Sunday Night Film Club – Boston

The Boston Sunday Night Film Club will not meet this Sunday, April 7th. We expect to return the following Sunday.

Join the Boston Sunday Night Film Club this Sunday, Mar 31th at 5pm for Menus-Plaisirs Les Troisgros at the Somerville Theatre. Look for Sean wearing a nametag in the theatre lobby about 15 minutes before the film. As always, after the film we will descend on a local establishment for dinner/drinks/discussion.

Note: Be prepared: This film is 4 hours long.

For over 50 years, the venerable French restaurant La Maison Troisgros has held three Michelin stars. That’s nearly as long as the career of filmmaker Frederick Wiseman, age 93, who embedded himself at the restaurant for several weeks in the spring of 2022.

Wiseman has spent his career documenting the inner workings of institutions. The bulk of his work is set in the US, but he has long been drawn to France, spending a few youthful years in Paris in the 1950s and, more recently, making the city his home base. For this new film, he travels outside Lyon to the town of Roanne.

The phrase menus plaisirs translates to “small pleasures”–and this film is rich with them. Wiseman explores the rarefied world of the Troisgros family, who have operated their establishment for four generations. He and his cameraman James Bishop observe the restaurant’s owners and workers from multiple perspectives. They catch the place in a moment of transition as long-time proprietors Michel and Marie-Pierre gradually pass the reins to their son Cesar. In the kitchen, the chefs operate like artists in their handling of exquisite dishes. In the dining room, the staff address all guests as “Madame” and “Monsieur.” The place attracts people who care deeply about food, savouring each dish with their eyes, noses, and smartphones.

You may never get to visit La Maison Troisgros yourself, but for the nearly four hours of this film, you can soak up the atmosphere at an unhurried pace.

Due to illness, our host Sean is not attending tonight. Keep an eye out for Howard instead.

Join the Boston Sunday Night Film Club this Sunday, Mar 24th at 7:15p for Love Lies Bleeding at the Somerville Theatre. Look for Sean wearing a nametag in the theatre lobby about 15 minutes before the film. As always, after the film we will descend on a local establishment for dinner/drinks/discussion.

From Director Rose Glass comes an electric new love story; reclusive gym manager Lou falls hard for Jackie, an ambitious bodybuilder headed through town to Vegas in pursuit of her dream. But their love ignites violence, pulling them deep into the web of Lou’s criminal family.

Join the Boston Sunday Night Film Club this Sunday, Mar 17th at 6:45p for Pulp Fiction at the Alamo Drafthouse Seaport. Look for Sean wearing a multicolored shirt in the theatre lobby about 15 minutes before the film.  Note: Unlike our usual meetups, the plan is to eat in the theatre (Alamo has food service) and maybe grab a drink at their bar after the movie. You should buy tickets in advance, Sean will be seated in Row 6.

A burger-loving hit man, his philosophical partner, a drug-addled gangster’s moll and a washed-up boxer converge in this sprawling, comedic crime caper. Their adventures unfurl in three stories that ingeniously trip back and forth in time.

The Boston Sunday Night Film Club will not be meeting this Sunday, March 10th, in our annual observance of Oscar Night. We expect return the following Sunday, March 17th.

Join the Boston Sunday Night Film Club this Sunday, Mar 3rd at 3:30p for Dune: Part II (in 70mm) at the Coolidge Corner Theatre. Look for Dan wearing a multicolored shirt in the theatre lobby about 15 minutes before the film. As always, after the film we will descend on a local establishment for dinner/drinks/discussion.

Denis Villeneuve’s (Arrival, Blade Runner 2049) sequel to his Oscar winning adaptation of Frank Herbert’s seminal bestseller, screening in 70mm!

Dune: Part Two will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.

Note: This is opening weekend, so you may wish to buy tickets in advance. Furthermore, be aware that this 70mm presentation by the Coolidge is priced higher than a standard Coolidge ticket.

Join the Boston Sunday Night Film Club this Sunday, Feb 25th at 6:35p for Io Capitano at the Kendall Square Cinema. Look for Sean wearing a nametag in the theatre lobby about 15 minutes before the film. As always, after the film we will descend on a local establishment for dinner/drinks/discussion. In this acclaimed film which won top directing and acting prizes at the Venice Film Festival, writer-director Garrone presents a “reverse shot” of the immigration experience while unfurling an epic, cinematographically magnificent odyssey from West Africa to Italy. The story is told through the mind’s eye and experiences of two Senegalese teenagers living in Dakar who yearn for a brighter future in Europe. Yet between their dreams and reality lies a treacherous journey through a labyrinth of checkpoints, the scorched Saharan desert, a fetid North African prison and the vast waters of the Mediterranean where thousands have died packed inside vessels barely fit for passage. Note: The Red Line will be running shuttle bus replacement service this Sunday, so please factor that into your plans.

Join the Boston Sunday Night Film Club this Sunday, Feb 18th at 7:15p for 2024 Oscar Nominated Shorts: Animated at the Coolidge Corner Theatre. Look for Sean wearing a nametag in the theatre lobby about 15 minutes before the film. As always, after the film we will descend on a local establishment for dinner/drinks/discussion.

For the 19th consecutive year, ShortsTV presents the Oscar-Nominated Short Films.

Please note: This program is not recommended for viewers under 13.

Due to lack of available hosts, the Boston Sunday Night Film Club will not be meeting this Sunday, February 11th. We hope to return the following Sunday, February 18th.