Vicious Cycles

Brazil

February 1985 •English

Low-level bureaucrat Sam Lowry escapes the monotony of his day-to-day life through a recurring daydream of himself as a virtuous hero saving a beautiful damsel. Investigating a case that led to the wrongful arrest and eventual death of an innocent man instead of wanted terrorist Harry Tuttle, he meets the woman from his daydream, and in trying to help her gets caught in a web of mistaken identities, mindless bureaucracy and lies.

Akira

June 1988 •Japanese

A secret military project endangers Neo-Tokyo when it turns a biker gang member into a rampaging psychic psychopath that only two teenagers and a group of psychics can stop.

Picnic Under A Gibbet

September 2021 •English

From the director RICHARD CORSO, FISH (2016), THE SALESMAN (2018) and CASSIDY BLUES (2020) and adapted from the short story by GREGORY FERBRACHE. PICNIC UNDER A GIBBET is a political satire about a court jester (SEAN MICHAEL CUMMINGS) a town fool (CODY DERMON) and a traveling plague doctor (LEONARD BARRETT JR) who enjoy a nice picnic under the corpse of the previous king.

Mère Ubu

December 1998 •German

Père Ubu

November 1997 •German

Kidney Thieves

October 2006 •English

A man awakens to some surprising news from the people who tried to steal his kidneys.

Lady Oscar

June 2012 •French

Nightbitch

December 2024 •English

A woman, thrown into the stay-at-home routine of raising a toddler in the suburbs, slowly embraces the feral power deeply rooted in motherhood, as she becomes increasingly aware of the bizarre and undeniable signs that she may be turning into a dog.

Raising Arizona

March 1987 •English

When a childless couple--an ex-con and an ex-cop--decide to help themselves to one of another family's quintuplets, their lives become more complicated than they anticipated.

A Lady and Her Maid

May 1913 •English

The photographer sends miss Ophelia a dozen photographs of her in different poses. Selecting the best one, she presents it to her favorite boarder, Billy, who does not think much of it and who gets very indignant when it is compared with the photo of his sweetheart. Miss Ophelia goes up to her room in tears and tells her faithful maid, Belinda, that her heart is broken. Belinda goes down and forcibly tells Billy what she thinks of him. Miss Ophelia resolves on suicide, because no one seems to love her. Belinda gets back in time to prevent this and, to divert her mistress, she suggests that they go together to a beauty specialist. Arriving there, both receive attention. Miss Ophelia gets a new complexion, while Belinda gets new teeth. Both invest in new gowns and dresses and the transformation is complete. At supper time, the boarders are all astounded.

The Miracle Water

February 1914 •Italian

In this sophisticated romantic comedy, healing waters are the cover for an extramarital affair that “cures” the infertility problems of a childless couple.

The Burning Towel or A Household Quarrel

August 1911 •French

A couple’s fight over dinner leads to spiralling domestic abuse that spreads all over town. (MoMA)

The Great Dictator

October 1940 •English

Dictator Adenoid Hynkel tries to expand his empire while a poor Jewish barber tries to avoid persecution from Hynkel's regime.

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

January 1964 •English

After the insane General Jack D. Ripper initiates a nuclear strike on the Soviet Union, a war room full of politicians, generals and a Russian diplomat all frantically try to stop the nuclear strike.

Spaceballs

June 1987 •English

When the nefarious Dark Helmet hatches a plan to snatch Princess Vespa and steal her planet's air, space-bum-for-hire Lone Starr and his clueless sidekick fly to the rescue. Along the way, they meet Yogurt, who puts Lone Starr wise to the power of "The Schwartz." Can he master it in time to save the day?

Pleasantville

September 1998 •English

Geeky teenager David and his popular twin sister, Jennifer, get sucked into the black-and-white world of a 1950s TV sitcom called "Pleasantville," and find a world where everything is peachy keen all the time. But when Jennifer's modern attitude disrupts Pleasantville's peaceful but boring routine, she literally brings color into its life.

Life Stinks

June 1991 •English

A rich businessman makes a bet he can survive on the streets of a rough Los Angeles neighborhood for 30 days completely penniless. During his stay he discovers another side of life and falls in love with a homeless woman.

The Paintjackers

January 1959 •Russian

When the clock strikes twelve in a toy store a bunch of paint tubes come to life.

The Tale of the Christmas Tree

January 2011 •Russian

New Year's adventure of a little Christmas tree girl.

Snow Maiden

January 2004 •Russian

The tale of the Snow Maiden is well-known, as are its numerous traditional arrangements. However, this version is somewhat different, as is the play by A.N. Ostrovsky, which served as the basis for the film.