (A longer trailer after the jump.)

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