ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Now that we are all stuck inside, the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor is offering film fans a virtual way to go to the movies.
Each week, the independent theater offers new films to rent online. Movies can be streamed through different devices like phones, tablets, laptops and Smart TVs.
Recommended Videos
Michigan Theater has partnered with film distribution companies to receive some of the proceeds from virtual tickets sales to benefit the Michigan Theater Foundation.
Buy tickets to the virtual screenings through the Michigan Theater website.
New films this week:
Balloon
Not rated -- $10
Two families try to escape East Germany in a self-made hot-air balloon but race against the clock to repair it after a fateful crash.
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
Not rated -- $3
A noir crime drama, the silent film follows Dr. Caligari, who is suspected of performing a series of murders in a small German town.
The film will only be shown on Thursday, May 7. It is free to Michigan Theater members.
Capital in the Twenty-First Century
Not rated -- $12
Based on the book “Capital in the Twenty-First Century” by economist Thomas Piketty, the documentary combines interviews and popular cultural references to explore the interchange of money, power, inequality and poverty throughout history.
Menopause the Musical
$19
The musical parody follows four women at a lingerie sale as they dance and sing about aspects of their lives including hot flashes, their thighs and memory loss. The archival footage is from a 2015 show of the “Survivor Tour.”
Our Mothers (Nuestras Madres)
Not rated -- $12
A Spanish language drama, “Our Mothers” is about anthropologist Ernesto and his search to find clues about his missing father against the wishes of his family.
What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael
Not rated -- $12
The 2019 documentary follows the life of film critic Pauline Kael from her time at “The New Yorker” to her considerable influence over film directors and producers. Various filmmakers comment on her influence and talent within the documentary and some of Kael’s reviews will be voiced by Sarah Jessica Parker.
When It Breaks
Not rated -- $14 (with Michigan Theater discount code)
The film follows Special Education teacher Konrad Wert from teacher burnout to classroom advocacy and music. Wert’s musical side career becomes a way to advocate to audiences about the state of Special Education.
Why Can’t I Be Me? Around You
Not rated -- $12 -- Starts Wednesday, May 6
Winner of the aut FILM Award for Best LGBTQ Film at the Ann Arbor Film Festival, the documentary follows Rusty Tidenberg for eight years as she deals with the aftermath of coming out as transgender to be her authentic self.
The film is free for AAFF members and Michigan Theater Gold members.
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Here’s what is already playing:
Beanpole
Not rated -- $12
Following the lives of two women in post-WWII Leningrad, “Beanpole” won director Kantemir Balagov an ‘Un Certain Regard’s Best Director’ prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
Best of Cat Video Fest: Creature Comforts Edition!
Not rated -- Donation-based
Watch 40-minutes of the internet’s best cat videos.
The Booksellers
Not rated -- $9.99
A 99-minute documentary about the world of antiquarian booksellers.
Pahokee
Not rated -- $12
The award-winning documentary is about a rural village in the Everglades, Florida where citizens face fragile financial situations and uncertainty.
Incitement
Not rated -- $9.99
Writer-director Yaron Zilberman chronicles how a law student became an intransigent ultranationalist obsessed with murdering Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.