The revamped Oriental Theatre down the street may be the most exciting new film development in the works (just over a week away!), but let's not forget about the other historic East Side cinematic gem: the Downer Theatre.
Even if it's not as ornate or big as its former sister theater (though it's actually older), the Downer's still a cool classic Milwaukee film landmark. Plus, over the past half-year, it's introduced some late-night fun to its typical schedule of buzzy independent offerings with its Almost Midnight movie series – a nifty new addition that just unveiled its third chapter of old-school hits and cult classics perfect for revisiting at ridiculous hours of the night.
And thankfully, this third installment is more "Toy Story 3" than "Jurassic Park 3."
The latest eight picks include a mission from God with the '80s musical mania of "The Blues Brothers," a mission into space and beyond with Stanley Kubrick's brilliant mind-boggler "2001: A Space Odyssey," a mission into your worst nightmares with "A Nightmare on Elm Street" (the original, obviously; get out of here, melted Jackie Earle Haley) and a mission to destroy the sinister Mondo Burger in the glorious '90s Nickelodeon disasterpiece "Good Burger." Oh, and there's "The Room" – because you can't have a midnight movie series without "The Room."
Here's the rest of the Downer's latest Almost Midnight offerings:
Aug. 10-11 – "Hedwig and the Angry Inch"
Aug. 17-18 – "The Blues Brothers"
Aug. 24-25 – "Good Burger"
Aug. 31-Sept. 1 – "2001: A Space Odyssey"
Sept. 7-8 – "Spirited Away"
Sept. 14-15 – "But I'm A Cheerleader"
Sept. 21-22 – "The Room"
Sept. 28-29 – "A Nightmare on Elm Street"
For tickets, visit the Downer's website – and for coffee and sugary snack foods to help stay awake after hours (it's not called the Almost Midnight movie series for nothing, as each film screens Fridays and Saturdays just before the witching hour), visit the theater's vending stand.
And yes, the Downer will have orange soda.
As much as it is a gigantic cliché to say that one has always had a passion for film, Matt Mueller has always had a passion for film. Whether it was bringing in the latest movie reviews for his first grade show-and-tell or writing film reviews for the St. Norbert College Times as a high school student, Matt is way too obsessed with movies for his own good.
When he's not writing about the latest blockbuster or talking much too glowingly about "Piranha 3D," Matt can probably be found watching literally any sport (minus cricket) or working at - get this - a local movie theater. Or watching a movie. Yeah, he's probably watching a movie.