November Movie Night (11/14) | "Anora" @ 6pm

Awards season is imminent, and so our docket will be filled with some of the most interesting films of the year for the next few months. First up is Cannes crowd-pleaser Anora, the latest film from director Sean Baker (Tangerine, The Florida Project, Red Rocket). As in his previous films, Baker zooms in on a hard-working human (read: flaws and all) whose struggles haven't paid off. Is he highlighting the tenacity of the human spirit, or the insubstantiality of the American Dream? Maybe both? We'll follow exotic dancer/sex worker Anora on a whirlwind wherein she gets married to the son of a Russian oligarch (which is then forcibly annulled) to find out.
It has been called "the funniest and most harrowing" film of the year, "a love story—but not in the way you expect," and a "movie that is meant for discussion." Sounds perfect for us!

Some notes about this meetup:

• Meeting Up & Talking After: Once you have your ticket, take the hallway to the right off the main entrance (past the men's restrooms/on the way to the lower-level theaters) to the members "ta/ke out" section—there are some chairs and a small area where we usually say hello to one another before heading into the movie (especially if it's your first time!). Someone will be there from 15 minutes before the film until just before showtime. If you arrive late, just head into the film and you can join us after—we go next door to the Washington Perk coffee shop to discuss.
• Please update your RSVP if you can't make it—this helps with a few things, including how many people we're keeping an eye out for.
• Recommended: purchasing your ticket online ahead of time; this lets a/perture if more people than expected are coming, AND keeps you from waiting in line if you don't want concessions.
• And remember: You do NOT need to be a serious cinephile to join our group—but we hope you're open to talking about your ideas anyway, and learning from the insights of others!
• Parking Info from a/perture

Showtime: 6:00pm, probably [with conversation to follow the film]
Runtime: 139 minutes
Description:
Anora, a young sex worker from Brooklyn, gets her chance at a Cinderella story when she meets and impulsively marries the son of an oligarch. Once the news reaches Russia, her fairytale is threatened as the parents set out for New York to get the marriage annulled.

““Anora” is both thrilling and heartbreaking, both boisterous and shatteringly sad. But rest assured, no one you’ll come to care about in this miracle of a film will be left without a trace of hope, even after an ending that arrives like a gut-punch.” ~ Tomris Laffly, RogerEbert.com